Chicago magazine May 2022

THIS ISSUE MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS THAT WE’RE running a dining review (page 48). It’s no coincidence this hiatus coincided with the pandemic. All the uncertainty in the industry — restaurants struggling to stay afloat, shifting their focus to takeout — made critical appraisal feel inapt. But now that things are stabilizing and places are opening (and reopening), we think diners can use help making sense of the new landscape. Enter John Kessler. Our new critic brings a depth of food knowledge that is rare. He went to culinary school and worked as a cook and chef in Washington, D.C., and Denver before becoming a writer. Among other gigs, he served as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s dining critic for 18 years. Since moving to Chicago in 2015, he has…

FOR HEIDI STEVENS, WRITING ABOUT the Chicago Teachers Union’s heir apparent Stacy Davis Gates (page 62) was personal. “The conversations Stacy and I were having weren’t theoretical to me,” says Stevens, the mother of two Chicago Public Schools students. “I feel fully invested in the story because I know both the pain of work stoppages and of waiting till 11 p.m. to find out if there’s school the next day.” Gates “gets dragged on Twitter and letters to the editor and editorials,” Stevens notes. So the Tribune News Service columnist and former Tribune staffer set out to paint a more nuanced portrait. “I didn’t know what shaped her into the person she is today or what made her want to be an educator. And I figured if I didn’t know…

For 3 decades people have been coming to Sweethaven to create vacation memories they will cherish for a lifetime. Both child and pet friendly, our fully furnished rental cottages accommodate 2 to 14 people, and are available for your getaway for all seasons. Nestled in the heart of Harbor Country, with only 6 cottages on 9+ wooded acres, there is a feeling of spaciousness and tranquility that makes tightly wound grown-ups sleep like babies. Each cottage has it’s own unique look and location, but all have every amenity needed for a comfortable retreat. The moss-covered paths beckon you to take a walk in the woods. The tree house, horseshoe pit and the volleyball court beg you to come and play. The screened porches, sunny decks and private hot tubs offer serene spots to…

@chi_shenanigans via Reddit I’m so happy Sochi is on this list! So deserved. Always an amazing meal. @kylieRus via Reddit Heading to Elina’s in a couple weeks. Pumped.@spreadsheet_jesus via Reddit I’m surprised Rose Mary didn’t make this list. That was probably the most hyped opening of last spring.@thecoolduude via Reddit FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE WHITE CITY? Mayor is a terrible job [“Obama for Mayor,” chicagomag.com], not sure why anyone wants it. He surely doesn’t. Kate Sonar via Facebook I’d say Michelle would be much better suited.@jen_e_fleur via Instagram I would move to Chicago so fast. @justingillespielmsw via Instagram REMEMBERING A TRAILBLAZER This piece by Greg Trotter is journalism at its finest [“The Forgotten Legacy of Gertrude Snodgrass, Cofounder of the Chicago Food Depository,” chicagomag.com]. The imperative of feeding the hungry ought to drive all of us the way…

@thekarthikraja Karthik Raja, a native of Chennai, India, who now lives in Long Grove, finds no place as beautiful as Chicago in the summertime. “I’ve been to 40 states, 25 countries, and many cities,” says the health care worker by day and photographer by night, “and I am unbiasedly a Chicago lover. I tell everybody that.” Raja snapped this winning photograph at the end of Navy Pier while giving his uncle a tour of the city. As the sun was setting, he took a couple of shots and noticed the moon rising over Lake Michigan. He enjoys how digital photography gives him the freedom of capturing successive images to get the best one. “But this wasn’t one where I had to shoot multiple things to find the right frame — the…

1 Nostalgic for Seinfeld and Soundgarden? Relive last century’s final decade May 14 at the Chicago Humanities Festival. Hear The Nineties author Chuck Klosterman, then participate in ’90s Trivia Night. 2 The Chicago Marathon caps its field at 45,000. If that’s still too crowded for you, run the May 15 Chicagoland Spring Marathon in Schaumburg. Only 417 finishers last year, and you can still BQ. 3 Expect to see a lot of tall people walking around May 16–22, when the NBA holds its annual draft combine (think job interview but with vertical leap measured) at Wintrust Arena. 4 As the Black and Latino caucuses battle over representation, the City Council has until May 19 to approve a new ward map. If aldermen can’t come to an agreement, the competing maps will go on…