Features

My So-Called (Dog’s) Life
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
More Americans than ever are engaging in heavy petting – and they find it hard to deny anything to their cats, dogs, ferrets, bunnies, and birds. The best owners know the secrets of hopelessly unrestrained indulgence.

Master of the House
by Philip Berger
Tony Grunsfeld occupies a specialized niche: Chicago’s society architect. His designs are fueling a surge in North Shore replacement housing.

The Last Lion
by Richard E. Cohen
Emerging from a devastating exile that included a stint in prison, a slimmed-down Dan Rostenkowski has a new purpose: making a living as a pundit and consultant and restoring his good name.

Dream Street
by Jonathan Black
The radically transformed Randolph Market District is now Chicago’s hottest mealtime mecca.

Where to Get Stuff Fixed
by Magda Krance with Jeanne Rattenbury
A guide to local craftspeople who can breathe new life into those broken treasures – the torn jacket, the fractured vase, the flickering lamp – that have been cluttering area attics, closets, and basements

At Home: Nothing but Blue Sky
by Christine Newman
Putting a Bauhaus spin on the vernacular, a couple go back to the land in a house anchored by two towering grain silos.

Departments

Letters

Contributors

Frontlines
The scoop on CNN’s man in the Midwest; a secret stash of antique war gear; more
Style Sheet
by Stacy Wallace-Albert
Ring-a-ding, sweet smell of success, block stock, eco-accessories

Stage & Screen
by Penelope Mesic
Bad times for best gal pals in Wendy Wasserstein’s new play; the Wilde thing.

Real Lives
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
Irish step master Mark Howard gets mad – and keeps on dancing.

Reporter
by Terry Glover
Vintage vandalism – the new black market in architectural booty

Dining Out
by Dennis Ray Wheaton
From opposite ends of the prestige-o-meter, two spots tender Chicago’s premium seafood.

Adult Education
by Libby Morse
These eight classes couple America’s sexual preoccupation with a lust for learning.

Sullivan’s Travels
by Terry Sullivan
As squash enjoys a boom, nationally ranked pro Imran Nasir makes a racket.