Ben Joravsky on Politics
Something to be happy about this holiday season: Chicago's horrible political year is coming to an end.
Deanna Isaacs on Culture
Chicago Publishes unpublishes part of an interview with indie publisher Gabriel Levinson
by Deanna Isaacs
Tags: Deanna Isaacs on Culture , Gabriel Levinson , publishing , indie publishing , Chicago Publishes , Book Bike , Antibookclub , censorship , Ben van Loon , Danielle Chapman , peddling , book selling
Feature
Mayor Emanuel's political action committee gives the rich a second chance to please him
by Steve Bogira
Tags: Feature , Rahm Emanuel , campaign donations , campaign finance reform , Gery Chico , PAC , New Chicago Committee , Chicago for Rahm Emanuel , political access , Steve Jobs , Donald Trump , Steven Spielberg
Mudville
The Blackhawks have the flashy scorers, but do they have the gritty defenders?
Michael Miner on Media
At the Tribune , the news is whatever it reports, whenever it feels like it
Savage Love
Dan Savage counsels a man into spanking now involved with a woman who was formerly abused, a woman who's longtime boyfriend had a one-night stand with someone much younger, and a young woman avid to learn about BDSM.
Three Beats
Three Beats: Old Town School preps digs and digs deep, Chrome Waves roll in, Vic’s Drum Shop invents a holiday, and Lovely Little Girls reemerge with a new lineup
by Kevin Warwick, Philip Montoro and Monica Kendrick
Tags: Three Beats , Old Town School of Folk Music , Colby Maddox , Chrom Waves , Stavros Giannapoulos , Jeff Wilson , Bob Fouts , Nachtmystium , Vic's Drum Shop , Holiday Metal Bash , Gregory Jacobsen , Lovely Little Girls , Alex Perkolup , Old Town School of Folk Music, Maurer Hall
The Secret History of Chicago Music
The lone LP from Stephen Titra's O.W.L. finally saw release after a test pressing turned up in a thrift store
Music Feature
From Crazy Band to Lucky Dragons, the music you should've heard, but didn't, in 2011
Artist on Artist
Nels Cline of Wilco talks to Jim Elkington of the Horse's Ha and Eleventh Dream Day
Gossip Wolf
The last of Pitchfork’s editorial staff heads to Brooklyn, Bob Nastanovich DJs a hair salon, and more
by Jessica Hopper and J.R. Nelson
Tags: Gossip Wolf , Pitchfork , Ryan Schreiber , Amy Phillips , Mark Richardson , Elia Einhorn , Scotland Yard Gospel Choir , Guilty Pleasures , Matt Williams , Jered Gummere , Srini Radhakrishna , garage rock , Chuck Scherbaum , Pavement , Bob Nastanovich , Steve Krakow , Plastic Crimewave , The Secret History of Chicago Music , Galactic Zoo Mix Tape Club
Movie Review
Jung and Freud clash in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method
by J.R. Jones
Tags: Movie Review , David Cronenberg , Sigmund Freud , Carl Jung , psychoanalysis , John Kerr , A Most Dangerous Method , Sabina Spielrein , Michael Fassbender , Kiera Knightley , Christopher Hampton , Sarah Gadon , Viggo Mortenson , Burgholzi clinic
Movie Critic's Choice
That Girl in Yellow Boots : no dragon tattoo, no playing with fire, no hornet's nest
Key Ingredient
Jason Hammel of Lula makes a gratin with the sweet brown cheese gjetost.
Restaurant Reviews
Theo Gilbert's Ripasso could use a pinch or two of salt.
by Mike Sula
Tags: Restaurant Reviews , Theo Gilbert , Terragusto , Salt War , Perugian commune , pane sciapo , Marcella Hazan , Tim Lacey , maiale tonato , sformato , Ripasso
Performing Arts Sidebar
It's time for The Fifth Annual Hideout Christmas Egyptian/Cosmic Panto
Culture Vultures
In-the-know Chicagoans recommend Lincoln Park's Zoolights show, Bing Crosby's White Christmas , and more
by Asher Klein and Jordan Larson
Tags: Culture Vultures , Cleo Wilson , Intuit: The Centuer for Intuitive and Outsider Art , Beth Gutcheon , David Spadafora , Newberry Library , Lincoln Park Zoo , Zoolights , Vic and Paul show , Victoria Zielinski , Paul Barrosse , Practical Theatre Company
Performing Arts Review
Chicago Shakespeare Theater performs Timothy Findley's drama about Queen Elizabeth
Performing Arts Review
Steppenwolf’s production of Enda Walsh’s Penelope could use some oomph
Performing Arts Sidebar
Defibrillator presents On | Off, and evening of performance art by various artists
Space
A Logan Square graystone filled with custom-designed furniture
Chicagoans
Jennifer French, FBI special agent and wedding coordinator, seventeen guns later
Show us your [____]
Each week, we ask you to show us something. This week it's toy maker Travis Lampe's studio
Zoom in
So far, the city hasn't done right by Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Bleader
Another day, another alderman squabbling over the ward map
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Gingrich may be zany and yappy, but what words starting with X or Q fit him?
by Steve Bogira
Tags: Flotsam and Jetsam , Politics , Clout City , Newt Gingrich , Mitt Romney , Gail Collins , New York Times , Scrabble , xenophobia , immigration , Bill Keller , Republican candidates
Bleader
Kris Kristofferson's highly recommended hippie countrysploitation flick
by Miles Raymer
Tags: Crickets , Film , Music , Kris Kristofferson , Cisco Pike , Doug Sahm , Gene Hackman , Harry Dean Stanton , country music , movies , Video
Bleader
J.R. Jones on The Elephant in the Living Room , his number 7 movie of 2011.
by J.R. Jones
Tags: Film , Ben Sachs , Rise of the Planet of the Apes , Conquest of the Planet of the Apes , People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals , Michael Webber , The Elephant in the Living Room , Tim Harrison , Terry Brumfield , exotic animal sanctuary , Zanesville , William S. Burroughs , exotic animals , animal rights , movies
Bleader
Paperweights — art? Steve Johnson says no, but he's wrong.
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Donate food, save on bridal jewelry and accessories, and get some last-minute gifts from local designers.
by Heather Kenny
Tags: Style , Left Bank Jewelry & Bridal Finery , Katrin Schnabl , June Blaker , Anke Loh , Gillion Carrara , Andrea Reynders , Kristin Marini , Redshift Couture , Frei Designs , Wolfbait & B-girls , Veronica Riley Martens , Damen + DIvision , Sarca
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A chili cook-off to benefit Graze, a forthcoming literary journal.
by Sam Worley
Tags: Food Chain , Lit & Lectures , Food & Drink , Food , Books , A Chili Home Companion , the Empty Bottle , Birchwood Kitchen , Jam , Revolution Brewing , Food on the Dole , Hugh Amano , Soup and Bread , Martha Bayne , Key Ingredient , Julia Thiel , James Beard , Cains & Abels , Angela James , Tin Tin Can , Graze
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"Pragmatic" was the word most often searched in Merriam-Webster's online dictionary in 2011. Bo-ring!
by Sam Worley
Tags: Flotsam and Jetsam , Merriam-Webster , pragmatic , ambivalence , David Gergen , CNN , Heidi Stevens , Chicago Tribune , Steve Jobs , Kim Jong-il , Keith Olbermann , Moammar Ghadafi , supercommittee , Newt Gingrich
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Quicksails and Ryley Walker, out on tour for the past two weeks, play a homecoming show Sunday at a local DIY space.
by Luca Cimarusti
Tags: Crickets , Music , Quicksails , Ben Billington , Ryley Walker , Plastic Crimewave , Moonrises , Tiger Hatchery , Flowerman , Caboladies , 56K , Josh Burke , Ball Hall , Bleak Horizons , Video
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The authors of The Lost Panoramas: When Chicago Changed Its River and the Land Beyond on Saturday, December 17, at 11 AM at the Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka.
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Frontera Grill taps two new beers brewed in collaboration with Goose Island.
by Julia Thiel
Tags: Food Chain , Food & Drink , Food , Frontera Grill , Goose Island , collaboration beer , Rick Bayless , Xocolatl , Alma , barleywine , red wheat beer
Bleader
Overlooked releases from 2011, tons of local music news, and a chat with one of the Wilco dudes
by Miles Raymer
Tags: Music , B Side , Chicago , Jessica Hopper , Gossip Wolf , Pitchfork , Pavement , Old Town School of Folk Music , Chrome Waves , Lovely Little Girls , Wilco , Nels Cline , Jim Elkington , O.W.L. , the Bad Plus , Mighty Diamonds , Skeletonwitch , Great Society Mind Destroyers , Sharon Lewis , Hamid Drake , Michael Zerang
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Our year-end review continues with Mia Hansen-Love's Goodbye, First Love .
by Ben Sachs
Tags: Film , Mia Hansen-Love , Goodbye First Love , Olivier Assayas , Carlos , Irma Vep , demonlover , Best of 2011 , Chicago International Film Festival , J.R. Jones , Ben Sachs
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When I met Willis Earl Beal earlier this year he was "super unknown." Now he has a record deal with XL imprint Hot Charity.
by Leor Galil
Tags: Crickets , Music , Willis Earl Beal , Acousmatic Sorcery , music , antifolk , Hot Charity , XL Recordings , Adele , M.I.A. , Radiohead , Video
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by Mick Dumke
Tags: Crime , The Reefer , Politics , Clout City , News , marijuana , Jesus , medical marijuana , pot , cannabis , cannabis caravan , Jason Christ , Jean-Claude Brizard , Montana , California , Michigan
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John Scott comes up big in the Hawks' win over the Anaheim Ducks.
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Rapper turned jacket customizer
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New reviews and notable screenings in this week's issue.
by J.R. Jones
Tags: Film , Carl Jung , Michael Fassbender , David Cronenberg , A Dangerous Method , Sigmund Freud , Viggo Mortensen , Sabina Spielrein , Keira Knightley , That Girl in Yellow Boots , Lads & Jockeys , Frederick Wiseman , The Last Circus , Alex de la Iglesias , El Crimen Perfecto , New Year's Eve , Garry Marshall , Pretty Woman , Valentine's Day , Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows , Robert Downey Jr. , Jude Law , The Sitter movie , Jonah Hill , Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , John le Carre , Gary Oldman , Colin Firth , John Hurt , Toby Jones , Ciaran Hinds , White Christmas , It's a Wonderful Life , Music Box , Hiroshi Teshigahara , Antonio Gaudi , Gene Siskel Film Center , The Johnny Cash Christmas Special , Delilah's , Vincente Minnelli , Meet Me in St. Louis , Northbrook Public Library , Mitchell Liesen , Remember the Night , Portage theater , Northwest Chicago Film Society , Santa Claus Conquers the Martians , Alejandro Jodorowsky , Santa Sangre , Chicago Cinema Society , film societies , movies , Video
Bleader
Trying to deal with Albert Pujols leaving the Cardinals.
by Michael Miner
Tags: Mudville , Media , Sports , News Bites , Hitler , Albert Pujols , St. Louis Cardinals , Mexican League , Pasquel brothers , Stan Musial , Bob Gibson , Red Schoendienst , Enos Slaughter , Ken Boyer , Dizzy Dean , Rogers Hornsby , Lou Brock , Bruce Sutter , Ozzie Smith , Frank Lane , Gussie Busch , Dorothy Broeg , Video
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Our year-end review continues with Lee Chang-dong's Poetry
by Ben Sachs
Tags: Film , Poetry , Lee Chang-dong , Chicago Reader , Ben Sachs , Secret Sunshine , Best of 2011 , Krzysztof Kieslowski , Decalogue , the human condition , South Korea , Minister of Culture , J.R. Jones
Bleader
Everyone knows the Sentinel on Boss is really the Tribune .
by Michael Miner
Tags: Media , News Bites , Boss , Starz , Chicago , Tom Kane , City Hall , Bensenville , Sam Miller , Chicago Tribune , Chicago Sentinel
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The Bears lose, and it looks like losing Jay Cutler is the reason.
by Ted Cox
Tags: Mudville , Sports , Chicago Bears , NFL , National Football League , Seattle Seahawks , Charles Dickens , Jay Cutler , National Football Conference , Green Bay Packers , Fox Spots , Indianapolis Colts , Super Bowl , Peyton Manning , Brian Urlacher
Bleader
Thoughts on the first 50 episodes of Key Ingredient
by Julia Thiel
Tags: Food & Drink , Food , Key Ingredient , Jason Hammel , Lula Cafe , gjetost , Michael Gebert , James Beard award , Grant Achatz , Alinea , John des Rosiers , Inovasi , Curtis Duffy , Avenues , Grace , geraniums , Mindy Segal , Hot Chocolate , Mark Steuer , the Bedford , bananas , Michael Carlson , Schwa , Shawn McClain , Green Zebra , blood , Malort , Greg Biggers , Cafe des Architectes , azuki bean paste , Jared van Camp , Old Town Social , Nellcote , Stephanie Izard , Girl and the Goat , confectioner's sugar , Erling Wu Bower , the Publican , Asian carp , Bryce Caron , Blackbird , Cary Taylor , the Southern , fish eyeballs , Doug Sohn , Hot Doug's , chicken feet , fresh blood , Shawn McClain , Green Zebra , rabbit lungs , Jeffrey Hedin , Leopold , duck Tongues , Jason Vincent , Nightwood , bamboo woms , Luke Creagan , Pops for Champagne , cod milt , Duncan Biddulph , Rootstock , bull's testicles , David Posey , Blackbird , natto , Brian Enyart , Topolobampo , balut , Kristine Subido , Wave , John Anderes , Telegraph , ash , Andrew Zimmerman , Sepia , lamb fat
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Friends of the Chicago River and AREA Chicago are looking for stories.
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Chef Chris Nugent, formerly of Les Nomade, has opened Goosefoot in Lincoln Square.
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Dean Baquet slags Gerould Kern.
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A preview of Northwest Chicago Film Society's winter calendar
by Ben Sachs
Tags: Film , Northwest Chicago Film Society , repertory programming , Portage Theater , Too Late Blues , John Cassavetes , Reds , Warren Beatty , Jean-Luc Godard , Histoire(s) du cinema , WPA Federal Theater , One-Third of a Nation , Edward Dmytryk , Give Us This Day , Christ in Concrete , House Un-American Activities , Preston Sturges , Sullivan's Travels , Gregory LaCava , So's Your Old Man , W.C. Fields , Twentieth Century , Howard Hawks , Anthony Mann , Man of the West , Jonathan Rosenbaum , Cecil B. DeMiille , Ten Commandments , Angel (1937) , Marlene Dietrich , Ernst Lubitsch , Billy Wilder , The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes , Margaret , Brasher Doubloon , John Brahm , Otto Preminger , Centennial Summer , Max Ophuls , Liebelei , exile , Cine-File , Michael Castelle
Bleader
A preview of the 1952 Finnish feature The White Reindeer , which screens this Sunday.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists reports at least 43 journalists worldwide were killed this year because of their work.
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What riding the CTA can teach you about unions.
by Mick Dumke
Tags: Transit , Politics , Clout City , unions , unionization , CTA , Chicago Transit Authority , Red Line , Grand Avenue , Forrest Claypool , Rahm Emanuel , Chicago politics , CTA budget
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Christopher Hitchens dies, does not go to heaven
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Claire Zulkey has buyer's remorse.
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J.R. Jones on Client-9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer , his number 6 movie of 2011.
by J.R. Jones
Tags: Film , Richard Cordray , Consumer Financial Protection Agency , Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , David Vitter , Los Angeles Times , Alex Gibney , Client-9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer , Taxi to the Dark Side , Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room , John Ensign , Mark Sanford , politics , sex scandals , prostitution , documentaries , movies , Video
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This week in Food & Drink: Mike Sula reviews Ripasso, Key Ingredient gjetost, New Year's Eve dining, and New Year's Day brunches
by Kate Schmidt
Tags: Inside the Reader , Food Chain , Food & Drink , Food , Behind Our Scenes , Ripasso , Theo Gilbert , Terragusto , the Florentine , Piccolo Sogno , Antico , Autre Monde , Key Ingredient , Jason Hammel , Lula Cafe , gjetost , John Anderes , Telegraph Wine Bar , New Year's Eve
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Our countdown of 2011's best films continues with Errol Morris's Tabloid , J.R. Jones's number five film of the year.
by J.R. Jones
Tags: Film , Errol Morris , Abu Graibh , Standard Operating Procedure , New York Times , Tabloid movie , Tabloid Errol Morris , Joyce McKinney , Katherine Zwick , movies , Video
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Looks like the "Joy" lawsuit won't be a breeze.
by Miles Raymer
Tags: Crickets , Music , Syl Johnson , Chicago , hip-hop , soul music , Jay-Z , Kanye , The Joy , Different Strokes , Watch the Throne , Video
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CME needed the big tax break it just got, because it has so many hungry pols to feed.
by Steve Bogira
Tags: Money , Politics , News , $$$ , Clout City , Variations on a Theme , CME Group Inc. , Chicago Mercantile Exchange , Chicago Board of Trade , Chicago Board Options Exchange , financial exchanges , tax breaks , Rahm Emanuel , Mike Madigan , Pat Quinn , Ed Burke , Lisa Madigan , Anne Burke , Illinois supreme court , bribes , Richard M. Daley , Ben Joravsky , political action committees , congressional candidates
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Take two Pretendia and feel as well as you can imagine.
by Steve Bogira
Tags: Science , Flotsam and Jetsam , placebos , New Yorker , prescription drugs , drug warnings , arthritis , tendinitis , tinnitus , lethargy , depression , hypertension , insomnia , diabetes , pills , doctors , pharmacists , Republican debates
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A short review of David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo , which opens today.
by Ben Sachs
Tags: Film , The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , David Fincher , Niels Arden Oplev , Daniel Craig , Rooney Mara , Christopher Plummer , Ben Sachs , Chicago Reader , Steven Zallian , The Social Network
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The Hawks beat the Wild, the leading team in the NHL, in a shoot-out.
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A pre-game report of the Blackhawks' matchup with the Anaheim Ducks.
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The incipient, exciting chemistry of Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton was on display last night against the Pacers.
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What's in the December 15th, 2011 issue of the Reader
by Tal Rosenberg
Tags: Inside the Reader , News , Behind Our Scenes , Steve Bogira , campaign finance , Deanna Isaacs , Chicago Publishes , censorship , Michael Miner , Chicago Tribune , Ben Joravsky , Christmas , Mudville , Ted Cox , Blackhawks , You Are Here , Jennifer French , FBI , Travis Lampe , illustrator , toy-maker , Bronzeville , Ida B. Wells-Barnett , Savage Love , BDSM
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We look at Tim Tebow but do we see?
by Michael Miner
Tags: Mudville , Media , Sports , News Bites , Higgs boson , God particle , Tim Tebow , Michael Gerson , Chicago Tribune , Denver Broncos , Chicago Bears , Phil Mushnick , New York Post
Bleader
Warning: the enclosed drug warnings may make you sick.
by Steve Bogira
Tags: Science , Flotsam and Jetsam , placebos , drug warnings , pills , medicine , clinical trials , New Yorker , Harvard , positive thinking , nocebos , back pain , physical therapy , massage , Pilates , Rolfing , Naproxen , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , NSAIDs , prescriptions , heart attacks , strokes , ulcers , doctors , chest pain , sore throat , mood changes , ringing in the ears , seizures , headaches , joint pain , swelling , nausea , heartburn , side effects , heart disease , enlarged prostate , lawsuits