An Orland Park doctor has announced plans to open up a new office, but this one with "drive-up bays." Dr. Waldemar Nowak and his wife will convert the former Vito & Nick's restaurant into the new office. Said Nowak, "This is my own idea," though he declined to say exactly what these drive-up service windows would involve. (It's hard for the ol' "turn-your-head-and-cough" routine from the driver's seat, isn't it?) The new office will also feature traditional walk-in medical appointments, too. The Orland Park Village Board's development services committee has approved the plans but the Board itself must also give its okay. We're hoping Dr. Nowak's plans include some type of limits to what can and can't be taken care of via these planned drive-thru windows because there's nothing at all worrisome about having a doctor diagnose us from a drive-thru window. Nope. Not at all. more ›

• Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the city's first lady, Maggie Daley, who had a foot-long titanium rod inserted into her right leg today.
• A look at the city's recycling program and the contracts at its center.
• Strange happenings at the Art Institute this morning.

Famed OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays goes through a McDonald's drive thru. Seems pretty simple, right? But, wait! There's more! more ›

Foodie/urban explorer, carless advocate and eager drinker of bucket boy haterade Mike Doyle is beating on a bucket of his own over at Gapers Block's Drive-Thru blog regarding Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea's decision to replace drip coffee in their retail locations with more intensive brews extracted from $11,000 Clover machines. "(A) sub-$3 cup of coffee is now a thing of the past at Intelligentsia," Doyle writes. From there, Doyle launches into overdrive, wondering if all the changes Intelligentsia has implemented in its retail locations in recent months is a case of a company putting the cart before the horse, especially in our current banana republic of an economy. more ›

• Five ways to trick yourself into eating less. [Newsweek]
• The mulefoot pig being served at Blackbird on 10/19 is not the Reader's Dee-Dee. Start placing bets now on if she's in utero. [Food Chain]
• Will Allen, founder of MIlwaukee Based CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) organization Growing Power is the recipient of a MacArthur Genius grant. [Drive-Thru]

• Counting down the days until we receive our copy of the Alinea cookbook in the mail. While we've been spending lots of time at the Alinea Mosaic (a perk of advance purchase), Michael Ruhlman - one of four food writers commissioned to write an essay for the book, offers a sneak preview of the books contents. It cannot come to us soon enough.
• The Local Beet has quickly become one of our favorite new local food blogs. this week they have a guide to fall and winter CSAs and local produce box drops.
• Chicago Gluttons has the most hilarious review of San Soo Gap San ever.

• Mercat a la Planxa's Jose Garces flays Bobby Flay on Iron Chef [Philly City Paper]
• Applebee's "owns riblets." Wonderful; another reason not to go. [NYT]
• Joanna MIller delves into a vegetarian nicoise salad. [My Vegetable Blog]

• Leading off today is this hiring video put together for Lettuce Entertain You property Hub 51 Restaurant and Lounge, an exaggerated parody of Tom Vu infomercials. (via)
• Fresh off his appearance on last night's episode of Top Chef Chicago, Rick Tramonto has a blog over at Restaurant & Institutions magazine website. There are only two posts right now, but Tramonto's an in-demand chef and businessman, so only expect him to update when he has the time and/or something to write about. (Again, via).
• The Tribune ran a wonderful piece yesterday on how some of Our Town's best chefs would reinvent that all-American staple, the hot dog. Check out Shawn McClain's tofu version with kimchi and sport peppers, Rick Bayless' Chi-Mex hot dog, or Charlie Trotter's Asian tuna dog.