Jackson Park Bar and Grill, which never opened. Now it has been leased to..." /> Jackson Park Bar and Grill, which never opened. Now it has been leased to..." /> Jackson Park Bar and Grill, which never opened. Now it has been leased to..." />
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July 2009
A New Stakeholder
By Penny Pollack & Jeff Ruby
Starting Over
The star-crossed space at 444 North Wabash Avenue has another chapter. You may recall it as the former Jazz Record Mart or the place that Jason Paskewitz and Phil Lotsoff had rebuilt a few years back to house Jackson Park Bar and Grill, which never opened. Now it has been leased to... Read more
Queen Dee
Don’t-miss picks for 07.29.09 through 08.04.09: The Loop gets its long-awaited sexual Awakening … Lakeview drowns its sorrows at the thought of a beer-free Wrigley … The hands-down-best singer in Chicago belts in back-to-back gigs … SNL’s “Pat” returns—now 100-percent woman … A local lit darling lays out the carpet squares … and more Read more
Stylin’ Phones, Summer Sales, Flower Arranging 101
By Bradley Lincoln
It’s almost August yet it feels like summer just started, with all that less-than-beachy weather and whatnot. Oh well, if life gives you lemons, you can still make a vodka lemonade, and there’s plenty of time to legally still wear your white skinnies... Read more
Coveted Closet
 

Who hasn’t dreamed of a closet like this? This new luxe system, called Valet, is from Neff. The modular design offers tons of cool features, including wooden hangers with stitched leather; leather-faced toe kicks and ceiling scribes; chrome spiral hangers to hold up to 60 garments for corner storage; and roll-out, leather-trimmed shirt shelves with softly curved glass fronts (the better for viewing your bespoke creations). Are you worthy? Pat Borg of Neff promises to soon show us a Valet system he’s installing in an area home—it sounds incredible. In the meantime, ogle the model on display on the first floor of the Mart in LuxeHome, near the Neff showroom.

—JAN PARR

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Will You Get the Nod for a “Loan Mod”?
By Dennis Rodkin
For a homeowner whose mortgage has become unaffordable because of a lost job, an interest-rate reset, or some other reason, the prospect of getting the loan’s terms modified sounds good—but the process can be confusing and dispiriting. That’s why a California company led by a veteran mortgage banker has devised... Read more
USDA Certified Organic Wellness Facility
By Bridget Maiellaro
Giving green a new name

Born and raised in Yugoslavia, Lillian Ostojich says she has spent most of her life developing ways to encourage healthy ways of living. A doctor who has dabbled in business, Ostojich created Zoetica (1250 N. LaSalle Dr.; 866-963-8422, zoetica.net), an organic health and wellness facility certified by the USDA—perhaps the nation’s first. “We really did everything possible to make it as pure as possible,” says Ostojich, who spent nearly four years planning... Read more
Brimfield, Meet Bleeker Street

Bleeker Street (847 W. Grand Ave.), a fun, well-edited antique shop run by Denise Odell now has a 400-square-foot satellite shop in the back of Brimfield (a great antique shop owned by Julie Fernstrom located at 5219 N. Clark St. Find everything from big wooden planters and dough bowls to cows skulls and vintage furniture.

—Gina Bazer

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Weekend Photos: Division Ale House
Never mind the fish and chips, the see-and-be-seen patio seating, or the Tiffany-style chandeliers. When it comes to Division Ale House (1942 W. Division St.; 773-384-6886), the new Irish-ish pub from the owner of Wicker Park’s People Lounge, we’re most curious about the “portable tabletop beer tower,” a device that sounds either frighteningly frat house or... Read more
Just Add Sand
 

York Wallcoverings claims to be the first American manufacturer to add sand to wallpaper, and we are inclined to believe them. The company describes the process as “a lot like a child’s glitter-and-glue project,” but as you can see, the results are grown-up indeed. The sand adds subtle texture. Shown here is lattice on charcoal non-woven with white sand from Candice Olson Dimensional Surfaces ($130 per roll). Buy it locally through Finishing Touches Interiors, 227 W. North Ave., 312-787-5404.

—JAN PARR

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