Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Chicago magazine

CAMILLE BORDAS HAS A COUPLE OF REGRETS ABOUT HER COVerage of the Democratic National Convention (“When the Democrats Came to Chicago,” page 84). One is that she didn’t wear a mask. (She caught COVID.) The other? “I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to quote from Democracy in America, because I read the whole damn thing!” she says with a laugh. “There’s a lot about abstraction and speech that Tocqueville talks about that really fits the American imagination. But it would have felt so pretentious.” Bordas, a French-born writer who lives in West Town, recently published The Material, a novel that centers on a standup comedy MFA program at a fictitious Loop school. That might have prepared her for some of the absurdity she witnessed at the DNC, like…

For a long time, that distinction belonged to Schaller’s Pump, the Bridgeport tavern and Daley hangout that dated back to 1881. But when it closed in 2017, Marge’s Still in Old Town inherited the title. Marge’s opened in 1885 as Victor Caruso’s Soft Drinks, a combination bar and barbershop, two masculine institutions under one roof. During Prohibition, Victor Caruso’s remained open as a soda fountain, but it was actually a speakeasy whose owners distilled gin in bathtubs upstairs. Patrons entered through the staircase attached to the side of the building. In 1957, the bar was purchased by Marge Landeck, the first woman in Chicago to obtain a liquor license. According to the book Oldest Chicago, she was “a chain-smoking, tough-talking bar owner who had no problem tossing drunks out herself.”…

IT’S NO COINCIDENCE THAT OVER THE PAST 40 years, six world records have been set at the Chicago Marathon — most notably, the current men’s record: 2 hours 35 seconds. “It’s well known in the distance world, if you want to set a [personal record], you go to Chicago,” says Galen Rupp, who won here in 2017 and will be a commentator for this year’s race. Chicago’s first world record came in 1984, when Steve Jones of Great Britain ran the course in 2:08:05. (He will be on hand to commemorate the 40th anniversary of that run.) And last year, Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya shattered the course record by three minutes in setting the men’s world record. He would have been back this year to challenge the elusive two-hour barrier,…

BESTSELLING AUTHOR-illustrator Lucy Knisley’s forte is the comic-book memoir. So it should come as no surprise that the two titles she published this year were inspired by her life: Ride Beside Me, a picture book celebrating the joys of bicycling, and Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair, an homage to her late cat, Linney. Knisley, an avid cyclist, and her husband take their 8-year-old on a bike camping trip every summer, from Evanston to Illinois Beach State Park, a 30-plus-mile ride each way. As for Linney, Knisley notes, “she passed the way I would like to: very peacefully, in her favorite place, with people sobbing uncontrollably at her side.” FAMILY RIDERS “I try to build exercise into my day. I take my kid to school or camp year-round with my…

SANDERS BBQ SUPPLY CO. 1742 W. 99th St., Beverly ■ Perfect order Catfish, pork ribs, sausage, elotes, cornbread ■ Chicago’s barbecue history dates back to the Great Migration, but a new Beverly spot is looking to the future. Sanders BBQ Supply Co., which James Sanders opened in June, is the first new-school ’cue joint on the South Side. Sanders, who previously worked in catering, tapped pitmaster Nick Kleutsch for a menu that’s Texas-forward but with inspiration from other regions. Kleutsch uses a smoker custom-built in the Lone Star State that can hold up to 1,000 pounds of meat. Judging by the response so far, they’ll need it. Neighbors and barbecue aficionados are lining up for Flintstones-size beef short ribs cooked low and slow with post oak until the meat is…

IN DIANA DÁVILA’S MAIN-course-worthy take on the quintessential Mexican street food elotes, spaghetti squash gives everything it has: The noodle-like flesh is roasted, the pulp is simmered into stock, and even the hollowed-out shells are repurposed as rustic serving bowls. But for all its hard work, squash is arguably in the supporting role here. The corn — which appears both as plump chewy kernels of Peruvian choclo and as a silky purée that the Mi Tocaya Antojería chef calls corn butter — is the thing you’ll remember long after you’ve savored the last bite. DIANA DÁVILA’S ELOTES-STYLE SPAGHETTI SQUASH Makes 6 servings Active time 30 minutes Total time 1 hour 30 minutes 3 spaghetti squash1 cup frozen corn kernels1 cup heavy cream¼ cup grated Cotija cheese, dividedJuice and zest of…

Don’t put Alexis Lombre in a box. While instrumental jazz shaped her early sound, she’s excited to show what more she’s capable of. “I’m South Side Chicago. I’m from the hood. This was starting to feel like a double life for me,” says Lombre, who grew up in Chatham and Grand Crossing. “I need to start incorporating more things that feel more authentic to me, though I do love jazz.” The seeds of that growth can be heard on her latest single, “Boundaries,” a strong-minded wonder about the importance of placing limits that straddles jazz, R&B, and soul. Written after a difficult relationship, it’s also the first single where Lombre’s vocals are front and center. “I want to indoctrinate the masses about the importance of boundaries.” Lombre started out as…

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Pierrot S. Abi-Mansour Arrhythmias. Advocate Medical Group Cardiology, Oak Lawn. Advocate Christ. 708-636-7575 Francis Almeda Interventional cardiology. Advanced Heart Group, Harvey. UChicago Ingalls. 708-331-2200 Ronald G. Berger Preventive cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease. Endeavor Cardiovascular Institute, Bannockburn. Endeavor Evanston. 847-444-5300 Joan E. Briller Cardio-obstetrics, heart disease in women, heart disease in pregnancy, cardiac stress testing, echocardiography. UI Health, Near West Side. 312-996-6480 Alan S. Brown Cholesterol and lipid disorders, preventive cardiology. Advocate Heart Institute, Park Ridge. Advocate Lutheran General. 630-719-4799 William G. Cotts Heart failure, heart transplant medicine. Advocate Heart Institute, Oak Lawn. Advocate Christ. 877-684-4327 Michael Davidson Preventive cardiology, cholesterol and lipid disorders. UChicago Medicine River East, Streeterville. 773-702-9461 Daniele De Girolami Interventional cardiology, cardiac imaging. Heartland Cardiovascular Center, Joliet. Ascension St. Joseph…

“People don’t realize that not getting enough sleep can set them up for higher risk for cardiovascular disease, not to mention high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and obesity. Screens are a big detriment to good sleep. The light can be very stimulating. Let your body understand that your bedroom is for sleeping. And there are apps you can set to block your scrolling at a certain time — sort of a ‘save me from myself.’ ”…

OAK STREET HAS had its share of fallen leaves over the years (RIP Paul Stuart and Barneys). But recent times have seen the arrival of several glitzy brands. More, like Bottega Veneta, are on the way. Here’s a guide to the newcomers that have our eyes (and pocketbooks) open. 1 CARTIER The luxe jeweler leaped to Oak Street from the Mag Mile. Climb the curvy Lake Michigan–inspired white oak stairway and you’ll enter private rooms for personalized shopping. 15 E. Oak St. 2 BALENCIAGA The first Midwest standalone for the fashion house that likes to push the envelope (see page 97). 15 E. Oak St. 3 CELINE In these stone-and-oak-and-brass Brutalist digs, creative director Hedi Slimane offers rock ’n’ roll twists on the classics. Think: a men’s tweed blazer paired…

THE POSTER ON THIS MONTH’S COVER? That’s no digital rendering. It’s a real, physical placard that Chicago design director David Syrek had printed to promote our fall culture guide (page 62). Photographer Thomas Chadwick shot it in a couple of downtown locations, but that came with its own set of challenges: namely the wind, which kept bending the poster. “We had to take a break and affix it to a hard board to keep it flat,” Syrek recalls. It fell to Chadwick to make sure the poster was perfectly aligned. “It wasn’t easy to hold up,” he says. For that, Chadwick had some help from his 17-year-old son, Jude, whose hands are visible in the final image, shot in Millennium Park. Not a bad way to make your Chicago cover…

FORMER MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT KNOWS WELL WHAT A SECOND DONALD TRUMP administration would look like for Chicago. After all, she had to deal with the former president during his term in the White House. “Trump devalued cities,” she says. “He didn’t provide us with resources, but he constantly held us up for derision and used us as a punching bag.” As you might recall, Trump compared Chicago to a Middle Eastern war zone, carped that its crime rate was “an embarrassment to the nation,” and called the police superintendent “a disgrace” for protecting undocumented immigrants. When Lightfoot was mayor, her top priority with the federal government was legislation to stop gun trafficking. Trump, she says, “had no appetite for that.” Lightfoot also wanted funding for big infrastructure and transportation projects,…

FROM AN EARLY AGE, JC Kibbey knew the impact a lack of clean air can have. Growing up in the shadow of coal plants in Lansing, Michigan, he often found himself dealing with respiratory illnesses, the result of exposure to pollution. And when one of those plants closed, he watched as people lost their jobs. That’s all been on Kibbey’s mind in his role as the state climate adviser for Illinois, a position he assumed last December after five years at the Natural Resources Defense Council. At the top of his agenda? Helping the state spend a $430 million federal grant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution — part of President Joe Biden’s signature climate legislation. The funds are expected to help Illinois cut an estimated 57 million…

Four Spots to Get Your International Coffee Fix SWADESI 328 S. Jefferson St., West Loop Place of influence: India What to drink: Mango matcha, a tropical twist on a matcha latte. Housemade mango syrup and coconut milk bring a tangy creaminess to earthy matcha. What to eat: Butter chicken croissant. The classic dish gets reimagined as a flaky, hearty pastry that combines Indian spices with Burrata for an unexpected fusion. The scene: Flickering votives and lilting Indian music give this newbie the vibe of a polished classic. The retail shelves are stocked with jams, chocolate bars, and nuts. NABALA CAFE 4660 N. Broadway, Uptown Place of influence: Palestine What to drink: Karak chai. Cardamom fans, this one’s for you. Freshly blended pods lend herbaceous flavor to this warming cup, which…

AT NINE BAR, THEIR LAUDED SPOT IN CHINATOWN, JOE BRIGLIO AND LILY Wang found success tapping Asian ingredients in novel ways. Now at the new Cara Cara Club, a bright, airy space on the corner of Logan and Kedzie in Logan Square, they’ve applied that same strategy to Italian drinks. A collaboration between the duo and Wade Hall McElroy and Jeff Donahue (both of Ludlow Liquors and Big Kids, which was in this space previously), Cara Cara Club offers cocktails like the Slim Aarons, a savory gin and tonic with dill aquavit, tomato water, and MSG, and the Canary Islands, a tropical drink with tequila, bergamot liqueur, mango, and St. Agrestis Paradiso, which Briglio says lends “a bitter backbone.” Bitter flavors offer a through line here. In addition to the…

1 PERILLA STEAKHOUSE What A Korean twist on the classic steakhouse from chef Andrew Lim and the team behind the West Town gem Perilla Why Located in the L7 hotel, the restaurant serves up Korean breakfast and katsu sandos by day. By night, accent your wagyu steak with kimchi fried rice and crab pancakes. Where 225 N. Wabash Ave., Loop 2 SANTA MASA TAMALERIA What The fun pop-up is back, now as a brick-and-mortar space. Why You’re getting tamales, obviously. Try ones smothered with poblano peppers, onions, and cheese or, for a dessert option, sweet strawberries. Where 7544 W. Addison St., Belmont Heights 3 KAYAO What A lively Peruvian newcomer arrives with fresh takes on the classics. Why You’ll find plenty of ceviches, smoked duck fried rice, and other bites ready to…

BACK WHEN THE CITY’S PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S basketball team was not the Sky but rather the Chicago Hustle, the players were expected to follow a certain postgame ritual. At the end of each home contest, they would file into the locker room at DePaul’s Alumni Hall arena, clean up, then wend their way through the corridors to the Blue Demon Room, where a throng of fans awaited with drinks in hand. The opponents would often join, too, and so would begin the second half of the players’ night. Being on the Chicago Hustle meant not just playing basketball but working to ensure that the team could keep playing. And that meant putting in the social work to cultivate and maintain fans. The Blue Demon Room was the brainchild of general manager…

When you think about the myth of Robert Johnson,” says Jeremy Jones, “it’s the idea that’s true. You have this guy who came from not being a good musician at all to go on to the ‘crossroads’ to meet the devil. It’s just provocative. And then for that myth to come out on the other side — you hear the music, and you’re like ‘Yo, this is great!’ ” The new play Leroy and Lucy, by Ngozi Anyanwu, is loosely based on the folklore surrounding the blues legend, who died at 27 in 1938. Jones, an accomplished bassist and guitarist, serves as the composer and music director for the Steppenwolf Theatre production. No stranger to melding blues and theater — last winter, he served as musical arranger for a play…

Onstage, Jessie Fisher has an uncanny ability to tap into wisdom and wonder at once. It’s a duality that will serve her well as the audience’s guide through Every Brilliant Thing. The solo work, written by English playwright Duncan Macmillan, sees its protagonist ask for the audience’s help to catalog reasons to be happy — a list the character begins as a child in response to a parent’s suicide attempt. “This will be the fourth one-person show I’ve been part of, and each time, I say, ‘I’m never going to do that again,’ ” Fisher says. “I’ve been trying to answer for myself why I’m drawn to them, besides just being a challenge. And I think this piece answers the question, which is that it feels like a community experience.”…

“Stress, along with anxiety and depression, increases your risk for heart disease, and as an exercise, yoga can be especially good at relieving stress. A regular yoga routine can help with relaxation while also providing the physical benefits of exercise, like increasing circulation and lowering blood pressure and glucose levels — all good for your heart.”…

■ I was a very emotional player. That’s just who I was. I couldn’t sleep after wins. I couldn’t sleep after losses. I took things to heart. If I had been more steady in my emotions, would I have been able to play longer? Absolutely. ■ Players ask me, “What fueled you to play with that fire?” My father was one of the most famous people in France, and I was living under his shadow. I wasn’t going to let that happen. But still to this day, when I’m in France, I’m not Joakim; I’m Yannick’s son. ■ When I walk the streets of Chicago, people thank me for my service — almost like I came back from war. I played for other teams, but for some reason the way…

1 The delayed corruption trial of former state boss Michael Madigan finally gets underway in October. His lawyers hope a recent Supreme Court ruling distinguishing between bribes and gratuities will help his case. 2 On Oct. 8, the Blackhawks will be the first-ever regular season opponents of the Utah Hockey Club. The Arizona Coyotes moved to Salt Lake City, but still haven’t come up with a nickname. 3 Mike Myers used to have a career, which included a year at Second City. The former SNL and Austin Powers star will be in town Oct. 19 to collect a Chicago International Film Festival career achievement award. 4 For its Oct. 19 football game against Michigan, Illinois will wear 1920s throwback unis, including helmets painted to look like leather, to commemorate the…

Kibbey’s big goal for Illinois? “Clean up the power sector, then electrify everything.” Here’s how the state is faring — and how far it still needs to go. 100% Target share of the electric grid generated by carbon-free sources by 2045 66% Share currently carbon-free 14% Share generated by wind or solar 0% Share generated by hydro (despite the presence of Lake Michigan, because of the flat terrain) 52% Share generated by nuclear power (carbon-free but not renewable), higher than any other state 1 MILLION Target number of electric vehicles on the road in Illinois by 2030 111,000 Registered electric vehicles now…

To address this risk, Endeavor Health offers a specialized program of collaborative care between cardiologists and oncologists. The Endeavor Health Cardiovascular Institute is one of 30 programs in the country recognized by the International Cardio-Oncology Society as a Gold Center of Excellence. Its board-certified Cardio-Oncology team includes nationally recognized cardiologists and vascular specialists. The Cardiovascular Institute’s experts collaborate with the prestigious Endeavor Health Cancer Institute to provide comprehensive cardiovascular care for patients with cancer who have or are at risk for cardiovascular disease. Endeavor Health has developed novel imaging and lab protocols to evaluate patients undergoing immune and targeted therapy, chemotherapy and radiation. Patients who have a higher risk for cardiovascular complications during cancer treatment can begin protective therapy while seamlessly continuing their cancer treatments. The team’s specialists have expertise…

In Taiwan, there’s a term to describe the bouncy texture of fresh noodles: QQ. The secret to that springiness? Well water, full of minerals that increase alkalinity. You aren’t going to find that in Chicago. But these three spots have still managed to capture the texture. Here, I rate their QQ quotient and flavor on a 10-point scale. MINYOLI 5420 N. Clark St., Andersonville The signature red-braised beef noodle soup features long, chewy zhajiangmian that look like fettuccine. They swim in a collagen-rich, tingly beef stock loaded with meat and pickled mustard greens. This will be my go-to in cool weather. QQ: 8 Flavor: 9 CHENGDU BISTRO 2211 W. North Ave., Wicker Park The noodles here, identified simply as mian, come in four thicknesses and represent a variety of Sichuan…

IT STARTED WITH A SOFA, AS SO MANY PROJECTS do. “I knew I wanted a velvet green couch in our first-floor living room,” Samantha Boghos, owner of the West Town women’s clothing store Steely Boutique, says of the boldly decorated greystone she shares with her husband, George, in Logan Square. “That really drove the design choices. Color goes hand in hand with fashion, and I have always been drawn to it.” To turn a 4,500-square-foot new-build house into something that truly felt like home, the couple hired Mark Schubert, founder and principal of Chicago-based Phillip Harrison Interiors, who’s known for his audacious use of bold colors and patterns. “They liked how my work feels cohesive but each room has its own taste, its own flavor,” Schubert says. Schubert was on…

When Ratboys headline Thalia Hall the day after Thanksgiving, it will mark the end of a year spent mostly on the road. It’ll also be a celebration: After 10-plus years, the band put out its fifth — and best — record, The Window, in 2023. That album took them to Japan, earned them the opening spot on the Decemberists’ tour, and solidified their place among the Midwest’s preeminent indie bands. With song titles like “Black Earth, WI” and lyrics like “Now we’re drivin’ round Michigan / Hours flying by, with the windows down just listening to Maps & Atlases,” Ratboys aren’t just from the Midwest — they’re decidedly of it. “There’s that self-deprecating wit and earnest lack of pretension that I really identify with,” says vocalist and guitarist Julia Steiner,…

“I challenge people to have nine helpings a day of fruits and vegetables. A helping is what you can put in the palm of your hand. There may be added cardiovascular benefit from berries in particular: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes. And we prefer natural whole foods, including the skins, rather than processed. So no, fruit pie doesn’t count!”…

Throughout its 100-year history, the Spanish luxury fashion house Balenciaga has kept designer-conscious shoppers riveted with what-will-they-do-next mystique. (In the recent past, the brand has released grocery-store-inspired bags and put heels on Crocs.) Its latest move: the dramatic 6,700-square-foot, two-level shop it opened on Oak Street this spring. Its first Midwest standalone is a stark and moody sanctuary, with brushed concrete walls, metal shelving, and industrial lighting for a warehouse-meets-studio vibe. Sift through the ready-to-wear men’s and women’s pieces, shoes, accessories, eyewear, and jewelry. Handbag lovers, rejoice: You can find your bliss with the latest Le City and Rodeo styles. 15 E. Oak St., Gold Coast…