Features

The Food Lover’s Guide to Chicago
Our best  attempt to catalog the city’s finest food and where to get it-from great butchers to a tiny Mexican cremería in Pilsen. As lists go, this one is not nearly comprehensive enough, but you won’t find a better place to start.

A Quirk of Nature
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
From the beginning, when it opened in 1999, there was a build-it-and-they-will-come attitude at Lincoln Park’s Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. But now it’s clear that drawing crowds requires more than a stunning butterfly haven and a collection of high-powered backers. 

Mr. Danger
by Tony Adler

Get ready for more menace from a master of catfights, creepiness, and naughty nihilism: the latest play by the writer and actor Tracy Letts-a sprawling family saga-premières at Steppenwolf this summer, and he has been thinking about this story for a long time. 

Solo Acts
by Noah Isackson and Jennifer Wehunt
An Apprentice candidate tries her hand at some Risky Business, a Chicago Bear breaks hearts in Sixteen Candles, a cop lets loose in When Harry Met Sally: meet our all-star cast of 2007 singles, envisioned here in scenes from seven unforgettable films. 

Departments

Letters

Contributors

Arena
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani opens up; Dzine pimps a ride for the Venice Biennale; the definitive guide to underground dining; a surprising history of allergies; a model boutique on Armitage; design at home with Crate & Barrel scion Robert Segal and his wife, Alicia Rosauer; The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy talks about jamming with the Grant Park Orchestra. Plus: Picnic style with Oprah’s event planner, Debi Lilly, and nine summer concerts not to miss

Crime
by Stuart Luman
When computer hacker Jeremy Hammond attacked a politically conservative Web site, he said it was civil disobedience. The FBI called it theft. 

Media
by James Ylisela Jr.
The media-shy Yusef Jackson-the third son of Rev. Jesse Jackson-makes a foray into publishing with the on-again, off-again magazine Radar

Four | One | One
The view from Playboy CEO Christie Hefner’s office isn’t exactly what you’d call sexy-no Bunnies or men in smoking jackets-but it overlooks some of the company’s art collection. Plus: The annotated: Buckingham Fountain

Deal Estate
by Dennis Rodkin
A renovation in Riverside, a revived South Side neighborhood, and a made-to-order house with a $16-million price tag Plus: Condo news 

Nightspotting
by Sarah Preston
Let there be light: a new spot illuminates the West Loop scene.

Classifieds

The Closer
by Jeff Ruby
There are Chicago‘s 20 most desirable singles-and then there’s everyone else. The Closer trolls MySpace for least likely candidates.

Events

Chicago Guide®
During July:
Living the high life on the French Riviera, two con men-sophisticated Lawrence Jameson (Tom Hewitt, right) and low-rent Freddy Benson (D. B. Bonds)-are Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in the musical opening at the Auditorium Theatre. The pair, who swindle wealthy women out of their money, get a reality check when one seeming victim works a clever con of her own. Marquee: A preview of coming attractions

Food & Drink

Dining Out
by Dennis Ray Wheaton
Restaurant loses chef, restaurant nabs Trotter alum, restaurant thrives. The same formula worked for Le Lan and Boka. 

Restaurants
The definitive guide to Chicago’s top restaurants
This Month: A Thai spot that looks like a Kubrick set; new and updated listings  151 dish: The hottest restaurants now; gossip; Chefs on the Grill: Gabino Sotelino talks about the closing of Ambria.