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June 2009
Enlightenment! And Caves.
Some guy standing next to the River Kwai started cooing at Hannah and convinced us to get into his long-tailed boat and go for a ride. At the time, it seemed perfectly reasonable, and off we floated. In typical Thai fashion, he never made our destination clear, or if we even had one. We didn’t ask. Half a mile down the riverbank, we came... Read more
Gallery Hopping
   

Worth checking out: two new exhibits that feature furniture designers (among other talents): “Voom,” a group show opening tonight at Tojo Gallery including Trevor O’Neil, whose recycled corkboard sofa is shown above. Also, “The Pan Within,” a solo show at Black Walnut Gallery given by furniture designer, sculptor, and owner of said gallery, Robert Wayner (his sculpture is shown above).

—Gina Bazer

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Dish Flash
By Penny Pollack & Jeff Ruby
Playing the Piano
Pollack and one of her favorite Dish spies couldn’t resist checking out lunch at Terzo Piano a few short weeks after the long awaited spot—touting a Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia) menu—opened its doors. A full review will appear in... Read more
Shanghai Surprise
While I pretty much love any place that serves a good drink, restaurant-bars (hello, Lula!) are a personal favorite: better chance of grabbing a seat, good food at the ready, ample wine list. So I was primed to try the year-or-so-old Wang’s (3317 N. Broadway; 773-296-6800), a sort-of restaurant bar attached to the Lake View sushi spot Wakamono that’s been on my to-do list for too long... Read more
On the Market: A Chicago Price That Trumps Trump
By Dennis Rodkin
From this three-bedroom, four-bath condo on the 73rd floor of Trump Hotel & Tower, the view is spectacular—and relatively cheap. Sure, it’s priced at a little over $2 million, but that’s a full $1.2 million less than the developers want for the same view, and the same floor plan, four flights up... Read more
Solar and Sensational
 

The coolest solar lantern we’ve seen. The Soji Modern solar lantern ($40) turns itself on at dusk to cast a golden glow at night. It’s equipped with two high-powered amber LED lights, solar panel, AAA rechargeable battery, and stainless steel hardware. It’s 9-inches round, and available in pure white, pearl motif (white with white floral pattern) and mineral motif (white with grey floral pattern). Buy it at Sprout Home, Gethesemane, Artemisia in Geneva, and Chalet Nursery in Wilmette.

—Jan Parr

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Three Big Piggies Go to Market
Purple Hearts
Get ready to pig out. Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) and Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven) (plus a third well-known chef who wishes to remain anonymous for now) are at work on The Purple Pig (500 N. Michigan Ave.), a Mediterranean “cheese, wine, and swine” spot. Bannos’s son, Jimmy Bannos, Jr.—a veteran of various Mario Batali places in New York (Esca, Lupa, Del Posto) for the past five years—will be the chef at the 65-seat Mag Mile spot on the ground floor of what some people know as... Read more
Evan Lewis, For the Birds, Books Galore
By Bradley Lincoln
When it comes to furniture, no? There’s something soul-nurturing about using and displaying handmade pieces—objects that have stories to tell—whether commissioned or just love-at-first-sighted. Chicago sculptor and furniture maker Evan Lewis and his wife Sandra are opening their 1,400-square-foot... Read more
Saints Among Us
Don’t-miss events for 06.03.09 through 06.09.09: St. Vincent @ Metro … Levon Helm @ Chicago Theatre … For the Love of Hops! @ Two Brothers Brewing … more! Read more