Notes From a Compulsive Eavesdropper
The author spent three days listening in on conversations around the Loop. Here’s what he learned.
Contributors: Tom Chiarella
The Savage Beauty of a Batting Cage
From our Zen Guide
An Ode to Horseshoe Casino
You may not always find luck there, but you will find hope.
The Random Block
After first light, people walk their dogs on the 2400 block of North McVicker Avenue. Six people, seven dogs. One teenager, clearly robbed of sleep by the jerk-start of morning, trudges along in protest. A woman, then another, uses the outing as an excuse to catch a smoke. A third jogs with her mastiff. A … Read more
Watching the Detectives
You can run, but if John Frycek and his crew of private eyes are on your tail, good luck trying to hide.
Bold, Beautiful, Brutal
Love it or hate it, the postwar architectural movement known as Brutalism was big in Chicago. Now, after years of being loathed, it’s gaining new appreciation.
Found in Chicago
You’d be amazed what you can discover about a city—and its people—simply by looking down.
Why I Hate Summer in Chicago
It’s a pushy, domineering, and unapologetic season.
The World’s Best Urban Gondola Ride
What I learned from traveling every inch of the L in one day
The Information Cure
Big data is about to revolutionize the way we combat cancer.