On four days in late June, 134 single-family homes, townhouses, and condos in six developments scattered around Chicago and the suburbs will go up for auction. These are not foreclosures but developer closeouts—meaning that the developers have unsold units they want to move…
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The girls from Kelly & Olive were at it again last week, making major improvements to our home in preparation for the South Oak Park house walk June 20. I wish we’d taken “before” shots, but suffice it to say our spaces did not look anything like this. Design lesson #1: group like objects for maximum effect. We had three sad little pieces of art hung randomly around the doorframe on our enclosed front porch; Lauren and Courtney gathered more (all from our home) and arranged it in a cute cottagey way. The final touch? An old hat they found in a closet. Three antique wood crates that were spread around the porch willy-nilly were stacked together to make a place for shoes and boots. In our front office, the decorators moved our desk against the window, closed the shutters, and placed art against them. (Lesson #2: think like a designer!) The room seems so much bigger now (we have room for a bookcase), and it’s a space I actually want to work in. House walk, we’re (almost) ready for you!
—JAN PARR
Sofia So Good
After years of working in Los Angeles, Chicago native Ashley Zisook returned home to discover that she was unsatisfied with the city’s vintage shops. So, the veteran vintage sample sale organizer rented out an office space and, within three weeks, opened Sofia Vintage Boutique (1165 N. Clark St., Ste. 400; 312-640-0878). The new Gold Coast shop is named after the Academy Award-winning Italian actress Sophia Loren, who Zisook believes is the “true meaning of class and grace.” The shop carries men and women’s clothing and accessories from the 1920s through 1980s. Co-owning the shop with her sister, Allison Zisook Goldstein, Zisook personally selects every item from resale shops all over the country and will sometimes alter items; for example, she cut at least six inches off the sleeves on 1970s boho brown, pink, and…
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This Snaidero display kitchen, which includes all cabinets, gourmet appliances, and granite countertop, can be yours for $30,000—some 60 percent off regular retail. For an extra free, Snaidero’s designers can help customize it for your space.
—JAN PARR
Of all the dead celebrities in all the bars in the world, Chicagoans seem to have a penchant for blondes. Our photographer—who pedaled along on Saturday’s costumed pub crawl, which stopped at at The Long Room, Ravenswood Pub, and the Leadway (5233 N. Damen Ave.), among other local watering holes—points out the preponderance of platinum, from Anna Nicole to Di to Marilyn…
Friday’s gray forecast didn’t keep curious locals from flocking to Roof, the new indoor/outdoor bar on the 27th floor of The Wit Hotel with spectacular views of the Loop. Come happy hour, the place was all smiles—at least as long as the glasses were half full. Our photographer snapped the afterwork crowd living the high life…
Last Saturday, Chicago Home + Garden braced the crowds at the Laura Soskin for a day of fun, cocktails—and, of course—fabulous design. Soskin, who runs a Wilmette-based interior design firm, created a room entirely from vendor items we found at the Market (plus a few things she brought from home). The result was an eclectic … Read more
List Price: $1,000,000
Sale Price: $910,000
The Property: Situated on a double lot and with an in-ground pool, this new brick house is one of at least three homes with those same specifications in Bridgeport. Of the three houses, only one—the house featured today—has been sold; the other two are still for sale, and one of them has a sign on the front that says it is now in the hands of a bank. All three residences were built by the developer…
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Full disclosure: The following paragraph contains shameless self-promotion. Please proceed with cautious optimism! In my “spare” time away from mommydom and scouting scoop and styling for Chicago Home + Garden, I am a partner in crime at M&B Vintage, a jewelry company that was started with long-time BFF and styling cohort, Marie Moss. We were recently asked by interior designer and all-around-generous-pal and client Nate Berkus (he recently gave our charmers to Marc Jacobs and chef Jamie Oliver’s new daughter, Petal) to be guests on his Oprah and Friends radio show. You see, a few years back, when the search for one-of-a-kind baby gear turned up cookie-cutter finds for our own daughters, Marie and I headed to the flea market. We shared the ideas and inspiration in our book, Flea Market Baby (Stewart, Tabori & Chang). It’s a little you-can-do-it-too guide for decorating and gift-giving with a hint of history. Nate helps share our scoop on nurseries, memory making and our own M&B style with his listeners May 30 at 10AM EST on XM 156 and Sirius 195. We hope you’ll tune in to hear us dish about our digs. Thanks Nate!
—Barri Leiner
Flea Market Baby photography, courtesy Aimee Herring
M&B Vintage necklace, courtesy Tyllie Barbosa
I hadn’t planned on spending my Tuesday night staring at boobs. But I had planned to spend it drinking beer, and after a failed trip to Bronzeville’s newly opened, and seemingly newly closed, Swagger Lounge (5048 S. Prairie Ave.)—the door was boarded up; the lights were off; phone seems to have been disconnected; does anyone know what’s going on here?—I still wanted a pint. And in true Chaser style, I wanted it some place…
