Last week, I was berated, quite aggressively, by the greatest chef in the Western world. In some circles of foodie-ism, that might be some sort of perverse claim to fame, like finding and saving Anthony Bourdain's used cigarette, but in my world, it was frightening and unpleasant. More importantly, it forced me to reflect on the food/media world in which I live, the hype that sustains restaurants, and the fundamental responsibilities of chefs, restaurant owners and service staff. Oh, and I got to peek inside The Aviary. Want the whole story? more ›

Police take their oath "to serve and protect" to heart. But it still comes as a shock when we read news of a policeman killed, whether in the line of duty or not. We were shocked a lot in 2010. more ›

Chicago fared well in last night's chef and restaurant portion of the 2010 James Beard Awards. more ›

Originally known as Armistice Day after the First World War, and recognized as Veteran's Day in the United States, today inevitably becomes one of those sort-of holidays when the Post Office closes and the kids stay home from school. But for many Americans, at least one member of their family has served in the Armed Forces, either during peacetime or in combat. After the jump are the memories and stories of some of our family that served. Add your story of family and friends that served or are serving in the comments below. more ›

The CTA bus tracking system will be expanded tomorrow, and with this enhancement will come a new service alerting riders to service disruptions at specific stops, or along routes. The alerts will work with Internet-enabled phones or desktop technology for people plugged into the net. more ›

We continue our look at Chef Laurent Gras' L20 this week with a look at the aesthetics of its dining room. Like the food, Chef Gras was consumed with putting careful thought into every element of the space, from the walls to the water glasses to the guéridons. Elegant, warm, and clean, Chef Gras worked closely with Chicago-based Dirk Denison Architects to create a simple, inviting space using natural materials and warm hues. (Note, there are additional, beautiful photos of L20 on the Dirk Denison Architects website.) more ›

Power was restored to the South Shore Line late yesterday, after a passing train damaged nearly a mile of wire between the Dune Park and Michigan City stations on Saturday. Metra said riders were experiencing 45-to-60 minute delays while borrowed diesel powered locomotives were used to pull the trains through the unpowered area. more ›

One could make the argument that a zoo, by nature, is already organic. But this weekend, the Lincoln Park Zoo is implementing one step in a five-year plan to reduce the attraction’s impact on the environment when they open the Cafe at Wild Things. The cafe will only feature organic, sustainable, locally produced snacks. Even the utensils will be made of biodegradable cornstarch-based plastics. more ›

Beginning Monday, you’ll be able to log onto the Web through CTA Bus Tracker to determine the location of 13 more bus routes. The system uses GPS to track the exact locations of buses. There are two views available on the site - one predicting arrival time at a particular stops, the other displaying bus locations on a map. The CTA advises that the estimated arrival time will count down, unless there is a problem: “you may see the arrival predictions remain the same number of minutes or possibly increase, rather than count down, indicating that the bus is not moving.” more ›