Dec 1, 2008 10:31 pm US/Central
Warm Hearts Help Chicagoans Weather Cold Storms
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Local actor Freddy Rodriguez remembers filming in Humboldt Park in freezing conditions.
CBS
Well you knew it was coming - but that probably didn't take the bite out of the snow, ice and wind when the storm finally hit. Warm hearts did help some people weather the worst of it. On the first big snow day of the season, CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports that Chicagoans are used to a lot worse.
Goofing around in the new fallen snow, Chris and his best friend Lotus will tell you it's doggone cold out there.
"The wind's biting very hard, it's very cold," said Chris Delany. "It's not as bad as it's gonna get."
In spite of the signs wintery weather is here, those chillin' out at the bus stop remember last year's even deeper freeze.
"It's the kind of cold that burns actually," said Fiorella Reto.
"It was so bad, I wouldn't be walking like this," said Julio Villalba.
We met these folks beneath the snow dusted archway in Humboldt Park - the neighborhood front and center of the new Christmas flick "Nothing like the Holidays."
"It's pretty friggin' cold here right now," said actor Freddy Rodriguez.
At Chicago's ice cold premiere of the film Monday night, CBS 2 caught up with local boy and star Freddy Rodriguez, who remembers filming in this neighborhood in conditions about 20 degrees colder than tonight but feeling warm.
"People were so incredibly generous and hospitable towards us," Rodriguez said. "They would literally open doors and let us go in their homes and get warm between scenes."
"They were going, 'thank you, thank you, thank you' for the coffee because they were shaking," said Epi Valez, La Plena restaurant.
Restaurateur Epi Valez and his wife came to the rescue of the freezing crew - and even got a cameo appearance.
"I had to shake my hand like this saying hello," Valez said. "It was a lot of fun."
Warm spirits like that help Chicagoans weather the coldest of storms.
Monday night's movie premiere was held outdoors on this cold Chicago day right outside the Music Box Theatre.
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