Zara Opens in Skokie

Euro Fash

Few affordable stores inspire the devotion of Spanish-based Zara (Old Orchard, Skokie; 847-329-0808, zara.com). A steady stream of those who have shopped the brand in Europe or the coasts have poured into the Old Orchard store since it opened on Sept. 25th, expressing mostly the same sentiment: “Finally.” The excitement over the opening rivaled that of the Marc by Marc Jacobs in Bucktown, with a decidedly more pocket-friendly assortment of merchandise. And...

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ALDS Game 4: Rays at Sox

The Cubs Hater protests the "blackout," The Elitist roots for Torre's team, The Time Traveler mourns Stoney's radio departure, The Girl mocks Joe Maddon's glasses, and The Fatalist weighs life insurance options. Here, our analyses of ALDS Game 4...

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The Fear Card

As the first biographer of Barack Obama, I have often found myself in a position where few journalists find comfort: defending the honor of a politician.

Yet, over the past 14 months, ever since the release of my biography of Obama, I have fielded countless questions about Obama that clearly have been based in ugly racial or religious distortion, and I have felt it my obligation to help set the record straight. In doing so, occasionally I have been accused of being an Obama sympathizer. But if that's the price of spreading the truth, so be it...

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Sale of the Week—A Lincoln Park Greystone

List Price: $1.495 million
Sale Price: $1.3 million
The Property: This Victorian greystone was built in 1874 on what is now one of Lincoln Park’s most appealing blocks, with the park half a block east, restaurants less than a block to the west, and some of the neighborhood’s finest architectural treasures (including the Wrigley...

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Louis Vuitton

If good manners means starting your fashion show on time, Marc Jacobs has become the fashion equivalent of Emily Post. Scolded by critics for his notorious tardiness in previous seasons, he now aims for precision, by golly. This afternoon we received an e-mail from the press contact: "The show will start at 2:30 p.m. sharp." Well, I arrived sweatily at the courtyard of the Louvre at...

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ALDS Game 3: Rays at Sox

The Time Traveler thanks Danks and Jenks, The Bleacherite visits a ghostly Wrigleyville, The Elitist dismisses the win, and The Fatalist goes shopping for bathroom fixtures with his wife. Here, our analyses of ALDS Game 3...

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NLDS Game 3: Cubs at Dodgers

The Cubs Hater sheds a tiny tear, The Ump punches the fist, The Girl rejoins society, and The Fatalist reaches for a small—very small—spot of consolation. Meanwhile, The Delusionist plans next year's victory party. Here, our analyses of NLDS Game 3...

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ALDS Game 2: Sox at Rays

The Ump says C.B. Buckner blows, The Fatalist admires Uribe's chin hair, The Delusionist fields hate mail, and The Time Traveler is lost in the wilderness. Here, our analyses of ALDS Game 2

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Pop-Up, Pop In

You have only until Sunday to experience the single most interesting thing I've stumbled upon during Chicago's fashion week. It's called MoSS, which stands for the Museum of Sustainable Style; it's a pop-up "museum" in the West Loop that showcases the best of earth-friendly clothing designers, furniture craftsmen, and industrial designers. It doesn't cost anything to get in, and it only takes a few minutes to walk through, but boy, is it a good introduction to some of the most...

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If Coco Chanel Were the Girl Next Door

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to deliver on so many levels: great invitation, swag, celeb turnout, and set. And yes, even great clothes (with the exception of some 80s metallic prom dresses at the end, complete with poofy sleeves. Really, Karl? Really?)

Since the last few seasons have featured elaborate sets—remember the carousel?—an invite like this forcibly gets you thinking about what will be in store. Well, some invites you really can judge by their cover—it ended up being exactly true to what arrived in my mailbox...

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Cheap Thrills

Theatre of the Absurdly Affordable
Save the belt-tightening for that extra martini or the premium cable subscription: When it doesn’t cost a dime, culture can stay in the budget. The nationwide program Free Night of Theater hits Chicago in October, and not a moment too soon. How it works: Anyone can reserve free tickets to one of more than 45 selected plays. The only stipulations are that you...

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NLDS Game 2: Dodgers at Cubs

The Ump isn't ready to ring them up yet, but the arm is pulling back. The Fatalist roots for the Viagra guy, and The Elitist stalks Manny at lunch. The Girl has one wish, and The Delusionist takes the blame...

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Surprises at Akris, Front Row Nudging at Andrew Gn, and the Dries Show Everyone's Talking About

A funny thing happened at the Akris show. I saw something that I just never, ever expected to see: a jumpsuit. Actually, there were several.

When buttoned-up Akris is showing jumpsuits, you just know that the trend has legs. (Har har. Sorry.) And unfortunately, those legs are attached to the top. And as any girl who has tried to use a public bathroom in a jumpsuit knows, this is kinda annoying. I mean, really, how would a jumpsuit work...

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ALDS Game 1: Sox at Rays

The Bleacherite laments another lost opportunity for Junior, the Ump cries foul on Mohawks, and The Cubs Hater and the Fatalist find they have something in common: defeat...

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The Chicago Fashion Experiment

This is not a fashion show review. Chicago just isn't there yet. The New York Times' Cathy Horyn can shoot down Givenchy, but that's an established design house parading its collection in Paris. When it comes to Chicago—and here I'll borrow a phrase from Coco Chanel—it doesn't make sense to beat on a wall hoping it will turn into a door...

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On The Market—Dramatic Contemporary in Humboldt Park

List Price: $1.295 million
The Property: Clad in brick, zinc, and cedar, this is one of two sharply contemporary houses on a Humboldt Park street sprinkled with new, more traditional construction—and even its partner can’t quite match the profile of this home, with that cedar box projecting from the second floor...

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