He's made sink meat and limoncello, so it's logical the next step for our Food & Drink Editor Chuck Sudo would be to make his own bread. Luckily, this time he didn't just photograph it, we got a whole video. more ›

Pack an umbrella, bring your galoshes, and dress in layers. It's been that kind of week. Here are some events to brave any extreme in weather. more ›

Here are some things to do this evening to consider bringing your voter receipt. more ›

Last week's "Flashback" installment on Art Shay proved to be pretty popular with fans of the famed photographer. We made mention of one of our favorite Shay photos, snapping French author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir au natural in "Nelson Algren's bathroom" from 1952. 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 ›

New Hampshire resident Ken Burns, who gained so much notoriety for using original prints and photographs in film documentaries that Apple named an effect in its iPhoto and iMovie software after him, announced yesterday that he is endorsing Barack Obama for president. Burns stated that "recent events" and the negative tone of the Democratic campaign have compelled him to come forward. "I'm really just disappointed in the tone this campaign has taken on their part," Burns said, referring to Clinton. more ›

We get letters: more ›

This list is really warming the cockles of our heart. Heh. Cockles. Anyway: more ›

For over three years, artist Kathy Kozan has been keeping tabs on the unruly and often violent last call atmosphere at Chromium nightclub on her website LAKEandHALSTED.com. Her mission to detail the constant fights, shootings, and other misbehavior spilling out onto the street below her residence has attracted the likes of Channel 7's Chuck Goudie and, this week, Inside Edition. Kozan's persistence apparently paid off. On October 29th the city revoked all of Chromium's... more ›

Graphic designer, artist and Illinoisan Chuck Anderson has his very first solo Chicago show tomorrow at the newly minted Threadless gallery. Hotcha! Even if you don't recognize Anderson's name, you probably recognize his ethereal, surreal style: Or the billboards he's designed. The fun starts at 7pm, and a limited number of reprints of Anderson's Threadless select shirt--in new colors--will be available.... more ›

We just *had* to keep the subject from our Jam update email as the title of this post, it's just too priceless. We have a sneaking suspicion that unless you have cash burning a hole in your pocket, most of you will be spending your dough on costumes and candy-themed adult beverages this weekend. more ›

Oh, the lengths that some amateur film makers will go to get the perfect shot. Gas station attendant Jose Gomez-Valerio seemed like just another employee doing his job cleaning the bathroom so a customer could use it (you know how gnarly gas station bathrooms can become). That is, until the 20-year-old woman Gomez-Valerio cleaned the bathroom for noticed a red light peering out of the garbage can. That red light turned out to be attached to a video camera that Gomez-Valerio allegedly hid in the trash so he could get his Chuck Berry-level freak on. more ›

File this under collaborations we really never saw coming. Chicago post-rock supergroup Tortoise has decided to team up with Nosferatu and ... Macy's ... at ... the Symphony Center?! Chuck this one up to the all-powerful clout of Metro's Joe Shinnyhan. more ›

Here at Chicagoist, R&B superstar and alleged water-sports enthusiast R. Kelly has given us more than our fill of laughs and head-scratching moments. Now it looks as though the "sexasaurus" has discovered the power of YouTube. His completely staged "Real Talk: Behind the Scenes" is the best meta singsong since Screaming Jay Hawkins had the "Constipation Blues." It's also loaded with profanity, so if you're at work, keep the volume low. "Profanity represents how real... more ›

Thinking about going to the movies tonight? Looks like everyone in town is warning you against Good Luck Chuck, the Dane Cook/Jessica Alba rom-com whose plot keywords on IMDb are ... wow. Inspired by Matthew Baldwin's genius Bad Review Reviews, we present highlights from Chicago media's terrible reviews of GLC. Scott Tobias, AV Club: "Proof that a million MySpace users can be wrong." Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: "The film is some sort of humor-deprivation... more ›

When Moto’s Homaro Cantu said he’s worked with NASA to develop space food for astronauts because, “One day we’ll all have to start thinking about Mars,” it was a pretty “out there” comment. But statements like these come from Cantu, a modest, hospitable and friendly person, because, well, he’s borderline genius. The dishes he serves at his nationally acclaimed, four-star restaurant fit just this description. They’re totally “out there,” but they’re incredibly ingenious, creative, scientific,... more ›

While most of the city was partying down at Lollapalooza this weekend, a different type of party was going on just a few blocks south of Grant Park: YearlyKos, the annual convention hosted by DailyKos, the netroots weblog started by Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, and filled with content, news and views by a motley crew of bloggers from around the nation (including Dick Durbin!). Saturday was a big day for the bloggers by the lake, with... more ›

The Hideout is one of Chicago's more curious rock venues, presenting live music in a space that’s one part Elks Lodge, one part Uncle Dan’s rec room. But the strangely homey, lived-in space lends depth to Walkabout Theater’s “site-specific” production of Mark Guarino’s “Overnight Lows,” an insomniac tale set in a seemingly familiar but subtly off-kilter world. Extracting drama from everyday locales is Walkabout’s bread-and-butter; the company previously examined mundane daily rituals in a laundromat... more ›

As Chicagoist enjoyed a day off yesterday, we also found ourselves reflecting on some of the hallmarks of the holiday, namely fireworks. We spent our care free day away from work and the stresses that usually come with it, taking the opportunity to ride the Damen bus down to 18th Street, where we kept walking until we got to 23rd. After a cozy stroll through Heart of Chicago, we wound up in Little Village, where... more ›

Just when we thought it was safe to look up when walking downtown or driving our cars, the billboards have begun attacking again. This time they aren’t happy with reminding us about our big nose, fat thighs, and horrible mates – this time they’ve attacked what our ears are getting out of those earbuds. St. Sabina Church is erecting billboards that decry disrespectful rappers. There are seven artists, per a call to St. Sabina, who... more ›

The latest object of food blog Serious Eats' affection is none other than Chicagoist Food and Drink Editor Chuck Sudo. Way to go, Chuck! more ›

Tune in to University of Chicago radio (WHPK) today to hear our very own South Side food and drink connoisseur, Chuck Sudo. He'll be the featured guest on "News from the Service Entrance" from 2-4 p.m. His duties shall involve promoting our little shindig tonight, answering email from listeners, and spinning any tunes extolling the virtues of duck confit or flavored vodkas. While WHPK can be located on your radio dial at 88.5 FM, their... more ›

We usually hate to just throw up a bunch of stuff in list form, but we’ve gotten wind of so many cool things that we just had to share 'em all. The kicker? They’re all free. No matter what your taste in celluloid or pixel, you’re bound to find something here to whet your whistle: Chicago indie flick The Minx is having a free screening on Saturday at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave. Director Michael... more ›

Today, a coin toss by the Cook County Clerk will decide the winner of a Bedford Park Village Trustee race. The two candidates, John "Chuck" Holloway and Ronald Robison, both received 101 votes in the consolidated vote on April 17th. more ›

Maybe you're reading the headline for this week's selection and thinking, "Chuck isn't even trying this week." Sure, for some of you "312" shouldn't even rate "BotW" consideration, especially when compared to other selections from the alchemists on Fulton. This week, we'll even dispense with the usual dry tasting notes that accompany this column. Instead, we're getting up on our soapbox and making a case for "312." We've often talked about how some breweries have... more ›

The You Tell Me Cookie of the Week goes to “some guy,” who suggested that we check out new Chicago transplants The Whole Fantastic World last night at the Darkroom. This dedicated reader’s description (“Spoon playing the Police as prog rockers”) combined with our love of the Darkroom’s comfy booths on our weekend-weary bums proved to be an irresistible Sunday night, so we took a deep breath, ordered a cocktail, and settled in for... more ›

A few months ago, we mentioned Sprint's expansion of their wireless market in Chicago. Now there's a little more to the story. more ›

Somebody alert the IOC – Chicago’s got another feather in its civic entertainment cap, but did anyone here even notice? Last week at the Winter Music Conference in Miami, the South by Sundance Break of the club and electronic music world, our very own SmartBar collected the 2007 Club World Awards honor for “Best Club.” Guess that winter makeover really paid off, as Club Awards representative Kerri Mason put it: “When SmartBar revealed its new... more ›

What started as road rage ended with a racially-fueled attack on a pregnant woman and her husband in northwestern Indiana on Saturday. Darian Brown and his wife were at an intersection in Merillville, IN, when two Caucasian men in another car began shouting threats to run all African-Americans out of town. Once the Browns made it home, the men in the other car allegedly yelled racial slurs at the couple, hit Darian in the face... more ›

Platteville, WI is planning a Chicago Bears training-camp museum. Thanks to a $200,000 grant from the NFL Grassroots field program, the grass football field at Lane Tech will be replaced with a synthetic playing service. People are loving this idea: For $150 you can get a customized South Side Irish St. Patrick's day parade street banner. They're green and have shamrocks and white lettering and you can put family names and memorial tributes on... more ›