Features

Mongo in Love
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
Bears defensive tackle Steve McMichael and his bombshell wife, Debra, are the reigning Beauty and Beast of Chicago – she’s a glamour puss and he’s a good ol’ boy who’s got to be bad.

Presents Perfect
by Deborah Newmark
Christmas gifts with a future are distinctive standouts from the start – we’ve kept our eye on design, color, character, and quality.

Broken Legacy
by Tom Brune and James Ylisela, Jr.
When he died, Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad left behind a fortune estimated at $46 million. He also left a question: To whom does it belong? Sixteen years after his death, the state and his family are still waging a bitter battle over the answer.

Strong Medicine
by Ruth Richman
The problems facing Cook County’s health-care system are deep and intractable. But Ruth Rothstein, the new health-care czar, may be more intractable still.

Having it Made
by Dan Santow
Where to go for custom-crafted tables, suits, cakes, hats, shoes, shower curtains, golf clubs, and dozens of other items made just the way you want

A Joyful Noise
by Brenda Shapiro
Divine ideas for decorating a table in the season for parties where you let out all the stops.

Departments

Letters

Frontlines
French finds, stylish times, fighting crimes; Scoops du Jour, by Carla Kelson
Art Works
by Henry Hanson
A tall twister, a farm boy, low-end art, high-end Klees

Prime Time
Hot dates around town this month

Metro
by Gretchen Reynolds
Look at his policies, look at his actions, and one question has to be asked: Is Mayor Daley really a Republican?

Chicago Woman
by Marcia Froelke Coburn
A Trumpette with a tiara isn’t all Miss Illinois wants to talk about.

Movies
by Penelope Mesic
Food is everywhere in Mike Leigh’s Life Is Sweet.

Books
by Donald L. Miller
Chicago’s merchant princes built a city divided by class and race.

Theatre
by Anthony Adler
Remains revives a raucous period of U.S. history.

Real Estate

by Dennis Rodkin
Small-town Lockport goes urban in a lofty way. Plus, recent real-estate transactions

Dining
by Dennis Ray Wheaton
A year’s worth of dining out Chicago style; Budget Beat, by David Novick

Back Talk
by Henry Hanson
Saul Bellow, Susan Getzendanner, Gordon Sinclair, Pussy Paepcke, and Michael Butler