The Drinker's Guide to Chicago: Best Wines, Cocktails, Beers, and More

By Barri Leiner Grant, Nora O'Donnell, Jeff Ruby, Lena Singer, Jennifer Tanaka, Lauren Viera, and Jennifer Wehunt

Dr. Mercola: Visionary or Quack?

Americans’ growing interest in alternative medicine has helped turn suburban Chicago doctor Joseph Mercola into one of the most popular voices in natural health. So why does he have so many...

By Bryan Smith

Best Day Spas in Chicago

Cold and cranky? We scoured the city for the top retreats to beat the winter blahs

By Nora O'Donnell and Lena Singer; Additional reporting by Ewa Lyczewska, Brooke Still, and Jennifer Swann

Laura Letinsky’s Art of Leftovers

REINVENTING LEFTOVERS: The U. of C. prof and photographer celebrates the creative process and sharing food in two new exhibits

By Claudine Isé

Sale Picks Up Steam at Park Ridge Townhomes

THE COOLEST CUT: After developer slashes prices, buyers seek out stalled project

By Dennis Rodkin

A Prizker Picks Up Three Lincoln Park Properties

Scion of moneyed clan acquires three select North Side properties

Morgan Stanley Exec Sells Shaw Mansion

HIS TIME EXPIRED: The investment banker who oversaw the parking-meter deal makes a profit on his Howard Van Doren Shaw-designed home

By Dennis Rodkin

Reviews: Bar Toma and Vera

ITALIA, ESPAÑA, AND YOU: Tony Mantuano tackles Italian at Bar Toma, and Liz and Mark Mendez make a marriage proposal to Spain, making both the right restaurants at the right time

By Jeff Ruby

How to Get a Personal Rx For Fitness in Chicago

THE CUSTOMIZED SHAPE-UP: More people hoping to shed some pounds and improve their health are turning to personalized fitness programs with a medical slant. Here are four local options

By Karen Springen

A Guide to Lincoln Square: Where to Eat, Shop, and Play

INSIDER’S GUIDE: A beloved music venue’s expansion is one reason to revisit this North Side neighborhood. We’ve got 13 more

By Kevin McKeough

Chicago’s Newest Video Games

STATE OF PLAY: A new generation of game studios has risen from the ashes of Midway Games and EA’s local office, bringing games for all ages across gaming platforms

By Rod O’Connor

Charting Obama's New Campaign Team

OBAMALAND REDUX: A look at new faces in new places as the president gears up for November

By David Bernstein

Doak Ewing, Vintage Sports Film Collector

CELLULOID HERO: The Naperville man's company, Rare Sportsfilms, specializes in rescuing and restoring old sports films. Want highlights of the 1953 Milwaukee Braves or the Cubs’ 1935 World...

By Jonathan Eig

Theaster Gates, Artist and Urban Planner, On His Style Inspirations

GOLDEN GATES: The rising star, whose work has been shown at the Whitney and LA’s MOCA, talks about the West Side church that gave him his fashion, and picks 10 of his favorite things

By Heiji Choy Black

Trend: Decoupage Mania

BON COLLAGE: Love the cut-and-paste look? Now is your moment

Jessica Murnane Launches Dillingham Fair

SHOPPER: The designer of letterpress paper goods on her new online-only shop

By Lena Singer

Odyssey: A Search for Chicago Kreplach

THE UGLY DUMPLING: One man’s quest for authentic dumplings like Grandma used to make

By Noah Isackson

The Hot List: 10 places everyone’s talking about and dining at in February in order of heat

Chicago’s most-buzzed-about restaurants this month

By Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby

What’s Coming, What’s New, and What’s Cheap in Chicago Dining

Pasteur, Urban Union, Au Cheval, and Serdika Cafe Pastry Restaurant

By Jeff Ruby, Carly Boers, and Jill Rohde

Palm Springs Vacation Hot Spots for Aesthetes

MODERN OASIS: A Chicago design pro reveals his favorite places in this modern oasis, the desert getaway for Hollywood renegades and architecture buffs

Divorce Advice from a Family Court Veteran

DIVORCE WITH LESS DAMAGE: Cook County judge Karen Shields left the bench three years ago to become a divorce mediator. Here’s what she has learned about limiting emotional and financial pain

Hyde Park’s SHOP Serves Up Beer and Art

A ROOM WITH A BREW: A cozy art-gallery-slash-pub finds a home in a new community art center

By Claudine Isé

Meet Luna Negra Dance Theater’s Gustavo Ramírez Sansano

RAGING BULL: The Spanish native premieres a new adaptation of ‘Carmen’ in March at the Harris Theater

By Laura Molzahn

Puppet Plays Take Chicago

With marionettes multiplying on local stages, we rank the kid friendliness of four strings-attached works

By Robert Loerzel

Five Best Things to Do in February

THE SHORTLIST: Five musts from our February culture calendar

By Graham Meyer