We wuz robbed! Travel + Leisure released their rankings of the 37 most hipster-friendly cities in America and Chicago came in at number 14, behind New York AND San Juan, Puerto Rico! Apparently we don't come across as kooky enough all by ourselves, but outsiders' perspective of Ukrainian Village / Wicker Park seems to have saved us from dropping off the list completely. To wit: more ›

After receiving a tip from a Chicagoist reader, we recently visited Ukrainian Village coffee shop, Star Lounge Café. The space is open and welcoming, with pieces by local artists decorating the burnt orange walls. There is the usual mixture of tables and couches, but what stood out most was the actual bar at the front of the café complete with tall barstools and close-up view of the baristas at work. Continue walking back through the glass doors and there's a hammock hanging on a spacious wooden deck and a slew of patio furniture on a grassy backyard. For a moment we thought we were transported to a mini Happy Village. more ›