We've spent a lot of time in these pages discussing issues of food and celebrity, and despite our occasional excitement about chefs and restaurant openings, we have a skeptical feeling about the whole enterprise. Celebrity chef does not equal quality food. Great restaurants have chefs that watch the staff, that cook in the restaurant and that have a personal investment in the success of the enterprise. North Pond remains one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago because Bruce Sherman is there every night watching plates come out of the kitchen, and that level of interest is necessary for great food. more ›

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Maybe Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed forgot this with her speculation that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan was considering a run for Mayor. more ›

In the new political tell-all book, Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime, the Clintons take a drubbing at the pen of John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, two veteran reporters of national politics. The book hit shelves recently with revelations that, while not shocking to anyone that's followed the Clintons, is surprising in its portrayal of the 2008 race from the perspective of inner-circle Clinton staffers. more ›

CTA President Richard Rodriguez denied a report by the Sun-Times gossip columnist Michael Sneed (pictured right) that indicated he was prepping to leave local government for the private sector, causing a City Hall Shuffle. According to Sneed: more ›

Ah, it's like shootin' fish in a barrel over at Chicagoist EOYW headquarters. We know how passionate you guys can get about these things, so we'll cut right to the chase: more ›

Dust those cobwebs off your costumes, folks. It’s the Saturday before a hump-day Halloween, so that means tonight is the night to let it all hang out. That is, if your costume is of that genre. Otherwise, check out these Halloween haunts: The Six Corners Monster Movie Festival in Portage Park features seven classic horror movies both today and tomorrow. Tonight: Nightmare on Elm Street at 8 p.m. Internet gossip columnist Perez Hilton hosts his... more ›

Don't settle for another Wednesday of and Girl Scout cookies that have been in the freezer for months (not ... that ... we do that ...). There's a shitton of stuff going on tonight! more ›

You've probably heard the news: J.K. Rowling outed Dumbeldore. more ›

This week, Phillyist saw the waters of a landmark fountain run red for a Showtime marketing stunt, the Phils pull ahead, and some serious nostalgia. They also got a chance to review an awesome tribute album, reminded folks to see the King and appreciated their beautiful skyline. Chicagoist knows what it's like to like the Cubs. But naming your kid Wrigley Fields? At least they can breathe a little easier now that Grossman's out... more ›

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. The deaths of two firefighters shook Bostonist this week. Boston's firefighters bent over backwards all week long - first, they fought flames pouring from the Boston Tea Party museum, and then a restaurant fire killed two and injured many more. Their efforts make everything else - like Tom... more ›

Even though rapper 50 Cent proclaimed to the world earlier this month that he would quit music (and deprive the world of another "In Da Club") if Chicago native Kanye West's new album "Graduation" sold more copies than his new CD "Curtis," the two have reportedly ended their feud via the universal peace maker -- alcohol. The two are both dropping albums on Sept. 11 and have been debating in the press for the past... more ›

With all our posts about Ingmar Bergman, Charles Burnett and underground cinema you might think that our cinematic tastes are strictly highbrow. Phooey. We like all sorts of movies. And we aren't immune to the charms of some juicy movie celeb gossip either (Vince V. anyone?) more ›

It’s coming down to the final moments before Lollapalooza begins. We’ve emailed our Lollapalooza schedule to our friends. We’ve purchased a gallon of sun block. We’ve stocked up on water and batteries. Now we have some time to gossip about Lollapalooza. We don’t think Perez Hilton should be the only one to have all the fun while he's in town for the festival. We’ll start off the gossip talk with this one from finifinito in... more ›

Having attended the Printers Ball in the past, we knew that the free-to-all-comers event would attract more than its fair share of people. We also hoped that having Bridgeport's Zhou B Center host this year's model would allow for more accommodation of guests. We had intended to show up as the Zhou B Center is practically in our backyard, but decided to first pay our respects to the recently departed. Unfortunately, as we were making... more ›

Now we know why Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak kept quiet for so long about who told him CIA Agent Valerie Plame's name; he needed to save that information (at least until 2006) so he could one day publish a tell-all book. Well done, Novak, well done. Novak's book, The Prince of Darkness, (which should not be confused with the Ozzy Osbourne box set of the same name) chronicles Novak's 50 years of work as a... more ›

The Hideout plays host tonight to two of Chicago’s brightest independent collectives, Skybox and Plane. The latter have been on the Chicago and national radar since their 2004 album Shake My Ground debuted at #42 on the CMJ charts, but the going wasn't as smooth after that. Fans and critics alike were puzzled by the alternatingly hooky pop and quizzical experimentation on 2005’s follow up EP, Hello More. Never fear, however – Plane has clearly... more ›

Chicagoist is spent after last night's gossip-tastic evening at Schubas. Probably our favorite teensy venue in Chicago, the 175-capacity music room hosted the Spin/Diesel “after party” for Fall Out Boy’s three shows at the Charter One Pavilion this weekend. more ›

Carl Wright, a Chicago actor who appeared in Soul Food, Barbershop and Big Momma's House, has passed away from cancer. Northwestern won't be offering an undergraduate major in Jazz studies any longer. --> Bo Diddley's condition is improving after having a stroke last week. In local celeb gossip, people are wondering whether Vaughnifer is planning a romantic reunion in Chicago. Someone at MeFi asked "What is required for a Chicago porch repair permit?" A... more ›

Shh, shh, quiet Hurry up and get in the closet Hip Hop Soul Magazine said, "The things that have been written about you would make lesser men wither or simply want to give up." I said, "So I have to walk with a certain humility. I have to walk with love in my heart for those that hate me. I have to. I have to get out and touch people in order for me to... more ›

Tonight, Roger Ebert will make a public appearance at the opening of his annual Overlooked Film Festival. It's the ninth annual, and it's held at the University of Illinois at Urbana. Roger wrote a really great piece yesterday about his recent surgeries and his illness as it concerned his attendance at the festival. Cancer of the salivary gland spread to his right lower jaw, and a segment of his jaw was removed. He had two... more ›

Oh, Starbucks. It is so easy to hate on you with your taking over the world ways, weird sizing (tall=small) and Norah Jones CDs. So very easy to hate. Which is why we were barely surprised to learn that you hate us too! more ›

It's official: The Red Eye is the Wave of the Future (TM)! For all the yada yadas about selling the Trib, reporters having to beg for food on street corners, and the inarguable lack of print news readers, the Red Eye seems to be doing OK — the paper will soon have a Saturday edition. more ›

Sorry, Chicago, no Troutman news on this weekend's blotter. But there's always next week, right? An 84-year-old man was charged with killing his 89-year-old wife early Saturday morning in Englewood. The couple were engaged in a domestic dispute shortly after midnight when Betty Smith, who had Alzheimer's disease, threw a picture frame at her husband, Charles. He then allegedly shot in her in face. Police say the two had been arguing more lately due to... more ›

Valentine's Day is only a few days away, and we here across the Gothamist network wanted to express would like to tell you, in the spirit of the holiday, just how much we love you, our readers. Don't let it get to your heads, though. There are plenty of things we love, you included. Just be glad you're not amongst the things we hate. SFist saw their beloved mayor enter rehab, and they loved the... more ›

We find Donald Trump to be a tragic figure, what with the ceaseless self-promotion, the infantile manner in which he responds to criticism, his unsolicited advice to politicians, the way he adopts the facial gestures of his succubi consorts, all those skyscrapers rising to the heavens like modern-day Towers of Babel, and the general bad behavior that stems from his misogyny. What next for a man who lives by the motto that if you paint... more ›

Just like Christmastime, each year Oscar season seems to start a little bit earlier. Some people were even making predictions way back in November, but we've done our best to hold our tongues. Why? Well, the Oscars are much less like a horse race and much more like just a good excuse to throw a party. If you're a film lover, it's better for your own sanity to care less about winners and losers and... more ›

A new season of “The Apprentice” begins on NBC January 7, and the opening lineup of contestants includes two women from the Chicago area. Aimee, who is 32, was raised in Elmhurst and most recently managed sales for a top medical company. She thinks she ought to be the next Apprentice because “I am wicked smart, tenacious and have insightful interpersonal skills, as well as a high level of integrity.” Nicole, 25, was born and raised in Naperville. She worked 2-3 jobs simultaneously while attending college and now owns a real estate acquisition corporation. She says, “I have the education, real estate experience and an undying will to succeed at everything I do.” more ›

We’re so over celebrity baby gossip, but there is one recent birth we’re excited about. Semliki, an okapi at Brookfield Zoo, gave birth to a baby girl in September, and the zoo officially announced her arrival today. (But really, how like a celebrity to try to keep it under wraps. We knew we saw a bump, Semliki!) more ›

Whenever we pick up on a story about “cost-cutting” we always pause to ponder the ultimate usefulness of most cost-cutting strategies, namely, slicing off a thin sliver of fat at the bottom rather than the thick fat at the top. So it’s bemusing to read in the Trib that NBC 5 is slicing, dicing and shuffling its news programming in an effort to slim down. Changes include Michael Sneed’s snarky celeb gossip (discontinued), WSCR-AM 670... more ›