Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i Chicago magazine

THE NOTE CAME IN THE MAIL EARLIER THIS YEAR. “I’M SURE you were not even born at the time the article I refer to in this letter was written,” it started, “but this shoddy journalism has been bothering me since 1975, so I figure I better get this out to you while I am still above the sod.” That got my attention. It’s not often we receive a complaint about a story from 48 years ago. The letter writer, Mark Henschel, was miffed about Chicago’s coverage that year of a protest in Pilsen against ongoing police brutality in the neighborhood. At the march, he and some other demonstrators were beaten by officers — a gash on his head from a billy club required seven stitches — and arrested. The charges…

WHEN SHE OFFERED a toast at April’s Time 100 Gala in New York City, Tracie D. Hall, selected for Time magazine’s list of influential people, drew attention to librarians who have faced bomb threats, firings, and even jail time for resisting a growing effort to ban books. Hall, the first Black woman to head the Chicago-based American Library Association, received a standing ovation for her passionate declaration: “Free people read freely.” Hall, 55, recently stepped down after nearly four years at the ALA. The timing was right, she says: She had helped close the organization’s budget gap, led it through a pandemic that temporarily closed libraries’ doors, and taken stands in support of librarians thrust into the middle of the culture wars. Still, the Pullman resident, who previously worked as director…

EVERY MORNING, ARTIST Maryam Taghavi wakes before dawn and walks from her home in Hyde Park to Promontory Point. When it’s warm enough, she swims, emerging in time to record the sun as it rises over the lake, using her phone to take a video of the brightening sky. The colors of the sunrise over Lake Michigan, soft pinks and blues bleeding into each other, make up the palette of Nothing Is, Taghavi’s solo show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, on view December 20 to July 14. Part of Chicago Works, the museum’s series spotlighting local artists, the mixed media exhibition includes the Iranian-born Taghavi’s sunrise paintings, sculptures, and a poem in traditional Persian calligraphy. Viewers will enter the show via a 12-sided architectural piece that evokes the hashti,…

MY PARENTS WERE TEENAGERS WHEN I WAS BORN. Their courthouse marriage ended before I was 2. Dad got custody of me, and we lived in Humboldt Park until he died when he was 23. I was 7. I went to live with my mom in Berwyn. Some days instead of taking me to grade school, my mom, like all normal moms, took me to bars for no other reason than it was a Tuesday. One day in 1985, when I was 11, I ordered our usual (two Manhattans) and sat down near a green table with balls on it lit from above by three cones of white light. One of the regulars asked me if I played. I hadn’t — I had never even seen a pool table before. He explained…

■ I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez Flagged in a Texas school district for being “anti-Christian” (the main character is critical of religion), the bestselling novel by a Chicago poet tells the story of Latina teenager coping with her sister’s death. It examines themes of sexuality, depression, and suicide. ■ Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky This middle grade novel, by an English teacher in the suburbs, is about a transgender girl coming to terms with her identity as she grapples with bullies. It was banned in Duval County, Florida. ■ Mr. Watson’s Chickens by Jarrett Dapier This children’s book features a same-sex couple. A virtual presentation at a downstate school was canceled for fear of backlash—but rescheduled after the author, who lives in Evanston,…

> THE COVE LOUNGE “It’s the bar you tell special people about. It’s hidden away and gives an old-school Chicago neighborhood feel. People call it a dive bar—they’re not wrong, but it’s more than that. It’s a cool place to sit and have a drink and have some real interesting conversation. Everybody there knows everybody.” 1750 E. 55th St. > THE SILVER ROOM “It’s the spot to find the things you want, be it books, jewelry, clothing, somebody to talk to, ideas on how we can change the way our communities function. Even from back in its Wicker Park days, the Silver Room has always been a safe space. And you can get some legitimately cool gear.” 1506 E. 53rd St. > HYDE PARK ART CENTER “Besides that you can find…

KILLER INSTINCT Northlight Theatre rings up a bit of holiday counter programming with the midcentury thriller Dial M for Murder, in a new adaptation by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher. Nov. 30–Jan. 7. northlight.org BACHARACH AROUND THE CLOCK Blank Theatre Company has earned a rep for classic musicals; see if it delivers on Promises, Promises, Neil Simon and Burt Bacharach’s Swinging Sixties affair. Dec. 1–30. blanktheatrecompany.org HONEST IMAGE The Art Institute exhibition David Goldblatt: No Ulterior Motive features 140 works by the late South African photographer, who documented the everyday realities of life during and after apartheid. Dec. 2–Mar. 25. artic.edu DRUM AS YOU ARE Local classical quartet Third Coast Percussion’s winter concert, Since Time Began, concludes with a world-premiere piece of the same name by longtime collaborator Michael Burritt. Dec. 5. thirdcoastpercussion.com…

1 ARGOT What Verve Wine’s restaurant lives again! You’ll find executive chef Lucas DePerry serving twists on classic French bistro favorites. Why Well, for starters, the wine program is top-tier. Order French or domestic pours off the glass list to pair with dishes like Caesar salad with miso and pigs en croute with local sausage. Where 2349 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincoln Park 2 LILAC TIGER What Meet the new iteration of Wazwan: a South Asian collab among chefs Zubair Mohajir and Won Kim (Kimski) and Arami owner Ty Fujimura. Why Try Indian tiger prawns and duck fried rice with chai daiquiris and ube coladas from David Mor. Where 1742 W. Division St., Wicker Park 3 PUBLICAN QUALITY MEATS What Dinner service arrives at the great little butcher shop. Why Rob Levitt’s thoughtful menu includes plates…

The Bike Lane Revolutionary Christina Whitehouse ON A THURSDAY NIGHT IN September, 300 or so people were mingling inside Specialized, the bike shop under the L tracks at Lake and Sangamon. They were there to celebrate the sixth birthday of Bike Lane Uprising, the grassroots advocacy group that helps cyclists document vehicles illegally blocking bike lanes in cities across America. The Chicago-born organization is the rabble-rousing brainchild of Christina Whitehouse. “Back in the day,” she told the crowd, “this was something I used to try to hide on the internet. I was worried that the government would find out.” The audience roared, very much in on the joke. State representative Kelly Cassidy, after all, stood behind Whitehouse. Next to Cassidy was 40th Ward alderperson Andre Vasquez, and state rep Kam Buckner…

■ You can kiss your usual beauty routine goodbye. At Lip Lab’s new West Loop outpost, its first in Chicago and 11th nationwide, color experts work with you to create your own custom hue of lipstick. This is no standard makeup store. Take a seat at the bar to explore formulas (glosses, balms, lipsticks), finishes, and nearly every shade you can think of (yep, even blue). You can also experiment with flavors, like mango, rose, and sugar cookie. Before you leave, name your creation, and Lip Lab will engrave it on the tube. It’s exactly the kind of treat-yourself experience the holidays call for. 215 N. Green St.…

■ The iconic Michael Graves kettle takes a playful form with a “tea rex” (get it?) perched on the spout. $299. Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E. Wacker Dr. ■The times may be a-changin’, but for the music lover in your life, a Bob Dylan print and postcard will always be on key. $22. American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave. ■ It’s no Jeff Koons, but this balloon dog knockoff has hidden value: You can stash your coins in it. $85. WNDR Museum, 1130 W. Monroe St.…

■ Metro was the building I could afford. It was rundown, in a rough-and-tumble neighborhood. We were duct-taping the pipes because they’d burst in the middle of a Saturday night. At first, neighbors were unhappy that we were causing such a ruckus, but then they began to realize, Oh, there are people around here at night who aren’t breaking into the cars. There’s a caretaker’s unit in the building, and I lived there with a .38 under my pillow and a cat that chased the rats out. Those first 10 years, it was pure adrenaline. ■ I was one of the first DJs at Smartbar because I couldn’t afford them. It was my record collection. I still DJ at Gman Tavern once a month. People come in and they’re like,…

Q: Why are there so many Amish people in Union Station? Over the years, if you’ve traveled in or out of the city’s biggest rail terminal, you’ve no doubt noticed a disproportionate number of Amish people in the waiting rooms. Recently, I came across four Amish teenagers at the food court. “Why do so many Amish take the train?” I asked one of them. He was changing trains on a journey from Ohio to Nebraska. “We don’t drive, unless it’s an emergency,” he said. “If someone else is driving, it’s OK.” Donald Kraybill, a professor emeritus at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania and the author of several books on Amish culture, offers a more nuanced answer: “Amish people have used public transportation — rail, boat, trolley—since the late 19th century. They…

1 The City Council has until Dec. 31 to pass Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $16.6 billion budget, which includes $76 million for youth jobs, $15 million for mental health, and $250 million for the homeless, keeping three campaign promises. 2 The Bears plan to finish demolishing Arlington Park this month. The team bought the racetrack intending to build a $5 billion complex, of course, but after prenup jitters is flirting with Waukegan, Naperville, and even first love Chicago. 3 Chicago Review of Books will announce its CHIRBy Awards Dec. 7. On the nonfiction shortlist: Jonathan Eig’s King: A Life (see page 50) and Who Is the City For? by Blair Kamin and Lee Bey. 4 El Niño, the Pacific jet stream that warms the Northern Hemisphere, usually peaks around Christmas. The National…

I KEEP ON RUNNING, but my feet don’t get tired.” That lyric sums up an accomplished 2023 for poet J. Ivy. In February, the kid from Gresham, now 47, became the inaugural winner in a new Grammy Award category—spoken word poetry album—for The Poet Who Sat by the Door. He followed that with a national tour, including a performance at the United Nations, then returned home to lead the Bud Billiken Parade in August. The next month, Ivy — who as an Illinois State student in the ’90s was known on campus as “the Poet” and who in the ’00s gave John Legend his name — dropped his seventh album, The Light Inside. He lives with his wife in the south suburbs, where he hits the trails by bike as often as…

THREE NEW TAKES ON THE CLASSIC BRITISH PUB ARMITAGE ALEHOUSE 1000 W. ARMITAGE AVE., LINCOLN PARK Who’s behind it: Brendan Sodikoff’s Hogsalt Hospitality, best known for Au Cheval and Bavette’s How British is it? 6/10. With wooden carvings, paintings, and patterned wallpaper, you can imagine Sherlock Holmes ruminating by the fireplace. But the menu includes some decidedly non-British dishes like the Hogsalt classic truffle bucatini. New twists: Garam masala seasons the lamb pot pie, while the brilliant sticky date cake comes crowned with a giant scoop of brown butter gelato. Can you get fish and chips? Sure can. The fried northern pike comes with malt vinegar salt and rémoulade. What are we drinking? Beverage specialist Jean Tomaro offers a list of classics, like old-fashioneds and martinis. Our choice is the…

A SHOWSTOPPING BAR Unless you’re reading this in a Dublin pub, Open Gate is now the most memorable place around to sip a pint of gat. You can’t miss its most jaw-dropping feature: the nearly 10,000-pound harp sculpture that hangs over the 16-tap bar. LOCAL FLAVOR In addition to the signature stout (and its nonalcoholic counterpart), the brewery, which opened this fall, offers a rotating selection of more than a dozen taproom exclusive drafts. Try the throat-tickling Mango Chile Ale or the smooth Corn Maize Cream Ale, made with local corn. ALL-DAY EATS The restaurant component, helmed by Taylor Bischof of Brekkie & Bake Shop, melds Chicago favorites and Irish classics into upscale bar food. That means bites like giardiniera dip with potato chips, beer-infused beef stew, and a corned…

FOR HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING, WHY NOT go for that high-impact moment?” says Community Tavern’s Brenna Beato. As tableside fireworks go, it’s hard to top torching a snowy range of individual baked Alaskas. Are they a bit fiddly to make? Yes and no. Sure, you’ll need to whip up Swiss meringue and find a use for lots of leftover yolks. (Hello, eggnog!) On the other hand, Beato’s version deploys store-bought gelato to streamline prep. And best of all, the Alaskas can hang out in the freezer for 48 hours postassembly, so on event day the only drama comes from the blowtorch. COMMUNITY TAVERN’S CHOCOLATE BAKED ALASKAS Makes 11 Active time 55 minutes Total time 3 hours, plus optional freezing 3¼ cups sugar, divided½ cup all-purpose flour¼ cup cake flour½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder½…

“Officer Edward Poppish, Chicago Police Department, 11th District, and I’m here to oppose the release of Johnnie Veal.” ■ “Officer Olsen, Chicago Police Department, 10th District, here to oppose the parole of Johnnie Veal.” ■ At the start of Johnnie Veal’s parole hearing in Springfield, the members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board watched as some 25 police officers stood, one after another, to introduce themselves. In uniforms, service revolvers on their hips, a sea of blue. “Officer Carlos Santiago, Chicago Police Department, here to oppose the release of Johnnie Veal.” It was March 2018, just after 9 in the morning. The officers had bused down from Chicago, a three-hour drive. Few of them were alive in 1970 when the two policemen were gunned down at Cabrini-Green. But they’d heard…