Everyone's favorite libertarian think tank is taking its show on the road! The Cato Institute is hosting a luncheon with Robert Novak today at the Drake Hotel. Registration starts at 10:30, but you'll want to get there early, as several senior Cato fellows will be addressing the crowd of local paleoconservatives and free marketeers. Randal O'Toole, an expert on urban growth and planning issues, kicks off the event with his keynote address, The Best-Laid Plans:... more ›

Chicagoist is headed to London. (Well, OK, not the entire staff, just one of us.) We'll be visiting a friend of ours there who's never been to Chicago and, furthermore, isn't too familiar with Toddler's town and our lovable CTA. Naturally we've taken it upon ourselves to educate him. When he told us that he has a multi-region DVD player a little PowerPoint light bulb went off in our heads. Aha! Buy him a DVD,... more ›

New Year's Eve is always a huge night for dinners out. For diners and foodies, it's a chance to don some clean togs and expect nothing less than being pampered and fed like Romans. For restaurateurs, it's the motivation of profit, and the pride in preparing a good spread. And, if you're the type of person who waited until the last moment to make dinner reservations, well, throw some of that money our way, would... more ›

This weekend is the Midwest Literary Festival in Aurora. All kinds of cool things are going on and there are some great authors to see. Guest speakers include: Joyce Carol Oates (she was awarded the 2006 Chicago Tribune Literary Prize, she’ll accept at The Chicago Humanites Festival in November), Emily Giffen, Elizabeth Kostova, Dennis Lehane and our funny-boy crush, Harry Shearer. Some of the lectures look excellent too, here are some of the highlights, according... more ›

Karen Hanson, Author of Today's Chicago Blues more ›

With temps expected to hit the 70s on Thursday, it’s clear that spring is on the way. Of course, this means summer will be here in a matter of ... well, hours. And with summer comes the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival in Grant Park. more ›

When Chicagoist tried out for the freshman girls' basketball team in high school and somebody asked if we always shot with two hands, we pretty much made the decision right then and there to just stick with track and cross country. As such, we find it difficult to imagine walking our little blonde-in-the-summertime white-girl self around Chicago looking for pickup ball games. And as such, we find the premise of Melissa King's She's Got Next:... more ›

The problem with "Best Of" lists, especially when it comes to food, is that trying to convince people of why is like teaching a pig to dance: it only annoys you and pisses off the pig. So Chicagoist imagines that such is the case for this latest list, the Chicago Tribune's "Chicago's Best Burgers" list. Already we're set to go to the mat to defend our favorite burgers from the ones the Trib selected as... more ›

... another store selling chocolate! more ›

Indie it-guy Davy Rothbart will be at the Empty Bottle tonight to promote his new book like ever, and tonight he'll be sharing some of his favorite found notes, art, and poetry. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own found pieces, so start scouring a sidewalk near you. more ›