Saint Charles, IL Lifestyle and More

Inside A Retro Illinois Pie Shop, Cream Pies And Savory Slices Never Went Out Of Style

A pie called the Fat Elvis sits on the menu at a cheerful little shop in Illinois. Right next to it, you might spot a lamb and apricot hand pie. That combo alone tells you this place plays by its own rules. The chocolate cream pie is considered a house...

Chicago, IL · 14h

hoodline.com

North Lawndale's Sears Sunken Garden Pergola Rises Again After 120 Years

The rebuilt pergola is the first major construction milestone in a yearslong effort to restore the 1907 Sears Sunken Garden. Crews have begun installing replica concrete columns, and the structure is expected to be completed by early December. The work is part of a broader restoration whose overall price has been described differently in coverage.

publisher · 2.7K followers

Hyde Park Herald

Hyde Park Stories: Jackson Park History Part II

A brief look at the eras of Jackson Park History and what they left behind. Part I covered the creation of Jackson Park as part of the South Park Commission (SPC), a taxation district run by a board of wealthy individuals appointed by the governor of Illinois but subject to voter referendums. Part II covers the Chicago Park District era.

Chicago, IL · 3d

takingthekids.com

We Ranked The Best Barbecue In Illinois And These 7 Smokehouses Made The Cut

Two of the best barbecue joints in Illinois sit inside old train depots. I love that. Brisket and railroad history might be the most Midwestern pairing ever invented. The surprises keep stacking up from there. One Chicago spot has been a South Side standard for over 70 years. A small...

Illinois · 23h

hoodline.com

publisher · 12.7K followers

Chicago's Rico MJ Brings Michael Jackson Tribute to Kankakee's Majestic Event Center

A Chicago performer who has spent years channeling Michael Jackson's signature spins and glittering costumes is bringing his tribute act to Kankakee for one night only. Enrico “Rico” Hampton, known on stage as Rico MJ, is scheduled to perform Michael Jackson's greatest hits at the Majestic Event Center on Saturday, Nov. 28, with Motown singer Lisa Joyce opening the show.

Kankakee, IL · 3d

WTTW - Chicago PBS

Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for Nov. 11-17

Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more. Daily Chicagoan, the newsletter from WTTW News, sends these picks to your inbox each week along with more essential recommendations from our staff. Sign up here. Wednesday, Nov. 11:

publisher · 196.4K followers

rolling out

James Sanders on the best BBQ in Chicago that never reheats

James Sanders started his career at Ryan’s Steakhouse the day after he graduated high school. He set cooking aside to join the National Guard, then studied at Southern Illinois University, where late night backyard barbecues for friends turned a passion into a plan. Back in Chicago, he attended culinary school and worked as a prep cook for the Chicago Bears. He went on to own and oversee 22 Harold’s Chicken locations across the country, then launched Fuze Catering, the first African American owned catering company to cater events at the Art Institute of Chicago. Fuze also catered the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Chicago Public Radio

The Rundown: The South Side’s Black theater scene

Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and this cranberry crème brûlée is now on my shortlist of things to make this month. Here’s what you need to know today. As WBEZ’s Mike Davis writes, the South Side was home to some of the first Black theater companies in the country, including the first Black equity company, The Kuumba Theatre Company, founded in 1968. In the ’60s and ’70s, Black theater companies on the South Side thrived, including eta Creative Arts Foundation and Theodore Ward’s South Side Center for the Performing Arts.

galeriemagazine.com

Inside Chicago’s Burgeoning Art Scene

For one week each September, Chicago’s art world turns up the volume. This year’s Chicago Exhibition Week, presented by Gertie, a Chicago cultural agency, ran from September 14 to 20 and filled the Windy City with a slew of buzzworthy openings, exhibition walkthroughs, talks, and performances. It spanned galleries and institutions from West Town to Pilsen to Hyde Park, with free museum admission for anyone who completed the week’s map.

Chicago, IL · 21h

familydestinationsguide.com

Grab A Cup Of Courage At The Spookiest Horror-Themed Coffee Shop Hiding In Illinois

Most coffee shops want you to feel calm and productive, but The Brewed on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago has a slightly different agenda, and honestly, it’s so much more interesting. This place is something else entirely. There’s a moment that happens to almost everyone who encounters The Brewed for...

publisher · 7.1K followers

Secret Chicago

Best spots near the Western Brown Line in Chicago

Watch this video to explore historic spots just a five-minute walk from Chicago’s Western Brown Line, including Merz Apothecary and the Davis Theater.

chicagofoodmagazine.com

Now Open: Sifr Café, a New Daytime Café from Chefs Sahil Sehti and Sujan Sarkar

Sifr, the Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized Middle Eastern restaurant from Chef and Operator, Sahil Sethi and Chef Sujan Sarkar, officially debuts Sifr Café Wednesday, November 11, bringing a new daytime café experience to its River North location (660 N. Orleans St.). Open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sifr Café introduces a menu of specialty coffee, curated teas, house-made pastries, and savory breakfast offerings inspired by the diverse flavors of the Middle Eastern diaspora.

partner publisher · 45.4K followers

Cheapism

12 German Restaurants Across America Known for Keeping Things Traditional

Explore 12 German Restaurants Across America serving schnitzel, sausages, sauerbraten, and other traditional favorites, plus tips for your visit.

islands.com

Chicago Boomers Are Moving To This Midwestern State With Vibrant Cities And Iconic Craft Brews

Retirement doesn't necessarily have to mean packing up for the Sun Belt. For some baby boomers, the next chapter might be just across the state line — somewhere they can enjoy a change of pace without straying too far from the people and places they know. That's apparently the approach of many Chicago boomers, according to a U-Haul migration study: Wisconsin was the top net-gain state for baby boomers moving out of Chicago in mid-2026. For boomers looking to downsize, slow down, or find a city that's a little more affordable, Wisconsin has some options. It has thousands of lakes and miles of scenic trails, alongside cities like Madison and Eau Claire, where award-winning breweries, museums, and senior centers can keep daily life exciting.

oakpark.com

Dick Biondi doc comes to the Lake to celebrate rock DJ

Anyone who grew up with a transistor radio under their pillow in the early 1960s in Chicago — or anywhere in the entire Midwest for that matter — remembers Dick Biondi. . Chicago would have more than a few exceptionally talented and engaging radio personalities over the decades, but Biondi holds a special place in Chicago radio history, and in the hearts and imagination of his now aged listeners. The “Wild I-tralian” ushered in a new era in Chicago radio as rock ‘n’ roll music, already popular with Elvis Presley, was about to explode as the Beatles and the British Invasion swept through America 

partner publisher · 230.9K followers

CBS Chicago

Black McDonald's Operators Association hosting turkey giveaways in across Chicago

The Black McDonald's Operators Association is relaunching its 26th Big Turkey Giveaway in Chicago's Austin neighborhood on Tuesday.

partner publisher · 230.9K followers

CBS Chicago

JoBe Cerny, voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, dies at 78

The Chicago area native died on Friday, Oct. 30.

chicagofoodmagazine.com

Avondale’s Moody’s Market Evolves Into a Neighborhood Gathering Spot For Cake & Wine

What began as a neighborhood specialty market is entering a new chapter. This November, Moody’s Market is evolving into Moody’s Cake & Wine, a refreshed concept from longtime friends and co-owners Mollie Mettelka and Melissa Korth, centered on house-made cakes, curated wines and community driven experiences. Situated at 2755 W. Belmont Ave. in Avondale, Moody’s expands on its original location by highlighting customer favorites including a larger focus on online ordering, curated private events, and custom cake and pastry production.

partner publisher · 99.3K followers

WGN News

Siskel and Ebert’s legacy will be honored with a new Chicago monument

To support the effort, some of Hollywood's biggest names have donated some film memorabilia for auction at siskelandebertstatue.org.