Harold Mays Is a Cycling Fanatic
The Illinois Lottery director on hitting the lakefront and salsa dancing.
Custom Placements: City Life Lead
Windy City Wisdom
Over the years, our Backroom interviews have featured wise and witty insights from high-profile locals: actors and authors, musicians and moguls, priests and politicians — even a genuine astronaut. Here are their most illuminating reflections.
Pandemic Attacks
Alexa James, CEO of the Chicago chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, says COVID has reduced the stigma of seeking help.
At the 42nd Parallel in Chicago
We share the 42nd parallel with Spain, a tiny piece of Canada, and the -stans, but it’s most closely associated with Chicago than anyplace else in the world.
Meme-ing the Governor on TikTok
The goal? To one day get mentioned by Pritzker at a press conference.
Quiz: Can You Name the Chicago Landmarks at These Addresses?
Do you know where some of the most beloved buildings in the city are located?
The Wes Anderson Spirit of Andersonville
The neighborhood’s shops deal in the analog, artisanal, and antique. It’s a wonder Jason Schwartzman isn’t behind the counter.
How U. of I. Turned Its COVID Test Into a Money Maker
In the early days of the pandemic, the University of Illinois moved quickly to make its saliva-based innovation a $64 million business as well as a public good.
Won’t You Be My (Annexed) Neighbor?
A non-exhaustive list of the neighboring cities and towns that Chicago should (or should not) annex.