Back of the Yards Looks (and Smells) Different These Days
The Plant, housed in a former packinghouse, is taking Chicago into a more meat-free future.
Custom Placements: City Life Lead
Night Visions
After unexpectedly learning new details about her mother’s childhood, the writer considers how grief shapes family lore.
Where It’s At: @the.urban.canvas
Instagram Handle:@the.urban.canvasFollowers:24,700 Who’s behind the account: Kyle Barron, 42, a Ravenswood marketing consultant What it is: Barron posts street art he sees on his travels. Two of his most recent: a folk art portrait from Mexico City and a Morton Salt–inspired mural from Rogers Park. Why he does it: Tracking down street art is a … Read more
Gratitude, Music, and a Toast to a Tree in Kilbourn Park
Sure, there’s not much to do in Kilbourn Park — the suburbs in the city — but there’s plenty of gratitude.
Order in the Chaos
Architectural photographer Angie McMonigal lets us see even our most recognizable structures in new ways by finding abstract beauty in the details.
Something Good in Every Neighborhood: Part 4
We’re wrapping up our list of good things that you can find in each neighborhood of Chicago. Take a look back at Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. 58. Brighton Park: Zemsky’s Family Fashions, 4181 S. Archer Ave. Zemsky’s has been clothing the Southwest Side’s working class since 1958, making it one of the … Read more
Something Good in Every Neighborhood: Part 3
In the third installment of the four-part series (you can read the first here and the second here), we’re back out into our favorite parts of the city’s neighborhoods. 39. Kenwood: Blackstone Branch, Chicago Public Library, 4904 S. Lake Park Ave. Every neighborhood wants a new library, right? Not Kenwood. Blackstone is the oldest branch … Read more
Something Good in Every Neighborhood: Part 2
In the second installment of the four-part series (you can read the first here), we again implore you to get out of your neighborhood and explore. 20. Hermosa: Hermosa Second Hand, 4224 W. Fullerton Ave. The acrylic baseball cap reads, “IT USED TO BE WINE, WOMEN AND SONG. NOW IT’S BEER, THE OLD LADY AND … Read more
Something Good in Every Neighborhood: Part 1
“Do you feel safe in Chicago?” asks the former newspaper columnist, who now operates a website calling for new leadership in the city. “Our greatest city is a crime-ridden hellhole,” says the politician, who knows that fear motivates voters more than hope. “Everywhere I go, I’m confronted by the same question: ‘What’s going on in … Read more
After the Fourth of July
Julie Morrison, Highland Park’s state senator, wants to feel safe at parades again.