There are worse things than judging a cocktail-making contest—say, waiting 30 minutes to get a drink last night at Bella Lounge before said contest began. I'll excuse the mishap since the bartenders—not the ones competing, thank goodness—were only allowed to serve specialty cocktails and thus had to read recipes while slinging drinks for 300 or so invited guests. Talk. About. Slow. Service...
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There are worse things than judging a cocktail-making contest—say, waiting 30 minutes to get a drink last night at Bella Lounge before said contest began. I'll excuse the mishap since the bartenders—not the ones competing, thank goodness—were only allowed to serve specialty cocktails and thus had to read recipes while slinging drinks for 300 or so invited guests. Talk. About. Slow. Service...
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There are worse things than judging a cocktail-making contest—say, waiting 30 minutes to get a drink last night at Bella Lounge before said contest began. I'll excuse the mishap since the bartenders—not the ones competing, thank goodness—were only allowed to serve specialty cocktails and thus had to read recipes while slinging drinks for 300 or so invited guests. Talk. About. Slow. Service...
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There are worse things than judging a cocktail-making contest—say, waiting 30 minutes to get a drink last night at Bella Lounge before said contest began. I'll excuse the mishap since the bartenders—not the ones competing, thank goodness—were only allowed to serve specialty cocktails and thus had to read recipes while slinging drinks for 300 or so invited guests. Talk. About. Slow. Service...
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In Chicago, a city with major architectural chops, it's pretty bold to say that one building "catalyzes the renewal of the Chicago school of architecture." But, hey, the new Spertus Institute is one bold building, so its president Howard Sulkin (who said that), isn't far off the mark.
If you want to check it out, it's at 610 S. Michigan Ave. Doors won't open to the public until November 30th, but everybody is already talking about it. Consider that it landed on Chicago's list of the top 10 masterpieces before construction was even completed; when we did a companion online survey, readers voted...
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This week is the official kickoff to holiday shopping season. Chain stores on the Boul Mich? Yawn. Indie markets with booze? Yay! Here are the ones on my list; if you have a tip for others, drop me a note.
1. The Merchandise Mart's One of a Kind Show and Sale from Dec. 6 to 9. Yes, it costs money to get in ($10), and, yes, there are an abhorrent number of people selling kitten-themed potholders. But because there are literally hundreds of indie designers who attend, you're bound to find a few whose wares jibe with your taste...
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List Price: $949,000
Sale Price: $830,600
The Property: Built in 1968, this 12-room brick French-styled home on a one-acre lot left the hands of its original owners for the first time in November. Set on a hilltop cul-de-sac in an Oak Brook neighborhood of mostly bolder architectural homes—some outrageously so—this relatively reserved home has five bedrooms, hardwood floors in most rooms, and a big lawn. The kitchen and five baths (three full, two partial) are all original and need Read more
Brit cookbook author Nigella Lawson dropped by the Ritz-Carlton yesterday for a spot of tea and conversation. (She was in town promoting her new cookbook, Nigella Express.) She's an incredibly well-spoken and compelling person to meet in person; in fact, when it's all said and done, it may be Nigella who's responsible for getting me out of my pre-winter funk.
The thrust of her remarks: intellect and cooking utensils can go hand in hand. "It doesn't lower my I.Q. when I bake a cake," said Lawson, whose first husband died of cancer...
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