Our favorite new wine store, hands down, is Perman Wine Selections in the West Loop (802 W. Washington Blvd., 312-666-4417). Craig Perman (a former Sam's Wine and Spirits staffer and avid wine collector) has taken the space formerly occupied by Bennett Wine Studios, done some slight expansion for small tastings and events, and stocked the shelves with a wide variety of wines. Perman is also free with his opinions on his selections without the slightly......

A couple of localvore items of note to start: If you haven't checked out Fruit Slinger, do so. This blog chronicling the life of a freelance writer working on an orchard in southwest Michigan and his interactions at local farmers markets is engaging without over-the-top snark. It's a wonderful addition to the RSS feed. There was an interesting article at Salon.com on the concept of "food miles" and whether buying local is better for the......