Cover Story

Mextravaganza!
It’s high time we all celebrated Chicago’s glorious Mexican food landscape, from humble storefronts to four-star champions. The first step: Click here.

Her Next Act
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
After a sometimes controversial run as White House social secretary, Desirée Rogers is back in Chicago to tackle a new challenge: reviving Johnson Publishing and its Ebony and Jet magazines.

Noah’s Arc
by Bryan Smith
From a shoot-from-the-lip goofball who floundered on the court and aggravated his teammates to a fiery star anchoring the Bulls, Joakim Noah has accomplished one of the most dramatic turnarounds in sports.

Sling Back
by Stacey Jones
Whether you’re in Miami or Capri, this year’s resort collections let you trade the fur for chic comfort. Look for breezy silks, sunny dresses, and casual pieces with a retro edge.

Departments

ARTS & CULTURE Ikea assembly instructions may lack words, but Adam Levin’s novel The Instructions comes with 1,030 pages’ worth; “Pocket Guide” caves in to Anna Nicole curiosity; the Chicago artist Nicholas Sistler raids Alfred Kinsey’s porn stash; indie instrumentalists the 1900s usher in a Return of the Century. Plus: Everyone takes sides on the Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones rivalry. We can work it out. WHAT I WAS THINKING The alternative-energy tycoon Michael Polsky on striking it rich and Chicago’s weak entrepreneurial culture THE ESCAPE ARTIST Tired of the same old Thanksgiving? Start a new holiday tradition in off-season Saugatuck, Michigan. STYLE Seventies fashion redux—sans mood rings and macramé chokers. These beads, bands, and bangles will leave you feeling like hot stuff. Plus: Parisian kids’ boutique finds a Chicago home.

Table
Davanti conquers Taylor Street; beer-related food in River North; celebrating the po’ boy—a great American sandwich  

Cheers
by Amalie Drury
Building fellowship in Bridgeport, one beer at a time 

Top 40
by Jennifer Tanaka
In this month’s list, we identify the 40 moments in recent Chicago history that made us say, “Oh my God!”

Books
by Debra Pickett
Ted C. Fishman’s new tome on global aging explains who suffers and who benefits as everyone faces going gray.

Deal Estate®
by Dennis Rodkin
Ragdale’s neighbor, sales agents’ salaries, and three condo projects

Outer Drive
by Jeff Ruby
A local writer and optimist-about-town readies her feel-good juggernaut

Chicago Guide®
Card games, golden idols, Irish indie rock: exploring November and all of its vices

Restaurants
Cafe Spiaggia, Gibsons, and La Petite Folie stay the course; Sushi Wabi inches up.

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