Oh man, we almost forgot about the Children's Museum debate! Luckily, Alderman Brendan Reilly wants to keep it front and center, which is why he sent the Museum a list of 24 possible places it could relocate that aren't Grant Park: more ›

I really bugged people yesterday when I said I didn't care that much about the dean of Medill possibly making up anonymous sources for a letter in an alumni newsletter, and the conversation that followed has been interesting and persuasive. The story so far: more ›

UIC officials have arrested a 24-year-old student after she allegedly sent out e-mails threatening violence on the West Loop Campus. The e-mail apparently went out Friday afternoon, and an eventual recipient was a senior administrator who reported the e-mail to police. According to a university spokesperson, the e-mail threatened violence in the spring. more ›

At least two people were shot during a geology class at Northern Illinois University this afternoon. As of 3:50, NIU had posted this on its website: more ›

During last week’s sleet storm we ducked into the South Loop Wine Cellar on the walk home from the Museum Campus. Half-frozen, soaked and more concerned with warming up than with finding a new shopping destination, we were pleasantly surprised by what we found inside. Warm, welcoming and filled with wine bins, exposed bricks and a beautiful Christmas tree, the store was the perfect place for us to stop. With all of the hype surrounding the opening of the South Loop location of Sam’s Wine and Spirits, some may have missed this much smaller, but much cozier, destination. more ›

If you need further evidence that cultural awareness is increasingly non-existent among the general populace, look no further than college blog Campus Squeeze. Following on the heels of its list of the 20 most beautiful college campuses, the site recently weighed in on what they deemed the 20 ugliest campuses in the country. While the prison-style buildings of Drexel University and the utilitarian blocks at Rochester Institute of Technology certainly didn't look appealing, we... more ›

We told you a while back about the protests from DePaul students and teachers when professor Norman Finkelstein was denied tenure. The outcry continued yesterday as students marched in protest at the school's Lincoln Park Campus until Finkelstein addressed the crowd with news of his resignation. more ›

We just wanted to make sure that everyone, far and wide, knew that it is Museum Campus Discount Week, and that means you can go to three of the city's finest cultural institutions F-R-E-E free. more ›

Discussions about Black History Month have become as complex as discussions about race. Debating the labels ‘black’ and ‘African-American’ lead to debates about biracial identity and, recently, whether Senator Obama, Joe Biden’s “first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” friend, is actually African-American. In the same vein, Black History Month has increasingly been relabeled African-American Heritage Month and African Heritage Month, terms emphasizing the present and future as... more ›

We've heard about all the action the King Tut exhibit has been getting at the Field Museum. In fact, any regular rider of the #146 or #12 buses knows that it's not rare to hear the sad groans of riders when they see the "King Tut — sold out" sign flashing in the Museum Campus. Well, never fear! the museum will be extending its hours during the last two weeks of the King Tut run. more ›

Once again, we building lovers are put on the defense. Landmarks Illinois has come out with its fifth annual Chicagoland Watchlist. There are twelve buildings on the list in danger of demolition, including the Chicago Daily Defender Building and the Lakeshore Athletic Club. more ›

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Former state Senator Bob Madigan died on Thursday at the age of 63. He served in the state Senate from 1987 to 2001. The Sun-Times and WMAQ/NBC5 are like BFF now. They're gonna share information and resources. Sun-Times stories will be previewed on NBC while NBC TV station promos will appear daily in the Sun-Times. Under legislation approved on Thursday, 4 of the state's 9 riverboats (the ones that make more than $200 million/year)... more ›

The Trib's architecture critic, Blair Kamin, takes a break from analyzing the glistening, starchitect towers to weigh in on Wrigley Field's updates. more ›

We've talked more about Chicago's endangered buildings than those sparkling new ones. Consider the sturdy construction, fine craftsmanship, and sentimental value, it’s not hard to see why. But don’t believe today’s architects lack imagination. They’re working around rising material and labor costs, risk-averse patrons and mounting pressure to deliver on time and under budget. more ›

A smorgasbord for the mind, the 2005 Chicago Humanities Festival has rolled into town. This year’s theme is Home and Away, concerning “the role that ‘place’ serves in the creation of our sense of rootedness and belonging.” Sounds like Pretentious-English-Major-speak, but an impressive slate of writers, musicians and performers are addressing such hot button issues as globalization, mobility, national identity, and bridging regional differences. Most tickets are $5, a bargain that ensures many sold out... more ›

Chicagoist has mixed feelings about the proposed Fordham Spire (a.k.a Chicago’s next tallest building). It’d be an innovative structure by a celebrated “star-chitecht” that plays well with its neighbors. But does Chicago need another insanely tall skyscraper? Is this a fitting next chapter in the history of Chicago architecture? Three free, informative exhibits at the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s ArchiCenter provide some perspective. In 1972, five up-and-coming architects wrote “Five Architects”, a manifesto detailing how they’d... more ›

Who knew that an unassuming ensemble show in the University of Chicago's Reynolds Club would spawn the most celebrated improv community in the world? On July 5, 1955, the Compass Players performed an improvisational revue skewering the day's headlines, the intensely serious nature of U of C students, and irresponsible spouses. Future celebrities on stage that night included Roger Bowen of M*A*S*H fame and Hollywood Golden Girls Elaine May (who envisioned Gene Hackman in drag for The Birdcage) and Barbara Harris. The talent behind Compass would launch Second City, which would feed prime time sitcoms, Saturday Night Live and countless movies. more ›

Wouldn't Millennium Park look nice with a plush, red carpet rolled right over the BP bridge and through the Lurie Garden? Wouldn't Joan and Melissa Rivers' derrieres look positively adorable reflected in the convexity of "the Bean?" more ›

The Chicago Architecture Foundation honored its Patrons of the Year yesterday in the commercial, institutional and governmental categories. This is the first year for the awards, and they're meant to encourage and recognize architectural innovation. Listen up, Block 37. more ›

Chicagoist is loving this photo from the Trib of a cop taking down Sponge Bob Squarepants in Madison this weekend. more ›

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon begins in Grant Park near Buckingham Fountain and travels north through River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville, before heading back downtown. The race continues south through some of Chicago's most historic and diverse neighborhoods, including Greektown, Little Italy's Taylor Street, the Hispanic Pilsen area, Chinatown, Bridgeport, the Gap District and South Commons. Runners return downtown along picturesque Lake Shore Drive, the Museum Campus, Soldier Field and Lake Michigan, with a spectacular finish back in Grant Park.

Best know for designing major civic projects such as Chicago's Millennium Park; Bilbao, Spain's Guggenheim Museum and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, a suburban library seems like an odd project for perhaps the world's best known living architect. more ›

Being one of our favorite photoblogs, Chicagoist was very interested in the article the Trib did recently on Dawn Mikulich and her website, Chicago Uncommon. We finally learned what camera she uses (6.3 megapixel Canon EOS 10D digital camera), what she carries it around in (a discreet Crumpler bag) and what her editing methods are (minor color/contrast adjustment before posting). more ›