Cassie Walker
By Nora O'Donnell and Cassie Walker
By Nora O'Donnell and Cassie Walker
ELECTRIC AVENUE: Once a stark thoroughfare, West Chicago Avenue is transforming into a stellar destination for BYOs, bars, and more Read more
By Cassie Walker
WORTH THE WAIT: A Sisyphean book project finally sees the light of day Read more
By Cassie Walker
Every fall, we assemble a holiday gift guide—a carefully curated selection of 75 or so trendy suggestions for everyone on Santa’s list. In the weeks leading up to the issue, hundreds and hundreds of companies—and their dutiful publicity reps—come out of the woodwork with items for consideration. For every 100 or so pitches, there’s always one real gem. Here, we've taken 13 of the funniest items off the cutting room floor and assembled—dare I say—a Reckless Holiday Gift Guide... Read more
By Esther Kang, Megan Lovejoy, Jennifer Moore, Penny Pollack, Jeff Ruby, Lena Singer, Jennifer Tanaka, Kim Thornton, Todd Urban, and Cassie Walker
We polled reviewers, contributors, and foodies around town for this list of favorite dishes in 40 city neighborhoods and suburbs. Read more
By Cassie Walker
The musician/actor Common on growing up on the South Side and producing socially conscious rap Read more
By Sarah Collins, Barri Leiner Grant, Megan Lovejoy, Jennifer Moore, and Cassie Walker
AUTUMN RENEWAL: When we announced our first couples makeover contest, several enthusiastic pairs responded. We chose Brandi Davis and Neil Meredith, two hard-working South Loop professionals who wanted to look a little less “nerdy” (their word, not ours). Our ace style team gave them a head-to-toe consult and came up with two looks—plus new dos—that show off this couple’s fun-loving side Read more
By Cassie Walker
I never need much of an excuse to check in with Nick Cave, the boundary-blurring head of fashion design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He’s a rambunctious thinker and an unbridled creative, and it’s always fun to wind him up and listen as the ideas flow. Lately, Cave has been on a streak... Read more
By Cassie Walker
SHOCK OF THE NEW: From music to architecture to literature and beyond, Chicago has often defied the placid Midwestern stereotypes. We pick the city’s top 40 artistic breakthroughs Read more