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 ›

Usually when we're walking along the streets of Boystown, the area's history is all too frequently lost on our bar- or brunch-focused minds. But a brand-new walking tour highlighting the gayborhood, presented by improviser Margaret Hicks of Chicago Elevated, lends a deeper, historical perspective to the area known for its overwhelming gayness and well-endowed rainbow pylons. more ›

More people are moving south to Pilsen and Bridgeport in search of cheap housing and rents, and that's led to a slow but steady increase in dining options for our part of town; we'll have a review of Nana Friday. 18th Street in Pilsen has even seen some diversity with the recent openings of Ristorante al Teatro and Ciao Amore, and Honky Tonk BBQ before that. more ›