September 2009

Cover Story

The Best Burgers in Chicago

The Best Burgers in Chicago

These days, you can get a decent burger pretty much anywhere in Chicago. Where do you go to get a great one? Here, our 30 favorites—upscale, downscale, or just plain messy

Features

The Secret Life of Teens: A Special Report

The Secret Life of Teens: A Special Report

They eat. They sleep. They study. They Facebook. But what goes on when kids are out of sight? And, more importantly, what are they thinking? To find out, we asked.

Major League

Major League

Our panel of admissions experts answer questions about getting into college

8 Teen Dreams

8 Teen Dreams

A science whiz, a professional ballet dancer, a born storyteller, a basketball star, and four others talk about their lives and their hopes for the future

A Mugging on Lake Street

A Mugging on Lake Street

A veteran investigative reporter looks into his own beating and finds himself confronting harsh and lingering questions of race

Departments

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Contributors

Contributors

Contributors

September 2009: John Conroy, Ruth Lopez, Bridget Maiellaro, Cassie Walker, Ryan Robinson

Feedback

Feedback

In September’s letters: Reactions to our July issue on sex and love

Arena: Money

Learning to Get Paid

Learning to Get Paid

Thinking of riding out the recession by pursuing a degree? Some pay off more than others

Arena: Page Two

Park Grill

Park Grill

If you thought our parking meters were expensive . . . 

Employment Statistics 101

Should we be surprised by high teacher turnover?

Politics

The Coronation

The Coronation

Todd Stroger’s reign as county board president has been marred by chaos, scandal, and deeply unpopular decisions. Here’s the story behind the maneuvering that elevated a political lightweight...

Cheers

Recipe File: Fly by Night

Recipe File: Fly by Night

The Shrine

The Shrine

Music is a religious experience at the South Loop’s newest dance club

Arena

Honest Abe, Avant-garde

Honest Abe, Avant-garde

Gay, black, and a descendant of slaves, the Tony-winning choreographer Bill T. Jones mined his complex feelings about Abraham Lincoln to create a capstone dance for the Ravinia Festival

Reaching Out to the Ranks

Reaching Out to the Ranks

Two University of Chicago MBAs take their concept from the classroom to the virtual couch to help troubled veterans

Keeping It Fresh

Keeping It Fresh

While the blues can be low-down, Zora Young makes them sound high class on her new album, The French Connection.

Crushed

Crushed

Heartbreak inspires a new album by a group of indie up-and-comers

Sales Check

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

Theatre: Noise Maker

Theatre: Noise Maker

Oscar nominee Michael Shannon on his return to the Chicago stage, mothers, and more

One Fine Detour

One Fine Detour

Curator Stephanie Smith let serendipity lead when she put together Heartland, an art show about the Midwest

Deal Estate

Over, Under, Sideways, Down

Tracking the vacillating value of local homes

Finding Zook’s Nooks

Finding Zook’s Nooks

Owners uncover hidden design features left by idiosyncratic architect

Play House

Play House

Tracy Letts gives up rental for modern 12-room home

Deal Estate Condos

Outside the Box

Outside the Box

Lovely city sights enhance Museum Park condos

A Distant Division Street

A Distant Division Street

Artful layout at Vision condo development helps keep busy urban thoroughfare at bay

Paying Court

Paying Court

Extra-deep enclosure gives residents lots of open space

Table

Dining Out: Palette Meets Palate

Dining Out: Palette Meets Palate

Good dining in a museum and a department store? It’s true

Singled Out: Arancini

Singled Out: Arancini

Lighter-than-air hand-shaped spheres can be found at Fianco.

Ice Cream: Original Rainbow Cone

The legendary Beverly destination hasn’t changed a lick over the years, and now ORC plans to open a Loop branch in August.

Scene: 33 Club

Jerry Kleiner's secret weapon at 33 Club is Daniel Kelly, whose imaginative cooking we liked at D. Kelly in the West Loop a few years back.

Budget Beat: Main Street Smokehouse

The menu showcases BBQ styles from primo pit stops around the country

Return: The Claim Company

A longtime anchor in Northbrook Court is revamped

Pour: 2008 Mas des Bressades Cuvée Tradition

Pour: 2008 Mas des Bressades Cuvée Tradition

It's not a cloyingly sweet blush wine or something pinkish posing as a wine cooler

Odyssey: Boomtown

Odyssey: Boomtown

Chicago's boutique food businesses get a jump-start from the poor economy

Designer Pork

Designer Pork

La Quercia's products out-prosciutto Italy

Chicago Guide

Six Degrees of Misha

Six Degrees of Misha

In advance of Baryshnikov's return to the Windy City

Theatre: Dust to Dust

Yeast Nation vs. Boom: Turns out the beginning and the end of the world have a lot in common—onstage, at least

Outer Drive

Burgers Made Me Dumb

Burgers Made Me Dumb

The downside to working as a food writer