While New York and other cities were spared major damages, folks in the Northeast weren't so lucky. more ›

Urbana native Nina Paley's animated feature Sita Sings the Blues found heaps of praise when it appeared in 2008, winning the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and garnering lots of Big Apple love upon its U.S. debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. Eventually the quirky labor of love found its most eloquent and highest profile champion in Roger Ebert, who penned a virtual love letter to the film. The reception has not been as warm this month in Queens, where a planned screening has run into protests from some in the Hindu community. more ›

When Mistakes Were Made opened here last year, we wouldn't have predicted it'd be heading for The Big Apple. Sure, Michael Shannon is an Oscar nominee, and his stage presence is absolutely riveting, but we figured that an extended play that consists almost entirely of a single character talking on the phone would be a bit of hard sell for the New York stage. Luckily, we were wrong. more ›

Yesterday, we reported how Gov. Quinn was against building a 'Ground Zero Mosque' in New York City. Now, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin gave his opinion and vocalized his support for a mosque (and community center) near Ground Zero today:

Durbin says he's had his differences with former President George W. Bush. But Durbin says Bush showed leadership after 9/11 by making it clear that the war was against terrorists who had perverted the teachings of Islam, not with Muslims. more ›

We've know that there have been ties between former governor Rod Blagojevich and current NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg - such as Bradley Tusk who used to be Blago's Deputy Gov and then a special assistant to Bloomberg and testified in the Blago trial yesterday. The Mothership Gothamist pointed us to another connection, specifically photos of Mayor Bloomberg and then-Governor Blagojevich hobnobbing in 2003 as the two rallied together, calling on the FDA to allow the import of prescription drugs from Canada. No word if this was after the 2003 flight to NYC during which Blago allegedly discussed his Presidential aspirations. more ›

In effort to expand its presence in the Northeast, Walgreens will buy Duane Reade drugstores in the New York metropolitan area for $618 million, plus $457 million in debt, to become the largest U.S. drugstore in New York City. According to Crain's, Walgreens Chief Executive Greg Wasson said the purchase puts Walgreens on par with its competitors — particularly its closest rival, CVS Caremark Corp. Located on high-traffic corners throughout the city, Duane Reade will continue to operate under its brand name and Walgreens expects to retain the employees at its stores, pharmacies and distribution centers and "many members of Duane Reade's senior management team" following the acquisition closing in August. more ›

The MetraMarket, which broke ground last year, is finally taking shape in the 100,000 sq. ft. space on the street level of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (bordered by Lake, Canal, Washington and Clinton streets). The developer recently announced at least half of the tenants who will occupy the Chicago French Market, a part of the MetraMarket retail development that promises to be reminiscent of European open-air markets. Among the tenants signed on for the French Market's late October opening are local favorites Pastoral, Flip Crepes, and Vanille Pastisserie, as well as Chicago Organics who will offer an array of locally grown and certified organic produce, meats, and dairy. Other purveyors on the list are Albano's Deli, Canady Le Choclatier, Completely Nuts, Espression by Lavazza, Fraternite Notre Dame, Sweet Miss Giving's, and Wisconsin Cheese Mart. more ›

Last week, the mothership Gothamist covered a new pilot program in New York City focusing on cab shares. While cab share fares are in place here in Chicago, it's a very limited number program. Something closer to the experimental NYC program, though, could be making it's way here soon, according to the Sun-Times. more ›

Mayor Daley announced this afternoon that he will hire outside elevator inspectors to relieve the backlog for the city elevator inspectors, after the Chicago Tribune reported that nearly 70 percent of the city's elevators have not been inspected in the last year, even though laws require annual inspection. The Tribune article also said that the city does not keep records on whether or not an elevator has been brought back up to code after failing an inspection. more ›

There’s a hint of melancholy in the eyes of artist Tara McPherson’s characters—wan, porcelain faces that remind us of a cross between Blythe Dolls and the lovably macabre creatures born from Tim Burton’s brain. If you’re a fan of the scary fairytale style, head to Rotofugi this Saturday where McPherson will be signing her latest book, Lost Constellations. Published by Dark Horse comics, this new release chronicles the NYC-based artist’s most recent paintings, drawings, and sculpture. Also on display will be McPherson’s new Kidrobot mini-figure series, Gamma Mutant Space Friends. 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 ›

Screw Valentine's Day...let's think of tomorrow as Palentine's Day instead. High fives and paper airplanes for everyone! more ›

Love him or hate him, you can't deny Kanye West has a certain flare. Proving himself to a more prolific blogger than Steve Johnson (and more entertaining, too), Kanye has dropped a few details about an upcoming tour. He'll be touring with fellow Chicago MC Lupe Fiasco, supporting his recently released (and excellent record The Cool), along with Rihanna, and Neptunes side project N.E.R.D. Whatever you think of Mr. West, that lineup is nothing to sneeze at. We also dig that Star Wars/Max Headroom promo poster you can see over to the right. more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

The Adalberto United Methodist Church and its leader Reverend "Slim" Coleman have returned to the forefront of the immigration debate. You might remember them as the church who gave refuge for a year to Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant facing deportation for falsifying documents in order to secure employment at O'Hare. Arellano left the church last August and was subsequently arrested in Los Angeles and escorted to the Mexico border. more ›

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We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

Planning on flying to New York on the cheap this year? You won't be going easy, going ATA (or Southwest). The low-cost carrier will no longer be flying to New York. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

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Here at the Chicagoist offices, several reality shows are popular among the staff, but our devotion for the majority of programs pales in comparison to our love for the crème de la crème, Project Runway. Bravo's hit show returned last night for its fourth season of designing, measuring, catwalking strutting and drama, with two Chicagoans vying for the chance to take it home at New York City Fashion Week. The first episode was the usual... more ›

The last two weeks, our Made in Chicago feature, about local artists and crafters, has brought you jewelry. Now, we bring you some crafty clothes to go with that Chicago skyline necklace. Amy DeVoogd ( it's Dutch, pronounced “deh-vogued”), 42, a drifter from Boston, MA to Charlottesville, VA, has settled as a Chicagoan since 2004. Her illustrations are bright contrasts of color that are both surprisingly simple and detailed. Her work has appeared in Playgirl,... more ›

The Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force announced yesterday that the mortality rate for black women diagnosed with breast cancer is 68 percent higher than for white women. And that gap has widened: In 1980, white women and black women had similar cancer mortality rates, but over the last 30 years, while white women's survival rate has improved, black women's has not. According to the report, these disparities can't be chalked up to "biological... more ›

A blue-ribbon committee of business and health care executives announced their recommendation yesterday that an independent board assume oversight of Cook County's health care system. The ten-member committee was appointed by Board President Todd Stroger last spring at the urging of Senator Dick Durbin. Stroger said that he is open to independent management of the county's health care system, stating the obvious to the Chicago Tribune: "It's obvious that the [County] Board does not work... more ›

While the evil empire from New York City (Macy’s) served complimentary slices of Frango Mint Ice Cream pie to the some twenty guests dining in the seventh floor Walnut Room, about 100 hard-core Marshall Field’s fans staged a protest underneath the the historic clock on State Street below. Today marks the one-year anniversary of Macy’s changing the name of Field’s after after gobbling up May Department Stores, which Field's had been a part of. Organized... more ›

More on Parking Meters more ›

Would Hollywood make a movie about a swingin' 70's housewife, complete with musical numbers? Or a documentary about New York City's Union Square in the days immediately following 9/11? Would Hollywood make a movie about Thax? more ›

So in 2000 a dude gets hit by a New York City Bus (Bear with us; the story has roots in New York, and eventually makes its way to our city) and decides he’s going to make something positive out of the experience. What does Brendt Barbur do? He creates a Bicycle Film Festival (BFF), featuring films celebrating the bike. And all forms of bikes: Tall-Bike Jousting, Track Bikes, BMX, Alleycats, Critical Mass, Bike Polo, Cycling to Recumbents--if it’s a bike, BFF has probably screened a movie about it. more ›