Read Our City and Regional Magazine Award-Nominated Stories

From a look inside a high school that’s half immigrants to the legacy of Charlie Trotter, some of the magazine’s best writing from 2017 is here.

Room 237 Is a Pop-Up Bar Tribute to ‘The Shining’

The Rookery in Ukrainian Village decked out its upstairs bar to look like the Overlook Hotel’s fictional Gold Room—and invited some characters from the movie.

What Happens When Two Geniuses Collide? We Asked Jeanne Gang and Nick Cave

We talked to the Aqua architect and the artist behind Soundsuits about their first-ever collaboration and why they’re fans of each other.

How Do You Remake a Museum? We Asked Ali Gass

The new director of the Smart Museum wants to make it a more modern institution.

Welcome to Refugee High

The Bite That Changed My Life

More than a decade in the making, Emil Ferris’s stunning graphic novel, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, will be released on February 14.

Alex Klein’s Improbable Encore

Fifteen years ago, the CSO’s Alex Klein was one of the world’s best oboists. Now he may be classical music’s greatest comeback story.

The Life of a City

“At some point every photographer of note has come through the city,” says photo editor Michael Williams, who co-authored a new book with over 200 images.

Chicago Neighborhoods, Double Exposed

Timothy Burkhart photographs landscapes. Stephanie Bassos takes portraits. Both use the same roll of film. The result? A revealing photo essay about Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods.

Dispatches from the Rap Wars

My 18 months inside one of Chicago’s most notorious gangs.