Londonist are starting to think their city is getting just a little bit too expensive, when even Christian Slater can't afford to go out there. And there's no escaping, as local singer Lily Allen discovered when she was barred entry to the US. The British mapping agency caused further bad karma, by blocking a 3-D representation of London in Google Earth. But the smiles returned to Londonist's faces as they interviewed Baroness von Reichardt,... more ›

If there is one thing we aren’t doing this weekend, it’s going to see Borat. The mass amount of advertising and media coverage of Borat has inadvertently allowed him to seep into our dreams and now we are in the process of detoxing. To help you detox from overexposure to Borat, we have provided a few things to keep you busy today. more ›

Today is Independence Day in India and Pakistan. In 1947, the independent nations of India and Pakistan were born after a decades-long struggle for freedom against colonial rule. Finally it was time to shout: The British Are Leaving! The British Are Leaving! Chicagoland's Independence Day celebrations will take place tomorrow, Tuesday the 16th, at Daley Plaza downtown, from noon to 3pm. Join the celebrants for food, vendors, and speeches galore. Hopefully someone will recite... more ›

The British hip-hop scene has produced some of the genre’s most exciting talents over the last year, like the insanely gifted (and insanely young) Dizzie Rascal. Another prominent figure is The Streets, a.k.a. Mike Skinner, whose insistent beats and charming cockney inflection keep Chicagoist coming back for more. He just followed up his excellent debut Original Pirate Material with the even more excellent (dude!) A Grand Don’t Come for Free, an autobiographical concept album about ennui, anomie, solipsism and other dreary, fancily named emotional states they experience in that foggy land across the Atlantic. But Chicagoist definitely relates to his touching tales about being young, disconnected, and without prospects. (If only we could set our stories to such addictive soundscapes and not just snarky blog posts.) He’ll be performing at the Metro on Wednesday night, so grab some friends and go weep with Skinner about the states of your lives. more ›