Features Griefby Robert KursonSooner or later, we all have to face it – the sorrow that grips us when we lose people we love. But everyone must find his own way through the sadness. Here, several Chicagoans who have faced profound loss share their experiences. Net Prophetby Steve RhodesNorthwestern University marketing professor Mohanbir Sawhney has … Read more
Features Billy: A Rock Operaby Robert KursonLocal boy Billy Corgan made Smashing Pumpkins into the biggest band ever to have come out of Chicago – but the group’s troubles with drugs, personnel, and sales threaten the dream. Dream Jobsby Jeff RubyWhat’s it like to get paid to play games all day? Or to pick which … Read more
Features Best New Restaurantsby Dennis Ray Wheaton and Anne SpiselmanThe envelope, please…In the category of best new restaurants, the members of the Academy (i.e., our dining critics) pick this year’s top 25 spots. And we promise: no long speeches. Shatteredby Carol FelsenthalA fierce North Shore hockey game has left one boy paralyzed and another facing … Read more
Features Great Nights OutWhen darkness descends on Chicago and the suburbs, the bright lights go up in restaurants, theatres, and clubs. Here’s a guide to some of the area’s liveliest nighttime destinations. Lord Jimby Steve RhodesFormer governor Jim Thompson was considered Presidential material when he left Springfield in 1991. Instead, he’s using his clout to … Read more
Features House Beautifulby Dennis RodkinIn a city renowned for its architecture, these 30 holmes – in Chicago and the suburbs – stand out. Brand Xby James McManusIn the lackluster post-Michael era, rookie sensation Elton Brand gives Bulls fans reason to cheer. Spin Cityby Penelope MesicActor John Cusack stars in the Chicago-made movie High Fidelity, a … Read more
Features Building a New Gold Coastby Jonathan EigHigh-powered developers like MCL’s Dan McLean are creating a whole new neighborhood near the city’s downtown lakefront that promises to transform the face of Chicago. The Big Onion Awardsby Steve Rhodes and David ZivanOur sixth annual compendium of the greedy, lazy, and sometimes downright ridiculous behavior of our … Read more
Features Profiles in Courage We honor our 1999 Chicagoans of the Year, seven men and women whose determination, vision, and grit made our city a better place to live. Best Hospitalsby Geoffrey Johnson and Dennis RodkinChicago and the suburbs have dozens of excellent hospitals. Here is a look at the cream of the crop – … Read more
Features The New Richby Ted Shen and Lucinda HahnPresenting 12 Chicagoans who made $100 million or more in the 1990s, from a software mogul to the inventor of Beanie Babies – and what they’re doing with their millions today. The Last Reelby Marcia Froelke CoburnIt was a very private final year for movie critic Gene … Read more
Features Pleasure Principalsby Dennis Ray Wheaton and Anne SpiselmanOur dining critics applaud their 60 favorites – from the sparkle and grace of the Gold Coast’s Pump Room to the unassuming neighborhood charm of Lake View’s Blue Stem. Da Rulesby Jonathan EigHow did Richard M. Daley – often inarticulate, sometimes obsessed with the minuscule – become … Read more
B.B. King wasn’t thinking about Chicago blues clubs when he wailed, “The thrill is gone.” But it certainly could apply. Six ways to revive a fading cultural art form
