Features

What Ever Happened to the Great Chicago Families? by Megan McKinney, Dennis Rodkin, Judy York, Amber Holst, Geoffrey Johnson, and Bryan Smith
The people who built some of Chicago’s major fortunes and institutions, and whose works forged a mighty metropolis, bore names like Pullman, McCormick, Armor, Swift, Field, and Palmer. Today the descendants of these and other storied clans remain in Chicago, doing vital work and adding new chapters to their families’ illustrious legacies.

Brother Bill, by Carol Felsenthal
William Daley has moved beyond the local political stronghold established by his legendary father and carried on by his brother, to establish a national presence. But after holding major positions in government, business, and the law, he recently took a job back in Chicago with J.P. Morgan Chase. Colleagues who credit him with remarkable savvy and self possession speculate that running for public office is a goal that will not elude him forever.

The New Face of Divorce Court, by Terry Spencer Hesser
Drawn by any chance to hang out their own shingle, more and more female lawyers are choosing to practice in the contentious Domestic Relations Division. Has the presence of the gentler sex brought a new civility to the proceedings? Not a chance.

First Steps, by Cassie Walker
Born in Chicago to a stagestruck family, Bob Fosse came of age as a performer in his teens working in low-rent burlesque joints, studying the sleazy nightclub culture and the movements that later came to inform his style. With a newly choreographed revival of Sweet Charity opening this month, the hometown hoofer’s legacy returns, sort of.

Departments

Letters

Contributors

Arena
Sarah Levy’s homey confections are bad news for chocoholics; actress Wendy Robie hits her stride; Victoria Lautman chats with Cod‘s author, Mark Kurlansky; plush toys invade the scene; the maker of football’s magical yellow line; a handy preview of the Chicago Auto Show; local journalist Ted C. Fishman writes about China’s role in the new economy; shopping for vintage guitars with blues musician Dave Specter. Plus: Style Sheet, Sales Check and The Shopper

How We Spend, by Clare La Plante
Is there a correlation between voting Democratic and needing a shrink? A list of states with the most psychologists per 100,000 residents-Illinois is seventh-suggests it. Plus: How romantic are Chicagoans and other Midwesterners? A survey of Valentine’s Day spending shows they aren’t one to go for the mush.

Business | Strong Medicine, by Robert Reed
Crunched for space, Children’s Memorial Hospital turned away hundreds of patients last year, and officials say that number will continue to grow. A new home may be the cure-but at what cost?

Deal Estate, by Dennis Rodkin
A brand new Bull buys a brand new house in The Glen; a multihued Victorian recalls Roscoe Village’s colorful past; a buyer’s holdout pays off in Elmhurst; loft living comes to downtown Bartlett; the developers of The Contemporaine plan another forward-looking River North condo building; and Welborn Row takes shape in Lake View.

Nightspotting, by Sarah Preston
The new Bella Lounge is trying to be a restaurant and a bar-with uneven results. Plus: The former Watusi is now the grittier Roc Bar, which offers live rock and boasts some metal muscle among its investors.

Classifieds

The Closer, by Jeff Ruby
We’ll do anything to get thing, we’ll do anything to avoid breaking a sweat. These gadgets and creams are the latest generation of products promising to make it all a little easier.

On the Town

Events

Calendar
During February: David Parsons formed his own dance company in 1987 after a nine-year stint with choreographer Paul Taylor’s superb ensemble. This month, Parsons’s own troupe of dancers performs his intelligent, popular, and witty works at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.
Marquee: A preview of coming attractions

Food & Drink

Dining Out | Suburban Passage, by Dennis Ray Wheaton
A trio of bold suburban restaurants are pushing their quirky agendas without so much as a nod to their upscale counterparts in Chicago proper.

Restaurants
The city’s definitive guide to Chicago’s top restaurants| This month: Five new and updated listings, including Meritage and Trio Atelier
Dish: The ten hottest restaurants right now; Q&A with a new chef at an old standby; openings and closings; more