Chicago

Roger Ebert, Hollywood's Most-Famous Film Critic, Dead At 70

Roger Ebert, the nation's most high-profile movie critic, is dead at age 70, his longtime employer, the Chicago Sun-Times, announced this afternoon. He died today in his hometown of Chicago following a much-publicized battle with cancer, the paper reported:

How To Grease The Wheels For Your Album's Success

Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Ask Fan Landers! Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls' Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you ... More >>

The Sea & Cake, Matt Friedberger

Endeavour's Tree-Chopping Truth: Readers Weigh In

Chick-fil-A Still Hates Gay People, Maybe

Is Chick-fil-A now pro-gay? Well, last week's reports that Chick-fil-A is succumbing to LGBT activists by halting its contributions to groups that oppose same-sex marriage might have been overblown. L.A. has been a hotbed of anti-Chick-fil-A activism: Should the boycott be called off? One blogger ... More >>

What We're Reading: The Buffet, a Food Blog From High School Kids

Calling Los Angeles high school geniuses! Chicago has its very own awesome food blog and magazine written by high school kids. Surely L.A. can top that.

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

You can't replace the feeling of lounging on the couch with a scrunched-up newspaper. But with the web, at least you don't need to worry about getting ink on your hands and bagel. Here's a roundup of some food-related stories from our country's newspapers this week. Lucky for us, it's mostly free. F ... More >>

Top Ten EDM Albums for People Who Don't Know Shit About Dance Music

*World's Douchiest DJs: The Top Five *Ask a Teen Raver *Interview With a Raver Who Wears Electrical Tape on Her Boobs *Top Ten Jazz Albums for People Who Don't Know Shit About Jazz *Top Ten Metal Albums for People Who Don't Know Shit About Metal Electronic dance music (you know, EDM) is the hottest ... More >>

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

You can't replace the feeling of lounging on the couch with a scrunched-up newspaper. But with the web, at least you don't need to worry about getting ink on your hands and bagel. Here's a roundup of some food-related stories from our country's newspapers this week. Lucky for us, it's mostly free. F ... More >>

James Beard 2012 Award Winners

The James Beard awards are the food equivalent of the Oscars: prestigious golden whatsits, fancy dress event, silly acceptance speeches, requisite grouching about the whole thing being rigged. Oh, yes, and lots of highly talented people getting much-deserved recognition. This year's awards ceremony ... More >>

Pizza Flowchart: Where to Go for Slices and Pies

So far in our food flowchart adventures, we've assembled diagrams to try to organize the many, many choices you have for Vietnamese food and fried chicken. Today, we tackle the pizza landscape of Los Angeles, with its fantastic variety of New York-style slices, Chicago pies and pizzas fashioned in ... More >>

Drunkards and Dragons

Brenmar: His Goal as a DJ Is to Get You Laid

Hearing a DJ throw on the one song you never thought you'd hear other than on your own iTunes playlist will seal your allegiance to him. By spinning Supa Blanco's slurry Southern underground anthem "I Bet I Do," Brenmar did just that when he opened for Iggy Azalea's recent, supa anticipated show. In ... More >>

Just Another Monday Night at IO West

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble: Eight Brothers and Their Dad

From the Dorseys to the Davies', brother acts translates well to the stage, but few have a bond like the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The nine-piece, Chicago-based band boasts eight horn-playing sons of jazzman Kelan Phil Cohran. They, along with their father, will perform at the Exchange tomorrow, Febr ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Charlie Trotter Closes, An Ode to Jean-Louis Palladin Americans Each Ate 2,000 Lbs. of Food Last Year

Food Republic: The Scottish Whisky Flavour [sic, and maybe sic again] Map. Street Gourmet LA: 2011 in Street Food, Friends, Revolutions, Hotels, and Melancholy Sips. Chicago Sun-Times: After 25 years, Charlie Trotter closes his Chicago restaurant. France Magazine (via Eric Ripert's Facebook page ... More >>

Playboy Officially Moving Editorial Operations Where They Belong: L.A., Land of Hef's Girls

E!Hef's girls (and not a Latina in sight).​It's official. Following rumors about the transfer, Playboy magazine says it's official: It is moving its editorial operations from its Chicago birthplace to Los Angeles, the company confirmed to LA Weekly this morning. It's about time. Chicago hasn' ... More >>

Hollywood Pies's Classic Chicago Pizza

T. NguyenClassic Chicago Pizza at Hollywood PIes​Chicago-style pizzeria Hollywood Pies may be Keyser Söze's doppelganger: the greatest trick it has ever pulled, at least so far, is convincing the world that it exists. It has no physical storefront, so the only ways to get a piece of the Holl ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of your content comes ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

Venn Food Diagrams: L.A.'s Idea of Midwestern Food vs. What Midwesterners Really Eat

After exploring L.A.'s perceptions of Indian, Armenian, and Vietnamese cuisine in our oh-so-scientific Venn Food Diagrams series, it's time to circle back to some American regional cooking, and do like we did for Southern food--this time with the Midwest. D. Berson​

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

Monday Morning News Roundup: Yak Farmers, Vegan Boxers, World's Worst Restaurant More

Guzzle & Nosh​And when we say "news," we mean it in the loosest sense of the word. --"Mrs. Cheeseburger," wife of cheeseburger inventor, passes away. [Denver Post] --Japan faces food radiation problems. [WSJ] --Iodized salt is no antidote for radiation. [NPR] --But red wine might be. [Telegrap ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

Flickr/dubh​ What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free), it's where most of ... More >>

Meatcake or Cuploaf: The Meatloaf Bakery

Your Meat Tooth​ Forget meals taken as pills, in The Future whole meals will be eaten in courses of cupcakes. Taking the first steps down that horrifying dystopian road, Cynthia Kallile has created The Meatloaf Bakery in Chicago. At least the road to hell is paved with whimsy and preciousnes ... More >>

Food Truck Friday: Street Kitchen's OG Dog, Not Really Chicago But It Has Snap

As a scrappy upstart in a brutal business, Street Kitchen isn't doing itself any favors with its branding. No website or Twitter feed (that we can find). The most SEO-unfriendly name in food truck history. A culinary magpie of a menu that includes everything from jerk chicken tacos and pulled pork s ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

National Food News Roundup: Kwanzaa Cake Creator Speaks Out, 20 Worst Foods In America

--House expected to approve food safety bill today. FSN --Seventh-grader dies of food allergy at Chicago school. ChiTrib --The terrorists not only hate our freedom, they hate our salad bars. NTI --Infamous Kwanzaa cake creator speaks out: "[Sandra] Lee had nothing against African Americans or Jews. ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

New Distilling Courses On The Cheap: And Yes, Home Distilling Is Still Illegal Stateside

If you want to learn how to distill, but you don't exactly have $3,500 to spare for the American Distilling Institute's upcoming course (and don't particularly care to play the old Federal crime game), you're in luck. The Chicago office of The Siebel Institute of Technology, Germany's leading brew ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 8/23-8/27

In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "All I can say is that it would be a shame to endure even a single extra day without having experienced the Salt's Cure BLT -- super-ripe heirloom tomatoes, chunky toast and a pig's worth of the restaurant's sweetly smoky bac ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

L.A. Sales Tax Tied For Highest in Country With Chicago; 5 Reasons L.A. Is Cooler Than Windy City

That's the black angel of death, which goes along with taxes​ Los Angeles has the highest sales tax in the country -- 9.75 percent, tied with a bunch of other California cities, plus Chicago, according to a survey by CCH, a tax and accounting firm. No one likes taxes, but sales taxes are the ... More >>

Los Angeles Times Parent Company Proposes Golden Parachutes To Top Executives

​Chicago-based Tribune Co., which owns the Los Angeles Times and KTLA News, is trying to hand out hefty severance packages to its top executives. While more and more reporters are being cut from its payroll, Tribune Co. filed a new plan Thursday that would give its top 43 executives hefty seve ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 7/19-7/23

In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "Even the third or fourth time around, Fu-ga seems like a discovery, a small piece of a better downtown preserved 20 feet underground."

How Honest is L.A.? Honest Tea's Pop-Up Store Puts SoCal Ethics to the Test

NBC ChicagoHonest Tea's "Honest Store"​ Despite our downfalls, we'd like to think we draw the line when it comes to stealing. To test this theory -- and the honor system -- try heading to Maryland-based organic tea company Honest Tea's unmanned pop-up "Honest Stores," loaded with one dollar b ... More >>

Hyatt Workers, Still Without A Contract, To Do Street Action Next Week; Conflict For President Obama

The Andaz picket will look a bit different than this one, but you get the idea.​ Unionized workers at Hyatt-owned Andaz in West Hollywood and the Hyatt in Century City have been without a contract since December, and next week they'll take to the streets at the Andaz in what is sure to be an e ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- The Worst Drink in America? A 2,000-calorie milkshake. [Reuters] -- No more shark fin soup for you: Hawaii becomes the first state to ban the possession of shark fins. [Time] -- Bravo's next c ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

LEAVE IT TO CLEAVAGE

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

Latin Music Concert

2010 James Beard Finalists Announed: Suzanne Goin, Matt Molina, Michael Cimarusti, Jonathan Gold, Patric Kuh Nominated

James Beard​Twitter is at it again. The 2010 James Beard Award Finalists were announced this morning via the foundation's Twitter account. L.A's Suzanne Goin, of Lucques, AOC Wine Bar, Hungry Cat and Tavern was nominated for Outstanding Chef, while Matt Molina of Mozza and Michael Cimarusti of ... More >>

James Beard Semifinalists Announced: The L.A. Edition

James Beard​This morning the James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for its 2010 James Beard Foundation Awards. Judges will vote to determine the final 5 nominees in each category, which will be announced on March 22nd. The winners will be announced at the Foundation's award party, ... More >>