Long maligned in these parts and elsewhere for its hellacious winters and formerly rotten grocery stores, Hyde Park is actually going to be “hopping” next week, for the obvious reason that our neighbor is running for president.Here are some examples:

• Hyde Park Hair Salon, where Obama gets his hair trimmed, will be throwing an all-night election party, catered by neighborhood eats. Cost: $50, according to yesterday’s RedEye. According to this Toronto Star (!!!) article, they hope against hope that HOPE will stop by at some point, which would probably make you feel better about shelling out $50.

• C-Span is broadcasting live from the quads on Monday, which should be about as exciting as C-Span normally is, which is “minimally,” but they will have a giant van that says “C-Span” so you can take pictures for your scrapbooks and memory boxes. They are here ostensibly to conduct interviews with U of C students, having obviously never talked to a U of C student. We will be tivoing or whatever and posting the very best/worst interviews here. Stay tuned.

• And speaking of being on the television, the Reynolds club is being tricked out for election night with lots of televisions, and there will be a big election night party in sponsored by Student Government, College Republicans, UC Dems, and most everyone else. Uh, there’s free food and such.

So there you have it; Parties.