There's a lot to like about Chicago being named as Vogue.com's "Destination of the Month," but it won't silence critics who think it's skewed to East Coast readers. more ›

Outstanding in the Field, which produces a series of touring farm dinners across the country (check out our 2009 review of their dinner at Kinnikinnick Farm with Stephanie Izard and Ryan Poli, for an example) announced their 2011 farm dinner schedule over the weekend. more ›

The Sun-Times reports that attendance at area museums and zoos was down 3 percent over 2009. Which probably explains the spate of free days that kicked off 2011 at the Art Institute and other museums. more ›

Earlier this week, Chicago Restaurant Week 2011 announced Feb. 18-27. Which is actually ten days, but never mind. Anyway, the third edition of the very successful program doesn't veer from the script at all. Participating restaurants will offer three-course, fixed price lunches for $22; or three-course, fixed price dinners for anywhere from $33 to $44. more ›

Hey, all you art-loving crimestoppers! The Art Institute of Chicago is stepping 2K11 off on the right foot by waiving admission fees for the month of January. more ›

Back in July, we got the exciting news that the Guide Michelin, the most prestigious guidebook in the food world, was coming to Chicago. Chicago was going to be their third city in the United States, after New York and San Francisco, and every high-end restaurant owner in Chicago started scrambling to make sure that they made the list. Michelin reviewers had been eating all over Chicago for two years, taking their anonymous notes, and while some restaurant owners told us, off the record, that they spotted the Michelin reviewers, most of the restaurant world held its breath. more ›

We knew it. Korean food is on the rise in Chicago. Despite a substantial fan base, Chicago is not exactly a mecca for Korean food. The Korean Government and its tourism organizations are out to change that. We attended a dinner sponsored by the Korean Consulate General held at Rolling Meadow’s Woo Lae Oak. A representative from the Consulate lamented the “lack of ‘fancy’ Korean restaurants in Chicago.” We’re pretty happy with any Korean food we can get our hands on in the city, but a more refined, upscale Korean restaurant? Yes please. more ›

With the return of the cold weather comes the return of another, newer, local favorite - Pedway tours! Hosted by former Chicagoista Margaret Hicks, these tours are a great opportunity to become familiar with a part of the city that many people don't know exist or have misconceptions as to how the pedway works. “I think a lot of locals really fear the Pedway, but they shouldn’t, it’s awesome, and now it’s very holiday-ish.” The writer and local comedienne normally gives a guided walking tour of the Pedway Monday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m, but for Thanksgiving Hicks is adding tours on November 24th and November 26th, both at 10:30 a.m. “I added the tours for Thanksgiving because there are so many great holiday things to see from the Pedway, like the tree in Macy’s, the beautiful Cultural Center with all of its decorations, heck, even Lane Bryant has done up their windows down there. It’s a great thing to do with your office too, learn something and have a great time” more ›

Last night was the A-list event of the Chicago food world, the Michelin Guide release party at the Chicago Cultural Center. Most of Chicago's culinarians were out, dressed in their finest, and we caught glimpses of just about every Michelin-starred chef. Mayor Daley mixed and mingled, and writers and bloggers from all over the city furiously photographed and scribbled. Despite all this glamour, the real story of the evening seemed to be something of a lack of excitement. As one writer (who shall remain anonymous) put it, "This just doesn't play well in Chicago." more ›

If you're planning on heading to the Museum of Science and Industry for the Jim Henson exhibition, you'll also be brought into the early holiday spirit with their annual "Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light" exhibit. The centerpiece, a 45-foot tall tree in the Rotunda, is decorated with over 30,000 lights, 1,000 ornaments and surrounded by over 50 smaller trees decorated by volunteers to reflect Christmas traditions in other countries. more ›

Both Mayor Daley and Governor Quinn rejected the Ricketts family's proposal to renovate Wrigley Field using up to 35 years' worth of amusement tax growth in a bond offering. And it looked like both took very different approaches to do so. more ›

Although Waukegan is a hop, skip and a jump away from Chicago, the Waukegan Port District has been thinking outside the box in figuring out ways to boost tourism within and around the area. If you've been itching to find a more swank way to travel to the idyllic city of Waukegan other than by car, bus or rail, the further research into a dinner and an overnight cruise line to Kenosha and Milwaukee through Waukegan might strike your travel fancy:

Port District Chairman Hank Bogdala, a lifelong Waukegan resident and supporter of the idea, said a nautical connection between those points seems natural. "We've got the highway, we've got the railroad. Why not the water? he said. The port district board, which oversees Waukegan Harbor and the Waukegan Regional Airport, recently approved further research of the idea. Bogdala said there already are many tourists, families and students in the area visiting destinations such as Six Flags Great America or Gurnee Mills. A pleasure passenger cruise line would draw people to Waukegan Harbor and Chicago's downtown, and vice versa.

We mentioned yesterday that in her latest fit of altruism, Oprah decided to celebrate her last season by taking yesterday's season premiere audience with her on a trip to Australia where she'll tape at the famous Sydney Opera House. We're sure the Aussies were all excited to hear about a visit from The Great O. Well, until they got her bill. Yes, everything comes at a price, even a visit from Oprah. It seems the big trip down will actually cost the Australian government to the tune of $3 million AUD ($2.8 million USD). Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson defended the move as meant to boost tourism: "Oprah is a household name and her star power has the potential to lift Australia's profile as a premier tourist destination." And Ferguson isn't the only one defending the cost. more ›

One advisor says the only way to stop the McCormick Place bleeding is to privatize the convention center. more ›

The city is preparing for the 30th Anniversary of Taste of Chicago by banning suburban restaurants from participating this year, a move the Mayor's Office of Special Events says helps in "returning (the festival) to its roots." Special Events Director Megan McDonald told the Sun-Times that the suburban vendors were given a three-year grace period starting in 2007 to remain a part of the festival if they could secure at least one location for their business within city limits. McDonald also said that the decision was made to bring the focus of the festival back to promoting restaurants within the city limits. more ›

(Ed. Note: Now in its third year, Chicago Restaurant Week starts Friday and runs through February 28. Over 160 restaurants throughout the greater Chicago area will offer 3-course fixed price dinners for $32 and 3-course, fixed price lunches for $22. Last year we offered suggestions for restaurants to visit during Restaurant Week. We're doing the same this week, starting with selections from Megan Tempest. — C. Sudo) more ›

Those tethered hot-air balloon rides at Navy Pier have been approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in spite of protests from Erma Tranter, executive director of Friends of the Parks. The ride could be open by next week and will stay open through October. [CBN] more ›

According to statistics from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the amount of money tourists spent in the state was up in 2008 by nearly a billion dollars ($883 million, to be exact) for a grand total of $30.8 billion. Overall, the state also saw a 21-percent increase in visitors from overseas (1.4 million overall). While the number of tourists hitting our fair city declined by 2.1 percent over 2007's record-setting year (a total of 44.21 million) but the good news (besides the fact we're Johnny Depp's favorite U.S. city) is that they spent a little bit more time here than they did in 2007. [Crain's] more ›

Mayor Daley and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that O'Hare won a $12 million dollar grant for improvements to the airport, as part of the city's first economic recovery program. About $5 million of those funds will be used to replace runway pavement, and nearly $7 million will be used to widen a taxiway. "Both of these projects are important for the safe and efficient operation of this airport," Daley told CBS2. "They couldn't have been done at this time without the assistance of the federal grant." The mayor also pointed out that none of the funding will be used for the O'Hare Expansion Project, which is currently behind schedule and about $130 million over budget. more ›

The governor is scheduled to make an announcement this morning that several state parks, closed by Rod Blagojevich as a cost cutting measure in response to state budget pressures, will be re-opened. The announcement, to be held at at the Department of Natural Resources headquarters in Springfield, will be "good news because that was just a huge economic loss to our district and the rest of the state,” said Dixon Democrat Sen. Tim Bivins. “I think anybody who likes the state parks of Illinois will like what we have to say,” Quinn spokesman Robert Reed told the Peoria Journal Star. more ›

It seems the economic crunch might finally see Metra go back on their no-ads policy. On Monday, Metra began using a car featuring one of those full-wrap vinyl ads. Unlike the ones you'll see on the CTA for iPods or cell phones or movies, this one at least is for the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, featuring the likenesses of, among others, Presidents Lincoln and Obama. It's an attempt to increase non-fare income, according to Metra executive director Phil Pagano. Metra will see what public reaction is and how the ad holds up to the elements before moving forward with any other ads. more ›

Winter is generally a down time for restaurant business; our current banana republic economy isn't helping matters. That, and the range of options for diners wanting to have a night out on the town, is the impetus for the second annual Chicago Restaurant Week February 20-27. Sponsored by the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, 130 restaurants — from the 5-star Zagat rated concepts to off the beaten path diners — will offer 3-course prix fixe lunches for $22 and $32 prix fixe dinners. more ›

• Motorola, based out of Schaumburg, announced today it would be cutting 4,000 jobs. This is in addition to the 3,000 cut during the fourth quarter of 2008. Damn.
• An Illinois House committee that oversees DFCS may consider tougher laws about aggressive dogs living in foster homes following Sunday's mauling death of foster child Alex Angulo.
• Tom Tuduj, accused of stabbing his boss to death in 2006, testified at his own trial and claimed his medication was to blame.

Another victim of the new City budget seems to be the city's free trolley system. The system, a big hit among tourists (88 percent of riders are out-of-towners), was put in by Mayor Daley after a trip to San Francisco in 2000. Initially funded by a federal congestion-relief plan, the city took over payments for the trolleys in 2004. Almost a million people have ridden the trolleys in 2008. The last day of service will be January 4, 2009 and is expected to save the city about $1.7 million. more ›

• Chicagoist hasn't been the only one covering the event. Here are some other reviews of Chicago Gourmet.
• I don't know what festival Phil Vettel attended, but it sounded really fucking good. Mr. "One fork per plate" found no "shortage of richness"; at one point, Stolpman and I had to go to America's Dog to grab a bite.
• Apparently, Vettel didn't bother to share that same spoil of riches with fellow Stew correspondent Chris Borrelli. I don't mind a lot of wine at a gourmet food festival, either. But the ratio of wine tents to food tents was ridiculous.

After months of buildup and debate, the inaugural Chicago Gourmet festival of food and wine kicks off this evening with a gala reception at the Harris Theatre in Millennium Park. You just know that Mayor Daley is eager to showcase the rarefied air of the Chicago restaurant industry mere months before the IOC makes its final decision on the host city for the 2016 Summer Games. He tried to sell the sizzle in this week's edition of Time Out Chicago: more ›

The long-anticipated and much-discussed Chicago Gourmet festival at Millennium Park is just over a week away. It's no secret that entrance to the event itself will cost some their entire month's rent, and then some. more ›

Columbus Drive is safe for cars once again. Taste of Chicago is done for another year and city officials are declaring it a rousing success. As though they would say anything different. more ›

Fewer domestic tourists visited Illinois last year than the year before, down 5 percent to 68.1 million. Our miles after magnificent miles aren't doing it for people anymore? more ›

Mayor Daley, along with the mayors of Honolulu and Miami and travel and hospitality industry leaders, met with Republican presidential hopeful John McCain yesterday to discuss expanding the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which lets nationals of participating countries enter the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. "As the travel process becomes more difficult, America's economy and image suffers," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association, who joined the mayors in a roundtable discussion with McCain. "We have lost 250,000 jobs. A lot of that is due to we are now regarded as an unfriendly place to visit," Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said. more ›