Our Top 5 Guide to Summer Fun

120 ways to celebrate Chicago's favorite season

The President's Neighborhood

Chicago's Hyde Park has hosted a world's fair, nurtured a great university, pioneered urban renewal, and served as both home and crucible for Barack Obama.

By Christopher Benson

Queen of Arts

Muriel Newman excelled at the art of collecting. One expert called the paintings that graced her Gold Coast apartment “the greatest private collection of abstract expressionists in the...

Chicago Straight

The arrest of Governor Rod Blagojevich in December cast a shadowy light on the relationships among four leading players in the Illinois Democratic Party—Blagojevich, Barack Obama, Rahm Emanuel,...

By David Bernstein

Table of Contents

Contributors

June 2009: Christopher Benson, Andrew Huff, Kate Schwartz Seamons, David Bernstein, Roberto Parada

By Graham Meyer

Feedback

In June’s letters: Reactions on charter schools and Arne Duncan

Good Deal

Don’t forget about everyday retail discounts, which aren’t strictly recession relief but have sprouted like mushrooms since the recession began.

The Recession: What’s In It for You?

The sluggish economy isn’t all bad—tax incentives and seller discounts mean bargains for consumers

By Kirsten Jerch

Cool. Comfort. Cheap.

Don’t get burned. Here are 28 of the best air-conditioning and heating contractors in the Chicago area

By Robert Krughoff

5 Bars …

that open early Saturday for long summer afternoons of alfresco drinking

By Kate Schwartz Seamons

Fill ’er Up

The guys behind Sound-Bar, Y, and Zentra have long provided hot spots for the very young and restless, but their glam new venture, Fuel Kitchen & Cocktail Lounge, caters more toward the latter.

By Kate Schwartz Seamons

Victor/Victorian

A new restaurant-bar hybrid in Boystown embraces its graystone roots; plies nightlifers with stiff drinks and comfort food

By Kate Schwartz Seamons

Unstaged Reading

Tarot cards play a small but pivotal role in Up, an offbeat drama by the playwright Bridget Carpenter. South Side reader Doña Cristina

By Catey Sullivan

Straight Talk

Artist Joel Ross, on the photo Be Gay, part of Joel Ross Roadside: A Presentation of Recent Field Experiments and Prototypes

Builders’ Bargains

Excess inventory can mean deep discounts on new homes

By Dennis Rodkin

The Survivor

House withstands the Great Depression and current crisis

By Dennis Rodkin

A New Development

J. Paul Beitler sells his 80-year-old North Shore mansion

By Dennis Rodkin

A Small World

Acquaintances became friends when the green community came out for the 2009 Green Awards, presented by Shedd Aquarium and Chicago magazine.

By Bethany Marzewski and Stephanie Prather

Hot Commodity

Thousands of Jay Cutler jerseys sold since he was signed by the Bears

By Bethany Marzewski

Home Alone

Forget us not, Mr. President

By Bethany Marzewski

The Short List

Meet Blago’s (pre-arrest) contenders for Obama’s Senate seat

By David Bernstein

Neality TV

Tapping into nostalgia for classic shows and movies, Neal Sabin has built plucky Weigel Broadcasting—operator of WCIU, Me-TV, and the new This—into a regional TV dynamo 

By Josh Schollmeyer

Odyssey: Counter Intelligence

We found five spots where fast-food speed and slow-food deliciousness (and table service) happily coexist

By Joanne Trestrail

Pour: 2007 Brancott South Island

It redefines Kiwi polish

By Dennis Ray Wheaton

Singled Out: Chris Nugent

Chris Nugent doesn’t care if you don’t know his name. He’s more interested in pleasing his dedicated clientele.

By Jeff Ruby

Lake Advisory

The denizens of the lakefront path and the clashes between their tribes

By Jeff Ruby

Vanishing Act

Newcomers blend in with old Victorians

By Dennis Rodkin

Humboldt Helpers

Agency enhances parkside condos by adding optional furnishings and electronics

By Dennis Rodkin

Boxcar—Non!

Many windows and long lots open up Paris-themed condos

By Dennis Rodkin

Chasing Sullivan

Mark Richard Smith nearly died making his first film. Is his passion enough to get it to audiences?

By Ardis Berghoff

Shopper: The Modern Shop

A flashy landmark houses a new source for design

By Rebecca Little

Street Wise

From June 2009: A Chicago company has figured out how to drill deep down for "hyper-local" news—that is, the stuff that's happening on your street. But is there a future for this new breed of...

By Andrew Huff

Lightning Sharp

Jackie Koo just gave State Street a facelift with The Wit

By Jay Pridmore

For Real

A fresh start for Twista

By Kevin McKeough

Found: The Late Night Late Show

"It’s Garry Shandling, the Muppet Show, and Conan O’Brien rolled into one."

New Books

Do Not Deny Me and other new works

On The Scene

By Kevin McKeough

Sales Check

A roundup of June’s sales, store openings, and shopping news

By Bridget Maiellaro