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Chicago

Geoffrey Baer in the Rookery in Chicago

Geoffrey Baer on His Upcoming Special 'The Most Beautiful Places in Chicago'

Daniel Hautzinger

In his newest special, Geoffrey Baer explores The Most Beautiful Places in Chicago, from gilded lobbies to verdant parks and eye-bending skyscrapers to glorious sacred spaces. He discusses the project, and what he loves about Chicago. 
John Larson (left) and August Vollmer interrogate an unknown Berkeley undergraduate in 1921 or 1922

Why America Is the Only Country That Embraced the Lie Detector—and Chicago’s Role in Its Rise

Daniel Hautzinger

The technology behind the lie detector is basic and available around the world, but only America has used it extensively over the decades, thanks in part to pioneering work in forensics in Chicago that attempted to address the city's notorious crime.
Street scene at Chicago Theatre near State and Randolph Streets, Chicago, Illinois, December 10, 1952. Photo: Chicago History Museum, ICHi-019349; J. Sherwin Murphy, photographer

Revisiting the Biting Articles That Branded Chicago the "Second City"

Daniel Hautzinger

Seventy years ago, the New Yorker writer and New York City native A.J. Liebling published a series of articles about Chicago that saw the city as a "not-quite-metropolis" imbued with a "collective sense of disappointment." Was he right?
Roasted nuts and other festive foods have been drawing visitors to the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza for 27 years

The Foods of Chicago's Christkindlmarket

Jack X. Li

Roasted nuts and other festive foods have been drawing visitors to the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza for 27 years. The Chicago photographer Jack X. Li recently visited to document the snacks—and people’s delight in them.
The Pump Room at the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago in 1970. Photo: ST-70004622-0013, Chicago Sun-Times collection, Chicago History Museum

Ten of Chicago's Most Iconic Restaurants, Past and Present

Daniel Hautzinger

As iconic signs like Dinkel's and Orange Garden's disappear from Chicago, celebrate some of Chicago's most memorable restaurants, past and present, the kind of places where the surroundings are an inextricable part of the experience. 
Chicago's Chinatown library branch, designed by Brian Lee of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Photo: Jon Miller © Hedrich Blessing

Architect Brian Lee Brings the Expertise Required for Skyscrapers to Neighborhood Buildings

Daniel Hautzinger

Brian Lee has designed one of the tallest buildings in the world as well as neighborhood-level buildings such as three libraries in Chicago. "To be able to reinforce and maybe enhance a neighborhood with a building—I think that’s a great positive goal of architecture and urban design,” he says. 
The Harvey Public Library in Harvey, Illinois. Photo: Lee Bey

Some Oft-Overlooked Contributions of Black Architects to Chicagoland

Lee Bey

Black people’s contributions to Chicago's historic architectural legacy have been a story less told for too long. Architecture photographer and writer Lee Bey celebrates a few of them around Chicagoland. 
Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark at the 2019 James Beard Awards. Photo: Galdo Photography

Meet Chicago's James Beard Awards 2022 Semifinalists

Daniel Hautzinger

The list of semifinalists for the James Beard Awards has been released, and fifteen Chicago people and places in the food industry are on it. Meet them here.
Author Mia P. Manansala and her book Homicide and Halo-Halo. Photo: Jamilla Yip Photography;  Cover Design: Vi-An Nguyen

Why There's Food in Nearly Every Scene of Chicago Native Mia P. Manansala's New Mystery

Daniel Hautzinger

Chicago native Mia P. Manansala's Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery Series is packed full of lovingly described food—as well as engrossing mystery. Manansala believes a character's approach to food reveals a lot about them, and wants to expose people to Filipino culture.
The Copernicus Center in Chicago's Jefferson Park. Photo: Meredith Francis/WTTW

Geoffrey Baer Explores Polish Chicago

Geoffrey Baer

October is Polish Heritage Month, the perfect time to explore Polonia, or Polish Chicago. Geoffrey Baer takes you on a tour of some sites that evoke the community's rich and influential continuing history in Chicago. 
The Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower in Chicago Photo: Sawyer Bengtson on Unsplash

As Blair Kamin Leaves the 'Chicago Tribune,' Revisit His Favorite Place in Chicago

Daniel Hautzinger

Blair Kamin has announced he is leaving the Chicago Tribune after 33 years, 28 as its architecture critic. A frequent guest on Chicago Tonight, he once shared his favorite place in Chicago and a story about his first review. Revisit it now.
Guy Lombardo promoting Lanzi Candy's Cashew Nut and Rice Crunch. Photo: Courtesy Michael Lahey

Recovering a Beloved Chicago Candy and the Story of the Family Business Behind It

Daniel Hautzinger

Lanzi Candy's Cashew Nut and Rice Crunch was once sold internationally and on American Airlines, all while made out of a small family-owned factory in Chicago. A documentary follows the business's story and a quest to recreate its most popular treat.
Chicago at the Crossroad

How the Failure of Public Housing Is Linked to Gun Violence in Chicago

Daniel Hautzinger

The documentary Chicago at the Crossroad shows how the failure of public housing has contributed to gun violence in the city today. "Your housing will dictate every other aspect of your life, from school to food to violence exposure to your percentage of the possibility of actually committing a crime,” says the producer.
Abner Mikva in a crowd. Photo: Courtesy Mikva Family

How Abner Mikva Inspired People to Believe in Government's Power for Good

Daniel Hautzinger

Attending college on the G.I. Bill changed Abner Mikva's life. As a congressman, judge, and mentor to Barack Obama, Elena Kagan, and numerous young people, Mikva tried to show that government could be a force for good in people's lives. 
A postcard of Chicago's Old Main Post Office, from 1941. Image: Curt Teich postcard/Wikimedia Commons

Chicago's Postal History and the Meltdown That Led to Reforms

Daniel Hautzinger

A huge backlog of mail in Chicago in 1966 caused long delays and led to bipartisan reforms of the postal service. Chicago's role was unsurprising, given that it was an important part of the national postal system, which had also contributed to the city's growth. 
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