Only the Best
Newcity released its annual Best of Chicago issue, with shout-outs to Jackie Robinson West, the pizza and beer special at Simone's, and running through Rosehill Cemetery.
Gapers Block has ceased publication.
Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
TODAY
Monday, November 17
Merge
Monthly Archive
October 2014
An Addicting Melange
Chicagoist traces the evolution of pumpkin spice from a blend of flavors used to season pies to a seasonal coffee phenomenon.
Scary Traffic on Lake Shore Drive
Strong wind gusts knocked over light poles and carried lake waters onto northbound Lake Shore Drive -- so avoid it if you can.
Blooming Potholes
Artist Jim Bachor's latest artistic approach to potholes (previously) is to fill them with flower mosaics.
Behind the Bop
A documentary by Fader shares the party roots and moves of Chicago's growing Bop movement of hip hop. [via]
Shuffling Papers
As predicted, the Tribune bought the Sun-Times' suburban papers today, while the Sun-Times launched its Journatic-like aggregated national "app network."
The Scariest Halloween
During Halloween 1982, the city was terrified by much more than ghosts and ghouls -- the Tylenol Poisonings had folks frightened for the kids' lives.
Unreal Kitchen
After becoming a viral hit last Halloween with its Alinea parody, Real Kitchen felt the need to follow up this year. The result is Veritable & The Scullery.
Every Building Tells a Story
The Architecture Foundation launched Skyline Stories, a multimedia exploration of some of the city's most iconic buildings. [via]
A Toast to the Dead
Eater maps Chicago's most haunted bars and restaurants, while the Tribune shows you where the famous and infamous are buried.
Noted
The Sears Tower is printed on the back of the $10 bill in a re-imagining of U.S. currency by artist Travis Purrington. [via]
Ghost Story Busters
CuriousCity digs deeper into the local scary stories of Resurrection Mary and the "alley of death and mutilation."
Cost of Convenience
RadPad maps the rental price of apartments near different El stops across the city.
The Last Masquerade
Lula Cafe will once again don a Halloween costume this Friday, but it'll be the last time -- at least for a while. This year's theme will be quinceañera in honor of the restaurant's 15th anniversary.
Creepy Puppet Theater
Free Street Theater's Mariposa Nocturna makes an encore run this weekend, starting tonight at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, featuring eerie puppets and spooky dreamscapes.
Capturing the City
Capture My Chicago is an online community built around photographing the city and suburbs. Some really beautiful shots in there.
United States of X: Halloween Candy Edition
Allegedly Kit Kats are the hottest candy in Illinois candy bowls this Halloween.
Rappin' & Crackin'
The FBI arrested 29 people in Chicago and Indiana -- including members of a rap group called RACK Boyz -- for allegedly "cracking" credit cards.
Risky Raffle Business
Election officials are investigating Ald. Leslie Hairston after her office offered raffle tickets to people for voting, although she has since admitted it was a mistake.
Ready to Walk the Line
Nik Wallenda is set to cross a wire stretching from the Marina City towers and Leo Burnett building, 50 stories above the Chicago River, for a live televised stunt.
Teach Me How to Haka
Players on New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team perform a traditional Maori Haka dance before every match, so they'll probably bust it out before playing the U.S. Eagles in Chicago this weekend.
Kitties on Demand
Uber is offering 15 minutes of kitty playtime delivered wherever you are through their app, today between 12pm and 4pm, with the proceeds going to local shelters.
The October Surprise, with Fries
Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner made a Chicagoland-sized faux pas when he ordered a hot dog with ketchup yesterday at a suburban Portillo's. Twitter exploded; Rauner's Press Secretary insists that the dog was for her...but how can we really know?
Catholic School Closings
Cardinal Francis George said some schools run by the archdiocese will be closed or consolidated due to decreasing enrollment and rising costs.
Watch Chicagoland Spread
A video from the NYU Stern Urbanization Project shows the spread of the Chicago metropolis from 1850 to 2000.
How CPS Became the Worst
The School Project is a multimedia exploration of the condition of the Chicago Public Schools, including a six-part documentary series, interactive map and collection of stories from students, parents, faculty and staff. The first episode, about how CPS became known as the "worst in the nation," premiered last night.
The Milwaukee Canyon
Curbed maps all the development along Milwaukee Avenue -- much of it much taller than what's currently there.
Scare Local
The Chicago Reader has some suggestions for the best horror films shot and set in Chicago.
Demolition Men
Inmates from Cook County jails on (unpaid) work release are helping cities tear down abandoned buildings in blighted areas.
T-Shirt Activism
A group of DePaul students are selling "Consent the D" t-shirts to support the movement against sexual assault on campus.
A Bug's Life
Meet the flesh-eating beetles that turn carcasses into skeletons for study and display at the Field Museum.
THE Baby Blanket
An overwhelming number of newborns are wrapped in the same blanket -- a pink and blue flannel baby blanket from suburban Medline. (Thanks, Dee!)
Going Big
After announcing plans to sell off its suburban newspapers, Sun-Times Media's parent company will be debuting mobile-focused news portals for cities across the country.
Talk Typography with Tobias
The Society of Typographic Arts is hosting a talk by Tobias Frere-Jones Nov. 6 at SAIC. If you're a type nerd, you should be there. [via]
Operations for Operation
John Spinello, the creator of the game Operation, can't afford needed surgery. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up in his name, and you can also buy signed copies of the game.
Chuy for Mayor?
Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia may be entering the mayoral race, telling the Sun-Times, "I think this city is not headed in the right direction."
Screening the El
The CTA will soon randomly search commuters' bags for explosives and swab them for bomb-making residue.
Request for Comment
Sun-Times reporters are petitioning the newspaper's owners to open up about the circumstances surrounding political reporter Dave McKinney's resignation.
Street Art
The comic Compartment 13 illustrates the impact of anti-homeless measures taken by the City, which includes installing sloped barriers beneath the Kedzie Underpass to force the people who slept there to move.
Travel Blacklist
Fodor's shares some things visitors should not to do in Chicago, including flying into O'Hare and visiting the Willis Tower Skydeck.
The City's Own Startup
With Hailo no longer available in Chicago, the City is planning to launch its very own taxi hailing app.
Robbed for Rauner?
Burglars stole about $8,000 from the church of Pastor Corey Brooks, best known as the "rooftop pastor" for his time on the roof trying to close a problem motel. Brooks claims it's because he endorsed Bruce Rauner for governor.
How'd Your Alderman Rate?
Take Back Chicago aims to educate voters on how their aldermen stands on a variety of hot-button progressive issues, from charter schools to the $15 minimum wage. [via]
Home Bang Bang Home
A two-flat that was Al Capone's first home in Chicago is up for sale in Greater Grand Crossing.
Chicago's Getting Weird
The Barrel of Monkeys theater ensemble, known for their ongoing show That's Weird, Grandma featuring plays inspired by stories written by CPS students, is calling in some artistic heavyweights to take part in Chicago's Weird, Grandma, a chance for theater groups ranging from Lookingglass Theatre to the Noah Ginex Puppet Company to try their hand at staging the kids' stories. The series of shows start tonight; full details and tickets available at the BOM website.
Turning the Page
Groupon launched the Yelp-like "Pages" nationwide, featuring more than 7 million listings of businesses, tips and reviews.
United States of X: Equal Inequality Edition
The level of inequality in Chicago is comparable to that of El Salvador.
Life in Wartime
Photographer John Vachon captured portraits of rich and poor Chicagoans on the streets during the early 1940's.
Irony on the Wall
A cockroach climbed the walls of City Council while the commissioner in charge of pest control was testifying.
Faith-Based Architecture
The Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist at Wacker and Wabash turns out to be every bit as cool and interesting as it looks, Curious City finds.
Have a Clean Halloween
Kymberlee Ricke of Wizard at Work makes spooky and sci-fi themed soaps, bath bombs and crayons that'll help make Halloween more fun.
When Losing is a Win
Officials are calling the Taste of Chicago a success despite losing $169,000 on the event, since one day of the event was cancelled due to rain.
Slow Down and See the City
Eric Hines put together another gorgeous timelapse video of the city, with some great shots of the West Loop and downtown.
Cityscape Chicago II from Eric Hines on Vimeo.
Not Just a Dive
While Jameson shots never go out of style, neighborhood bars are less central to community life than they used to be.
Citizen Cardinal
Chicago's new Archbishop Blase Cupich will forgo the church's $14.3 million Cardinal's Mansion, living in the rectory at Holy Name Cathedral instead.
United States of X: Turn of the Century Edition
Slate found a 1903 map of "Race and Occupation of Immigrants by Destination" by state. Illinois' immigrants break down about how you'd expect.
What Time is Lunch?
The latest issue of Chicago magazine tackles cheap eats, including seven variations on the classic Chicago-style hot dog.
Shoot First
Truthout investigates the Chicago Police Department's "culture of impunity" with regard to using deadly force.
Protesting Police Abroad
Activists are taking their allegations of torture and mistreatment by Chicago police to the United Nations in Switzerland.
Dog Bites Mayor
City Council watchdog Faisal Khan is suing Mayor Emanuel and some aldermen for hindering investigations by underfunding the agency in charge of them.
McKinney Leaves the Sun-Times
Sun-Times political reporter Dave McKinney resigned today due to management's actions in response to pressure from the Bruce Rauner campaign following an investigative report on Rauner's lawsuit with the former CEO of LeapSource, a company the gubernatorial candidate's investment firm backed. CapitolFax, Reader and Crain's provide more of the backstory.
Bulls Run This Town
The Bulls are more popular with Chicagoans than any other local team, according to Facebook data examined by DNAinfo.
Meet the Millenials
Crain's profiles some of Chicago's twentysomethings to see how they're faring in today's economy.
Barbarians at the Gates
Neighbors in Humboldt Park are organizing so they aren't displaced as the area is gentrified.
Food on Film
Tickets for the Chicago Food Film Festival are now on sale. The festival will run Nov. 20-22 at Kendall College.
Kickstart a Vision
A documentary on transgender faith leaders, an app for children's films from Facets, a 3D carving machine and the easiest cube puzzle ever invented are among the campaigns on Gapers Block's curated Kickstarter page.
Poor Taste, Poor Judgment
Yesterday, amid its own coverage of alleged serial killer in Darren Deon Vann, CBS2Chicago.com published an amateurish satirical article about a "severed body" being found under the Loop el tracks.
Not from Potbelly's
A Cook County Jail guard and three inmates and their wives and girlfriends were charged with smuggling marijuana and cigarettes in Jim Shoe sandwiches, which features a messy mixture of toppings and condiments they hoped would conceal the contraband.
Joking with POTUS
A man told President Obama, "Don't touch my girlfriend," while the Commander-in-chief was casting his vote here.
Ready for Anything
While it's unlikely anyone will be diagnosed with Ebola here, four local hospitals are prepared to treat the disease.
Plenty of Bars
Chicagoans get the best cell service in the country on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, according to an industry group.
Trib Empire Grows at S-T's Expense
Robert Feder reports that the Tribune is buying the Sun-Times' suburban papers; Wrapports will publish just the Sun-Times and Reader after the deal. UPDATE: Feder has an email from Wrapports CEO Timothy Knight to employees.
Where's that Satire Label?
The latest fake news junking up your Facebook feed is one claiming a man died in a Waukegan haunted house and wasn't found for nearly two weeks.
Foo Fighters' Next Show is Inside Wrigley
A week after playing the Cubby Bear to celebrate the launch of their HBO documentary series, the Foo Fighters announced they're playing Wrigley Field next summer. Get your tickets Oct. 27.
From Paris to Hell's Kitchen
The Daily Beast's Bill Schulz interviewed Joakim Noah about his life and loves -- and pot.
White City Watercolors
Chicago Magazine shares paintings that captured the people and colors of the 1893 World's Fair.
Streaming Skyscrapers
The Discovery Channel launched a live camera feed from up high on the Wyndham Grand downtown ahead of Nik Wallenda's walk across the skyline.
The Growing City
Get a sense of what the skyline will look like in the future with a map of the 14 high rises under construction put together by Curbed.
Straight Up & Down
Chicago's streets rarely deviate from the grid, a color-coded visualization by Data Pointed shows.
John Hodgman Stole Your Vacation
John Hodgman is doing two completely different shows tomorrow night at UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave. At 7pm he performs "I Stole Your Dad," his usual melange of expert advice and pop culture reference, and at 9:30 he does "VACATIONLAND," reflections on summertime and death. Tickets to each show are $30.
Telling Stories
George Lucas criticized the film industry and shared some of his plans for the Museum of Narrative Art during a Chicago Ideas Week talk.
Opining Again
The Chicago Sun-Times will start endorsing candidates again after ending the practice two years ago to combat perceptions that the paper was biased. And they're endorsing Rauner for governor (which might not help the bias claims.)
Bad Pass to Pippen
Former Bull Scottie Pippen's former financial adviser, Robert Lunn, was found guilty of bank fraud for taking out a $1.4 million loan in Pippen's name and using the money for himself.
The Great Chicago Myth
Residents of Lafayette, IN have long believed that former residents of Chicago's projects were the cause of increasing violent crime and drugs in the area. In a two-part investigative report, the Lafayette Journal-Courier shows that's just not true.
Early Voting Starts
Early voting for the 2014 General Election starts today. See the election board website for a full list of voting locations that will be open from today through Sunday, Nov. 2.
United States of X: Books Edition
Brooklyn Magazine picks Richard Wright's Native Son to represent Illinois in their selections of best the book for each state.
Malört for Your Ears
Chicago's favorite bitter spirit now has its own theme song, "A Waltz for Old Jeppson," by local band Archie Powell & the Exports.
New Old Music
The "new music" scene is bringing casual performances of classical music to bars around the city.
Color the Grid
A map coloring streets by orientation illustrates how much easier it is to navigate here than in other cities. [via]
Urban Farmers
Researchers at the University of Illinois looked at where people are growing their own food in the city, finding the most green thumbs are in Chinatown and Bridgeport.
Double Comeback Kid
ESPN profiles Derrick Rose, what his return means for Chicago, and how injury changed him not just as a player, but as a person.
Making Up for Lost Time
After a year of covering the impact of false imprisonment on people who've been released from jail, Alison Flowers reflects on how the system could ever repay them.
Spooky Spots
From a Hooters to apartment buildings that may be on your block, RedEye shares some lesser-known haunted places.
Bucket Thinker
A leaky roof at the Millennium Station Metra inspired Felix Jung to ponder the difference between a "fix" and a "solution"; the first only stops a problem temporarily while the second solves it.
Illegal Gun Ring
Guns and bullets confiscated by the Sheriff's Office will be sent to an anti-violence organization and turned into jewelry.
Cartoons vs. Consent
The Sun-Times apologized for publishing a syndicated cartoon that said, "Love is... knowing that 'no' means 'maybe' and 'maybe' means 'yes.'"
Blue Line Priorities
While aldermen are reviving the idea of an express train between O'Hare and downtown, that money would be better spent speeding up the Blue Line, says RedEye's Tracy Swartz.
Leave Them the El Alone
The Courage Campaign wants to start an advertising campaign to fight harassment of women on the CTA.
See Sports Ghosts
Remember the Chicago Shamrocks or the Chicago Winds? Meet 50 local teams that no longer exist.
The New Factory Farm
A greenhouse and rooftop farm planned for the Method factory on the South Side will be the largest in the world, reports Matt Hickman.
Bus Scrums
Buses bunching up on the streets is inevitable, reports Curious City, as delayed buses give more people time to make it to a stop and leave less passengers for the next bus.
Joakim's Journey
Grantland's Jonathan Abrams traces Joakim Noah's path from awkward teen to NBA star.
Art Out of Anything
Artist Jessica Joslin's collection "The Immortal Zoo" turns animal bones and found objects into otherworldly creatures.
Take Me to the River
Landscape architect Gina Ford shares how the Chicago Riverwalk will turn a shipping canal into the city's next great public space.
A Loophole Big Enough for a Train
Metra claims it already meets a state mandate to accept Ventra cards because tickets can be purchased using them as debit cards.
Darkness Falls Across the Land
Dancing zombies will invade the rooftop of the Godfrey Hotel for what organizers hope will be Chicago's largest Thriller Flash Mob.
Arts Abroad
Local arts organizations working with international partners document oral histories in Cambodia, paint murals in Brazilian favelas, and find other creative ways to bring their work overseas.
Wilco Moves In
Wilco will play songs highlighting different eras of their two decades as a band during a six night residency at the Riviera Theatre.
Gigabitting the City
AT&T announced plans to bring its ultra-fast broadband network to Chicago, which it claims can provide connections of up to 1 gigabit per second.
Get to Know Nelson
A new documentary, Algren: The Movie, delves into the life of one of Chicago's greatest authors. It's screening at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Charters Don't Make the Grade
A study found charter schools are behind neighborhood schools in graduation rates and their ability to produce students who meet academic standards.
Look Both Ways
The Active Transportation Alliance used crash data and community input to identify the 10 most dangerous intersections for pedestrians.
Ebola Screening Coming to O'Hare
Officials will take the temperature of passengers arriving at O'Hare from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea starting Thursday.
Stores Deliver Too
Google's shopping service that offers same-day delivery from local stores, Google Express, will soon be available in Chicago.
Infested
The Orkin pest control company ranked Chicago as the "rattiest" city in the country, based on the number of treatments the company did here in the past year.
Coming Foo Circle
Dave Grohl's first concert experience was at the Cubby Bear, and the Foo Fighters will play the venue to celebrate the premiere of their HBO series, Sonic Highways.
Growing the Rolls
A coalition of civic and community-based organizations signed up 100,000 new voters in four months.
Studs' Place Online
The Studs Terkel Radio Archive wants to make most of the 5,000 interviews the oral historian did as a radio host at WFMT available for free online. Joe Engleman offers some highlights of what's online so far.
United States of X: Bedtime Edition
Jawbone shared data by county on when America goes to bed and how much sleep they get on average. Cook County's a bunch of night owls.
Karen Lewis Will Not Run for Mayor
It was annoucned today Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis will not run for mayor. She was recently hospitalized for a "serious illness" The current candidates are Frederick Collins, William Kelly, former Ald. Robert Shaw, Amara Enyia, Ald. Bob Fioretti and Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Data of the Dead
Investigators are trying to identify some of Chicago's poorest residents who were buried by the thousands in a Dunning cemetery, and then forgotten, from the 1850s to the 1910s.
Raising the Bar
Aviary and Three Dots and a Dash were named as two of the 50 Best Bars in the World, selected for their high scores in a global survey of cocktail professionals.
Rush to the Opera
Lyric Opera of Chicago is now offering 50% off same-day tickets for certain shows. [via]
Pushing Tin Again
The FAA radar center in Aurora that was damaged by fires allegedly set by a worker reopened today.
Full of Ideas
Chicago Ideas Week kicks off today, featuring events highlighting big-picture insights from speakers like Captain Richard Phillips, George Lucas, and Sean Combs.
Going the Distance
Kenyans Eliud Kipchog and Rita Jeptoo won first place for the men's and women's races at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.
Secret Garden
Bikers take to the air using jumps built secretly over the years in the woods of Clark Park, where Riverview Park used to stand.
Ebert's Edits
Roger Ebert was apparently active on Wikipedia from 2004 to 2009. The Atlantic reports that an Australian artist has compiled the late critic's edits into a single 45-page book as an art project.
No More Red Xs
You know those red X signs that mark buildings that might be hazardous to emergency workers? They're going away, because the grant that funded them ran out.
Smelling Salts & Shattered Helmets
Eric Kester writes in the NYTimes about his experiences as a ball boy for the Bears in 2003.
Outlook Good
ESPN ranks the Blackhawks as the top team in the NHL for the 2017-18 season in its Future Power Rankings.
Getting to the Bottom of the Endless Soup Bowl
Gwynedd Stuart reserved a table at the first Olive Garden to open within city limits and tried to figure out why it was so packed (it wasn't the food).
We Didn't Start the Fire Festivities
While a festival inspired by the Great Chicago Fire seems like a novel idea, the city has been taking advantage of the disaster since the flames went out.
Lewis Relinquishes Control of CTU
Karen Lewis has relinquished her duties as head of the Chicago Teachers Union. Lewis has been hospitalized since Sunday for undisclosed reasons; CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey is filling in until Lewis recovers.
More to Ride the Rails
Metra officials want to raise fares by more than ten percent on average, the second largest increase in Metra's history, in part to raise funds for new cars and engines.
United States of X: Donors Edition
A donor heat map shows where people who contribute to political candidates live in Chicago and other cities.
Don't Believe the Internet
You can tell your alarmed aunt on Facebook that no, there haven't been any deaths in Chicago from ebola, despite what some sketchy satirical website says. (Thanks, Dee!)
Why Sometimes Pure Statistics are Worthless
Because basing outcomes solely on stats results in 60602 and 60603 -- two Loop zip codes with fewer than 2,000 residents between them -- showing up as two of Movoto's "best zip codes in America" to live in. But hey, "As a final perk, no families here reported that they were below the poverty line, so this is a less stressful kind of place to call home."
Help Mucca Pazza Go-Go
Fans of this epic punk/spectacle marching band have just 16 hours left to support Mucca Pazza's latest album release on Indie Go-Go. Get yourself some music, a hoodie, a fanny pack, or your own set of sheet music to play along with the band at home.
High & Low Notes
David Safran writes advertising jingles and kind of hates it. He explains how he got there.
Old World Lunch
The sandwiches at Olga's Deli aren't $5 anymore (they're $7), but they're still stacked high and made lovingly by Olga herself.
Marooned
Graduates of the University of Chicago came in second in a ranking of the least dateable alumni.
Taxing Property for Those with None
A group tasked by City Council to find a way to raise money for services supporting the homeless is proposing a progressive tax on real estate purchases over $1 million.
Who's On Your Side?
A short quiz put together by ISideWith.com makes it easy to find which midterm election candidates and ballot measures line up with your own beliefs.
Keep Your Compliments to Yourself
An anonymous "West Loop-living Secret Admirer's" tips for how single ladies should act so he can give them uninvited compliments on the street sums up the attitude that makes women feel unsafe in public, writes Kara Brown in Jezebel.
Crawl Out the Barrels
Find out how they made that craft beer you're drinking on the Gapers Block Microbrewery Crawl this Saturday, Oct. 11. We're visiting Lagunitas, Goose Island's Fulton Street brewery (which isn't officially doing tours yet), newcomer BreakRoom Brewery and finishing up at Begyle, where ManBQue is cooking us dinner. Get your tickets now!
Golden Brews
Three Chicago beers won awards at the Great American Beer Fest, including a gold medal for Haymarket's Defender, an American-Style Stout.
Get Some Ideas
Heads up, Chicago Ideas Week kicks off Monday, Oct. 13. Start putting together your schedule.
United States of X: Wait, What? Edition
Slate slices and dices the US population in a variety of ways, from dividing the country in half to making concentric circle "states."
Too Much Light Turns 25
The Neo-Futurists' Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind long ago became Chicago's longest running play. Tonight at 7pm, they'll honor the show's 25th anniversary by performing 30 plays in 60 minutes -- in the Pritzker Pavilion, for free.
Politics as Sport
Aldertrack is back with a new "2015 Chicago Race Form" for following the city's elections. Keep your eye out for a paper copy, or buy a digital version for $5.
Rebuilding the City
Although many barriers between Chicagoans went up in smoke in the Great Chicago Fire, the rebuilding process reinforced class distinctions and inspired an influx of new residents, Curious City reports.
Mourning Sirens
Makeitfor.us wants to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire by sounding the city's warning sirens at 9pm tonight; turn your speakers into a siren by visiting their website.
Look at all the Tiny People
If you were a giant, the city might look like the version captured by the Tribune's Brian Cassella using a tilt-shift lens.
What a Home is Worth
WBEZ's Susie An tagged along with an appraiser to see how they determine a house's value.
Renaissance Men
The popularity of menswear is on the rise, with many boutiques appealing to guys by serving booze to shoppers.
New Names on the Door
The corner formerly occupied by Hot Doug's will be taken over by Frank Meats Patty, a burger-focused joint from the people behind Lockdown and Fatso's Last Stand.
Topping the Tortilla
Nick Kindelsperger has launched a new taco blog, full of interesting ideas for taco fillings and some beautiful foodporn.
South Side Rocks
South Side Weekly is absolutely the best arbiter of the Best of the South Side 2014.
Building Legal Bridges
The Chicago Law Bulletin profiles attorney Marta Almodovar of the Cook County Circuit Court's Mandatory Arbitration Center, a Polish-American who helped organize a judicial exchange between Cook County and Poland.
Science Spoilers
Scientists will weigh in on the science behind sci-fi movies like Jurassic Park and Jaws as part of a partnership between the Music Box and the Field Museum.
Rent-a-Bot
CNNMoney profiles Chicago libraries and their cutting-edge offerings, including 3D printers and robots.
Poll Rage
Potential voters rated morning traffic on the Eisenhower more favorably than Mayor Emanuel in poll paid for by his challenger Ald. Fioretti.
Gliding Through Downtown
A sweeping, ultra high definition video of downtown by The Outbound Life looks like the epic conclusion to a documentary about the city.
The New Jocks
Robert Morris University plans to start offering athletic scholarships to video gamers.
"Lion of War" Apprehended
A 19-year-old Bolingbrook man was arrested by the FBI at O'Hare as he attempted to fly to the Middle East to join ISIS.
LiveNationPalooza
LiveNation is trying to buy a majority stake in C3 Presents, the company behind Lollapalooza and Do312. Incidentally, Ari Emanuel is on LiveNation's board. Oh, and there was that Daley deal...
What Really Matters is What You Like
The Ukrainian Village loft inhabited by Catherine Zeta-Jones' character in High Fidelity is on the market, and like Zeta-Jones, it hasn't changed much since 2000.
Tour Blues
B.B. King fell ill during a performance at the House of Blues and was forced to cancel the eight remaining stops of his tour.
We Know Where You (Really) Live
Gawker shows where its readers think the "actual" borders of Chicago and other cities lie -- even if people living beyond them claim to be residents of the city. On the other hand, the map actually exorcizes huge chunks of the city and adds Oak Park...
Starting at the Bottom
After years of rapping about his plight at the Jackson Red Line stop, a video of homeless performer Joseph Lane went viral, catching the attention of a local independent label; the song is now available on iTunes.
Look Where You Sit
The blog Toilography documented public bathrooms across Chicago, commenting that they had never "seen washroom as grungy" as the one at the Empty Bottle. [via]
No More Loans at UofC
The University of Chicago is getting rid of student loans in favor of grants in an effort to even the playing field for lower income students.
The Great Chicago Fire
Curious City imagines what the city would be like today if there were never a fire.
Snope.
You heard correctly: Chicago saw its third earliest measurable snowfall Saturday. The only earlier snows were Sept. 25, 1928 and Sept. 25, 1944.
Great Fire Fest Fizzles
Despite lots of enthusiasm and big crowds, the Great Chicago Fire Festival was underwhelming thanks to the rain affecting the electric ignition on the big houses and preventing a burn. But that wasn't the only issue. John Tolva has some suggestions should the City try again.
Screen Stars
NewCity's Film 50 brings together the most influential people in Chicago's burgeoning film industry, from powerhouse producers to up-and-coming directors and documentarians.
List of Love
Lest we all forget, Buzzfeed helpfully assembled a list of "51 Reasons Living In Chicago Ruins You For Life."
Compare Your Commute
The Daily Mail compares snapshots of workers' commutes from around the world, and while commuting via water taxi isn't typical here, the normal traffic definitely beats riding on the outside of a train.
This Old House
While an author writing in 1940 about old houses in Chicago was concerned a farmhouse built in 1858 wouldn't last much longer, it's still standing today.
Burge's Legacy
As former CPD Commander Jon Burge is released from federal prison, torture victims and some aldermen are calling on City Hall to create a fund to pay reparations to victims.
Sounds Like You've Been Drinking Already
Schlafly Beer (pronounced "schlaugh-lee") will soon be available here, after years of describing its distribution as a "300 mile radius around St. Louis, minus Chicago."
Taking Jackson Park Back to Nature
The Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract for the restoration of natural habitats in Jackson Park. Work is expected to be completed by spring.
Chicago's Own Epic Royals Fan
Do312's Jeremy Scheuch has unexpectedly become the emblematic superfan of the Royals this postseason.
Chicago Catches a Draft
The 2015 NFL Draft will be held in Chicago April 30 to May 2 at the Auditorium Theater, with some sort of fan event in Grant Park.
A Full Ride for Good Grades
Students graduating high school with at least a 3.0 GPA will qualify for a full ride to a city community college through a new scholarship program.
Forgiving Words
Writers are sharing their stories of forgiveness during the Jewish days of repentance as part of a special series on Oy!Chicago.
Follow That Smell
Want to always make sure you're up- (or down-) wind from the just-baked-chocolate smell from the Blommer Chocolate Factory downtown? This tumblr can help you out with tips based on daily wind and weather forecasts.
Cheers to That
Sportsman's Club's Jacyara de Oliveira and Drumbar's Alex Renshaw are among Food & Wine's Best New Mixologists
"The system has to be right"
Remember those weird spikes in red light tickets at certain intersections reported earlier this summer? The independent reviewer hired by the city upheld 96 percent of the "spike" tickets.
Where the Rubber Meets the City
Expect more rubber fashion than usual in Boystown on Halloween weekend. The Mister International Rubber Contest is being held in Chicago this year, at the Center on Halsted.
Young & Poor
The age of people living in poverty varies by neighborhood, with more young and middle-aged poor on the West and Southwest sides, and more elderly poor in the north and far south.
Local Vocabulary
@ChicagoWords tweets out a daily word, phrase or person that every Chicagoan should know.
Gapers: People staring at an accident in traffic with their mouths "gaping" open.
— Chicago Words (@ChicagoWords) October 1, 2014A Year in 3-Second Bites
Joyland Films has been working on a series called How We Got Here, summarizing each month of 2014 by shooting three seconds of footage every day.
How We Got Here - Part I from Joyland on Vimeo.
Smoking Meat While Waiting for Sausage
If you happen to pass the Hot Doug's line today, you might see two guys smoking brisket while they wait. That'd be Jared Leonard and Gary Wiviott, founders of the Windy City BBQ Classic, paying their respects and also getting a little free publicity. Hope they share.
New Selective School on the Southwest Side
Hancock College Prep will be transformed into a selective enrollment high school one grade at a time, beginning next school year.
A Better L
Renovations of the Wilson Red Line stop, viewed by many as the worst in the entire system, begin this month.
Adapting to Uber
Mayor Emanuel's new plan for taxis doesn't increase fares, but it does propose a centralized dispatching system to help them compete with ride-sharing companies.
Living Below the Line
11 percent of Chicago residents earn less than $12,000 a year for a family of four -- less than half of the federal poverty level -- according to the Chicago Reporter.
What's the Big Idea?
RedEye is searching for the Chicagoan with The Big Idea through an online contest offering mentorship, advertising, and more to the winner.
Composed Discussions
Secret Weapon is a new blog interviewing Chicago-based composers. The latest is Seth Boustead.
A Death a Day
Dead in Chicago shares stories of people who met an untimely end on each day in history. On October 1, 1902, elevator conductor Thomas Byrne was killed when his lift's cables snapped.
Viva Deep Dish
Gino's East plans to go global for the first time, opening restaurants in Mexico City this year.
1-Benjamin Weekend
Seth Kugel's $100 Weekend in Chicago column for the NYTimes is pretty solid, and actually makes it beyond the typical neighborhoods.
Don't Lend Your Key to the One-Armed Man
The Lincoln Park house that was the setting for The Fugitive is now available for rent. It'll cost you $17,000 a month, but it's over 6,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, so maybe you can find a few roommates to split it with you.
School District Shrinks
CPS enrollment has dropped below 400,000 for the first time since 1970, at least in part because of the closure of 50 schools in 2013.
