Who Makes What

Our 2009 survey of salaries around the city and beyond

Wedded Bliss

Silk and organza roses bloom on spring’s gorgeous gowns. Plus: One bride’s do-it-yourself success, and a guide to calm, cool, and collected special-event planners

Stacey Jones, Brittney Blair, and Beth Wilson

Can Cameras Replace Cops?

No one can say for sure why murders and violent crimes are on the rise in Chicago. But some criminologists are questioning why the new police superintendent, Jody Weis, is moving away from proven...

Noah Isackson

Royko in Love

Long before becoming an acclaimed newspaper columnist, Mike Royko was a young airman secretly in love with a beautiful gal from his Northwest Side neighborhood. From afar, “Mick” began to pour...

March 2009 Table of Contents

Contributors

March 2009: David Royko, Joe C. Moreno, Noah Isackson, Laura Caldwell, Brittney Blair

Graham Meyer

Feedback

In March's letters: property-tax premiums, psychotherapy, hindsight, and Barack Obama Boulevard

The Closer: Anatomy of a Bris

What happens at a bris? Well, um, er, there's this man who makes cheesy jokes, and usually there's lox...

Jeff Ruby

Down, But Not Out

We recently stopped by a gathering of Chicago’s Young Republicans, who, between bites of meatballs and sips of wine, dished on Obama, their party’s future, and more

Katherine Hajduch & Bridget Maiellaro

State of the State

Forget Blago—Illinois has bigger problems.

David Bernstein

Potty-mouth Patti

A double standard for the First Lady?

Ben Strauss

A Little More Ladylike

Sarah Preston

Game Theory

A new happy-hour spot in River North bets on the upscale-sports-lounge trend

Sarah Preston

5 Bars That Maximize March Madness

Sarah Preston

Sales Check

March 2009: A roundup of this month's sales, store openings, and shopping news.

Katherine Lee & Bridget Maiellaro

Va-Va-Vintage

Our experts did the legwork—driving 446 miles and scouring the racks of dozens of shops—so you don’t have to. The payoff: a guide to the best vintage vendors in town

Barri Leiner, Rebecca Little, and Cassie Walker

Talk of the Town

Anna Davlantes creates a talk show with an unlikely angle: the opinions of ordinary Chicagoans.

Laura Caldwell

Solo Act

An avant-garde rocker with a Joni Mitchell sound

Mark Guarino

You Should Know ... Regina Taylor

The successful black playwright shares a secret—namely, her white Russian muse

Catey Sullivan

Blow Hard

“Free” jazz pioneer Fred Anderson turns 80 in March, and the five-day celebration at his club, the Velvet Lounge, begins...

Neil Tesser

Shopper: Barneys New York

A little boom amid bust

Rebecca Little

Young Gun

People in Peoria still call him Kid Schock. The Illinois GOP calls him its great hope

Edward McClelland

Can-Do Condos

Two developers help banks redeem high-rise foreclosures

Dennis Rodkin

Tudor Telly

Brit manor on North Shore once home to TV rating king

Dennis Rodkin

Pushing the Envelope

Extensive rehab includes return to home’s old address

Dennis Rodkin

Silent Running

Insulation muffles el train noise

Dennis Rodkin

Attending to Details

At The Lumiere, small things are a big deal

Dennis Rodkin

Stay Attuned

Developer’s duet harmonizes with 19th-century neighbors

Dennis Rodkin

Bring Your Own (Budget) Bottle

What’s better than a wine store within walking distance of a favorite BYOB? A great recommendation—under $12 a pop

Kim Conte

Dining Out: Men in White

A pair of talented chefs ride to the rescue at Courtright's and One Sixtyblue

Dining Tidbits

Osteria Ottimo, Los Nopales, Tiny Lounge, Ristorante al Teatro

Singled Out: Angelina Ristorante

Fred Ramos takes over Angelina Ristorante

Penny Pollack

Pour: 2005 Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo

The 2005 Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo is made with grapes plucked from old vines in Castile, Spain

Dennis Ray Wheaton

West Town News: Branch 27

What interests us most about the new restaurant is the impressive roster of talent behind it

Jeff Ruby

Odyssey: Feast Of The Belly

We set up a blind tasting of options from gourmet grocery stores and meat markets to find out which bacon is the best. Behold your guide to porcine bliss.

Graham Meyer

We Do the Math

We’re totally stuck on Mauritius, Theresa Rebeck’s edge-of-your-seat thriller about—don’t scoff—stamp collecting. Here’s how penny postage adds up to high suspense onstage.

Catey Sullivan

Ready for My Close-up

Mug Shots: The Face of Crime, a collection of booking photos from the late 1800s through the 1960s opens March 14th at Mars Gallery

Ann Wiens

Call the Babysitter

5 shows you can’t take your kids to (but shouldn’t miss)

Jennifer Wehunt