Raw and ingenious

Lookingglass takes on a classic Greek myth

12/16/2009

In a single act, Lookingglass Theater Company’s new production of “Icarus” burns through a primer’s worth of classical mythology, from the crowning of King Aegeus to the fall of the show’s title character, fleshed out with the raw and ingenious physicality of its six-person cast.
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Heated plea for cool down

An interview with RFK Jr.

12/09/2009

Ideas
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said the “false choice” between environmental regulation and economic prosperity has hindered action on climate change for too long. Supporting one includes the other and America’s prosperity will require capitalizing on that connection, he insisted.
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Solving Kansas

Doc film explores the politics of the heartland

12/02/2009

Film review
The Gene Siskel Film Center returns to the heartland of America this month with a special week-long encore of “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” Created by Chicago-based filmmakers Joe Winston and Laura Cohen, the documentary examines the changing politics of the Sunflower State.
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Cooking up healthier kids

The Kids' Table introduces youngsters to making their own food

11/25/2009

Activities for Kids
Even toddlers learn to make a tasty mint pea soup at the kids' cooking school in Bucktown that tax attorney Elena Marre gave up her law practice to open.
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Pathos in a sulfurous journey

Meet Lofty Deeds, a broken-down country star

11/18/2009

Theater
It seems that when God appears to a washed-up cowboy, He takes the form not of a burning bush but of a Tumbleweed. In "All the Fame of Lofty Deeds," House Theater's latest production, this Tumbleweed (Corri Feuerstein) blows unbidden onto the desert property of one Lofty Deeds (Nathan Allen), a broken-down former country star, and forces him to reexamine his life as a singing cowboy.
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Palestinian paradise

Chickpea does everything right

11/11/2009

Dining
Walk into Chickpea on Chicago Ave. and you can tell - from the Coca-Cola mural in Arabic to the lacquered, brightly patterned tables - this is not typical mom-and-pop Mediterranean. Read More...

The horror, the horror

Why we like to get scared

11/04/2009

The "Saw" horror movie series solidified its position in the record books by grossing more than $14 million on a recent weekend, according to the film Web site Box Office Mojo, as moviegoers flocked to theaters to see the sixth installment of serial killer Jigsaw’s exploits. Read More...

Last scream for ice cream

Three spots to hit before winter blows in

10/28/2009

Dining
The cold air may have blown in early this year — did it ever leave? — but surely fall will have one or two more warm days in it. And when those happen, take time to indulge one last time in some cold comfort.
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An offbeat urban treat

Sue's Korean vegan buffet can't be beat

10/21/2009

Dining
At 7 p.m. on a recent Thursday, the only customer at Dragonlady Lounge was reading a book by the window. It was the first really cold evening of autumn, and rain slashed the streets outside. But by 8 p.m., the place was hopping with hungry diners. They came to see bartender Sue, and they came for the kimchi. Read More...

Unintended

A new book takes a look at the policy makers behind Chicago’s public housing system

10/14/2009

In the quintessential baby boom town of Park Forest, Illinois, there was almost one child for every adult in the early 1960s. The ratio was high - nearly twice that of most places. Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes, the public housing development that once lined S. State Street, had a ratio of 2.86. Almost three children for every one adult. Read More...