On New Year’s Day, just when it seems all joy has fled the world, we recover from the previous night’s festivities by taking down the Christmas tree. Our kids quietly put away the ornaments, and then we drag the disrobed tree outside while everyone else on our block is still asleep. We tie the poor … Read more
The Danish-influenced West Loop restaurant has the most alluring, cozy outside space in the city, with a fireplace and fur blankets and a menu featuring seasonal fare that is rich and comforting. It feels like you are visiting some ice-laden country for a few hours, complete with a glass of hot glögg. 1350 W. Randolph … Read more
Before your winter starts looking less White Christmas and more The Shining, head to one of these bars, where beverages are best paired with board games. Illuminated Brew Works You’ll find a range of games at this irreverent brewery, but a raucous round of Celebrity might get the regulars participating. Order: Ballad of the Peanut … Read more
There’s no sweeter way to stay warm than hot chocolate. But don’t settle for the ho-hum. These spots make globally inspired versions. PakistanChocolat Uzma Owner Uzma Sharif’s Kashmiri chile hot chocolate is imbued with flavors from her hometown near Kashmir. She combines two varieties of mild chiles with cinnamon, blends in a mix of semisweet … Read more
Five Ways to Layer This Winter (as demonstrated by the Blackhawks’ Connor Murphy) Go bold in the cold ’Tis the season for a statement-making outer layer. Isabel Marant faux-shearling coat, $1,190, Nordstrom, 55 E. Grand Ave. Moncler wool beanie, $355, Moncler, 59 E. Oak St. Elevate a winter staple This plaid shirt is a … Read more
Chicagoans approach winter as a combat sport, something to muscle through. Heading out, we assume a stance of both fight and flight. Our shoulders press into our ears, our foreheads scrunch, our bodies curl around themselves in tight formation, armadillo-style. We get small and go fast. Winter swimming in the lake has helped me to … Read more
Why travel far in bad weather for R&R? These winter hotel packages prove the coziest (and bubbliest) getaways are right here. For Camelot vibesA Kennedy Christmas package at the Blackstone Sip hot cocoa as you listen to Bing Crosby records on a vintage Victrola. Mood-setting decorations inspired by the Kennedy White House will have you … Read more
For whatever reason — perhaps it’s my nomadic Jewish ancestors — I have a seasonal constitution. In the summertime I’m Tavern-Style Tal, light and crisp, and from December to March I’m in full hibernatory deep-dish mode. My wife’s appetite isn’t as dictated by climate; her blood type is broth. She will eat a meat-and-potato stew just as eagerly on … Read more
Chicago in the winter is a reminder that love, for all its heart-pounding, soul-stirring, head-spinning magic, also requires some suffering. Anyone can relish the lakefront path in the summer. The breeze! The beaches! The joyful packs of fellow joggers! The dudes bumping Morgan Wallen’s “Sunrise” at … sunrise! It takes commitment to love it when … Read more
When snow falls overnight, the footprints of Chicago’s wild critters are unusually visible, especially in nature parks or cemeteries early in the morning, before people (and their dogs) show up. If the snow’s a bit wet — not too fluffy — you can make out the distinctive impressions left by a variety of paws and hooves. I’ve seen coyote … Read more
