Is it just us, or has this week sucked ass? It seems like everyone we've talked to has wanted to stab the whole world in the neck this week. At least we have a bunch of things to do that are awesome..... The Old Town School of Folk Music has its annual craft fair tonight, plus their monthly First Friday series. Tomorrow, bust out your wallet at Renegade Craft Fair's holiday bonanza. We've noticed... more ›

Since Tankboy was so kind as to alert us to the presence of John Hodgman tonight over at Second City for FREE (!!), we headed over there to check that shit out. And we are pleased to note that Mr. Hodgman was everything we wanted him to be -- funny, kind, and gracious. He took questions from the audience via walkie talkie, and later signed everyone's books with genuine affability. And just like anyone who... more ›

Chicagoist can sympathize with a man burdened by “complete world knowledge” since we share such an affliction. We are wowed when such a man actually tries to transcribe that “complete world knowledge” into an easily navigable almanac as author John Hodgman has done in his excellent tome, The Areas of My Expertise. You might recognize Mr. Hodgman from his appearances as a “square” PC in those Apple ads recently, or as the “resident expert” on... more ›

Anyone who's ever been out to Schaumburg to get their hands on Ikea's snazzily-designed, cheap furnishings knows what kind of living hell it can be. The store, which draws shoppers from western Illinois suburbs, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, is one of the retailer's highest-performing stores in the world, and certainly their busiest US store. Chicagoist still wishes that the Ikea's plans to open a store in the South Loop would have gone through, but were still happy to hear that they are planning on opening a second Illinois location in the southwest suburb Bolingbrook because it is sure to ease the congestion at the Schaumburg location. The Bolingbrook store is scheduled to be open in the fall of 2005. more ›