Winter in Chicago is a gift for a writer. It is a force of nature capable of changing not just the face and pace of a city, but the vision of it. A magical snowfall opening a story signals a different city than an ice storm would. Winter in fiction, and in life, exists in … Read more
In our local mythology, winter is an annual trial, bleak and interminable, that we survive on delivered food and fervid dreams of day drinking in the sun. But what if it’s also just about the warmest you can be? I’m talking about that moment when you step into a Chicago bar from the cold. The … Read more
One of my beloved indulgences is to eat frozen treats outdoors in subzero temperatures — specifically frozen custard from Lickity Split, whose Edgewater location wisely stays open year-round. Counterintuitive though it seems to put something cold inside your body when it’s cold outside, it’s a leisurely luxury to consume a sundae or cone (I’m partial to vanilla … Read more
I’ve been cross-country skiing in Chicago for a quarter century, since the days when winter was winter, before global warming put a squeeze on the number of snow days. The flat Chicago Lake Plain is a perfect surface for cross-country skiing — all glide and no grunt. Here are four of my favorite spots. Skokie Lagoons There … Read more
The most entertaining winter sports festival in America isn’t in Aspen or Park City — it’s in Fox River Grove. At the Norge Ski Club’s annual tournament, Olympic hopefuls soar off a 70-meter jump, while down below 8,000 to 10,000 spectators revel in the Chicago area’s wildest outdoor winter party. It’s equal parts U.S. Cup competition and … Read more
For Florida natives like me, winter in Chicago is a time of reckoning. Why, I often find myself wondering, did I forsake 75-degree days in February for this? Plenty of Chicagoans flock to the Southeast when the temperature drops, but you don’t have to spend all that money (or suffer the indignity of a Spirit … Read more
On New Year’s Day, just when it seems all joy has fled the world, we recover from the previous night’s festivities by taking down the Christmas tree. Our kids quietly put away the ornaments, and then we drag the disrobed tree outside while everyone else on our block is still asleep. We tie the poor … Read more
The Danish-influenced West Loop restaurant has the most alluring, cozy outside space in the city, with a fireplace and fur blankets and a menu featuring seasonal fare that is rich and comforting. It feels like you are visiting some ice-laden country for a few hours, complete with a glass of hot glögg. 1350 W. Randolph … Read more
Before your winter starts looking less White Christmas and more The Shining, head to one of these bars, where beverages are best paired with board games. Illuminated Brew Works You’ll find a range of games at this irreverent brewery, but a raucous round of Celebrity might get the regulars participating. Order: Ballad of the Peanut … Read more
There’s no sweeter way to stay warm than hot chocolate. But don’t settle for the ho-hum. These spots make globally inspired versions. PakistanChocolat Uzma Owner Uzma Sharif’s Kashmiri chile hot chocolate is imbued with flavors from her hometown near Kashmir. She combines two varieties of mild chiles with cinnamon, blends in a mix of semisweet … Read more
