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May 2008
Best New Restaurants
By Dennis Ray Wheaton and Jeff Ruby
Twenty-one restaurants, countless thrills. Several of this year's top new spots bend rules and influences; others give classic genres much-needed shots of adrenaline. Either way, all 21 of them loom large in a booming restaurant landscape where it's getting harder and harder to do that. Read more
Sale of the Week—Real Cathedral Ceilings in Wilmette
By Dennis Rodkin

List Price: $1,990,000
Sale Price: $1,725,000
The Property: There’s nothing half-apsed about this condominium in a converted, cruciform-shaped Catholic church in Wilmette. The 3,662-square-foot residence fills the entire third floor of the semicircular space that was once the church’s apse—or head of the cross—as well as its transepts: that is, the two arms of the cross, each graced with a tall, arched window. A dining room occupies one arm; the master bedroom, the other. The apse has been transformed into a...

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Alessandra Branca Opening

Alessandra Branca threw a party to celebrate the opening of her new home furniture and accessories store at 17 E. Pearson St. last week and it was quite a bash. The place, which is set up much like an elegant home, is full of fun finds (like the African feather headdresses pictured here) and antique glass radiometers on pedestal bases, along with china, silverware, Branca's favorite design books, antique chairs recovered in modern fabrics, and tons more. Her PR guy, recently relocated here from New York, said he didn't know of another store like it in this area, and I had to agree (maybe the just-opened Michael Del Piero's Good Design; see our May 7 blog entry)? Or Elements... But it's true that this is one store truly curated by its owner, with a great mix of old and new things that all seem fresh and modern, even if firmly grounded in the traditional. Elegant and charming—just like Branca herself.

—Jan Parr

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Lovely Lanterns

Interior designer Kara Mann just sent over pics of some new lanterns from Casamidy that she is carrying at her showroom. They are so cool, I want one in every room of my new house (about which I will soon be sharing—so exciting!). They are meant for the outdoors, of course, but I like the idea of pretending that I live in a medieval French castle. (At least for now, while the electrician is updating some of the wiring in our new, um, old place).

—Gina Bazer

Photos courtesy Kara Mann

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In with the In Crowd
By Rebecca Little
The Kids Are All Right
Want to know what the cool kids are doing this week? Comic artists, zinesters, and all manner of underground publishing types convene for the Hip Lit Fair, Saturday the 17th from noon to 4 p.m. at the Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E. Chicago Ave.; 312-280-2660). Highlights include a Comic Art Battle, which local artist Ezra Claytan Daniels describes as “one of the only times the general public gets...

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IM’ing Flight of the Conchords

The New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords landed at the Chicago Theatre Wednesday night for a sold-out show. Associate editor Nora O'Donnell and I tripped over ourselves to get tickets, then tripped over ourselves to rehash the show over IM today. Here's an excerpt from my chat with Nora, in which the main point of contention is a debate over Bret or Jemaine. Where do you side?

Cassie: What did you think of the show?
Nora: Awesome, with a small pang of disappointment when it came to the crowd.
Cassie: Yeah, I wanted to silence that one dude who kept shouting "Take Off Your Pants!" Although, admittedly, I wouldn't have minded if someone did...

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Post27

It’s always fun to drive west on Grand Avenue and discover a new storefront. The good stuff always pops on this strip of old warehouses and invariably (at least in my case) leads to a near-collision. A recent discovery is Post27 (1819 W. Grand Ave., 312-829-6122; you’ll read more about it in our July/August issue) in the old location of Olde Good Things. With a cool mix of vintage (lots of mid-century Scandinavian pieces) and new American-made accessories that all have a cool, eco-stylish slant, the place feels very indie and hip. Here’s a decorating tip: they have Thomas Paul rugs hanging on the walls as art. Love that for a loft space!

—Gina Bazer

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The New Bronze Age

Two great local companies have teamed up to produce a new line of cabinetry with gorgeous hardware. Jill Salisbury of el: Environmental Language has partnered with New Bronze Age Tile to come up with sustainable new cabinet doors in her el: Kitchen line. These fab new doors—in sustainable rift-cut oak or walnut—feature custom metal inlays and handles.

—JAN PARR

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Nokia’s Art In Motion presented by GenArt
May 7, 2008 - More than 1,300 Gen Art members and invited guests gathered at the River East Arts Center for Nokia’s Art in Motion. This one-night only event was a unique blend of photography, filmmaking and technology, celebrating the launch of Nokia’s NS95 8GB phone. A collection of some of the best emerging photographers was on display, with the seven artists providing work that encompassed Nokia’s tagline, “Open to Anything”. Read more
Bear’s Gala for Kids with Cancer
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation hosts it’s Annual Bear Tie Ball each year in February. The gala is the organization’s largest fundraiser with approximately 750 guests in attendance raising over half a million dollars towards the fight against pediatric cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.bearnecessities.org. Read more