Hella Neumann Concierge at the Wyndham How long you’ve lived here: Two and a half years. What you like best about Chicago: Sunshine, rain or snow, Chicago has always something to offer. Spend your day at one of the many museums, browse stores downtown, mingle among the locals in one of the diverse neighborhoods, listen ...

Elizabeth Fogerty Lawyer How long you’ve lived here: Nine years. What you like best about Chicago: The skyline welcoming me home every time I leave the city. Best meal you’ve had recently: At La Scarola, we ordered the veal chop alla gabe (paper thin veal over baby potatoes) and the gamberi risotto (prosciutto-wrapped shrimp over ...

Chicago Insider: Douglas Pickett on the authentic Italian at Volare and shopping in Andersonville

By Patricia Hall If you thought you wouldn’t be able to afford that one-of-a-kind piece of art for your home, you couldn’t be more wrong. For almost 20 years, Chicago has been home to Arts & Artisans stores, showcasing a wide variety of hand-crafted art from all over the country. “We are always seeking out ...

Chicago Insider: Samantha Cybor on West Loop restaurants and First Fridays at the MCA

We have too many ‘experts’ for it to be an easy decision, but that didn’t stop us from coming up with a list of great steakhouses worth checking out By Trent Modglin Chicago may be more identifiable with deep dish, its mafia past and the Wrigley Field ivy, but we also know a thing or ...

There’s nothing wrong with shopping and exercising the brain at the same time By Megan Green When someone enters Marbles: The Brain Store, they could simply glance around and assume it’s a basic bookstore or toy store. But the reality is much more mind bending. When co-founders Lindsay Gaskins and Karen Luby first came up ...

THE QUESTION: What is the most entertaining bar in the city?  “Spy Bar in River North. It’s a swanky lounge that is unpretentious, but you can smell the money. The women are appropriately underdressed.” — GEORGE M. ______________________________________________________________ “Debonair in Wicker Park. It’s the perfect place to grab a drink and dance all night. The ...

By Jennifer Billock Saigon Sisters has only been open a few weeks, yet has managed to quickly develop a distinct personality. The Vietnamese-French fusion restaurant is family-owned and family-taught, according to manager Mary Nguyen Aregoni, who says her mom teaches the chefs the more traditional recipes. But that’s not to belie their natural talent — ...