If you care about cooking on food trucks, you can lend your voice to Let Them Cook. more ›

After 19 health inspections in two years, Logan Square Kitchen finally went to the city to complain. Guess what, they won. Unfortunately, the health record of the shared-use kitchen wasn't cleared, because of the way administrative hearings work in Chicago. Undaunted, the owner, Zina Murray, told us last night that she was starting "Health Inspection Parties," with the premise that "Hey, transparency can be fun!" more ›

With the impressive first day numbers of towing in regards to the city's winter parking ban - which went into effect in the wee hours of Tuesday morning - all eyes were on how many cars would be towed in night two. While numbers were down, as expected, it was still an impressive haul with 164 more cars towed, bringing the two-day total to just shy of 400 total cars. That breaks down to almost 50 towed per hour (the ban is in effect from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. each night) and almost 4 cars per each of the 107 miles in the ban zone. And with a minimum of $200 in fees for each car ($50 ticket plus minimum of $150 towing fee), that's at least $79,600 for the city so far. more ›

We step back in time, all the way back to December 2007, when there was not yet a full Trump Tower along the river, for this gorgeous shot of our city. more ›

On Saturday, Chicagoist decided to play tourist and take some photos of life in the Loop. Our favorite subject of the day was this man (pictured), who with CD player in hand and dance moves in motion turned a N. Michigan Ave. median strip into his own stage from which to entertain pedestrians and traffic. We don't know your name or your mission, Mr. Dancer, but your moxie makes you our new hero. more ›

There may be a little gleam of sunshine poking through the gloom of the current recession if the latest unemployment numbers are to be believed. While unemployment throughout the state inched up last month, based on numbers from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the city of Chicago's July jobless rate actually dropped to 10.7 percent, down from 11.3 percent in June. Granted, that's like saying the flood waters just receded from 10 feet to 8 feet and it's still well ahead of the national average of 9.4 percent, but - hey - progress! Illinois is likely to be slower to see those numbers drop compared to the rest of the nation, according to IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell: “The country felt the pain of this recession many months before it was felt in Illinois, and it is likely that the same pattern will hold true as the economy recovers." [Crain's] more ›

The Reader's Mick Dumke has an interesting solution for how to help the City close that budget gap: legalize marijuana and tax it. Mayor Daley has supported decriminalizing marijuana in the past (before he was against it). And Lord knows he loves to tax stuff. This could possibly work. But it's only a matter of time before he privatizes more ›

Seen in Wicker Park on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Henrí conjures up a hot '80s summer night in the city. A make-up artist, Henrí demonstrates her skills of color matching, and utilizing her natural skin tone to complete a look. With her nautical themed headscarf, body hugging jeans and tank top, Henrí looks sexy and self-assured. more ›

South Side Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) recently introduced an ordinance that would mandate countdown signals - like the ones for pedestrian walk signals - at intersections where red-light cameras have been (or will be) installed. more ›

To state the obvious, the 11th Annual European Film Festival, which opens tonight at the Siskel, is an embarrassment of riches. This year features 61 feature films, all Chicago premieres, representing 26 nations. It's a lively cross-section that spans from the heart-tugging (opening night feature Estrellita) to the unbashedly experimental (In the City of Sylvia), including documentaries (To The Limit) and docudramas (Battle for Haditha, Lagerfeld Confidential). The festival runs through April 3, and the Reader's film blog has a great summation of what's on the schedule. more ›

The Life of Reilly, an adaptation of the late Charles Nelson Reilly’s one-man stage show, is finally screening in Chicago. After making the rounds on the film festival circuit, a limited theatrical release run began last November, hitting Austin, New York City and Washington D.C., and eliciting very positive reviews along the way. Directors Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson championed the idea for the movie, convinced Reilly to perform his retired stage act a final time, and edited their footage of the three-hour show down to an 87 minute film. more ›

, Chicago has long been home to one of Steve Earle's strongest fan bases. He's such a gifted songwriter that fans often overlook the fact that he's essentially made the same record since 1996, right down to the obligatory duet with a female singer, "state of my life" liner notes and beautiful artwork by his good friend, the local artist and noted unemployed film-goer Tony Fitzpatrick. more ›

Mayor Daley sure is busy. Or at least chatty. more ›

Probably not. But in the wake of a series of tax hikes levied around the Chicago area, it seems people are downright pissed. more ›

Take that shot in, will you? Just look at that stein filled with the proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Sometimes you have to keep your beer simple, but not too much. more ›

Chicago took another step towards fulfilling Mayor Daley’s vow that by 2016, we’ll have cameras on “almost every block.” more ›

On March 4, 1837, Chicago officially became a city, first mayor William B. Ogden presiding. more ›

Time to lock and load this week's list of hometown shows, SXSW style. more ›

We don't know about you, but if we managed to escape 63 counts of involuntary manslaughter after being hanged in the court of public opinion, we might try to go back to our lives, shut the hell up, and count our lucky stars. more ›

Second City Cop more ›

"Legoland." Just feeling the word roll off your tongue should be enough to send you into shivers of delight. But news that some in Joliet are pushing for a Legoland that close to home? That is leaving us a quivering mess on the floor. Legoland! Right here in Illinois! Please, nerd overlords. Please. more ›

Two years ago, in our review of Eleven City Diner on South Wabash, we compared Brad Rubin's tribute to classic Jewish delis and diners to the Blues Brothers. We said it was "too good to be a parody, not good enough to be the real thing." That still holds true, which is a blessing and a curse. Shortly after ours and other reviews started pouring in, Rubin pulled the plug on all night weekend service, which would have brought Eleven City closer to the genuine article. The prices are nothing to laugh at, either. We've had more than one friend chew us out on the prices after recommending the place. more ›

We've been sort of "meh" about the news of Roundy's Supermarkets coming to town, mainly because, rather than set up stores in neighborhoods that need them, the enormogrocer instead decided to set up shop in a neighborhood that wasn't exactly clamoring for another grocer. more ›

More fascinated by Kelis' milkshake than Daniel Plainview's? Is the only Oscar you'll watch living in a garbage can? Then this Sunday probably means nothing to you. You're burnt out on the "glitz" and "glamor" of the night, not to mention the drama surrounding that writers strike. more ›

Ah, late February in Chicago. Cubs tickets go on sale today, there's a forecast for a high temperature above 35 degrees next week, and thousands of indie rock kids around Chicago will soon be shedding their parkas for high-priced hoodies bought from Wicker Park boutiques (tip: ours cost us $12 at Target!) for several worthwhile shows around the Chicago area. Lots of tickets go on sale this weekend. So, despite this crappy weather, there is, in the words of Spoon, "something to look forward to." more ›

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 ›

John Kass doesn't want us to think about his "Mediterranean back hair," which pretty much guarentees that's ALL we're going to be able to think about for, oh, ever, but he's really writing about what's he's dubbed "Showergate": City Budget Director Bennett Johnson III has installed a shower in his City Hall office. It's at his own expense, and City Hall spokesfolk say he wants it because he bikes to work sometimes and wants to rub a dub dub when he gets to the office. more ›

MeTV has been a not-so-guilty pleasure of ours for awhile. Its non-stop parade of vintage TV is a balm to our soul. In fact, we have a Sunday evening routine of sorts. If we're at home, at ten minutes before 5 we fix ourselves a dry martini, with two bleu-cheese stuffed olives, and settle down for back-to-back episodes of Night Gallery (occasionally continuing on for some Twilight Zone if we're feeling especially couch potatoey). more ›

The Tinley Park murderer is still on the loose; pastors today called for him to turn himself in. [Trib] more ›

While the City Council was following up on the General Assembly's plan to "save" the CTA last week, 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett was advocating for minority businesses. more ›