Whether you are a Chicago native or involved in the wedding planning from afar, there are essential ingredients to a Jewish wedding that Chicago does particularly well. The right music and food at a wedding can make all of the difference. Having the right music is one of the most important components to a well-orchestrated wedding. There is no shortage of Jewish musical entertainment bands and orchestras in Chicago, but there are three that are particularly noteworthy. Mesmechai Leiv Orchestras is a great choice …More

Located at 6400 North on the Chicago street grid, Devon Avenue stretches from just near Lake Michigan on Sheridan Road well into the suburbs. But, given that it’s getting mention here, obviously the street is more than a major thoroughfare but also a world of culinary delights. Along the strip you’ll find thriving Indian, Pakistani, Ethiopian, Orthodox Jewish, Georgian, Turkish and Russian communities, complete with the requisite food and wares. Stroll on down and prep your internationally inclined …More

Hyde Park is quirkiness defined. The South Side neighborhood, whose borders are roughly 47th Street on the north, 61st Street on the South, Cottage Grove Avenue on the west and the most picturesque, Lake Michigan on the east, is home to one of the world’s finest science museums, one of the world’s finest universities and likely one of the best spots in Chicago to watch fireworks over the lake. Likely the most trafficked tourist draw is the Museum of Science and Industry. Located on Lake Shore Drive at …More

Chicago is big. There are cars, trains, taxis, pigeons, people, and huge, tall, massive buildings. Let's face it: Wandering around and in the shadows of all of these things can get pretty boring. Most kids don't like shopping or architectural tours or eating at fancy restaurants. Most kid's just want to - well - do kid stuff. For the young ones of the group, there is the Kohl Children's Museum in Chicago's north suburbs. I used to go to this museum as a child, and while people told me I did other 'Chicago' …More

Some say romance is a matter of perspective, though it never hurts to use inspiration. With Chicago’s wealth of scenery, street festivals, fine dining and quiet, corner hideaways, it’s city perfect for kindling romance—new and old alike. Whether you’re planning an evening, a day or a weekend of romance in the Second City, a good place to start is with an activity. Simple works best; nothing assuming or demanding. The iO Theater in Wrigleyville often has different improv shows, sketch …More

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 flattened four square miles of Chicago, effectively depressing a reset button for city planners and real estate developers. Developers concentrated on profitable districts during the rebuild. As the century turned over and Chicago continued to hone its commercial prowess, the the life along Michigan Avenue took shape. In 1930s, real estate baron Arthur Rubloff named the stretch of Michigan Avenue between the Loop and Near North the ‘Magnificent Mile.’ Not only was this …More

After the Great Chicago Fire, city planners took the opportunity to rethink the cowpath system (what kind of city would Boston be if it had a Great Fire?). What came afterwards is what out-of-towners like to call The Grid—a simple way to describe the layout of Chicago. Here you have roads running in the cardinal directions, with addresses running ascending and descending, so you always know where you are, even if you can't see the lake.  For those with a more innate sense of directional fealty, Chicago …More

Chicago is a diverse and colorful city, painted and characterized by the immigrants who made it what it is today. With religious, social and economic pressures becoming increasingly heavy-handed on the Jews throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, many western and eastern European Jews looked to America as a place of opportunity. While most immigrants came in through New York, and many settled there, others looked farther west for a place to call home. Farther west was Chicago, a city that was already an …More

In Chicago, they’re not called hot dogs. They’re called red hots, and they should never be eaten with ketchup. Don’t ask for it, don’t hint at it—to spare you the embarrassment, just go about your meal as if ketchup never existed. Implied in this anti-ketchup sentiment is that the unmentionable condiment is often used to mask the flavor of a less-than-respectable red hot which, if adequately prepared, should have the following: onions, tomatoes, relish, mustard, peppers, and celery …More

One of the struggles we face in the Midwest is coming to terms with our comparatively short and somewhat monochromatic history. While our European forebears have histories teaming with golems, dybbuks and fairy tales, in America—and especially in the Midwest—we face a uniquely human history. Many of these conflicts converge in Chicago itself, which is a city equally as important nationally as it is historically. Here there are tales of struggle, industry, commerce, immigration, arts and literature. …More

As a bastion of fine dining, one slight deficit remanded by the city of Chicago is its tendency to be helplessly Midwestern. You can’t spit without hitting the side of a burger or hot-dog joint, and while the pizza here is inimitable, your gut will eventually pay the price—especially if you live here. Fortunately, Chicago’s forward-thinking gastronomes and restaurateurs act as an outspoken conscience for shaping and refining Chicago’s appetite. You don’t have to look too hard or …More

You’ve heard people talk about the seedy underbelly of Chicago, waxing romantic about the bygone days of Al Capone and the Chicago Outfit. Now that the 21st century is underway, most of the seediness is gone out of the city center and its underbelly been all but forgotten. Nonetheless, the underground remains. In fact, you can spend whole days in Chicago without going above ground. There are restaurants, clothiers and coffee shops all over/under the city, so long as you know where to look for them. To get …More