Features

House Beautiful
by Dennis Rodkin
In a city renowned for its architecture, these 30 holmes – in Chicago and the suburbs – stand out.

Brand X
by James McManus
In the lackluster post-Michael era, rookie sensation Elton Brand gives Bulls fans reason to cheer.

Spin City
by Penelope Mesic
Actor John Cusack stars in the Chicago-made movie High Fidelity, a rock’n’roll romance.

The War of Independents
by Margaret Littman
Mom-and-pop storekeepers share tales of survival in a landscape ruled by giants like Starbucks and Blockbuster.

Spring Fashion
by Stacy Wallace-Albert
Accessories for stormy weather or clear skies. The color of the season plays in every shade. Both day and evening go with the glow.  Call the shots with the shimmer of silver and gold.

Departments

Letters

Contributors

Frontlines
Kevin Bacon loosens up; the city’s libraries branch out; James Finn Garner imagines the mayor’s cross-country cycling trip; more

Style Sheet
by Stacy Wallace-Albert
Chanel’s red vest, hot sauce, art online, and Coach’s brand-new bag

Real Lives
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
Rebecca and Charlie Besser believe that women deserve a sporting chance.

Stage & Screen
by Penelope Mesic
Rebounding after a serious accident, actor Jen Dede takes on two plays at Court.

Travel
by Kevin Garrett
Come spring, the Colorado Rockies provide skiers with good snow and great deals at the area’s best resorts.

Business

by Dennis Rodkin
At 38, Bruce Abrams had built a family, a fortune, and a reputation as a star real estate developer. His suicide cut short a life still filled with promise.

Sullivan’s Travels
by Terry Sullivan
At the best sports bar in town, you can’t buy gimmicky food or an autographed ball.  But you can rub shoulders with Ernie Banks, Billy Pierce, and other boys of summer.

Dining Out
by Dennis Ray Wheaton
Two restaurants approach American cuisine from different angles: One plays with robust game plates; the other plays off the country’s melting pot culture.

Expert Witness
by Tara Croft
Landscape architect Doug Hoerr readies us for the gardening season – from the bare-branched basics to technology for trees.

Chicago Guides

Prime Time

Forward March
Barnum’s Kaleidoscape, a boutique circus, sets up next to Soldier Field; Arms Akimbo gallery shows off Objects of Passion: Art of Africa and Latin America.

Restaurants
‘Cue Shtick
The heat goes on at Carson’s – The Place for Ribs, where the slabs are smoking’; Irish eyes are always smiling at St. Paddy’s Day pie from Marshall’s Pizza.