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January 2010
Private Time
Our top five picks for the week of 01.06.10 through 01.12.10; plus, freebies for a fabulously frugal start to 2010 Read more
Pagoda Red Warehouse Sale

Pagoda Red is moving its warehouse from the West Loop to one closer to its Bucktown store, and before it does, Pagoda’s owners are looking to lighten their load. On Saturday and Sunday from 10–5, find discounts of up to 80 percent on all merchandise at 30 N. Racine. For an advance sale preview, subscribe to Pagoda’s email list by the end of Wednesday.

—JAN PARR

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Zara Opens Two Chicago Stores
By Bridget Maiellaro
Triple Threat
The Spanish retailer Zara (zara.com) recently opened two of its latest outposts in downtown Chicago, bringing some competition to the area’s other affordable fashion retailers. The first of the two stores, which opened at 700 North Michigan Avenue (312-750-0780) in late October, has taken over the former Talbots space in the Chicago Place Building. Read more
New Year's Eve @ Touch
The future is now: What better way to ring in 2010 than at Touch, a new "iBar" in Roscoe Village where patrons use interactive screens to order drinks and send titillating texts to neighboring tables? Our photographer headed to the space, formerly home to Bungalow Loungebar, on New ... Read more
Still Loving Yellow
   

Is yellow the new light blue? While I (along with many others) fell hard for light blue several years back, it's been a good long while since I've wanted that color in my home or wardrobe. Now, I want yellow. Can't get enough of it, whether it's lemon, canary, citrine or shades in between. We covered the yellow trend in September, but as I clicked through the latest West Elm looks online, I noticed yellow is still going strong and I'm right there with it. How does this work? How do we all collectively become smitten with the same colors? I understand that fashion houses and textiles manufacturers are determining the trends long before they reach our living rooms, but it still amazes me when they succeed.

-GINA BAZER

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Lake Forest Foreclosure Is a Sign of the Times
By Dennis Rodkin
List Price: $2,695,000
Sale Price: $2,037,750
The Property: This 12-room mansion on two and a half acres in Lake Forest sold at foreclosure on December 22nd. Built in 1996 on a cul-de-sac of seven homes carved out of an old Green Bay Road estate, the house mimics English country styles with its tall brick peaks and ornamented limestone bay. Photos that accompanied the listing show... Read more
Scene: Epic
By Angela Shukert
“I never went to cooking school,” says Stephen Wambach, but for someone without formal training, he’s managed to build an impressive resumé: The guy is the former corporate chef for Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Restaurant Group and has opened restaurants everywhere from Hong Kong to Miami Beach. Read more