Most recently, I heard it from my newly single friend Debbie, 29, who came back to visit her hometown of Chicago while she mends her broken heart. "There are plenty of needles in the haystack," I told her over poached eggs Saturday at Silver Cloud, where we were brunching with several friends. "You'll find him when you're not looking." Trite? Sure. But I firmly believe you meet people in unlikely settings at unlikely times...

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Most recently, I heard it from my newly single friend Debbie, 29, who came back to visit her hometown of Chicago while she mends her broken heart. "There are plenty of needles in the haystack," I told her over poached eggs Saturday at Silver Cloud, where we were brunching with several friends. "You'll find him when you're not looking." Trite? Sure. But I firmly believe you meet people in unlikely settings at unlikely times...

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Most recently, I heard it from my newly single friend Debbie, 29, who came back to visit her hometown of Chicago while she mends her broken heart. "There are plenty of needles in the haystack," I told her over poached eggs Saturday at Silver Cloud, where we were brunching with several friends. "You'll find him when you're not looking." Trite? Sure. But I firmly believe you meet people in unlikely settings at unlikely times...

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The Pick-up Artists

“There are no good men in Chicago.” Common sense aside, it’s a phrase I’ve heard almost every one of my single girlfriends say. Heck, I said it a few dozen times myself before I re-met the guy I’m currently seeing, four years after our first blind date (more on that later).

Most recently, I heard it from my newly single friend Debbie, 29, who came back to visit her hometown of Chicago while she mends her broken heart. “There are plenty of needles in the haystack,” I told her over poached eggs Saturday at Silver Cloud, where we were brunching with several friends. “You’ll find him when you’re not looking.” Trite? Sure. But I firmly believe you meet people in unlikely settings at unlikely times…

Envy of the Neighborhood?

Curtained-off cabanas are ubiquitous in South Beach; now Chicago is jumping on the bandwagon. The latest place banking on semiprivacy is NV Penthouse Lounge (116 W. Hubbard St.), whose owners were aiming for an August opening at press time.

Are You Ready?

Football season has arrived. I’m not going to pretend to care much about college games—after all, I went to KU, and football isn’t exactly our thing. I will root, however, for my friends’ and family’s alma maters, including the Fighting Illini, the Buckeyes, and the Badgers. And I’ll be cheering on the Bears—or rather, cheering on The Boys cheering on the Bears—when I’m forced to watch the games on Sundays. Not that I don’t care about our home team, but the real fun for me is hanging out where the boys are. Whether you’re a real fan or just along for the ride, here’s where the guys I polled will be watching the games this season:…

A Shot in the Arm for Gabriel’s

High Times in Highwood We’ve noticed a dropoff lately in the quality at Gabriel’s (310 Green Bay Rd., Highwood; 847-433-0031), Highwood’s French/Italian standby, and chef-owner Gabriel Viti apparently got the wake-up call, too. “I’m back here full-time,” Viti says. “I finally found a good management team at Miramar [Viti’s other restaurant] and put everyone in … Read more

Pride and Joy

Way to go, Clarendon Hills. A charming French bistro with dynamite pâtés and onion soup gratinée just put you on the map; Rogers Park rolls out the welcome mat for a Viet/French combo.

Shell Games

From mussels steeped in vindaloo sauce to a classic marinière, there’s a prep for every palate. We scoured the area for unusually good ones, and found five places that dazzled—including one we liked best of all.