Today in restaurant news: The Butcher & Larder is teaming up with Kumas for a sausage program, the old Tribute space is being reopened and Alinea is moving towards a ticket system. more ›

Today in restaurant news: Yusho opens in Logan Square, BLT American Brasserie opens in River North and Tribute restaurant closes. more ›

- Flourish Bakery, the independent uptown bakery that we've covered several times in the past year, is closing this Sunday, September 11. "We are so sorry we couldn't make this business thrive and we only wish the best to others that can," said owners Ed and Allison Madell. "Please, please, please support local small businesses. There are so many in our neighborhoods and they need you to survive." We'll miss Flourish (especially their idea for the family-friendly dinner club) and wish the Madells the very best. more ›

Tribute, the long-awaited (and long-suffering) South Loop restaurant in the Essex Inn finally opens today for business. After chef drama, a delayed opening and some minor licensing drama, they started serving breakfast today at 6 A.M. We visited last night for a first look, and we're cautiously optimistic. more ›

- Bridge House Tavern, the new bar/restaurant in the old Flatwater space, officially opened yesterday. The restaurant has been soft-open for a few weeks. We'll withhold a full review until they've had a few more weeks to ferment, but here's our capsule review from a visit a couple weeks back. Bacon milkshake? Thumbs up. Beautiful riverfront space? Thumbs up? Entire drink menu? Thumbs way down. more ›

(formerly Perennial, now with extra Virant goodness) is open tonight. Last night was the first night of operation, and it won't start taking reservations till May 23, but tonight or tomorrow night might be a good chance to get a sneak peek at Paul Virant's new menu for the Lincoln Park restaurant. more ›

We reported a few weeks back that Gioco, the South Loop Italian spot owned by KDK restaurant group, had mysteriously closed. Red Light, another KDK restaurant, had closed for good the same week, but Jerry Kleiner insisted that Gioco would re-open. He was telling the truth. The restaurant will re-open tomorrow at 5 P.M. with a new menu which includes home-made gnocchi with wild mushrooms and an antipasto assortment of cured meats and cheeses. Kleiner restaurants have been having some difficulties in recent years, so we'll see if the redesign of Gioco sticks. Here's hoping things work out this time, though with the upcoming opening of Tribute, Gioco may have some competition on their hands. more ›

There has been a lot of buzz about Tribute, the upcoming South Loop restaurant helmed by Chef Brandon Baltzley, formerly of Alinea and Mado. His audition dishes wowed the owners, and his hiring last month created plenty of gossip for the new operation. We're more interested in the food than the gossip, and were excited to see that menu testing has begun. The restaurant uploaded this video yesterday, of Baltzley (and his spectactular assortment of tattoos) plating a "tribute" to Mississippi made with watermelon, jalepeno, rye, pearl onions and anchovies. If the food at Tribute looks like this, we'll be first in line. Warning: if you're at work, turn off the sound. It's a bit loud. more ›

Proving that quirky complexity and popular success don't have to be mutually exclusive, Kate Bush's theatrical and intense brand of rock has been influential to a range of artists, from Fever Ray to Andre 3000. more ›

The passing of actor Tom Bosley made me and possibly others feel just the slightest bit older yesterday. Mr. Bosley, best remembered as family patriarch Howard "Mr. C" Cunningham on "Happy Days," was a Chicago native; attended DePaul; performed at the suburban Woodstock Opera House alongside Paul Newman; was a Navy veteran; and a Tony Award winner for his portrayal of legendary New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in "Firoello." more ›

Movie writer and director John Hughes, who passed away last summer at the age of 59, was honored at last night's Academy Awards. While many stars are honored during the "In Memoriam" segment (including Michael Jackson but not Farah Fawcett), Hughes was singled out for a full segment featuring Matthew Broderick, several members of the Brat Pack (including Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Anthony Michael Hall) and Macaulay Culkin. The actors remembered Hughes and honored him with a montage of clips from his movies. more ›

It's hard to believe more than 20 years have gone by since Sweetness last played for the Bears, and that a decade has passed since Walter Payton's untimely death due to a rare liver disease at age 45. On the ten year anniversary of his passing, the Bears held a halftime tribute to Sweetness at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon. With his widow Connie, children Jarrett and Brittney and his mother Alyne in attendance the team showed a video tribute to Payton of his highlights on the field and his legacy off the field, as one of the greatest players to wear a Bears uniform and one of the greatest men to play in the NFL. The team also honored Payton by emblazoning both 34 yard-lines with Payton's #34 jersey number. more ›

Get ready, Michael Jackson fans. Even as the movie This is It hits screens, Gary, Indiana mayor Rudy Clay may announce plans today for a Michael Jackson museum to be built in the singer's hometown. Problem is, no one else knows much about it. Mayor Clay is currently in Las Vegas with the singer's father, Joe Jackson, and expected to make the announcement there. With Jackson's former home already a tourist destination, especially since his death in June, plans may also include a performing arts center and hotel. While members of Gary's City Council hasn't had plans, Chuck Hughes, executive director of the Gary Chamber of Commerce, told the Tribune that Clay had shown him some sketches of the proposed developments. more ›

Title says it all. more ›

Kudos to the kids at the always excellent Windy Citizen website for digging up this absolute gem, the video equivalent of the Reader's recent Photoshop. more ›