The True Story of the Deadly Encounter at Fort Dearborn

For nearly two centuries, the events that transpired in Chicago on August 15, 1812, had been known as the Fort Dearborn Massacre. With the dedication of a new park, the bloody encounter between 95...

Geoffrey Johnson

Cold Play: Things to do in Chicago in winter

From great places to sled and cross-country ski to more offbeat activities like mushing and ice-boating, this interactive map is full of ideas to get you out of your indoor rut. Browse activities...

Ice Folly: Facing middle age and an expanding belly, Chicago mag writer tries figure skating

A personal odyssey from flailing rail-clutcher to competitive champ

Bryan Smith

Table of Contents

Contributors

December 2009: Shane Tritsch, Michael Boone, Robert Sharoff, Geoffrey Johnson, Chauncey Hollingsworth

Graham Meyer

Feedback / Letters to the editor

In December’s letters: Northwestern athletics and war heroes

Dining Out—Spanish Steps: Best places to get pintxos in Chicago

In Basque Country, everyone has a handle on the latest bar-food trend, pintxos—tapas-like tidbits. Here, not so much

Dennis Ray Wheaton

Make Big Plans: No Olympics, but Mayor Daley has a slew of big projects for Chicago

Grading the mayor's Olympic-sized projects

Laurie Cunningham

On artist and screen printer Jay Ryan

SCREEN GEM: With a new book out and a seemingly endless reservoir of ideas, the artist and screen printer Jay Ryan draws worldwide acclaim from his Skokie studio

Cassie Walker

The True Story of the Deadly Encounter at Fort Dearborn

For nearly two centuries, the events that transpired in Chicago on August 15, 1812, had been known as the Fort Dearborn Massacre. With the dedication of a new park, the bloody encounter between 95...

Geoffrey Johnson

5 Spots to Take a Breather from Holiday Shopping in Chicago

Amalie Drury

Happier Hour: Bar Novo and Sweetwater Tavern and Grille

Two new Loop spots aim to get office workers out of the cube and in from the cold

Amalie Drury

Shaking the Foundation: Chicago's architecture community devastated by recession

After glorying in a decade of booming construction, the city's architecture community has been hit hard by the economic downturn. What does that herald for the future of one of the city's signature...

Robert Sharoff

Pocket Guide: A cultural short list for December, in order of buzz

Jennifer Wehunt

Baked!: Best cookbooks of 2009

Just in time for the holiday season, our annual roundup

Penny Pollack

Finds Under $50 - 40 gifts for those on a budget

Barri Leiner, Rebecca Little, Megan Lovejoy, Bridget Maiellaro, Jennifer Moore, and Cassie Walker

Decisive Design: Work of German designer Konstantin Grcic on display at the Art Institute

Wild at Art: Photographer Carrie Schneider’s portraits feature herself

Rachel Wolff

Local Boy Made Good: Everyblock.com creator Adrian Holovaty buys Ravenswood Manor house

Neighborhood-news website creator buys a two-story with a river view

Dennis Rodkin

Good Cope, Bad Cope: Chicagoans fight foreclosure stress by fixing their mortgages

Dennis Rodkin

Retro Chic: Old new look, falling prices spur converted-condo sales in Lake View

Dennis Rodkin

Return Voyage: The Columbian in the South Loop reverts to preconstruction prices

Dennis Rodkin

Seniors’ Moment: North Center supplies affordable housing to buyers 55 and older

Dennis Rodkin

Mini-Review: T-Bones in St. Charles

Beware: Portion sizes never let up

Penny Pollack

Pour: Charles Bove Brut

Zesty with aromas of yeast and toast followed by the citrus flavors of chenin blanc, it’s got plenty of invigorating bubbles to go crazy all over your tongue.

Dennis Ray Wheaton

Tacos: Big Star in Wicker Park

The quintessential anti-sports bar opens in Wicker Park

Jeff Ruby

New: Ceres’ Table in Edgewater

Giuseppe Scurato's promising contemporary American restaurant plans to reinterpret classics

Angela Shukert

Empanada Madness: Best places in Chicago to get the classic turnovers

The humble turnover gets its 15 minutes

Joanne Trestrail

Budget Beat: Nana in Bridgeport

The owners source ingredients for all-organic Nana as carefully as buyers for the most expensive places in town, though their menu is far from uppity.

Joanne Trestrail

Singled Out: Rare Bird Preserves

Oak Park's Elizabeth Madden updates classic French methods of making preserves with novel flavor combinations

Jennifer Tanaka

A Christmas Story: The Rehkemper brothers make toys in the West Loop

Q: Daddy, where do toys come from?
A: Two brothers in the West Loop

Jeff Ruby