It was a Tuesday — a beautiful, sunny Tuesday at that. Most likely, most of the United States was getting ready for or just starting an average Tuesday in September. And then, the unthinkable happened. Two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon, and yet another plane was crashed in Pennsylvania. The country was legitmately in "shock and awe." However, there were those of us who... more ›

When you think of Chicago arts students, several schools might come to mind. The School of the Art Institute and Columbia College would surely be on the list, and maybe even you’d throw in Northwestern for some theatre. But the University of Chicago? Not unless your idea of art is some abstract illustration of economic models or something equally dorky. more ›

Even though we are way way past school age, we still get a little melancholy at the close of summer. Fortunately, our friends across the -ist network know that the shenanigans don't need to end just because the big yellow buses are back on the roads. So, grab your sunscreen and your favorite hangover cure, as we take a tour of end of summer fun from -ist cities all over the damn place. SFist Tourist... more ›

With the five-year anniversary on Monday, firefighters from Illinois and Wisconsin are riding to New York to honor the victims of the Sept. 11 atacks. On Wednesday at 9:11 a.m., the ride - organized by firefighter Tom Maloney - commenced, CBS reported. more ›

The Silk Road Theatre Project is truly blessed. Dedicated to showcasing Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian playwrights chronicling the people of the Silk Road and their descendents, the company took residence in the First United Methodist Church (a.k.a. The Chicago Temple) three years ago. Despite religious differences, church and company leadership forged a mutual respect born out of shared goals. Both groups value storytelling as a powerful tool to foster harmony in a diverse society.... more ›

Talk about a nightmare: back in August, a 57-year old man found himself homeless in Chicago, with no idea how he got here or what had happened in his life up until then. He was living in a shelter in the South Loop and selling newspapers on State Street, tormented by his lost identity. He asked the Chicago police for help, sent his fingerprints to the FBI, called the Social Security administration to research the... more ›

Store window buzz in this town usually revolves around Marshall Field's legendary holiday creations, a State Street tradition since 1897, or everyone's favorite mannequin-comes-to-life-and-seduces-Andrew-McCarthy-in-a-hammock film classic. However, as the Sun Times is reporting, a slightly different kind of display on the north end of State is drawing some not-so-positive attention. G'Bani Shoes, a Gold Coast boutique well known for hawking expensive designer kicks to fancy folks, is raising eyebrows and blood pressure with window displays... more ›

Architect Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago has designed the world's largest tower. The skyscraper is called Burj Dubai and will be built in the United Arab Emirates. At over 2,000 feet tall, Burj Dubai will be almost twice the height of the John Hancock Center. more ›