- Issue of
- Jan 21 - Feb 3, 2021
- Vol. 50, No. 9
Indoor Delights
Snack Break How oyatsu makes
the Chicago winter bearable
Tuft Stuff Rug-making is
experiencing a revival.
Book Drop Finding happiness in
empty bookshelves
Chill Out A psychology
professor dismantles the “Laziness
Lie.”
Turn Off Moving away from
harsh lighting reduces anxiety and
improves coziness.
Shopping Spree Support local
secondhand shoppers without stepping foot outside
Arts & Culture
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- Art Feature
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The rug revival
Tufting their way through the pandemic
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- Art Feature
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Food, health, sleep, and screens: We Series focuses on the essentials
Anything goes during this evening on Twitch.
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- Dance
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Chicago Dance History Project's Interview Marathon talks up a storm
Local and international luminaries provide a "microcosm" of CDHP's archival mission.
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- Feature
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Finding happiness in letting go
Empty bookshelves aren’t a bad thing.
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- Feature
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Attain nirvana by turning off your ceiling light
Moving away from harsh lighting reduces anxiety and improves coziness.
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- Feature
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In the chair
Chicago tattoo artists talk new protocols during COVID-19.
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- Ghost Light
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Miranda González of UrbanTheater Company on what 'cultural triage' means for BIPOC theaters
"We need to not only be trusted, but also championed."
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- Lit Feature
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According to Dr. Devon Price, Laziness Does Not Exist
The Loyola psychology professor dismantles the “Laziness Lie.”
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- Performing Arts Feature
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Imagine U and Chicago Children's Theatre find ways to fight the winter blahs
They're bringing kids and families together through storytelling, crafts—and a viral 80s dance video.
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- Theater Preview
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Broken Nose passes the Bechdel Test
This year's Bechdel Fest realigns online.
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- Theater Preview
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Missed Connections starts with the human, not the trick
Jon Tai's intimate take on magic and storytelling comes (virtually) to A Red Orchid.
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- Art Review
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Bursting and bubbling, Susan Smith Trees opens at Evanston Art Center
Working with the unknown encourages the “known.”
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- Book Review
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The sad, funny monster in Running the Light
Stand-up comedian Sam Tallent’s hilarious novel follows a dumpster fire of a man looking for redemption.
City Life
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- Public Service Announcement
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Out and about . . . or not
Upcoming events and recommendations from our listings coordinator
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- Shop Local
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Thrifting from home
Support local secondhand shoppers without stepping foot outside.
Food & Drink
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- Food & Drink Feature
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Giving myself a break: on oyatsu
How a snacking ritual makes the Chicago winter bearable
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- Food & Drink Feature
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BIPOC bartenders shake it up
Chicagoan Davíd Leon Jr. is among the mixologists featured in a new short film following people of color in the industry.
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- Food & Drink Feature
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Rishi Manoj Kumar is a macha man
Bar Sotano's chef de cuisine launches a line of toasty, nutty, Mexican chili oils.
Columns & Opinion
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- On Culture
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Tim Samuelson may be retiring, but he's not history yet
Chicago's first and only cultural historian goes on emeritus status, but there's plenty of work ahead of him.
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- On Politics
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Self-pity party
John Catanzara’s “apology” is classic MAGA—deflection, projection, and media bashing.
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- On Politics
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Back to the petri dish
With threats of termination, Mayor Lightfoot and Janice Jackson welcome teachers back to the classroom.
-
- Opinion
-
Who’s really controlling Trump’s impeachment
Don’t be fooled that their motives are moral.
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- Savage Love
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The secrets we learn while snooping for multivitamins
Should my man disclose he’s HIV-positive to the other guy in our threesome?
-
- Savage Love
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Is my boyfriend a closeted necrophiliac?
If even the slightest moan escapes her lips during sex, he recoils.
Music
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- Chicagoans of Note
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Steve Walters, artist and screen printer at Screwball Press
“I named my business Screwball Press with no thought that I’d still be working at this 30 years later. . . . I didn’t want the name to suggest that I knew what I was doing.”
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- Gig Poster of the Week
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HotHouse meets Havana on the gig poster of the week
The venerable local arts presenter celebrates 34 years by streaming a fabulous lineup of jazz masters from Cuba and Chicago.
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- Gig Poster of the Week
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A transatlantic livestream on the gig poster of the week
This week's featured gig poster was created by musician and artist Misisipi Mike.
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- Gossip Wolf
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Good Willsmith return with an acid-fried live album
Plus: Cinchel drops an ambient cassette that doubles as an art object, and Bob Nanna’s mid-90s band Orwell releases an odds-and-sods compilation.
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- Gossip Wolf
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Dream-pop artist Claude releases her refined debut EP
Plus: Brooklyn label Fire Talk signs Chicago singer-songwriter Mia Joy, and local rapper Säge, the 64th Wonder drops his first project since 2019.
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- Music Feature
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Finding ways to play through the pandemic
Chicago improvisers Tim Daisy and Matt Piet have responded to the challenges of COVID by learning new ways to record alone.
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- Music Feature
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Rest in peace to Chicago drummer Joe Camarillo
The beloved musician and collaborator extraordinaire built a long resumé, which includes decades playing with the Waco Brothers and Hushdrops.
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- The Listener
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Battle Hag capture the sound of an ascent from the underworld
The colossal Celestial Tyrant looks to Greek mythology for a story of renewal.
-
- The Listener
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Chicago rapper Monster Mike takes on the porpoise police
His new video, by local crew New Trash, may be your only chance to see a cetacean fight a katana duel.
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- The Secret History of Chicago Music
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The Aces helped invent the sound of electric Chicago blues
They’re best known as a backing band for Junior Wells and Little Walter, but they took the lead when it came to the future of the genre.
Reader
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- Reader events
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A conversation between Maya Dukmasova and WBEZ's Alden Loury about the state of accessible, affordable housing in Chicago
Online book launch party Wednesday, January 20, 6 PM - 7:30 PM CST
Reader partners
-
- Sponsored Content: Corvelay Media Inc. (paid sponsored content)
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Best sexting websites and apps for NSFW messaging
Nude text notifications hit different, don't they? Get it on over text with these free sexting sites and apps. Send nudes and flirty sexts.
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- Sponsored Content: Corvelay Media Inc. (paid sponsored content)
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Best VR porn websites
Virtual reality porn sites with top XXX content
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- Sponsored Content: Corvelay Media Inc. (paid sponsored content)
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Top ten chat lines with free trials
Who wants to swipe when you can just talk? Here's a list of the top 10 chat lines with free trials you can call to meet someone over the phone.
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- Sponsored Content: Lalamove (paid sponsored content)
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This new app is helping Chicago businesses stay afloat
Lalamove delivers anything, even during a pandemic.
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- Sponsored Content: Paradise Media (sponsored advertising)
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Seven best online psychic reading services
My reviews of free psychics available by phone and chat
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- Sponsored Content: Poetry Foundation (sponsored advertising)
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Ain't it time?