Uncovered Magazine

CHICAGO MAGAZINE | FALL ISSUE 2016

ENJOYMENT p06 | LANDMARKS p44

Countdown to the best FOOD donut | CULTURE p60 | FOOD p94 in| Chitown LIFESTYLE p128

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OUR MISSION Uncovered Magazine is an informational and entertainment based magazine that is locally distributed within the Chicagoland area. Uncovered Magazine sets itself apart from various other travel and Chicago focused magazines by stressing that its content focuses on the exciting/less explored hot spots and events.

The mission of Chicago Uncovered Magazine is to focus on various hidden gems in the Chicagoland area, and what they have to offer. We aim to give the reader unique experiences including, events, entertainment, restaurants and more. We highlight and celebrate various cultural differences within Chicago. It’s what makes us who we are.

CONTENTS ENJOYMENT 8 18 25 30

Sofa Headquarters Leaving Our Mark on the City Secrets of the City

46 48 50 52 54 56

One Million Square Feet The Wonder Theater of the World The Tallest Building in America Hall of Murals Underground Tunnels Chicago’s Best Kept Secret

62 70 78 86 92

Meet Jamila Woods Connect with Esther Garcia Unite with Theaster Gates Encounter Rising Stars Top 8 Must See Events

LANDMARKS

CULTURE

FOOD 96 98 104 108 114

Countdown to Chicago’s Best Donuts Chicago’s Rievival Food Hall Interview with BellyQ Chicago Top 15 Best Food Trucks in Chicago The Most important Hotdogs in Chicago History LIFESTYLE

130 Chicago Reinvented 138 Living the Life with Cody Hudson 146 Everything That Will Definitely Happen to You While Riding the CTA 154 Vintage meets Modern 158 Ambition, Dedication, and Buckets

MEET THE UNCOVERED CREW We’re the creators of Uncovered Chicago Magazine.

Our objective is to show you sights unseen, sounds unheard, and things right under your nose you didn’t even know were there. We’re a bunch of Graphic Design and Advertising majors who see the city differently. We’re here to uncover the city one magazine issue at a time.

Creative Director Shyra Thomas was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and currently calls Chicago her home. What she loves about advertising is that it’s such a clever way to tap into the human psyche, and she loves the art of storytelling.

Advertising allows her the opportunity to convey a brands’ message to an audience in a way that can make them laugh, cry, sing along, and evoke raw emotion. When she is not designing, she likes exploring Chicago and the surrounding areas a little at a time, indulging in Chicago’s cuisine (the hot dogs are the best), and hanging with friends.

She feels Chicago is a beauty, and it’s definitely been a pleasure for her to live here over these past couple of years.

Sr. Graphic Designer / Estimator

Art Director / Production

Laura Carmona is a well-rounded graphic designer. She enjoys collaborating with other creative minds and working on diverse projects. Laura’s design work focuses on print and digital layout, as well as inspiration photography and illustration. One of her favorite elements of being a designer is the end result of a project’s process. Laura was born and raised in Bridgeport, Chicago. She comes from a low-income family and is the first and oldest of three siblings to attend college. When Laura is not designing she enjoys quality time with her family, shopping for the latest fashion trends with her close friends, and devours delicious food.

Scart Javier is very passionate about creating image and text to communicate a message. She mostly enjoys doing page layout design. She’s proficient in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and LightRoom. She is also knowledgeable in Dreamweaver, HTML and CSS. Once a friend of her said that she has a good eye for photography and can shoot in manual settings using a DSLR camera.

She worships the learning process and always captures imagery to progress in her craft.

Researcher / Designer Graphic Designer Gary Williams was born and raised in Chicago. He is a Graphic Design student at The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.

He enjoys logo and package design, and would categorize his style as clean and simplistic. He is motivated by setting goals for himself and achieving them. He continues to grow and learn as Graphic Designer every day.

Ashley Jackson is a detail-oriented advertising major with a skillset mainly centered around concept development and digital design . With a passion for conducting primary; secondary research, she tackles projects with comprehension of the matter at hand.

She takes pride in having an established but ever growing knowledge of Adobe programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. With a creative mindset, she confidently tackles projects head on.

ENJOYMENT Break away from the typical night out with these hidden adventures that are sure to become some of your favorite memories.

THE POWER OF ART. NOV 3-6

SCULPTURE OBJECTS FUNCTIONAL & DESIGN ART EXPO

MASTERWORK Imagine an immersive art experience where you are surrounded by original contemporary masterworks within custom-designed gallery spaces or where sculptural fantasies are elegantly placed in spacious aisles for you to peruse—and not just a dozen or so, but hundreds! If this is your dream scenario, then SOFA CHICAGO is your destination.

The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair is the premier art fair dedicated to — as the name indicates — sculpture, objects, and functional art and design. SOFA is the most popular and well-attended event of its kind in Chicago.

SOFA CHIC AGO has run annually since 1994 and has garnered critical acclaim for its unique focus on threedimensional artworks offered by the top national and international galleries.

KS

SOFA The Power of Art

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The stunning fine art exhibit.

SO MUCH TO SEE This year, the fair will showcase nearly 70 galleries, both new and returning, and highlight artwork by emerging and established artists. Last year’s edition drew a crowd of more than 36,000 visitors and the 2016 show is expected to exceed this number. All media forms will converge at SOFA, including ceramics, wood, glass, fiber, jewelry, metal, design, painting, photography, works on paper and more.

Notable exhibitors at this year’s edition include Aaron Faber Gallery, Long Sharp Gallery, Duane Reed Gallery, TAI Modern, and Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h. SOFA CHICAGO strongly emphasizes education, and this year’s fair will include an acclaimed lecture series and special exhibits exploring the artworks on view.

SOFA The Power of Art

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FINE ART SNEEK PEEKS SOFA The Power of Art

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Contemporary art exhibit

EVENT DATES November 3-6, 2016 Thursday’s Opening Night Preview, 5 - 9pm Friday and Saturday, 11am - 7pm Sunday, 12 - 6pm

Festival Hall, Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL SOFA CHICAGO opens next Friday, preceded by a preview on November 3, 2016. General admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door a 3-day pass is $30. To learn more about SOFA CHICAGO and view a complete list of exhibitors, special exhibition topics, and events, visit www.sofaexpo.com.

SOFA The Power of Art

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DON’T GROW UP, ITS A TRAP! EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF I had been inside Headquarters Beercade for less than five minutes when it hit me.This place was unlike any other bar–or arcade–I had ever been to.

in the Chicago area, this duo has left no detail overlooked. They’ve made a funky arcade bar that provides plenty of enjoyment. This is what makes them such a strong duo.

Located in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, “The allure of HQ is difficult to explain with Headquarters Beercade seamlessly fuses a mere pen and paper — you just have to together spectacular craft beer and cocktails experience it”. with classic arcade games.

It does not take long to realize owners Mark Kwiatkowski and Brian Galati know exactly what they are doing. As longtime bar owners

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Whether you’re a hipster, meathead jock or a businessman in a suit and tie, HQ has something for you.

“We’ve been in the bar business for a long time, both from the restaurant side and the nightclub side,” Galati explained. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place where competing demographics from literally opposite ends of the spectrum can co-exist so perfectly.”

He’s right. One lap around HQ and you quickly notice this is a place that caters to all walks of life.

Make no mistake, though, HQ is no gimmick. This isn’t just your average dive bar serving cold pizza and Busch Light with a few rundown arcade games in the back.

These owners take pride in what they do — each craft beer and cocktail on the menu is carefully chosen, each video game methodically selected.

And the video games… take a deep breath. They have everything: Pac Man, Ms. Pac Man, Frogger, NBA Jam, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donkey Kong, The Simpsons, Galaga, Street Fighter II, Asteroids and Gorf, just to name a few. Roughly 37 vintage games line the walls of this hidden gem located adjacent to Uncle Fatty’s near the corner of Sheffield Ave. & Wolfram St.

Headquarters Experience it Yourself

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THE NIGHT IS YOUNG! “We take a lot of time figuring out what games we should have, where they’re going to go and we make sure they’re working properly,” Kwiatkowski said. “It’s a balance.”

Even better, at the bottom of every receipt rests a reminder welcoming customers to log onto HQ’s website and request a game or craft beer.

“We take that very seriously,” Galati. “As soon as (a new game) comes in, we email everyone who said they wanted Mortal Kombat. ‘Hey, we took your suggestion under consideration and we actually got Mortal Kombat.’ We take it very seriously and want our customers to know that if they suggest something, we’re going to listen.”

Take away the stellar beer and cocktail list and unprecedented game selection and you’ll see how dedicated the staff is to providing a truly great product.

Each bartender is well versed in the types of beer located behind the custom-built bar. It’s quite a task, too, given the beers are constantly rotating in and out based on popularity.

“Service,” Kwiatkowski quickly answered when asked what separates HQ from the competition. “You see it with our bartenders. Every customer is treated that way. They’re very knowledgeable about the beers we serve and they’ll take the time to engage with the customers. The beers rotate every 10 days, so we’ve got a whole new arsenal of beers.”

Headquarters Experience it Yourself

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BeerHoptacular, one of Chicago’s original craft beer festivals, will make its triumphant return on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. For the sixth time, Chicago craft beer fans will come together to celebrate their love of American beer culture and sample over 150 American craft beers from 75 different breweries.

Leaving Our Mark on the City BEERHOPTACULAR

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FOR THE LOVE O

Organizing the event is Lou Dog Events, founded in the western suburbs of Chicago in 2010. Since then, founder Josh Seago of Naperville has grown the events company around the ever-expanding craft beer market, with steady expansion from three suburban fests the first year to more than 20 throughout Northern Illinois in 2016, attracting some 35,000 attendees. Among the largest are the Naperville Ale Fest and the Chicago Ale Fest at Buckingham Fountain.

Seago credits his success to the love of craft beer.

“The craft beer and craft bar scene has really exploded.

We’ve grown strategically with it, cultivating relationships with brewers and brewer representatives, watching the geographic and demographic trends, and introducing new concepts as they emerge,” he says. “Mostly, we are craft beer people doing festivals, not the other way around. We

go for the total experience, unique settings with character, unique opportunities to showcase hard-to-find brews, ciders, sours, cask beers, limited editions. The goal is to introduce something new and fun to devotees and newbies alike, in an approachable way.”

The upcoming BeerHoptacular will also feature a home brew competition. We are excited to be bringing this festival back,” says Seago. “It’s one of the original craft beer fests in Chicago and it had a steady following. We think this location will also pique people’s interest.” Cinespace Chicago Film Studios occupies 1.45 million sq. ft. of what use to be the old Ryerson Steel Company on the west side of downtown Chicago.

OF CRAFT BEER

Cinespace Chicago specializes in the development, management and operation of studio facilities and is the current the filming home of Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med. A portion of the proceeds for the 2016 BeerHoptacular will benefit the Ignite the Spirit Fund, which is a Chicago Fire Department Charity that helps to ease the hardship of families in need. Lou Dog Events festivals typically include a charity component.

Leaving Our Mark on the City BEERHOPTACULAR

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From the suburbs to the city “It’s a good way to partner with the local community to make each event uniquely connected to its location. Hopefully, it also makes people feel good,” he adds.

Brian Pawola of Pollyanna Brewing in Lemont has done a dozen Lou Dog festivals in the last couple of years, and he’ll be back at BeerHoptacular. “We actually started at the Naperville Ale Fest even before we opened,” he says. “That summer helped us work on our brand, get feedback and get out there in the marketplace. Josh does a better job representing the brewing industry than anyone I know,” he says. “He attracts Chicagoans to the suburbs and now he’s growing in Chicago as well. He works really hard to make it easy for us to promote our brands.”

Kelly Olenick, Regional Sales Manager for Revolution Brewing says her company sees great value in working with Lou Dog Ale Fests. “A Lou Dog event is always completely reliable. Josh and his team bring an incredible level of organization and attention detail to everything they do. We know the brewers will have everything to make it a great event, including tools and equipment, people to bring you water and help in the booth, anything we might need in an emergency.”

That translates to the visitor experience as well, she says. “ There is always a little something special, a little extra attention that enhances the experience. Josh embraces all brewers large and small, he seeks out variety and that benefits the consumer and us in the business.

I can mingle with start ups and see what consumers are enjoying.

Leaving Our Mark on the City BEERHOPTACULAR

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SE TH C C E R S P H I C ET EACA IT S K GO Y T OF EA O P SI ES

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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THE DRIFTER While some bars work extremely hard to manufacture a genuine speakeasy vibe, The Drifter in Chicago’s River North district has no such issue. That’s because it’s an ACTUAL prohibition era speakeasy that has been restored to its original brilliance. To get in, you have to enter The Green Door Tavern and walk down the stairs in the back of the bar. Downstairs you’ll find an intensely intimate speakeasy that you’ll want to visit over and over again. You’ll have no trouble revisiting either, since the cocktail menu is rotated nightly, you’ll always find something new to experience.

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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BOOZE BOX Located in Sushi Dokku’s basement, Booze Box is a dark and sex y bar where you’ll find great drinks , Japanese bites , and a laid-back vibe. Hip -hop on the speakers is pretty common and the red lighting makes this a great spot for a date/million-dollar diamond heist planning session. How to get in: Head to the alley located just south of Sushi Dokku and find the door with a Booze Box sticker near its handle.

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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THREE DOTS AND A DASH Look for the torches behind Bub City in the alley to find yourself at this secluded tiki-style bar. Stocked with everything fruit and rum based that you could imagine, Three Dots And A Dash is an excellent tropical break from an otherwise urbanized area.

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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DOUBLE A Double A below Chicago’s Mercadito restaurant is the place to be if you are thirsty for knowledge about cocktails.

Within this petite basement bar, you will find a “Mixologist’s Table” where you can interact with your bartender and experience exactly how your perfect (because they’re always perfect) cocktail is made. Still looking for a few tips on crafting that perfect drink?

Be sure to check out Double A’s Mixology Academy to brush up on your bartending skills.

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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5

EAST ROOM

While not quite as lavish as some of the other bars on this list, the east room is a great place to grab an ice-cold Pabst Blue Ribbon and let loose. There’s no sign that advertises the bar’s location, which sort of makes it secret right?, But cheap brews and an impressive collection of local graffiti art are enough to perpetuate enough word-of-mouth advertising to cement East Room as one of Chicago’s more lively hotspots.

How to get in: Locate the nondescript side entrance off Medill, and look for the red light above the door, which is lit when the bar is open.

Secrets Of The City Top Chicago Speakeasies

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WINTER LESS WET

As sure as Chicago was named a city in 1837, winter is coming. Our new Far Northern Collection is built to withstand the most wicked winter conditions. Slick enough for the city, tough enough for the mountains, our down-insulated technology assures you ultimate warmth all winter long. Whichever direction you’re facing, The Northface has got your back.

#STAYWARMCHICAGO

LOOKS GOOD BUT COULD BE MESSY ON TRAINS AND BUSES.

Please don’t leave your crap behind.

Keep CTA cleaner for you and everyone else. Plus, trash ends up on the tracks and causes track fires, which means delays for everyone.

LANDMARKS Chicago’s landmarks are some of the most recognizable in the world.

Take a look at how we uncover these landmarks, and you’ll never look at them the same way again.

ONE MILLION SQUARE FEET The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 and located in Chicago’s Grant Park, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 million guests annually. Its collection stewarded by 11 curatorial departments is encyclopedic, and includes iconic works such as Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte 1884, Pablo Picasso’s The Old Guitarist, Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, and Grant Wood’s American Gothic. Its permanent collection of nearly 300,000 works of art is augmented by more than 30 special exhibitions mounted yearly that illuminate aspects of the collection and present cutting-edge curatorial and scientific research.

As a research institution, the Art Institute also has a conservation and conservation science department, five conservation laboratories, and one of the largest art history and architecture libraries in the country—the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries.

The growth of the collection has warranted multiple expansions of the museum’s original 1893 building, which was constructed for the World’s Columbian Exposition of the same year. The most recent expansion, the Modern Wing designed by Renzo Piano, opened in 2009 and increased the museum’s footprint to nearly one million square feet, making it the second-largest art museum in the United States, after the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Art Institute is connected to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a leading art school, making it one of the few remaining unified arts institutions in the U.S

One Million Square Feet

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THE WONDER THEATRE OF THE WORLD The grandeur of The Chicago Theatre often leaves its visitors breathless. The elegant lobby, majestic staircase and beautiful auditorium complete with murals above the stage and on the ceiling, are components of an amazing building called “the Wonder Theatre of the World” when it opened on October 26, 1921. The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million by theatre owners Barney and Abe Balaban and Sam and Morris Katz and designed by Cornelius and George Rapp. It was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz theatre chain.

Built in French Baroque style, The Chicago Theater’s exterior features a miniature replica of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, sculpted above its State Street marquee.

Faced in a glazed, off-white terra cotta, the triumphal arch is sixty feet wide and six stories high. Within the arch is a grand window in which is set a large circular stained-glass panel.

The grand lobby, modeled after the Royal Chapel at Versailles, is five stories high and surrounded by gallery promenades at the mezzanine and balcony levels. The grand staircase is patterned after that of the Paris Opera House and ascends to the various levels of the Great Balcony.

The Wonder Theater of the World

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THE TALLEST BUILDING IN AMERICA One of the tallest buildings in the world and the tallest building in America, it is impossible to miss when appreciating the skyline.

In 1969, Sears Roebuck and Company was the largest retailer in the world, with about 350,000 employees. Deciding it needed a central office space for its many employees, the company hired architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to design what would become one of the largest office buildings in the world. After breaking ground in 1970, it took three years to complete and used enough concrete to make an eight-lane, five-mile-long highway.

The last beam put in place was commemorated by the signatures of 12,000 construction workers, Sears employees, and Chicagoans.

In 1988, Sears Roebuck and Company sold and moved out of the building, but the Sears Tower name remained the same. It was renamed Willis Tower in 2009 after the Willis Group Holdings, the global insurance broker who calls the Tower its Midwest home.

In July 2009, U.S. Equities led the design and construction of a multi-million dollar renovation of Skydeck Chicago, including the development of The Ledge, a series of glass bays on the 103rd floor that extend from the building providing visitors with unobstructed views of Chicago through the windows and glass floors – 1,353 feet straight down. In addition to The Ledge, the new Skydeck visitor center features museum-quality interactive exhibits. The opening of The Ledge has provided the Skydeck with record-breaking visitor counts consistently since its debut.

In May 2011, Skydeck Chicago opened Skydeck Marketplace, a brand new, 7,500 square foot retail and express cafe experience.

Visitors can purchase their choice of over 300 unique Chicago, Ledge and Willis Tower items and are treated to authentic Chicago food and beverages including Connie’s Pizza, Eli’s Cheesecake and Vienna Hot Dogs.

The Tallest Building in America

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HALL OF MURALS Dr. Max Thorek founded the International College of Surgeons (ICS) in 1935, with the goals of promoting the exchange of surgical knowledge worldwide. The Museum was originally conceived as the ICS Hall of Fame, and as a repository for its growing collection of historically significant surgical instrumentation, artworks and manuscripts. Beginning in 1950, through the efforts of Dr. Thorek, the Museum received additional donations of objects and artwork from many of the national sections of the ICS, individual surgeons and collectors, and other institutions. Shipments of artifacts, paintings, sculptures, and books arrived, and the Museum began to take shape.

To house the Museum, a historic lakeside mansion was acquired, adjacent to the ICS headquarters.

The Museum opened to the public on September 9, 1954.

One of the first exhibits to be installed was the Hall of Immortals, containing twelve large stone statues of great figures in the field of medicine and the allied sciences.

In further reverence to great scientists, surgeons and discoveries of the past, a Hall of Murals was created with aww series of large paintings depicting the development of surgical science through the ages.

In 1959, the Museum marked the dedication of galleries devoted to France, Mexico, Spain and the Netherlands, with many more of these national rooms inaugurated over the ensuing years. The founding leaders of the Museum hoped to make the collection meaningful to the public by organizing exhibits by nation. Each room, hallway, and stair landing were devoted to one nation or region’s historical collection with the intention of tracing a particular nation’s contribution to surgery.

Hall of Murals

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UNDERGROUND TUNNELS Chicago’s downtown pedestrian way system, the Pedway, lies in the heart of the city. This system of underground tunnels and overhead bridges links more than 40 blocks in the Central Business District, covering roughly five miles.

Used by tens of thousands of pedestrians each day, the Pedway connects to public and private buildings, CTA stations and commuter rail facilities.

Development of the Pedway began in 1951, when the City of Chicago built one-block tunnels connecting the Red Line and Blue Line subways at Washington Street and Jackson Boulevard. Since then, both public and private investment have expanded the Pedway, and the system now connects more than 50 buildings.

The Pedway is a safe, quick and convenient way for pedestrians to travel downtown—especially in the winter and during times of rain or snow. The Pedway also benefits traffic by reducing the conflict between vehicles and pedestrians, resulting in fewer accidents and better traffic flow.

Underground Tunnels

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CHICAGO’S BEST KEPT SECRET

The Yale is one of Chicago’s best-kept secrets. This seven-story Richardsonian-Romanesque building originally offered luxury apartments for visitors to the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Like the Brewster Building, a very similar building in Lincoln Park, the Yale also has a beautiful skylit atrium ringed with walkways that resemble the balconies of the New Orleans French Quarter. Bright yellow walls, trickling fountains and a verdant profusion of hanging vines transport residents and guests away from the streets of Chicago to a tranquil jungle-like atmosphere. The landmark building was saved, extensively restored and converted into senior living apartments in 2003.

Chicago’s Best Kept Secret

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NAVY PIER

CULTURE Chicago plays a crucial role in the significant advancement of comedy, house music, blues, gospel, jazz, and soul. See how these homegrown talents add to the progression of Chicago’s rich culture.

“I’m always collecting,” says Woods, speaking over Skype from her Chicago apartment. “I’ll be on the subway and a guitarist will be playing with a hat out, and I’ll record a little part, take it home, and make it into a beat with my voice.”

Woods’s penchant for layering comes directly from her interest in hip-hop, gospel, and soul, genres that have long given new consideration to sampling and allusion as artistic devices. Growing up on the city’s South Side—her father is a second-generation Chicagoan and her mother an army brat who “lived all over”—Woods and her three younger siblings sang Disney tunes to entertain each other, tracks from Stevie Wonder’s Conversation Peace album to put sick family members at ease, and songs from their grandmother’s Sunday choir to bring the feeling of church home.

Meet Jamila Woods DO IT ALL POET MAKING FREEDOM SONGS FOR GIRLS

Musicians and Poets

Unite Together On any given day, Jamila Woods might climb into bed accompanied by a stack of books, a Moleskine, scraps of loose paper, and a thin-tipped black marker. Every artist has a process and this is hers: the multi-hyphenate Woods—poet-singer-songwriter and full-time arts non-profiter—bundles sundry influences and takes what she needs out of them. On an evening this past February, as she worked on songs for a debut solo album, those influences included lyrics by Incubus and Taking Back Sunday, tweets culled from a friend’s timeline,

BY RAWIYA KAMEIR and books by writers like Toni Morrison and Gwendolyn Brooks. The 26-year-old’s best art is patchwork, made up, like her, of things that came before. There’s something about Chicago—maybe the eight months of cruel winter, maybe the landlocked, little-big-town complex cities of its size often have—that makes it loom large in the work of its residents.

Meet Jamila Woods

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IN “GHAZAL FOR WHITE HEN PANTRY,” A POEM BY WOODS PUBLISHED IN POETRY M AG A Z I N E L A S T Y E A R , T H E W H I T E NEIGHBORHOOD HOSTILE TO HER BLACK FAMILY PLAYS A POTENT BACKDROP: OREOS IN YOUR PALM, PERM IN YOUR HAIR/ EVERYONE’S IRISH IN BEVERLY, YOU JUST MISSIN’ THE WHITE SKIN, SHE WRITES. Woods, who earned her own footing in the arts by shuttling through a number of community programs, now teaches at the renowned literary organization Young Chicago Authors. The group hosts WordplayYCA, a long-running youth open mic that served as an incubator for guys like Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Mick Jenkins. “Even when I was in college in Rhode Island, whenever I was home I would go there and read something so I could make sure I was still speaking the language of my people,” she says, a persistent smile peeking through her steady voice.

After graduating from Brown with majors i n A f r i c a n a S t u d i e s a n d T h e a t re a n d Performance Studies, Woods moved back to Chicago and spent a couple of years as one half of a minimal, organic sounding R&B duo with a college friend. When the band broke up last year, it was Woods’s crystalline vocals alongside Chance on “Sunday Candy,” off of

Macklemore and Jamila Woods Photographed

by Matthew Avignone

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment’s Surf, that introduced her to much of the world. (She closes her contribution to the song with a reference: an interpolation of the gospel standard “It’s Gonna Rain.”) But Woods attracted even more eyes a year later, when she guested on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “White Privilege II.” Macklemore’s music and celebrity frequently play host to a battleground of ideas about race and appropriation, and the song, for all of its earnestness, earned rigorous criticism for both his intentions and politics. “I can’t say I feel regret, but I felt like a turtle. I went back into my shell a little bit,” says Woods of being swept up in the social media backlash over the song. “The thing I was most afraid of was that people would think I was, like, being inauthentic to myself or just wanting to be on a Macklemore song.”

Her concerns are understandable. Whereas the Macklemore collaboration was intended to spur introspection and dialogue among his majority-white audience, Woods’s poetry and music mindfully target black girls.

Jamila Woods Photographed by Matthew Avignone following pages Chance the Rapper and Jamila Woods

“If a black girl hears my music, I hope it would sound affirming and soothing—whether that’s traditionally soothing like a lullaby, or the kind of soothing that comes from, ‘Wow, you just said that thing that is talking to me,” says Woods. On her first solo single, “Blk Grl Soldier,” which she describes as a “freedom song,” she calls out the names of black women heroes like Audre Lorde, Assata Shakur, and Angela Davis over a drone-y beat produced by fellow Chicagoans Saba and Just Cuz. They want us in kitchen/ Kill our sons with lynchings/ We get loud about it/ Oh,

now we’re the bitches, Woods sings, mincing absolutely zero words. The song’s affirming vibe and layered arrangement offer an early glimpse of what she hopes to accomplish with her album, which will be released this summer by Chicago indie Closed Sessions.

“It feels like a challenge sometimes to even feel joy on a day-to-day basis,” Woods says.

So she’ll continue finding some—somewhere, anywhere—and stack it all up.

Meet Jamila Woods

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Meet Jamila Woods

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Attention Chicagoans! The hottest concerts and music events of the fall season are finally here! So visit livenation.com to explore the wide variety of music venues coming to the Windy City this year.

WHY

Because taxi meters can rival the energizer bunny.

Visit, whydivvybikes.com to learn why more Chicagoins are choosing Divvy.

WHY

Countdown to the best donut in Chitown

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Connect With Esther Garcia A TATTOO ARTIST BLOSSOMS BUT NOT OVERNIGHT

BY LUCY HEWETT It might be fair to say there’s no longer a typical tattoo style out there—there are as many styles as artists in an ever-expanding culture, but it is also fair to say that Esther Garcia’s work at Butterfat Tattoo in Chicago stands apart. Chicagoans have likely seen her intricate, painterly leaves and petals climbing

across a woman’s shoulder at the farmer’s market or her birds realistically rendered on a passerby’s forearm. Her vision as an artist has been in the making for sixteen years.

Nothing Major paid Butterfat a visit and learned how Garcia turned her plans into a very lovely reality.

Q

&A

How did you become a tattoo artist? I was a student at the School of the Art Institute Chicago and I thought that maybe I was a fine art photographer. I did a series of black and white photos of people with tattoos of vintage kitchen appliances, which I had drawn on with a Sharpie. They wanted to know where I found people with such unique tattoos. I told them ‘Whatever, it’s not important, I drew them on.’ Everyone in the class encouraged me to look into that and become a tattoo artist. I thought the idea was ridiculous, but after enough people backed the idea up, I

looked into it. As it turns it out, it’s one of the hardest things to get into. When I went looking for opportunities, I got nothing but discouragement. That’s what you do, discourage the newbies; you don’t want that much competition. But that’s not really how you get me to go away. It was the first time that anybody hadn’t been supportive of an artistic endeavor in my life and I found it incredibly motivating.

So I found myself an apprenticeship and I’ve been tattooing for sixteen years.

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Previous images from left to right; Pomegrante and Esther Garcia. This page image; Antelop-hare.

Can you tell me about the learning process?

How you sharpened your drawing skills so that you could create work on skin? Well of course I thought I was going to be the one to revolutionize tattooing right from the beginning. I had art school pretensions—fresh art school pretensions. I was surprised and humbled to discover how hard it is, it’s really, rehally difficult to make an acceptable tattoo, even with good drawing skills. So I basically had to start from the beginning and figure out what was applicable, what techniques I could bring over to tattooing, what was never going to be able to transfer and what I had to learn from scratch. There were years of tattooing at an average to mediocre level before I was able to advance and be able to make anything particularly interesting.

When did you start finding your work particularly interesting? Maybe six or seven years in? When I had forgotten that I had intended to do something special with tattooing and I was just getting by waiting for interesting projects to come to me. That would happen a few times a month. The rest of the time I did walk-ins and tried to adapt to whatever people asked of me. I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t progressing or why I didn’t have my own identifiable style the way other people I was working with did. They benefited from being able to identify with a style, old school, traditional, new school or whatever their niche was. I didn’t have a niche. I was just building my blocks, really low to the ground and under the radar. Then I started traveling and meeting some amazing tattoo artists. After seeing their portfolios, I realized I wanted to tattoo at a much higher

level. I wasn’t going to be able to stay in the business and wasn’t going to allow myself to continue if I didn’t improve.

What was included in that plan? I needed to learn my equipment better. I learned my machines, I started going to machine seminars at good conventions. I took them apart, put them back together, rebuilt them, bought as many as I could. I tried to familiarize myself with my tools better than I had in the past.

Previously I had been pretty terrified of breaking them and not sure I could adjust them to the technique that I needed. I also started taking art classes again and I do that every year. I try to make sure I am always learning and make that a focus.

Why did you choose to open a private studio?

I had a private studio for years when I was sort of rebuilding my skill set. It was just a matter of necessity at that point, because I couldn’t get comfortable in other shops and I appeared to make the shop owners uncomfortable. I got fired a lot and realized I needed to have control over the environment and not just the tattooing itself.

My clients were very pleased to not have to be exposed in a regular street shop where the personalities, musical choices, and aesthetic might not be comfortable. They often weren’t for me, so I made it a place where I felt at home. Magically, people who liked the same things that I liked ended up being comfortable there, too. It worked out really well.

COME FOR THE BEAUTY, STAY FOR THE EVENTS

chicago cultural center

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Eve n t u a l l y I h a d a n a p p re n t i c e , a n d i t became time to make space for her. I was really focused for a long period of time on my specific responsibility to the craft, on my ability to make a tattoo that looked the way I wanted it to. Once I started to have that in hand, I could start to grow the atmosphere a little farther away from the immediate tattoo procedure. I expanded it to be a nice place to hang out in, a good place to draw, a space where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas or spending time while they’re being injured. It’s a vulnerable state and you don’t want too many stressful influences.

What’s exciting right now? What’s changed?

Has the industry changed to make room for your point of view? I think it’s been building for a long time. Earlier in my apprenticeship there was the impression that there had just been a significant crest/peak and we were on the downside of that. The idea was that there had been a renaissance and there were new styles that nobody had seen, and other kinds of artwork that was being generated within the industry. Everybody had had really rich summers and then it was a little bit on the downside as I came in and people were trying to predict what the pattern was going to be. Maybe there was a new wave of interest every ten years or so?

But it seemed to climb again relatively quickly and then with the advent of the all the reality tattoo shows there’s been a huge boom. I don’t think it’s ever been bigger than it currently is. It’s never been more accepted, more understood by the general public (and less feared) than it is right now.

There is tattooing happening on all levels right now: All levels of appreciation, all levels of skill.

There’s definitely people doing things that have never been done before and that we didn’t think were possible and of course all of the conflict that goes with that. People think that things shouldn’t be that painterly, or beautiful, or delicate, or that tattoos should look like their grandfathers’ tattoos, and that’s what a tattoo looks like. There’s a lot of debate, but generally it’s exciting and helpful.

Flower sketches pencil and paper

You focus on floral work. Why flowers? I’ve always liked flowers and plants. I’ve been able to see the differences and subtleties in them, more than I can with most other things in the world. I feel like I am able to identify and render the qualities of one type of leaf as separate from another kind of leaf or flower, probably the way some people are good at identifying a certain make or model of car just from one back taillight. Some things just speak to you more deeply than other subjects.

And plants and flowers are the most organically flexible imagery as far as I’m concerned. I find it so much easier to build something gorgeous on a body with beautiful leaves and flowers.

Is it part of “the plan,” being able to only work on projects that you’re interested in? It’s possible that my work is more susceptible to this than other people. Other people seem to be able to turn out high-level work without any apparent effort. But there’s a huge difference in my work. It can be average and mediocre or it can be something really lovely depending on what kind of inspiration I can bring to it. I have to be really invested. And I have to do everything I can to ensure that I’m going to be really invested, because there’s such a dramatic difference between my inspired and uninspired work. The quality of work suffers so much if I don’t go through all of the steps. I take all of the precautions in order to not be distracted and to not feel harried and make sure I have the right time and attention to give to each piece.

Your plan seems to be working out pretty well.

What are you looking forward to? I’m at that point where I’ve caught up to a lot of the goals that I had. So I’m trying to sort through the foggy future to see what might interest me. I think maybe a new location for part of the year is in order. As much as I adore Chicago, winter gets a little rough.

After spending a little bit of time in Hawaii I think that maybe it wouldn’t suck to be there a couple months out of each year. Just maybe. This past visit, the ducks started aligning all by themselves.

So I’ve gotta find out if I can make that work. The flora and fauna of Hawaii, the atmosphere itself, is just so gorgeous. Such a different set of plants, mosses, ferns, all these things that make me really nerdy and excited. I feel like I have to go and draw them, and if it means that life arranges it in such a way that I get to tattoo them on people while I’m there, then that’s a pretty complete experience.

That would be pretty great. It still seems like a bit of a fantasy.

Studio books and things Next page ; Fennec and violets, Owl

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Connect with Esther Garcia

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Unite with Theaster Gates AN OPPORTUNITY ARTIST

BY BEN AUSTEN

Theaster Gates with employees and artists in his pottery studio, inside a converted beer warehouse in Chicago.

THE ARTIST THEASTER GATES SHOWED ME A NEO-CLASSICAL RUIN, A PROHIBITIONERA BANK shuttered for 33 years that I only ever registered vaguely as a part of the area’s enduring blight. “THAT’S MY BANK,” he announced with a flourish, pointing proudly to its glazed terra cotta and its ornamental eaves. Maybe it requires an artist to picture the possibilities in such a wreck, or a real estate developer to envision its promise. Gates, 40, is both at the same time, an enormous dreamer canny enough to make his outlandish ideas for the neighborhood a reality. When the bank was days from demolition, Gates spoke with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose brother, Ari, owns several Gates pieces; the city agreed to sell the abandoned building to Gates for $1, with the stipulation that he come up with the $3.7 million necessary for its renovation. A portion of that money, Gates devised, would be made from the bank’s original marble, which he cut into individual “bond certificates” engraved with an image of the building, his signature and the words “In ART We Trust.”He created 100 tablet-size bonds, selling them for $5,000 apiece; larger slabs, as weighty as tombstones, went for $50,000. Because they’re works of art, Gates told me, the marble will actually increase in value, functioning like

real bonds. Gates was trained as a potter, but his artistic practice includes, among many things, sculpture, musical performance, installation and something that has been called large-scale urban intervention.

Around the corner from the bank, on the 6900 block of South Dorchester Avenue, he bought and restored a half-dozen other vacant properties as part of what has become his Dorchester Projects.He filled one building with 14,000 volumes of art and architecture books from a closed city bookstore and 60,000 19th- and early-20th-century glass lantern slides that the University of Chicago no longer wanted. He refitted the building with wood from a former North Side bowling alley, the varying grains and textures of the exterior boards composing a dramatic tapestry.

Inside the house next door, he put all the vinyl LPs from Dr. Wax, a South Side record store that went out of business.Another property became home to the Black Cinema House, a venue Gates dreamed up for movie screenings, discussions and neighborhood film classes. Young, creative people and longtime inhabitants of the area live in other Dorchester Projects housing; Gates lives on the block as well.

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Scott Rothkopf, the curator and associate director of programs at the Whitney Museum of American Art, says that the blurring of the line between ar twork and more community-based participatory projects is not radically new or even what’s especially fascinating about Gates. “WHAT’S FAR MORE INTERESTING,” he says “IS WHAT COMPELS SOMEONE KNOWN FOR MAKING ART TO WANT TO DO THIS AND HOW SAVVY THEY HAVE TO BE TO GET IT DONE AND WHAT SORT OF DIFFERENCE IT MAKES.” Gates sometimes describes his work as reimagining the possibilities of “black space.” Could a block of decaying two-flats well beyond the city’s cultural and economic hubs be converted to form a new creative cottage industry? Could artistic types be drawn there and made to think of themselves not as gentrifiers but as entrepreneurs with a stake in the African-American community? When MAYOR EMANUEL spoke to me about Gates, he called him a civic treasure on par with Chicago’s skyline and downtown museums. “ THEASTER IS CREATING A CULTURE ZONE, A CULTURAL CENTRAL POINT ON THE SOUTH SIDE,” Emanuel said.

The art practice most akin to what Gates is doing, and to which he often refers, is Project Row Houses. In 1993, Rick Lowe and several other African-American artists renovated a string of abandoned shotgun-style homes

in Houston’s Third Ward, turning them into artist residences, setting up community-arts programming and later opening transitional housing for single mothers.

They based the enterprise on the German artist Joseph Beuys’s concept of social sculpture, the idea that a work of art could be a practical social action. Their holdings grew over the years, expanding to 70 rental units, and Lowe worried constantly that the project had become less a symbolic gesture — an artwork — than a bona fide housing development. He fretted that the real estate market could turn at any moment.

So recently the group sold off all its rental properties. “Theaster is not unlike a wildcat businessman who has 20 kinds of companies going all at once,” Lowe told me. “But I’m not an entrepreneur. It’s not my nature. It’s not how my mind works.” Gates’s father, named Theaster as well, tarred roofs for a living, and Gates likes to say that laboring with his dad taught him how to work with his hands. But he may also have picked up his business acumen from his father, who operated a barbecue pit on weekends and owned a four-unit rental property. At Iowa State University, Gates took several ceramics classes.

Gates performing “12 Ballads for Huguenot House” Kassel, Germany, in 2012

His professor, Ingrid Lilligren — his only formal art teacher — remembers Gates actually jumping up and down with joy whenever he was in the studio. But he majored in urban planning. Gates believes the “cross-training” has helped expand his thinking about what art is. He also was following his mother’s rules. If not a pastor, she wanted him to be a pharmacist, but when Gates switched majors from pre-pharmacy, that, too, conformed to her thinking: His cousin Larry had studied urban planning and landed a good city job.

And that’s what Gates did. In 2000, he began work at the Chicago Transit Authority as an arts planner. He proved to be an effective bureaucrat, something he also considers vital.

“Understanding how bureaucratic systems work and even how to invent and tweak them is a very big part of my practice. I’m not a good perspective drawer, but I can write a really good memo.”

Six years ago, when he could barely afford his car and house payments, Gates self-financed his first solo art exhibition, holding it at a local community-arts center. Centered on a series of soul-food dinners that he served with the exacting rituals of a Japanese tea ceremony, the show also involved an elaborate ruse about a Japanese potter Gates invented; he even hired an actor to portray the fictional sculptor’s son. At that stage in his career, Gates says, he felt the need to construct a fake potter to cope with his own marginality as an artist. But in 2009, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago picked him for its emerging-artists show, and a year later he was given the sculpture court at the Whitney Biennial. In the courtyard, Gates placed throne like shoeshine stands and stacked shelving of wood pulled from an old Wrigley’s chewinggum factory in Chicago; his musical troupe, the Black Monks of Mississippi, performed at the museum. AROUND THAT TIME HE ALSO BEGAN WORKING WITH DECOMMISSIONED FIRE HOSES FROM THE 1960S. He coiled them like bull’s-eyes inside glass vitrines and frames of wood taken from his Dorchester houses or cutting them into strips and laying the material with its faded hues side by side, like an illusive stripe painting.

His first major show, at Chicago’s Kavi Gupta Gallery, included the fire hoses and other formal objects extracted from the demolitions and rebuilds on Dorchester. Everything sold.

Gates used the earnings to continue to restore one of the Dorchester buildings. Remarkably, he managed to fashion a kind of circular economy whereby his urban interventions were being financed by the sale of artworks created from the materials salvaged from the interventions. Kavi Gupta, whose gallery continues to represent Gates, brought some of the city’s wealthiest art collectors to Dorchester, where they fell under Gates’s spell. Not only did they buy his work, but they also asked how their foundations could support his larger enterprise. Well, Gates told them, this building does need a new heatingand-cooling system. Gupta says a check was written, the HVAC purchased soon thereafter.

GATES NOW OWNS 12 PROPERTIES IN THE VICINITY OF HIS HOME. Rebuild Foundation, the nonprofit he created to run Dorchester Projects, teaches video production at the nearby middle school and sewing and design for local kids. It has begun work in Omaha and St. Louis as well, transforming properties there into community-art spaces.

Gates is still full time at the University of Chicago, currently as the director of Arts and Public Life, heading an arts incubator that the university opened this year in the poor black neighborhood outside its traditional western boundary. Additionally, Gates’s nonprofit and a private development company are turning a shuttered public-housing project near Dorchester Projects into a 32-unit mixedincome complex. Starting next year, it will become home both to low-income families and to emerging artists who will do the programming at its on-site art center. Richard Sciortino, one of the development company’s owners, believes that this concept of the public-housing artist colony is something that can work elsewhere, and he and Gates are already looking into converting a couple of other housing projects on the East Coast.

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Unite with Theaster Gates

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TH E R E , H E M E T E RIC M I R AB ITO, A SCULPTOR WHO WORKS IN CERAMICS AND WOOD. But Gates was interested in his job at Chicago Flyhouse, where Mirabito builds the metal mechanisms that allow for highflying stunt work and suspended skyscraper maintenance. Mirabito described the elaborate suspension apparatus he rigged to upgrade the ceiling acoustics at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

SUDDENLY turning to me, Gates announced th e reason for our visit: “ I ’m going to hire Eric.” GATES EXPLAINED THAT HIS W O O D W O R K E R S M A K E B E AU T I F U L O B J EC TS , but with an in - house metal fabricator, he would have to contract out far less work. Mirabito would build the John Johnson library, as well as the new kiln and portions of the brick factory it will adjoin.

Gates had already calculated that he would quickly earn back what it would take to pay Mirabito’s salary and trick out a metal shop.

“And that capacity to think faster and to do more, it also means I can expand how I imagine my artistic practice,” he said.

Gates had acquired a Freemason’s apparatus called a bucking goat that he planned to use in a new art installation exploring secret orders and the black fraternity he joined in college.

He wanted Mirabito to help figure out the best way to make the goat buck along 40-foot rails. At Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art this fall, I watched Gates and his Black Monks of Mississippi perform something he calls “Church in Five Acts.” Upstairs in the museum, two rooms displayed the objects that Gates and his craftspeople created when they took the guts of a Dorchester house to Kassel, Germany, to revive a house there for the international art show Documents 13.

But in the museum’s atrium, Gates created something like a black Baptist church, with rows of pews and an ornate double-barred cross hanging against the far wall. Over the slowly roiling rhythms of a seven-piece band, Gates began to extemporize a song loosely about violence and salvation, his voice deep and full and expressive.

The other singers (“the baddest vocalists in the city,” Gates boasted) gave his lines back to him with a crowning echo. “If I had a ship!

If I had a ship!” Gates shouted, and he stood, running his large hand over his bald head. He sang of bullets, bobbing and weaving, ducking each shot. More than a few of the people filling the pews and lined up along the railings on the upper floors were crying. I was seated next to Gates’s father and two of his sisters, their eyes brimming with tears. Although Gates looked to be utterly entranced, he continued to orchestrate the improvisation, instructing the cellist to take over for a solo, signaling another singer to continue on with a particular thread. Like everything he does, the performance seemed like a provocation of some sort; watching him, I wondered if he was about to wink or if maybe he already had. Thomas J. Lax, who is curating a Gates performance at the Studio Museum in Harlem, on Jan. 16, considers Gates’s shows to be complex responses to what the art world expects from black artists.

“Theaster’s work is so full of signifying and subterfuge,” Lax says, adding, “in his constant role playing, he’s pointing to the limits of our own imagination to address issues of poverty, violence and segregation.”

Gates began a slow ceremonial march around the pews as the other singers took over. “I’m a vessel, I’m a tool, sometimes a fool,” riffed Yaw Agyeman, his voice silky and harmonic. Gates dipped low with each stride, as if what he bore on his shoulder were the holy commandments, God’s word itself.

What he carried was a set of Ebony magazines from 1971 that Gates had bound in white snakeskin. He began displaying the pages to the audience members, turning each one with a sweeping gesture. His lips were pursed, his face a mask of solemnity as he locked eyes with each witness. Many of the pages he presented contained ads — Rice-A-Roni, Winston cigarettes, Brut by Fabergé.

Early on a Sunday morning in October, Gates invited me to his studio. Down the road from Dorchester Projects, it’s a 28,000-squarefoot former Anheuser-Busch distribution warehouse that was fallow for five years before Gates bought it. A series of his recently completed tar paintings covered the floors and walls. Wooden rickshaws built in the studio were parked diagonally in a fleet.

Gates told me that he needed the early start because the day looked to be hectic. As part of its Open Sundays, Rebuild Foundation was holding a panel discussion with three international filmmakers at Black Cinema House and a poetry-group meeting and a storytelling workshop at its Archive House.

Gates had an appointment with an artist on the North Side and had decided to host a brunch for 25. While we talked, he asked Shirin Shahin, a painter and one of two Iranian artists who live in Dorchester Projects, to pick up his sister Robin, who was going to cook the brunch. He handed Shahin his car keys and a credit card for groceries. Now without a car, he asked me to drive him to the North Side.

Dorchester Library Studio

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MANY FASHION DESIGNERS COME FROM CHICAGO, BUT NOT MANY INCORPORATE CHICAGO INTO THEIR BRAND. RODNELL HARRIS, HAS A DIFFERENT STORY. HIS DESIGNS ARE ALL ABOUT CHICAGO AND EVEN THE NAME, CHICAGO PLAYGROUND; THE VARSITY COLLECTION, INCORPORATES THE HEART OF CHICAGO INTO IT. SO, WHO IS THIS DESIGNER THAT LOVES CHICAGO SO MUCH THAT THE CITY IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF CREATIVITY BEHIND HIS DESIGNS?

Encounter Rising Stars

RODNELL HARRIS AND HIS VARSITY COLLECTION

BY STELLA QUIMBY

RODNELL HARRIS WAS BORN ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO AND WAS A GRADUATE FROM FARRAGUT HIGH SCHOOL IN 2004. A true Chicagoan from the start he decided to launch the Chicago Playground clothing line in 2008. Many of his inspirations came from when he played basketball in college (in Jacksonville Florida, but hey the line isn’t called Florida Playground). This is where his interest in the designer of the Letterman and varsity jackets grew.

CONSIDERING HIMSELF A VISUAL ARTIST, RODNELL HOPES TO INSTILL A SENSE OF PRIDE AND UNITY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES HERE IN CHICAGO THROUGH FASHION. During Atlanta’s fashion week in 2008, with only a few samples from a previous brand Rodnell created, he realized that becoming a designer was what he wanted to do.

After the event, he knew that he could be an asset to the fashion industry by introducing a brand with a positive message and mission behind its designs.

CH IC AG O PL AYG RO U N D WA S CR E ATE D. RODNELL WANTED A NAME THAT CAME WITH SIGNIFICANCE AND A SENSE OF TRADITION. CHICAGO IS CONSIDERED A PLAYGROUND IN OF ITSELF, WITH ALL OF ITS ATTRACTIONS AND TALENT IN THE CITY. Also, playgrounds bring children together and he wanted a brand to represent unity among the city’s youth and beyond. Chicago Playground clothing is a brand for all ages and genders. Childrens clothing can be obtained though custom orders. The brand is also looking to collaborate with student athletes and local high schools for an ambassador program in the near future in which students get involved with the brand and Chicago Playground educates them on the fashion industry and the mission behind Chicago Playground. Currently, Chicago Playground only offers custom made orders to give clients the opportunity to customize their garments to meet their individual needs. They also present capsule collections of collegiate garments including hooded sweat shirts, signature t-shirts, and baseball calls (all offered in limited quantities).

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Encounter Rising Stars

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Not fair, my friend!

The train or bus is no place for dinner. Please don’t eat or drink on CTA buses and trains. You’re only sharing the smell and the mess but none of the good stuff. Not fair!

Top 8 Must-See Events CULTURE IN THE FALL

BY DOYLE ARMBRUST, MARK BAZER, CASSIE WALKER BURKE, ROBERT LOERZEL AND CATEY SULLIVAN

TOMAYTO, TOMAHTO; There’s plenty of cultural awesomeness happening throughout Chicago during the fall, including an inaugural music festival with a strange name to world-premiere plays galore. We asked the city’s most tapped-in writers, curators, performers and artists to lead the way and tell us what to see and do. What follows are their recommendations.

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# 1. Comedy LAUGH WITH TWO FUNNY LADIES. Wendy Mateo and Lorena Diaz moved to Chicago together from Florida 11 years ago, they’ve performed as the comedy duo Dominizuelan since 2006 and they finish each other’s sentences. In other words, “it’s absolutely a marriage,” Mateo says. “And our husbands understand that.” 2016 has been a pivotal year. Dominizuelan (Mateo is of Dominican heritage, Diaz of Venezuelan) launched a web series produced by actor/comedian Fred Armisen for “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels’ Mas Mejor platform. And they are gearing up for two performances of their original radio play “Tumbao” at Steppenwolf on Oct. 3 and Oct. 10.

They spoke to Mark Bazer, host of the monthly live talk show “The Interview Show.”

# 3. Books GINA FRANGELLO’S “EVERY KIND OF WANTING,” (COUNTERPOINT) Gina’s work is ferocious and ambitious; she so deftly explores female identity and sexuality through relationships, psychosis and dysfunction.

# 2. Literary THE TRAVELING EXHIBITION “TATTOO” COMES FROM PARIS TO THE FIELD MUSEUM for its U.S. debut and will no doubt roam further afield than the ubiquitous arm bands, arrows and Chicago flag tats to reconnect us to a practice that is both ancient and cross-cultural, one that even in this over saturated moment remains full of ritual and mystery. Opens Oct. 21, Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive

“Romeo and Juliet” runs Oct. 13-23 at the Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway.

“Nutcracker” runs Dec. 10-30 at the Auditorium. For tickets, Joffrey.org/1617season

# 4. Dance Think being a JOFFREY DANCER is demanding? Try being a dancer juggling concurrent rehearsals for two big ballets: the Krzysztof Pastordesigned “Romeo and Juliet,” a reprise from the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago’s 2014 season, and the new “Nutcracker” being created for the company by New York’s Christopher Wheeldon. Here’s a week in the life of two lead dancers, Christine Rocas, 30, and Rory Hohenstein, 34. —C.W.B.

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# 5. Theater Show HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. # 6. Music AMANDA DEBOER BARTLETT, Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble “I know that by Sunday night of the festival I’ll be ready for a cocktail, so I’m looking forward to the Blowout Party, and especially Third Coast Percussion’s set. They always bring the fire, and this will be no exception.”

# 7. Art KRISTA FRANKLIN Sept. 3-Jan. 8 Chicago Cultural Center 78 E. Washington St. Chicago artist Krista Franklin is a masterful visual storyteller and poet whose work resists any kind of static definition. This is one of her first solo shows—you don’t often get to see this much of her work unless you visit her studio. It’s easy to get lost in her intricate collages and large, labored, handmade papers. # 8. Podcast LISTEN TO A SMART PODCAST. David Axelrod has been a journalist, a political strategist, a presidential adviser and even an erstwhile academic, founding the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. Then, last fall, he tried podcasting, and it stuck. On Sept. 20, Chicago audiences can view a live taping of his podcast, “The Axe Files,” at City Winery. —C.W.B.

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FOOD Look inside to discover the various culture highlights within the different geographic areas in Chicago.

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GLAZED & INFUSED

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DOUGHNUT VAULT

From seasonal specials to perennial stunners like the maple bacon long john and the classic vanilla bean glazed, this seemingly ubiquitous local donut shop has the answer to all your donut needs (yes, “needs;” dire donut deficiencies happen, people). And with locations in five different Chicago neighborhoods, you need not travel far to get your fix.

This wildly popular fried dough purveyor has been known to break hearts over its limited amount of fresh-baked donuts (they only bake a certain amount daily; once they run out, they close until the following day), so you’ll have to plan your trip wisely. Stop by on the early side for an array of some of the best old fashioned-style donuts in the city, like toasted almond, coconut cream, and lemon poppy seed.

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BUNNY, THE MICRO BAKERY

I l i a n a R e g a n ’s ( El iz a b e th) h i g h l y anticipated micro bakery is finally here, and while the foie gras molded into woodland creature shapes has made a splash on social media, it’s the rotating selection of donuts that has us hooked.

The selection changes daily, but has recently included a knockout whiskey glazed number.

DO-RITE DONUTS

Here, the rich, crusty chocolate old fashioned has just the right ratio of chocolate glaze to buttermilk donut, w i t h a d o u b l e - d i p p e d Va l r h o n a option for relapsing (or just flat-out unrepentant) chocoholics. And, for those with dietary restrictions who are just as powerless over donuts as the rest of us, there are plenty of gluten free and vegan options, too.

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STAN’S DONUTS & COFFEE

LA-based Stan’s may have only arrived in Chicago a couple years ago, but its popularity has spread like wild fire throughout the city, with four outposts open and quite possibly more on the way. Stop by the retro-looking shops for the chain’s signature stuffed pockets, cinnamon and sugar encrusted pretzel twists, and more.

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DINKEL’S BAKERY

LA-based Stan’s may have only arrived in Chicago a couple years ago, but its popularity has spread like wild fire throughout the city, with four outposts open and quite possibly more on the way. Stop by the retro-looking shops for the chain’s signature stuffed pockets, cinnamon and sugar encrusted pretzel twists, and more.

COUNTDOWN TO THE BEST

DONUT IN CHITOWN

BY KAILLEY LINDMAN AND SEAN COOLEY

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PUB ROYALE

We’re guessing that when you think of Indian-inspired pub fare, donuts probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind, but hear us out: there’s no better way to follow up a samosaspacked meal then with something sweet, especially when the “something” stays on-theme. Pub Royale’s epic twisted donut of your fantasies is made with deep fried naan dough and finished with a dulce de leche glaze spiked with chai spice.

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DAT DONUT

This South Side donut shop has been frying up the good stuff for over two decades, originally gaining fame for its monstrous “Big Dat.” Today, it remains the preeminent donut purveyor in South Chicago, and wins hearts on the daily with its apple fritters, traditional donuts, and cinnamon rolls.

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BOMBOBAR

W h i l e it ’s n ot u n co m m o n to e n d a n Italian meal with bomboloni for dessert, sometimes, we’d just prefer to forget about a balanced meal altogether and skip straight to the finish line. Consider this side street attachment to Bar Siena that aforementioned finish line: a walk-up shop where plump bomboloni come in flavors ranging from vanilla bean custard to salted caramel and are available for purchase solo or by the dozen.

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When they’re not carving up donuts for ice cream sandwiches, the folks at this specialty donut joint are crafting tantalizing creations like Hawaiianstyle maple glazed pineapple and bacon donuts, apple cinnamon fritters, chocolate hazelnut long johns, and giant birthday cake donuts big enough to feed several hungry sugar addicts.

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OLD FASHIONED DONUTS

If classic, fuss-free donuts are what you seek, that’s exactly what you’ll get at this old school bakery. Treat yourself to an assorted dozen stacked with strawberry Bismarks, Devil’s food cake donuts coated in chocolate glaze, yeast-raised caramel donuts.

FIRECAKES

BEAVER’S COFFEE & DONUTS

Hot off the conveyor belt, Beavers’ miniature buttermilk donuts are as versatile as they are delicious -- trick them out with s’mores fixings, douse them in strawberr y sauce and a coating of Pop Rocks, keep them simple with powdered sugar, or have them ground up into a milkshake, because, Chicago.

Countdown To The Best Donut In Chitown

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THE BEAUTIFUL BANK BUILDING The National was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham for Commercial National Bank, which had it built in 1907.

Through the decades it was home to Commonwealth Edison and later Chicago Public Schools’ headquarters until 2014. Blue Star Properties bought it in 2015, and has since sunk in an additional $100 million into revitalizing the 20-story structure.

“It’s not a restoration so much as a reinvention, where we put our take on it,” says Blue Star founder Craig Golden, “I call it a histo-remix.”

Golden is the other half of 16” On Center with Bruce Finkelman. The group has a knack for reinventing old spaces, having facelifted such iconic haunts as the sprawling Bohemian theater Thalia Hall and divey Wicker Park venue Empty Bottle.

The Loop’s lunch cred has just gotten a massive boost as the group behind Dusek’s and Moneygun opens its sprawling Revival Food Hall at Clark and Adams. The 24,000sqft, chef-driven food court on the ground floor of landmark building The National will feature 15 local vendors, including fast-casual spin-offs from beloved chefs, a coffee shop/bar, and a record store.

Unlike fellow upscale food halls Latinicity and Eataly, which feature all house-branded food concepts, Revival recruited an impressive lineup of local restaurants to set up shop, either with miniature versions of their beloved spots (Antique Taco, Smoque) or original concepts with well-known names behind them (Danke from the Table, Donkey and Stick team, Graze Kitchenette from Johnny’s Grill’s Sarah Jordan). By bringing a veritable highlight reel of Chicago’s dining scene to the Loop, food hall founders Team 16” On Center hope to draw both commuters and tourists who’ve been starved for choice in this notoriously lacking food hood.

Revival’s sole holdover from the original building (aside from the restored facade) is the floor, but details like cast tile on the mirrored pillars hint at the style Burnham favored. Several portions of the building’s history have been adaptively repurposed, too, like the 43ft CPS boardroom table turned massive communal table anchoring the Revival coffee shop/cocktail bar; or the Commonwealth Edison executive suite, which was broken down and rebuilt piece by piece, including the fireplace, in the new sixth-floor tenant lounge (tenants include co-working space provider WeWork and Paper Source).

The original bank vault still remains in the basement as well and will eventually be used as an events space.

BURGERS AND BOWLS FROM A DINER REVIVER Sarah Jordan of Johnny’s Grill has teamed up with GT Fish & Oyster’s Mason Edelson for

Your Next Meal Needs To Be at Chicago’s REVIVAL FOOD HALL

BY MAGGIE HENNESSY

Your Next Meal Needs to Be at Chicago’s Revival Food Hall

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Graze Kitchenette, a playful “burgers and bowls” concept featuring egg biscuits, grassfed burgers on buttery brioche buns and smoothie-inspired bowls like avocado matcha and açaí.

DANKE UPS THE LOOP’S CHARCUTERIE GAME A spin-off from Logan Square’s Alpine spot Table, Donkey and Stick, Danke will feature highlights from chef/partner Scott Manley and partner Matt Sussman’s acclaimed charcuterie program in fast-casual form.

Smoked salmon and toasts at breakfast give way to handcrafted sandwiches during lunch, such as the Secret Sandwich -- comprising schweinekopf and duck liver mousse on house-made bread. During post-work hours, the focus shifts to customizable meat and cheese plates, designed for pairing with a focused selection of wine and craft beer.

THE BUDLONG KICKS OFF A ROTATING POP-UP STALL It’s only fitting that the first of Revival’s rotating pop-up stalls should begin with one of the summer’s hottest (pun-intended) eating trends: Nashville hot chicken. Lakeview newcomer The Budlong brings to the Loop a streamlined menu from owner and barbecue master Jared Leonard (Rogers Park’s Rub’s Backcountry Smokehouse) and chef/partner Jonathan Zaragoza (Masa Azul, Birrieria Zaragoza), including Nashville hot fried chicken plates and sandwiches on buttery brioche buns. It’s only here for three months, so get it while it’s... hot.

FRESH FISH FAST The quickly expanding build-your-own poke bowl hotspot, Aloha Poke, will give Loop lunchers the Aloha treatment with a choice of three sizes of bowls with a rice or mixedgreens base, as well as sashimi grade ahi tuna, salmon or tofu served marinated or “naked,” and a veritable rainbow of toppings. If preview night was any indication, the infamously long lines of the original French Market location will most likely be the reality here, too.

BROWN BAG SEAFOOD CO. The two-year-old, sustainable fish-focused counter spot Downtown, is narrowing the focus to its veggieboxes and powerboxes at Revival. Diners get a choice of made-to-order fish served on a vegetable blend or grain blend. There will also be a “power hour,” a daily-changing, grab-and-go hot food option.

GET YOUR SMOQUE ON Fans of Smoque BBQ won’t have to travel to Old Irving Park to sample some of the city’s best ‘cue, just follow the aroma of smoke around the corner past the Aloha and Danke stalls. You’ll find a limited menu of highlights, including fall-apart smoked brisket; snappy, jalapeno-cheddar sausages, pulled pork and smoked turkey -- available as platters or sandwiches -- plus sides like barbecue beans and cornbread. Apologies in advance to rib lovers, you’ll still have to visit the original location for those.

Your Next Meal Needs to Be at Chicago’s Revival Food Hall

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NEW BRANCHES OF FURIOUS SPOON AND ANTIQUE TACO

VENDING MACHINE AND FOOD TRUCK FAVES

The third location of Shin Thompson’s Tokyostyle ramen spot Furious Spoon, will feature four different types of ramen including vegetable, shoyu, miso, and the shop’s namesake Furious ramen (a spicy miso-based bowl). Said noodles will be made in-house daily at Furious Spoon’s Wicker Park and Logan Square locations.

Beloved food truck The Fat Shallot opens its first brick-and-mortar location taking greatest hits from The Fat Shallot and followup truck The Fat Pickle. Think Muenster grilled cheese with sautéed spinach and a truffle BLT on Texas toast. New offerings include fresh bagels, house-cured salmon, and veggies and specialty drinks and shakes.

Also the third outpost for quirky Wicker Park taco joint Antique Taco, the Chiquito version will offer several of the same creative tacos that made it famous, like the crispy fish with smoked cabbage and pork carnitas with bacon. There will also be brand-new breakfast dishes like chorizo and egg empanadas and skillet tacos with peppers, onion, eggs, and árbol salsa. Retaining its namesake aesthetic, Chiquito will also stock several vintage antiques sourced from local Midwestern markets.

Healthy vending machine Farmer’s Fridge will expand beyond the jar at Revival, using locally sourced fruits and vegetables (including from the farmers market across the street) to create a larger menu of healthy food prepared to order. The menu includes Chicago-style avocado toast with smashed avocado and refined giardiniera and the popular shaved vegetable and kale salad made to order.

DETROIT SQUARE-CUT PIZZA COMES TO THE LOOP Fans of Detroit-style, square-cut pizza can get their fill at Union Squared, from the same group that owns Evanston’s Neapolitan-style Union Pizzeria. Those who haven’t tried this Motor City import can anticipate blistery cheese right up to the edge, chunky tomato sauce, and a light, crunchy crust. Meat, cheese, and veggie toppings will rotate daily, save the staple pepperoni. There will also be a weekly 10in Neapolitan pie in a nod to the Evanston spot. Whole pies will also be available to grab, go, and reheat at home.

GELATO AND JUICE Jessie Oloroso’s homegrown Black Dog Gelato brings an abbreviated, rotating menu of seven house-made gelato and sorbet options, in cups or cones. The roster will feature a highlight reel from its Ukrainian Village and French Market locations, like Nutella pretzel, blueberry French toast, basil coffee, and, yes, goat cheese caramel cashew.

Harvest Juicvery will offer the entire menu of chef-driven, cold-pressed juices, and smoothies available in its West Loop storefront, like nutty oat smoothies, green, and the oh-so-summery watermelon-basil juice. Kristina Sciarra’s concoctions will also appear in collaborative juice cocktails at the Revival Cafe-Bar.

A HYBRID CAFE AND BAR One of the final (and buzziest) reveals of Revival’s star-studded lineup, the Cafe-Bar is part coffee shop, part cocktail bar and features cookies, hot chocolate and pastries from James Beard award-winning chef Mindy Segal (Mindy’s Hot Chocolate).

“I’m doing the bakery I didn’t get to do in Logan Square,” says Segal. That means housemade mini bagel sandwiches, brioche donuts with hot fudge, sweet and savory rugelach, shattering ham and cheese croissants and slab-dessert slices like oatmeal streusel.

Pair treats with coffee beverages (including nitro draft lattes!) from five different roasters by day, and a dozen cocktails (several coffeeinfused) from bartending vet Michael Huebner (Drumbar, the Aviary) by night. As the “bar” in its name would hopefully suggest, this spot will stay open two hours later than its fellow vendors, till 9pm, so you can linger over a stiff drink at that re-purposed CPS boardroom table, like the best detention you’ve ever had.

“I’m doing the bakery I didn’t get to do in Logan Square,” says Segal.

That means house-made mini bagel sandwiches, brioche donuts with hot fudge, sweet and savory rugelach, shattering ham and cheese croissants and slab-dessert slices like oatmeal streusel.”

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Interview With Chef Bill Kim of BellyQ Chicago

BY JSFASHIONISTA

BellyQ, from innovative Chicago chef Bill Kim (Belly Shack and urbanbelly), is an exciting concept featuring Asian barbecue and seasonal, locally farmed ingredients. The Randolph Street space showcases Chef Kim’s culinary talents with flavors that are rooted in tradition yet decidedly modern in taste and execution. Expect a menu that’s smoky and bright, spicy and clean, surprising yet comforting. At bellyQ, Chef Kim crafts unforgettable flavor combinations that awaken your taste buds and satisfy your soul in a space that invites you in and inspires you to hang out a while. Here’s a short interview with chef Bill Kim. I quickly realized I’d need to have more than one suit. Susanna hired cooks of such diverse backgrounds—Cambodian, Caucasian and Latin American. She inspired me to seek out Asian ingredients that resembled certain American foods, like replacing sun-dried tomatoes with Chinese fermented black beans, since they have a similar salty but earthy flavor.

When did you know you wanted to become a chef? When I was seven years old. My mother’s traditional cooking provided the initial inspiration to pursue a career as a chef. She assigned me my first kitchen task – grinding sesame seeds using a mortar and pestle for her kimchi recipe.

What was your first role as a chef? I’ve worked in a number of restaurants, but my first role as an Executive Chef was at Le Lan, a French-Asian restaurant.

Who has been the most influential mentor or chef in your career? Charlie Trotter and Susanna Foo. Charlie was the first person to believe in me. He took me around the world and we’d go eat at three-star Michelin places. That was a big deal to a 26-year-old kid who had never been out of the country.

What was the inspiration for the menu and concept behind BellyQ? Belly Q is approachable and less focused on street food. I take what you know about Asian BBQ and put a twist on it – we like to describe our menu as a sampling of Asian flavors that are sauced, smoked and Q’d. Although bellyQ is a full-service restaurant, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. For example, we have a karaoke room, that’s a fun twist. Have a great meal and then spend your night with friends belting out your favorite songs. Things like that are the best part of the restaurant for me- it’s all about being a little bit different and making sure that our guests have a whole lot of fun, whether they’re exploring the menu and trying new dishes or coming to our Karaoke room to drink and sing.

Tell us something that would surprise people about you? (I.e. you’re allergic to fish…..) I eat tuna for breakfast. Seriously.

What is your favorite food? What is your favorite food to cook? Cashews are one of my favorite foods. I can’t pick a favorite food to cook – but I can pick a favorite way to cook: one-pot meals. You can make a delicious meal and you only have one pot to clean up! Cook…

Interview with Chef Bill Kim of BellyQ Chicago

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Good, Fresh, Chicago In October of 1995 Doug Zell and Emily Mange left San Francisco to open an in-store coffee roaster-retailer on Broadway Avenue on the north side of Chicago. At that time they were simply hoping to bring great, fresh-roasted coffee to their own coffeebar with the help of a charming, but perhaps too often erratic 12-kilo roaster. Since then Intelligentsia has evolved considerably.

Los Angeles—a city that views creativity as a birthright, is immensely vast, decidedly impractical and equally messy and marvelous; and New York—a city of paradoxes, hulking but chock full of intimate corners, timeless but achingly current, polished but decaying, worldly yet oddly provincial, all crashing together in perfect cacophony (or is it harmony?); and the beautiful, one of a kind Chicago—a city that is brooding, practical and reluctantly beautiful.

It’s been 21 years Chicago. Let us continue to serve you the hottest, the freshest, and the most satisfying cup of coffee you’ll ever find.

coffee latte mocha americano expresso...

Quality unmatched.

THE 15 BEST

FOOD TRUCKS IN CHICAGO

Chicago’s food truck scene is growing steadily, and among all the roving purveyors of Chicago pizza and tacos out on the road, a handful of trucks stand out. The best food trucks offer a global culinary tour, from Belgian frites in paper cones to Korean-tinged dishes and Maine lobster rolls.

BY AMY CAVANAUGH AND ELIZABETH ATKINSON

THE ROOST The Roost’s fried chicken sandwiches are the very best in Chicago, so track down the truck to score one if you can’t make it to the Lakeview location (a River West location is also on the way). Both spicy and Nashville hot styles are available and come on buttery buns with pickles and slaw. In the morning, snag a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.

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Twitter: @TheRoostKitchen

TAMALE SPACESHIP Tamale Spaceship, the silver food truck manned by luchador-masked guys, serves up very solid tamales, like adobo chicken tamales cloaked with deeply flavored mole and roasted veggie tamales with a spritely tomato guajillo sauce.

Each order of tamales comes as a pair, so bring a friend to trade flavors. Stop by the permanent location in Wicker Park—it’s BYOB, too.

Twitter: @tamalespaceship

2 THE HAPPY LOBSTER Great lobster rolls are hard to come by in Chicago, so it’s a surprise that one of the city’s best is available on wheels. The Happy Lobster truck serves “happy” rolls, with just mayo, butter and spices, while “angry” adds some feisty heat from giardiniera. The meat is tender and lightly dressed, so the sweetness comes through. Both are available in whole or half sizes, so you can save space for a marvelous whoopie pie brought in from Maine.

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THE FAT SHALLOT The sandwich truck serves up spins on classic sandwiches, like grilled cheese with sautéed spinach and caramelized onions or the truffle BLT, a massive pile of super-crispy bacon, arugula, tomatoes and truffle aioli between two slices of Texas toast. It’s huge, but you still need to get a side—the crisp golden fries come with spicy sesame aioli or truffle aioli, and are a must-order.

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Twitter: @thefatshallot

5411 EMPANADAS The best truck fare is something you can easily eat on the sidewalk, with zero utensils and minimal mess.

That’s why empanadas are perfect, particularly those from 5411, which also has several permanent locations. The empanadas are baked so they’re nice and flaky and come stuffed with fillings like ham and cheese, malbec beef and caramelized onion and Parmesan. You’ll need a few to make a meal, so be adventurous—and tack on a side of chimichurri dipping sauce.

Twitter: @5411empanadas

5 AZTEC DAVE’S TRUCK The Loop isn’t exactly known for tacos, so it’s nice when trucks like Aztec Dave’s pull up. The Mexican truck serves tortas, tacos and burritos, stuffed with a choice of skirt steak, chicken or al pastor. Tacos are $8 for three, and you can mix and match fillings, though the steak is the best. The double corn tortillas hold a respectable amount of beef, and the tacos come with onions and cilantro. For a sauce, choose the pineapple devil, a sweet-hot salsa.

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Twitter: @Aztec_Daves

YUM DUM TRUCK The mostly Korean-infused menu incorporates other Asian aspects into its dishes, like Thai chicken basil dumplings. There are also pillowy baowiches, like crispy fish with house-made sriracha tartar sauce, which are $3.50 each (and quite generous). But it’s the spicy kimcheesy rice balls, arancini stuffed with cheddar, kimchi and jalapenos and doused with jalapeno sriracha mayo, that you need to order.

Twitter: @YumDumTruck

7 The 15 Best Food Trucks in Chicago

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BRUGES BROTHERS Frites stuffed into paper cones come to us from Belgium, but the dish translates well to Chicago.

Bruges Brothers takes things up a notch—while the menu does include basic frites, perfectly fried in beef and duck fat, and served with a choice of sauce, like housemade dijon aioli or Indian curry, the main event here is the entree cone. The entrees are takes on classic dishes and they’re massive—the papas bravas cone features chorizo and roasted peppers, bravas sauce, garlic aioli and crisp ham, while the roquefort steak includes grilled steak, warm roquefort butter and crispy leeks.

Twitter: @BrugesBrothers

8 SOUTHERN PITCH With a focus on Negro League baseball, Southern Pitch is easily the most intriguing truck on the road—and the food is solid too. The truck features images of Negro League baseball players, which you can look at while you wait for food, like enormous turkey legs, tender and doused with spicy jerk sauce, creamy mac and cheese and collard greens.

The sweet potato pie is a must-order for dessert.

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Twitter: @southernpitchft

DÖNERMEN Döner, the traditional street food of Turkey and Germany, isn’t too easy to find in Chicago, but luckily DönerMen does a darn good job with it. Its chicken variety is excellent, and the currywurst, grilled sausage doused with rich, tomato-y house-made curry sauce and served with fries, is also terrific.

10 Twitter: @DMenTruck

CHICAGO PIZZA BOSS You can’t miss this truck—it’s enormous and painted like the Italian flag—or its long line.

The wait is worth it, though, since the pizzas are excellent Neapolitan-style pies and come topped with flavorful ingredients, like the margherita, which is tied together with a drizzle of olive oil and grated Parm.

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Twitter: @ChiPizzaBoss

PIEROGI STREET Some of Chicago’s top pierogi are available from the roving Pierogi Street truck, which also has a permanent location in Humboldt Park. You can mix and match various fillings, like tangy sauerkraut or creamy potato, then dress the whole plate up with bacon, sour cream and caramelized onions. Bonus: Sometimes there are desserts, like paczki.

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Twitter: @PierogiStreet

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The tiniest food truck of them all is the Doughnut Vault food truck. If you don’t happen to work by one of the locations dishing out these doughnuts, the Vault Van serves old-fashioned–style doughnuts like lemon poppyseed and pistachio. There are daily specials and coffee, so you’ll be able to get all the fuel you’ll need for an early morning.

LA COCINITA Tacos are among the best dishes to grab for lunch and La Cocinita does a pretty damned good job. The pseudo-buildyour-own options let you pick from tacos, arepas, flour tacos (called “Burri-Tacos”) and a bowl with your choice of meat and sauces. We’re a fan of the lechon, but they’re all pretty delicious. Don’t forget to finish your meal with a Mexican CocaCola to cap off the whole meal.

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BOO COO ROUX

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New on the scene in 2015, Boo Coo Roux serves up Cajun and Creole dishes like hush puppies, shrimp Po’ Boys and gumbo. The dishes are bursting with flavor and are a great lunch if you’re looking for some seafood on the go. The daily menu changes regularly, so if you’ve tried the truck a few times before, stop by again and see if there’s something new that strikes your fancy.

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THE MOST IMPORTANT HOT DOGS IN CHICAGO HISTORY

BY CAROL HILKER

The Chicago hot dog is a part of our lore and history as a food-driven city. There aren’t many other places that give hot dogs as much respect as we do. For many of the early hot dog vendors in Chicago, it was part of an American Dream -- and its roots were established during one of the most integral times in Chicago’s history.

It was early May 1893 when the Chicago World’s Fair, known more formally as the World’s Columbian Exposition, opened to the public with 27 million visitors. This would be the fairest of fairs. It touted elaborate live-action exhibits like Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Stage Show featuring pygmies.

There was also a Ferris wheel double the size of the current one at Navy Pier (it ran seemingly on hope and lots of crossed fingers). The city was constructed with architectural wonders made of cardboard that seem impossible even in today’s modern-era. The World’s Fair was also the place where a variety of brands were making their worldwide debut: Cracker Jack, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Quaker Oats, and, one of Chicago’s most beloved, the Vienna Sausage Company. It was there, the company says that the hot dog made its debut in the Windy City.

For most of America (with the exception of New York), hot dogs aren’t really a big deal. They are mostly for kids or served at baseball games, or informal BBQs. For most non-Chicagoans, a pork hot dog with mustard, ketchup, and onion will do the job. But for locals, a hot dog is beloved. It’s a vague, but loyal canvas to decorate. Hot dogs are a part of who we are, they are part of our culinary history. Like it or not.

If you are from Chicago, you likely already know that there is a big difference between a regular old hot dog and what has evolved as our symbol of a hot dog, The Chicago Dog. The Chicago Dog has come to be the only way to really respectfully order a hot dog in the confines of Cook County. It is a frankfurter (usually a Vienna Beef or Red Hot Chicago dog), steamed, water-simmered, or boiled; on a poppy seed bun that is topped with, what hot dog lovers refer to as, The Magnificent Seven: good ol’ yellow mustard, chopped raw white onions (also acceptable if grilled), neon green shades of pickle relish, a thin pale green dill pickle spear, a soft red tomato diced or sliced, a few well-hidden sport peppers and a dash of celery salt. The seven condiments built on the dog in a manner that, the minute it’s unfolded, it has to be eaten, because

the toppings ooze together, falling in plops on the wax paper it was wrapped in.

Although there are a variety of exceptions around the Magnificent Seven, cucumbers and green peppers are accepted (as is lettuce, this is known as the proverbial garden of toppings by hot dog historians). In reality, no one cares what bun you use, no one cares how the onions are prepared, you can leave off peppers and celery salt, and no one bats an eye, but once rule is universal when it comes to the Chicago Dog: no ketchup. It’s a time-honored rule. Even though it isn’t really known why.

If there was anyone to be named a Chicago hot dog historical expert, it would undoubtedly be Professor Richard Bowen of Loyola University Chicago. In 1983, Bowen co-wrote a book called, Hot Dog Chicago, along with his friend and colleague, Dick Fay. Between the two of them, they have consumed probably thousands of hot dogs in and around Chicago over nearly twenty-five years.

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When it comes to ketchup, Bowen has an explanation that is simple and logical, “We just don’t do it. We just don’t use it and that’s just it.

But I think it’s because the Chicago hot dog has perfect culinary Feng Shui. All the primary tastes, including umami, salty, bitter, sweet, and sour are represented in perfect balance. When you add ketchup, it’s overwhelmingly sweet. You already have the relish for that. And all of a sudden it’s just too sweet. The Feng Shui goes out the window.”

Plus, who cares, he says, “The Chicago Hot Dog has always been engineered for adults -- even though kids eat them. It’s not a kiddie dog, it’s a grown up dog.”

Throughout the years, the hot dog has become part of Chicago through street carts and momand-pop stands, primarily after the second World War. Visit any Chicago neighborhood and almost everyone can tell you the best local place to get a dog. Hot dogs are all around us and although most in the city are similar, there are a handful that stand apart from the rest.

OLDEST CHICAGO HOT DOG Fluky’s Hot Dogs (1929-present) NILES, IL There was a time when Fluky’s was considered without a doubt to be the city’s best hot dog. It boasted a Vienna dog with a natural casing, an over-sized poppy seed bun from Rosen’s bakery and topped with the basics, grilled onions, tomato, peppers, and pickle. Some consider Fluky’s the inventor of the Chicago Dog. In 1929, a man named Abe Drexler opened a hot dog stand on Maxwell St at Halsted. It was an immediate hit. By the 1930s, the Drexler family had opened three more locations, a second at Roosevelt & Central park in 1932, a stand at Lincoln

and Ogden in 1935 and another stand at Blackstone and 63rd St in 1936. Even though the country was in the depths of its biggest financial crises, Fluky’s was able to grow, and Drexler was able to make a living thanks to an invention he called, “A Depression Sandwich.” The “sandwich” was a frankfurter on a bun with mustard, pickle relish, onion, dill pickle, hot peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes served alongside French fries. It cost just five cents.

At a time when the nation was sinking, Fluky’s kept their prices low enough to make sure many bellies were fed -- whether they had the nickel or not. By the World War II era, due to meat rationing, Fluky’s was unable to get a proper supply and took a hit.

All of its locations closed. It seemed for a while that Fluky’s would no longer be again, and for almost 10 years, Drexler abandoned the hot dog business altogether, but in 1964 Fluky’s re-opened its doors at 6740 N Western and within months, the beloved stand was back on the list of being one of Chicago’s best hot dogs.

The next year, they opened a bigger location across the street -- this location seated around 100 diners. The humble stand went from just the basics -- a counter alongside with a few seats that faced out the windows and picnic tables -- to a glitzy chain reminiscent of a McDonald’s.

“We just don’t do it. We just don’t use it and that’s just it. But I think it’s because the Chicago hot dog has perfect culinary Feng Shui. All the primary tastes, including umami, salty, bitter, sweet, and sour are represented in perfect balance. When you add ketchup, it’s overwhelmingly sweet.

You already have the relish for that.

And all of a sudden it’s just too sweet.

The Feng Shui goes out the window.”

These days, the one-time chain named or what was Abe Drexler’s nickname is grammar school, is now just a stand again. The Drexler family still owns the last stand. This remaining location is located in Niles in a Walmart. Although it’s still a staple, Fluky’s reign supreme is over, but it will always be a beloved memory to the older generation of Chicagoans that fondly remember Abe Drexler and his commitment to family, the spirit of community, and for being the inventor of what has come to be known as the Chicago hot dog.

MOST FAMOUS CHICAGO HOT DOG Superdawg Drive-in (1948-present) JEFFERSON PARK In 1948, Superdawg opened its doors on the corner of Milwaukee, Devon, and Nagle, and almost instantly became a Chicago phenomenon. Almost 70 years later, it’s still thriving with a reputation for being one of Chicago’s best hot dogs in the city. Located in Jefferson Park, Superdawg was founded by a returning WWII GI named Maurie Berman and his high school sweetie, then wife and the love of his life, Flaurie Berman. After returning from World War II, in 1947 Berman started school at Northwestern University where he was studying to be a CPA. Flaurie was a teacher at the time and because the newlyweds were on a similar schedule with summers off, they decided to open a business selling hot dogs from a roadside stand. Many other GI vets were using this model for employment, peddling hot dogs often alongside tamales. So Flaurie and Maurie brainstormed and bought a piece of land right on the corner of Milwaukee and Devon. To stand out, Maurie built a 20x12 building topped with two 12ft guy and gal hot

“Maurie was very particular and paid attention to detail. He would not compromise the quality of the product and he passed that along to us. He would always say it’s always better to be good at one thing instead of a jack of all trades and not good at any of them.” dogs beckoning in passersby with a coy wink and a knowing smile as if to let on a secret.

During the end of the late 40s, the intersection where Superdawg was located was also where the streetcar line ended, so there was already a little built-in traffic. Teens, couples, and families could ride the streetcar for five cents and spend the afternoon by a forest preserve or a neighborhood pool and finish off a day at Superdawg. It was the perfect first or last stop before getting back on the cable car. At the time a Superdawg and drink cost 32 cents. Kids in the neighborhood would often stop by with a nickel and the Berman’s would always figure something out. For the first three years, the couple were only open during the summertime. After Maurie graduated, the couple decided it was time to take the business to full-time, and over the years it too became sort of a different love of the Berman’s life. It became their legacy.

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“Part of the reason for opening the restaurant was that I knew that there were other sausages out there that did exist, but there was no ‘one place’ to get them.

And I had to fill up the menu.”

In May of 2015, Maurie passed away at the age of 89. The business is now being helmed by Maurie’s children, Lisa Drucker, along with her husband Don, and her brother, Scott, and his daughter Laura. Don and Lisa’s kids also both work at Superdawg. Lisa’s mother Flaurie, according to Lisa is still involved and is “very current and very sharp. She was there having dinner there just last night, at the age of 90.”

According to Don, the secret to Superdawg’s success is because “Maurie was very particular and paid attention to detail. He wouldn’t compromise the quality of the product and he passed that along to us. He would always say it’s always better to be good at one thing instead of a jack of all trades and not good at any of them.” That being said, they have used the same vendors since 1948, and the menu today is the same as it was in May 1948 with very few additions. Lisa says, “We’ve been doing the same thing at the same place. The world has changed around us, but we haven’t changed, we do the exact same thing.”

THE MODERN-ERA HOT DOG Hot Doug’s (20042014, 2016-present) AVONDALE When Doug Sohn opened his “hot dog stand”, Hot Doug’s, he never expected it to reach such epic proportions. The self-proclaimed “Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium” was one of Chicago’s most visited restaurants during the 10 years it was around. Inspired by hot dog stands of Chicago’s yesteryear, the Avondale

location boasted a rotating menu of hot dogs, sausages, bratwursts and with almost any type of meat you could feast your eyes on and think of -- it came to be known as an option for affordable food for foodies. It was the place where locals and tourists alike would wait sometimes up to an hour just to get in the door. Inside you’d find no-frills seating with chairs still warm from their previous inhabitants. You could also expect to find an excited gaggle of diners, sharing sausages and French fries. Camera-phones out and all muttering the native one-world language in Hot Doug’s, “Mmmmm.”

Although the menu boasted interesting sausages, it was also the place where you could always expect to get a good Chicago dog. “I’m born and raised in Chicago. I love hot dogs and sausages -always did. Hot dogs, salami, corned beef -- pretty much any salt, fat and meat combination. It’s my favorite food,” Sohn says.

Sohn, a born and raised Chicagoan grew up with all the lore of hot dog stands as a kid. And a deep love and appreciation for what they meant to him.

Over the years, as those stands became fewer and fewer, it became apparent to Sohn that although there were many places selling a hot dog, there very few places doing it well. “That concept was really the reason to do it and my goal was to sort of create the hot dog stands that I knew growing up, that I would I would frequent as a kid in Chicago.”

Sohn says, “It’s what we all grew up on.”

“Look at somewhere like Gene & Jude’s. They have like three things on the menu and just a few toppings, but it’s the place where your grandfather took your dad and your dad took you and it is the place, it’s that scent, it’s the memories, it’s that particular aroma that we all identify with. It’s that familiarity that every Chicagoan knows what goes on a Chicago Hot Dog and when it’s done well, it tastes great. It’s just this real, perfect balance of salty of sweet of fat of different textures -- salty, crunchy, tangy, soft warmness of the bun, it works well together and everyone can afford one.”

Of course, much of Hot Doug’s notoriety came from his other encased meats, but at the end of the day, the hot dog was his muse. “Part of the reason for opening the restaurant was that I knew that there were other sausages out there that did exist, but there was no ‘one place’ to get them.

And I had to fill up the menu.”

After 10 years of long lines and grueling work days, Sohn closed his doors at his brick and mortar spot.

He did however start working in conjunction with Levy restaurants and the Chicago Cubs to resurrect his beloved sausages. Located at Platform 14 in the renovated Wrigley bleachers, the dogs and sausages are named after historic Cubs players.

The obscure ones that Sohn gets to pick himself.

The menu changes with each home series. Past menu items have included the “Champ Summers” (spicy polish sausage with Goose Island beer mustard and fried onions), The “Pete LaCock” (ribeye steak sausage with horseradish cream and blue cheese), or The “Bill Bonham” (atomic pork sausage with cherry

marmalade and smoked gouda). It deserves to be pointed out that since Hot Doug’s has set up shop, the Cubs have been having a good trajectory -- maybe all along, it will have come to be that all it took was one good hot dog to cancel out a cheeseburgers curse.

HOT DOG WITH THE MOST ATTITUDE Wiener’s Circle (1983-present) LAKEVIEW/LINCOLN PARK Clark St has changed a lot since Wiener Circle pened its doors in 1983. A post office, a Blockbuster, a McDonald’s, numerous bars -- all gone. The neighborhood that will always be popular with the young post-college crowd and for DePaul students, has had many businesses come and go.

But one thing that has always stayed the same is the notoriety of a famed hot dog stand called the Weiner’s Circle.

“That concept was really the reason to do it and my goal was to sort of create the hot dog stands that I knew growing up, that I would frequent as a kid in Chicago.” Sohn says, “It’s what we all grew up on.”

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THE ORIGINAL CHICAGO HOT DOG Gene & Jude’s (1946-present) RIVER GROVE, IL

For $3.10 you get a Vienna Red Hot and for $3.20 you can get a charred, Vienna hot dog. Both are served on a poppy seed bun and topped with The Magnificent Seven along with grilled onions.

Let’s get down to business though, yes the hot dogs are great, but at Weiner’s Circle, it’s what comes with their hot dogs that have made them one of the most famous stands not only in Chicago, but in the country. Visitors can get, if wanted (and sometimes unwanted) a heaping side of poignant profanity and partial nudity (known as the chocolate shake by customers and workers), and sometimes a good instigation of a fight between customers. It’s the one place where the most appropriate of girls, after a long night of drinking and maybe a Cubs game, might blame another girl for stealing her hot dog before insulting both the other girl and her mother, who may or may not be present. Where most establishments will kick out rowdy customers, workers at the Weiner’s Circle will often encourage the customers. The x-rated, Ed Debevic’s-like insults are part of popular culture that have even had a stint on Conan O’Brien among other media coverage.

The history behind the fodder between employees and customers goes back to the early ‘90s when owner Larry Gold was trying to get the attention of a patron, fresh off a night of drinking, whose order was up, and yelled, “Hey. Asshole.” This set off the known-reputation of late-night abuse from the workers. Some people even pay for it by tipping.

Most people know what they are in for upon stepping up to order, and during daytime hours, it’s unlikely you will find the workers swearing or being inappropriate, especially when kids are around. It’s a great place to get a quintessential Chicago Dog. It’s a vulgar institution of greatness.

There is no hot dog stand more iconic in the Chicago-land area than Gene & Jude’s.The stand enforces four simple rules that have been adapted by most Chicago hot dog stands. When it comes to their hot dogs: no seats, no ketchup, no pretense, no nonsense. It’s a formula that’s worked for them since the end of World War II-era Chicago. The history of the stand is a tale of getting back up, even if you do get yourself in a pickle.

In the summer of 1946, Chicago city worker Gene Mormino attended a Cubs game at Wrigley Field with some of his buddies. As he looked down at his encased frankfurter placed alone on a white bun, he couldn’t help but think to himself that something was missing, and found that he couldn’t get the loneliness of that little hot dog out of his mind.

The history behind the fodder between employees and customers goes back to the early ‘90s when owner Larry Gold was trying to get the attention of a patron, fresh off a night of drinking, whose order was up, and yelled, “Hey. Asshole.”

By the time he got home, he had already started to solve his own dilemma. He made a hot dog and topped it with relish, onion, hot peppers, and mustard, along with a pile of French fries -- a key component to what Gene felt was missing -- that extra dose of saltiness and crunch. He used his idea to open a small stand on Polk and Western and would be instrumental in putting The Chicago hot dog AND Maxwell St on the map. He served his hot dogs and fries along with tamales, which often accompanied hot dogs on many menus.

This would later expand to pizza puffs, chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, ice cream, and more.

Gene’s hot dog stand was thriving, and all was well until 1949 when Gene lost the entire stand in a card game.

Not to be defeated, in 1950 Gene gathered enough money and re-opened the stand with the help of a friend and co-worker, Jude DeSantis as his business partner. Although the two men knew it as Gene & Jude’s, it was affectionately

known to customers as “River Road Hot Dogs.”

In its current location in River Grove, the stand has stayed family owned and is currently run by Gene’s son.

Gene was pretty content with his original toppings, and ever since, it has been served the original way to those who want to get the full experience. The Magnificent Seven are reduced to the Magnificent Four: relish, onions, hot peppers, and mustard.

The Vienna Beef dog is then piled with French fries on top.

It’s a formula that has worked well for the business -- Gene & Jude’s have been slinging Chicago hot dogs like this for decades, and it’s a place that those who grew up in River Forest hold close to their heart and a place where Chicago hot dog lovers flock far and wide to--and hopefully will continue to do so for generations.

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THE MOST AUTHENTIC CHICAGO HOT DOG Byron’s Hot Dogs (1975-present) RAVENSWOOD “You are about to have the best hot dog in town” is written on the west side of the tiny little hot dog stand named Byron’s. That sign is no lie. On the east side of the stand, the words “THEE HOT DOG” are written. Many Chicagoan’s will tell you that if you are going to eat only one Chicago hot dog and you want to understand what a Chicago hot dog is, then the dog for you is Byron’s.

In 1975, Byron Kouris, a well-known restaurateur opened his first hot dogs stand at Sheridan and Irving Park. It was the quintessential hot dog stand.

It’s a formula that has worked well for the business -- Gene & Jude’s have been slinging Chicago hot dogs like this for decades, and it’s a place that those There are maybe a few stools and a small counter that faces outside. It’s a walk-in-walk-out spot with some picnic tables outside. It’s no frills, but it’s a friendly environment. Having had success with a few other restaurants, the Lunch Pail and also Zephyr, Byron opened a few more hot dog outposts that maintained success, however only two still remain 40-something years later.

What makes Byron’s stand out isn’t the dog itself.

As Rich Bowen points out, “There are two kinds of Vienna Beef Hot Dogs. There are the ones you can buy in the supermarket and they are skinless, they don’t have a casing, they don’t have a sheep intestine casing, and Byron uses those.” Bowman says that if he used the one with the casing, the ones with the snap, it would be his favorite dog, “without question,” but he stills considers Byron’s Chicago’s most authentic hot dog because of the toppings. “It’s not just the Magnificent Seven: mustard, relish, onions, tomato slices, a pickle spear -- relish and celery salt and hot peppers.

You can also get cucumber and lettuce and green

pepper. So it’s literally, the proverbial garden on a bun.” The dogs come in three sizes: $3.10 gets an 1/8lb; $4.24 gets a 1/4lb Jumbo Dog; and for $5.54 a 1/2lb Dogzilla can be yours.

BEST HAND -ME-DOWN HOTDOG Wolfy’s (1967-current) LINCOLNWOOD, IL It’s hard to miss a place like Wolfy’s. The shack is could be passed over if you blinked too long, thankfully there is a giant hotdog speared on a fork out front, which makes Wolfy’s hard to miss. Not a real hot dog of course, although that would be awesome. But a big, old hot dog sculpture. Letters spell out a clumsily set spelling of “Wolfy’s.” At night, you can’t miss the neon sign. Located on Peterson Ave at California, right on the border of the city and Lincolnwood, it’s right within the boundaries of being properly labeled as a Chicago staple. Served with all the usual Magnificent Seven and perfect shoestring fries, one can’t go wrong getting a char-dog at Wolfy’s.

Although it’s safe to say that Wolfy’s is like many other Vienna char-dogs in the city, it’s been a part of our hot dog history since it opened in 1967. At the time it was owned by Mickey Becker, who was rumored to be the brother-in-law of Abe Drexler, the owner of Fluky’s and the originator of the Chicago hot dog.

At its heyday, patrons would come in and be greeted with workers, mostly ladies, dressed in denim outfits, the ensemble topped off with red cowboy hats. Wolfy’s is now owned by two brothers named Peter and Gus Romas. The Romas Brothers have kept the original signage, recipe, and concept and expanded by opening a second location in Northbrook.

The dog is modestly priced at $2.69 and includes The Magnificent Seven. For $1.30 more it can be made into a double. Due to its central location, it’s a go-to for neighborhood residents, especially high school students from Mather High who have been scrounge together a few bucks to hit the stand up after class since it opened. Same goes for the local cops. Even though Becker is no longer the owner, those who have made Wolfy’s a part of their life for years still continue to flock there.

MOST HISTORIC SOUTH SIDE “RED HOT” Fat Johnnie’s Red Hots (1972-present) MARQUETTE PARK One thing that has yet to be clarified is the difference between a “Red Hot” and a “Hot Dog” -- simply put, there is no difference. A hot dog of any other name would smell as sweet. But, for all the places that tout the “Red Hot,” Fat Johnnie’s is the most notorious. Fat Johnnie’s kind of looks like you’d expect it to look. Located at 72nd St & Western, the teeny tiny hot dog stand has served those who live locally and those who travel across the city to those in search of the

“There are two kinds of Vienna Beef Hot Dogs. There are the ones you can buy in the supermarket and they are skinless, they don’t have a casing, they don’t have a sheep intestine casing, and Byron uses those.” perfect Chicago hot dog since May 12th, 1972.

It’s a typical hot dog stand, a shack, more than anything, with a walk-up window and a small collection of picnic tables nearby. The sign outside of Fat Johnnie’s proclaims that the place is “Fit for a King.” Back when it opened, and life was a little less-PC, it also said, “And for queens, too.”

It’s a place that for years only served David Berg beef hot dogs (now owned by Vienna). It’s your typical South Side spot. Based on the menu, one would assume that “King” to look like Elvis, during the fat years.

Like many hot dog stands in the city, you can also grab an Italian beef sandwich, a tamale (Fat Johnnie’s has a famous one known as the Mother-In-Law), pizza puffs, cheeseburger, chicken sandwich. Anything you can imagine.

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In terms of hot dogs, there is everything that can be thought of: a red hot, the chili dog, the cheese dog, the double dog, the super dog, the double cheese dog, and so forth. At the end of the day, the most popular item on Fat Johnnie’s menu is The Mighty Dog, presumable named after one of Fat Johnnie’s four-legged neighbors. In the early days of the stand, a mean, black dog used to live near property where the parking lot was and harass customers. The hot dogs were so good though, that even that mean old dog couldn’t deter the fans of Fat Johnnie’s.

The Mighty Dog is a legend inside the confines of Fat Johnnie’s neighborhood and it’s all-beef namesake has been named the “Best Hot Dog” by a variety of local and national publications and television shows. For $3, you get the Fat Johnnie of all Red Hots. Topped with The Magnificent Seven, the quarter pounder of encased meat is one of the most popular items on the menu. Fat Johnnies is a staple. An often visited spot for those catching a game at the baseball field formerly known as Comiskey Park. It’s no frills, no ego and it’s a damn good Chicago hot dog.

MOST FAMOUS FOOT LONG Murphy’s Red Hots (mid-’80s-current) LAKEVIEW Located at Belmont near Racine in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, Murphy’s has been around since the mid-’80s. Murphy’s is now around 30 years old, and it’s one of Chicago’s most beloved spots for hot dogs, cheddar burgers, and the best foot-long dog in the city. It’s a bit of a hot dog emporium, as you sit and eat there is no shortage of hot dog memorabilia to look at as you chomp away. It’s there you will find posters of Chicago encompassed in hot dogs and various other kitschy

hot dog memorabilia on the wall -- some with a Japanese theme -- telling the tale of a bygone-era when William Murphy, the owner and namesake of Murphy’s was tapped by a few Japanese moguls to bring the Chicago Dog overseas.

Over the years, residents have come and gone, but even among the youngest Lakeview residents, it’s a popular spot to grab an early-afternoon hot dog or cheddar burger after a long night. Plus, a large demographic of customers are Cubs fans, which account for increased traffic during the spring and summer.

The Mighty Dog is a legend inside the confines of Fat Johnnie’s neighborhood and it’s all-beef namesake has been named the “Best Hot Dog” by a variety of local and national publications and television shows.

Owner, Bill Murphy lives right next door to the spot and has kept a hands on approach to his business.

A model that has kept him growing strong ever since. Plus, 30-so years later, in Japan, his dog is still considered the model for the American hot dog by a Japanese restaurateur. Like many of his predecessors, his idea for a simple hot dog stand with strong neighborhood appeal has been a model that has supported his family since he opened his doors. The dogs are your quintessential Chicago dog. They are charred or grilled, topped with the Magnificent Seven.

are that you have a certain sort of love for Portillo’s.

It’s a Chicago institution, and most of us are programmed to give it respect. From a standpoint, the Portillo’s Chicago Dog is everything great about a hot dog. Vienna beef, the Magnificent Seven, wrapped in wax paper, the whole kit and caboodle. It’s a great hot dog, but what makes this hot dog truly iconic is because this hot dog was a billion dollar idea. Literally.

The star of the menu is Murphy’s footlong Vienna Beef hot dog.

It’s 12in of greatness and easily the cities best mix of condiments and fixings.

For $5.79, this foot-longer is worth every penny.

Mr. Murphy’s friends in Japan call this monster the “Big Murphy.” It’s best served besides hand-cut skin-on fries with a side of Merkts cheddar sauce and washed down with a triple thick milkshake.

THE BILLION DOLLAR HOT DOG Portillo’s (1963-present) VARIOUS LOCATIONS One thing is for sure, you haven’t been to Chicago until you’ve been to Portillo’s. It’s the kind of place that, when someone moves out of state, Portillo’s makes their list as one of the places they miss most in Chicago. Portillo’s is legendary, and their hot dog is one that many locals hold very close to their heart. Ask around, and it’s easy to find someone that will name Portillo’s as hands-down, their favorite. If you’ve grown up in the city or suburbs, chances

In 1963, Dick Portillo opened his first restaurant, a hot dog stand called “The Dog House.” He started, what would go on to be a food empire with $1,100.00. He took this money and invested in a 6x12 trailer with no running water. In the early days, he would run a 250ft hose from a neighboring building to clean and cook. Fiftythree years later his empire is still going strong.

With only two locations in Chicago, Dick Portillo followed a formula that made him successful. He opened a string of locations in a circle around the city in the city’s suburbs. Where other chains failed, Portillo took the idea to a whole new level by opening more of a food emporium. In addition to hot dogs, he added Barnelli’s pastas, ribs, beef, and sausage sandwiches, the ability to buy beer, and famous Éclair cake, making it a multi-stop destination for those who want to experience the best of Chicago cuisine.

In 2014, Dick Portillo sold his chains, 33 in all, to a private equity group in Boston for one billion dollars, easily making Portillo’s one of the most successful hot dog stands in history. Although Dick has moved on from day-to-day operations to consulting, his business model and formulas are still intact and the business continues to run with the same continuity that it did when Dick Portillo was at the helm.

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It’s healthy but smelly.

Trust us-- we don’t want to smell what you are eating on the train.

Please don’t eat or drink on CTA buses and trains.

LIFESTYLE Chicago’s vibe is unique and unlike another place in the world. Our blood pumps with passion, we wear our hearts on our sleeves, and we’re not afraid to take risks. See how we unearth some of what makes Chicago the magnificent and place it is.

CHICAGO REINVENTED:

MEET DANNY MOTA

BY JANLI GWO

The Man on Instagram: Danny’s a photographer born and raised in Chicago who has risen to fame through the advent of social media, primarily Instagram.

There you will find his vibrant, surrealist images that play with the reflections and architecture of the city.

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On your website, you linked a report on “ Urban Exploring” from WGN News starring you and a couple of fellow urban explorers explaining your fascination with urban decay, because it was “once beautiful, or once functional, and now it’s wasting away”. What do you think draws you in the most about documenting urban decay? That was one of my favorite things that I’ve ever done. It was at Rocks Candy factory, which I believe is no longer there, but when a couple friends of mine asked me to go check it out, I said of course.

It had basically been converted from a candy factory to a graffiti art gallery. We had gone at the perfect time: it had just rained, there were puddles all over, and we were playing with the reflections. I think a lot of times, this is when you appreciate that. When you walk into something new or that you’re curious about, you’re already excited, and that excitement carries over to your ability to hopefully create something that looks beautiful in its own right. It doesn’t have to be a skyline or a major sunset. It can be a torn-down white wall, or a wall that’s been graffitied hundreds of times.

To me, these types of images are what make up Chicago. I always try to find a balance between what people tend to believe in terms of urban environment and what they forget about or what they tend to under-appreciate.

To me, that’s looking down at the ground and finding a puddle, or just looking at the subway system that we have that I love. To me, that’s just being able to appreciate the entire thing, and not just picking and choosing what people like. “I’m just from Chicago.”

Your website features several 15-second clips shot with an iPhone and music in the background. My favorite one is the one of the back of the train leaving the station after which a view of Chicago suddenly appears.

Can you tell me a bit more about this clip? I think that it’s hard to convey Chicago in one image because people only think of its beautiful

skyline. You have to realize that there’s so much beauty in the city that’s underappreciated. Sometimes I’ll tell people, “Get in the back and look out the window, and just see, see it go by! Or sit at the edge of your seat and watch the people waiting for the train.” A photo can’t compare to a video. For me it conveyed a longer scene. You just put your earbuds in and take in the song. I want to give you a mix-byte of something. There’s always a sound track for any moment in your life.

How do you find new areas to shoot?

I tend to go with a few of my friends to places I see in photos and articles or on my drive to work, but I also enjoy photography as an intimate thing for myself. Sometimes I’ll just grab my phone and go for a 2-hour photo walk. Luckily, I work at a creative place and my boss, Jason Peterson, is a great guy. He’s one of the few people who seriously inspire me to be more creative and to take pictures.

Just yesterday we decided to just walk around Chicago and find fun stuff to shoot. And we stumbled across a couple of spots we hadn’t seen before. Jason and I then got to explore an underground paddy and so we went on like an hour-and-a-half exploration like that.

Taking these types of walks is a good way to refresh my creativity.

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“one day, someone’s going to look at a photo of Chicago and say, “Oh yeah, i remember that photo. That’s a Danny mota photo!” i don’t know how far I am from that, and i don’t know if I’ll ever achieve that, but i will do everything in my power to reach that achievement one day.”

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What drives you as a self-taught photographer to constantly innovate and seek improvement? I sometimes like to say that I have photography growing pains, because gaining photography skills is a learning process where you make little tweaks here and there and ask yourself, “What have I learned?” and “How can I do better?” I would be super happy to just look at a shot that I took a year ago, and see that I’ve gotten just 10% better. I grew up with my dad who was a boxer, and a mentality of “It’s never going to be perfect.” That’s my drive – to become perfect all the time.

How has your success on Instagram affected your career goals or personal goals? I think Instagram affects me on a personal level. My main motivation has always been to be able to create stuff that not only I look back on and feel happy about, but also that people who have really supported me along the way really enjoy. People such as my mom, my dad, my girlfriend, and people like Jason, from before I had a following or anything.

For my job, being able to do this type of stuff supplements what I learn at work. They aren’t parallel paths – they’re very unified at times.

What I do on my own and what I do at work are very similar. Down the road I want to be a full time director, lead big campaigns,

have the ability to speak from wisdom and truth, and I think that at the end of the day that’s my goal. Whether it’s photography or videography, I just want to create work that people are excited to see and can really enjoy. It’s simple.

Is there any advice you would have liked to give yourself when you first started out? Don’t be scared and be honest. I think putting work out there on your own is a nerve-wrecking feeling because you put your work out there and people judge you for it. Don’t be scared of that. I always tell people that if anything that you really want comes with hardships, just go out there, do something with what you want, whether that’s shooting a photo, a video, writing something, just do it. You’re never going to know how good it is unless you get out there. Don’t think everyone gets it right on the first try.

I don’t think I got it and I’ve posted over a 1,000 photos on Instagram. It’s just about improvement. Whether it’s improvement at the speed of a cheetah or a speed of a turtle, I got to the point where I am now, by doing what I really enjoy, and you’re never going to put the best work out there if you’re not excited and motivated.

Be sure to check out Danny’s Website and follow his work via Instagram or Twitter.

“I just want to create work that people are excited to see and can really enjoy.

It’s simple.”

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Living the Life Chatting with Chicago based artist, Cody Hudson

BY JOHN PEABODY Discovering, collecting, and appreciating art is a road to self-discovery. What you like.

What you don’t. The feelings you feel. The feelings you don’t. Art makes your soul grow, as Vonnegut once said. It’s why we’ve created the Huckberry Artist Series, in which we’re partnering with some of our favorite artists to share their stories and create one-of-a-kind,

limited edition prints, posters, and tees. Cody Hudson is an incredibly creative graphic artist and painter who makes giant murals and frequently works with cut paper shapes – a technique he originally started experimenting with during his early skating days. He’s also a dad and partner in the Michelin Star-rated Longman & Eagle restaurant in Chicago.

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Cody can you walk us through your day?

What does it typically look like? I have two kids, so my schedule is pretty regulated. I get up at 7 a.m., bring Birdie to school, then head into the studio. I light some nag champa, make some tea, and make a plan for the day.

I usually split the day up between commercial work for Struggle Inc., my personal artwork, and also some time for working with the restaurant group I’m a partner in. I head home around 6 p.m., eat dinner with the family, get the kids to bed, and then either head back to work for a few more hours or go check in on one of the restaurants. Occasionally, I get to just relax and hang out with my wife Lori.

When did you decide you wanted to be an artist? I always liked drawing and making things, but didn’t realize it was an actual thing people could do for a living until I was older. I was working at Piggly Wiggly and doing odd jobs and one of those was at an animation house painting cells. I met someone who talked to me about “graphic design” and it opened my eyes to wanting to learn that side of things as it seemed closer to art.

Tell us about your studio. I tend to keep my space pretty clean and don’t have too much stuff around other than art and design books, some pottery, a few moon globes and a lot of plants. In the work space, I have piles of scrap wood and other materials I keep collecting, a few work tables, some saws, and a big painting rack. I also have a small studio in the basement at home for smaller works on paper. We’re in the process of building out a small studio about two hours away in Elkhorn, Wisconsin that I’m hoping to use during the summers and school breaks.

Do you ever get tired of being in your studio?

My schedule is pretty tight, so if anything, I’d like more time in the studio. I also enjoy making site-specific work and working from other locations, so I work from California for parts of the winter or Wisconsin in the

summer when I can. It’s nice to change the scenery up a bit and I think that affects the work and what materials you have access to as well.

Where do you find inspiration and get recharged? A little of everything: listening to music, taking a walk, rowing a boat around the lake, or even driving in a car with the windows down. To get inspired, sometimes I just need to get out of my normal head space for a minute to think.

A project you really want to work on?

I’d love to work on graphics for the side of an airplane. For some reason I always think about that one. I got one weird phone call about one ten years ago to do one and then I never heard back.

How has skating influenced your work? It was my first real exposure to doing something art- and design-related. When you couldn’t get out there skating, you’d sit at home and make something about skateboarding.

We were making ‘zines, stickers on Xerox machines, drawing on our boards, painting on ramps – just doing weird stuff! Years later looking back, now I’m doing all this handson stuff with these cut paper shapes that resemble something I would have cut out of grip tape. I was so focused on art and design for a while that I didn’t realize how connected some of it was to my past.

What do you do when you’re not making art? I don’t have a lot of extra time, so if I had more time I’d make more art. I do enjoy things like spending time outdoors in Wisconsin, though, and I got the family a guitar this year so hopefully someone can learn to play that soon.

Who are some artists that inspire you? I tend to look back to the past for inspiration. I like to look back on Paul Rand, Bruno Munari, Robert Brownjohn, Dick Bruna, Deborah Sussman, Stuart Davis, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg, Karel Appel, Jean Arp, Constantin Brâncusi, Superstudio, Archigram, Buckminster Fuller, Black Mountain College, Situationist International, Whole Earth Catalog, Avant Garde Magazine – to name a few people and ideas.

As far as more contemporary artists, there is a so much great work being made right now.

I’m digging Eddie Martinez, Trudy Benson, Barry Mcgee, Tal R, Jonathan Lasker, Laura Owens, Stanley Whitney, Jonah Freeman & Justin Lowe, the list could really go on and on.

And musicians? For music, I tend to just listen to stuff that’s a little more mellow and quiet, kind of down-tempo just to keep things more mellow in the studio. I listen to a lot of slower guitar music, lots of dub, some ambient stuff. And then I kind of pick up the pace a bit during the day, throwing in some classic rock and acid house along the way.

Right now I’m playing a lot of Mogwai, The Antlers, Kathy Heideman, Sun Kil Moon, Magnolia Electric Co., Case Studies, Aphex Twin, Love Joys, Tappa Zukie, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Living the Life Chatting with Chicago Based Artist Cody Hudson

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YOUR UNIQUE STYLE

WINTER LESS BRUTAL

As sure locals still call The Willis Tower The Sears Tower, winter is coming. Our new Far Northern Collection is built to withstand the most wicked winter conditions. Slick enough for the city, tough enough for the mountains, our down-insulated technology assures you ultimate warmth all winter long. Whichever direction you’re facing, The Northface has got your back.

“If I had more time, I’d make more art” -Cody Hudson

Living the Life Chatting with Chicago Based Artist Cody Hudson

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EVERYTHING THAT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN TO YOU

WHILE RIDING THE CTA

BY ZACK SHORNICK There’s no experience quite like riding on public transit in Chicago. The CTA is famous for its elevated train, annoying fare card system, and at the very least being cleaner than New York City’s public transit. There are a lot of nuanced experiences that will need to be seen to be believed. If you’re a daily commuter you’ve likely got a lot of these checked off your list.

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ON THE BUS: Tourists will be completely unaware they keep causing the back doors to open... yet they can’t figure out how they open when they need to get off.

You will sit next to a sick cat on their way to the vet ... and that meowsical kitty will pawsitively ruin your caturday.

You will be rerouted around a street festival ... then another, and another, and another.

The A/C will be working ... in February.

Young Bulls fans will shout-sing ‘90s pop hits at the top of their lungs after a win “Hey now, you’re an all-star. Get your game on. Get paid.”

You will wait and wait and wait for people to MOVE TO THE BACK OF THE BUS! Seriously, it’s like three steps. You will be allowed off the bus!

You will find yourself reading a romance novel over someone’s shoulder #ThrobbingMember

A horde of hormonal high school students will overcome your entire bus heading home Love is real, guys.

You’ll be delayed waiting for an octogenarian to argue their way onto the bus ... without a working Ventra pass, but the driver won’t wait for them to sit before he speeds off.

You will wait 25 minutes for your bus, watching dozens of others go the opposite direction ...and the same again later when you need to transfer.

Your driver will hold all passengers hostage arguing with someone who won’t buckle in a wheelchair ... when she’s probably not even wearing a seatbelt herself.

Someone will fall asleep on you At least you have someone to cuddle away the cold with.

ON THE ”L”: You’ll gleefully run onto the only empty car during rush hour ... and quickly learn to never do that again.

You will share a seat with someone’s fully functioning road bike ... and never understand why they just didn’t ride it home!

You’ll get the one cheery conductor making rush hour announcements on the red line ... and it will make your day.

A few Sox fans will spill their beers on you on the way to the game ... and you’ll always wish they offered you one.

Meanwhile, a Cubs fan may spill different fluids ... A ticking time bomb.

You’ll watch the shell game guy and his cohorts try to scam tourists ... in disbelief that he hasn’t been arrested 1,000 times.

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AND IN GENERAL: Some morning person is a chatty a-hole on their way to work ... and you’re still reeling from a late Wednesday night. No judgements.

The date across the aisle from you will try to out-couple you and yours ... but you know you two are cuter.

There will be a one-man drum circle ... you didn’t bring your djembe?

New Chicago transplants will overtake your car with all the Craigslist furniture in the world ... there had to have been free alley furniture closer to the apartment, you guys.

You will wait in freezing temperatures to ride the Holiday Train ... just because you’re positive the seats are cleaner.

You will be farted at and upon ... possibly even with direct eye contact.

Mormon missionaries will try to have casual chats with you ... but if they aren’t wearing their tie, you won’t know until it’s too late!

You will get smacked in the face by several large sacks of books ... it’s like reading War and Peace through aggressive osmosis.

You will be forced to listen to someone else’s music on their speakerphone ... because who doesn’t like reggaeton mashups of Metallica and Shaggy?

Someone will clip their toenails ... and you’ll be in clear firing range.

You’ll share a car with a pigeon Boy are his arms tired!

Manspreading ... it’s when a man physically mansplains how much man-room it thinks it man-needs.

It will be freezing and hailing ... and there will be no heat because it’s July.

Someone will hit you in the face by spinning the hanging handles over the bar ... it was me.

The train you’re waiting for will go express and skip your station ... and the train you get onto going back will skip your stop due to construction.

Your face will end up in an armpit ... and not a clean one.

You will make eye contact with a person eating during the “no eating” announcement ... and wish you brought a snack.

You will see many different parenting techniques ... yet none of them seem to work.

Everything that Will Definitely Happen to You While Riding the CTA

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WAKE UP. LISTEN. SLEEP. REPEAT.

s t e e VINTAGE m MODERN

Get to know Tiffany Page, co-owner of Chicago’s own

Modern Cooperative

BY GINA AND LUCY Walking into Modern Cooperative is like walking into a candy store, except the candy is art in its various forms. It’s a handmade card (that we’re genuinely obsessed with) or a handmade necklace. It’s a bar of soap or a vintage lamp or a piece of furniture that’s getting a second life. Together, it’s a

perfectly curated selection of gems by local artists handpicked by shop owner Tiffany Paige (i’m sure her cute little pup gets in on the decisions too!). Stop by and visit Tiffany and Shop Dog next time you’re in Pilsen and pick up some things for your home collection.

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Tiffany’s Background.

I’m from Texas. I lived in Dallas and then lived in Austin before moving to Savannah for school. I went to the Savannah School of Art and Design as a photography and metalsmith major with plans of being a jewelry designer.

I dropped out after three years there from being stuck creatively and wanting to do so many things. During the time I took off school I became a flight attendant and had the chance to go all over the world but I was laid off after 9/11.

I decided to go back to school and finished my degree in visual communications at the Illinois Institute of Art. I went back to the airlines and took a job with United after as their brand manager (proof that you never know when your past is going to connect!). I had the chance to do great things at United. I was working closely with Cynthia Rowley on a uniform project for United for about two years. I was constantly flying back and forth to NYC, going to fashion week, and being in the design studio. Then United and Continental merged, canceled the uniform program and I left the company. I moved to NYC after that since I had been spending so much time there. I never really found something in NYC that called me. I was applying for jobs similar to the one I had just left. I had really been thinking about what is now Modern Cooperative. My boyfriend and now co-owner was super supportive and really pushed me to open the shop.

Backstory on Modern Cooperative.

Something that really stuck with me in design school was that everything you do should have a purpose or reason. I didn’t just want to open a vintage store. I really wanted to have a concept and a strong purpose. Midcentury modern furniture and handmade are every similar in that the both came out of a time when the economy was bad and resources were low. People go inside themselves and become really resourceful. I liked the idea of marrying the two ideas and at that point in my life I was out of a job. It all came full circle. There’s always a circle and always a connection (look at their logo!)

What drew you to open in Pilsen?

M y b oy f r i e n d a n d I h ave live d i n th e neighborhood for 10 years, minus the year and a half I was in NYC, so we liked the idea of staying around here. There’s nothing like this in the neighborhood. I knew coming back to Pilsen would be a good choice. At the time I was living in NYC, I was creating the concept for Modern Cooperative. Pilsen and some of the surrounding neighborhoods are really reminiscent of areas of Brooklyn. I took a lot of inspiration from shops around Brooklyn.

Did you feel there were places in Chicago that were already doing something similar?

I honestly didn’t feel there were. I really tried hard to have a unique concept and not just be another vintage store. I knew I wanted to stand out.

Almost everything here is local. What’s the makeup of the artists? Most of the artists are Chicago based. We’re starting to branch out and get artists from the midwest. We have about 50 artists total. 15 artists are from Pilsen, 5 are from the general midwest and the rest are from Chicago. Cooperative means people working together. I strive to have a personal relationship with all of our vendors. This store wouldn’t be anything without their work.

Favorite spots around the city? I am vegetarian so I really love Ground Control in Logan Square and Handlebar in Wicker Park.

What keeps you in Chicago? I love Chicago.

I need to be in an urban setting. I need the energy and the culture. I don’t like driving so I like the fact that I can stay in this neighborhood and do everything I need to do. Living in NYC, actually made me realize how cool Chicago is. What I really love about Chicago that I learned through living in NYC is that you can make things happen here. You can make your dreams come true here. It’s affordable, people are nice and the opportunities are here if you seek them out. I think it’s one of the most vibrant and creative cities in the United States.

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AMBITION, DEDICATION, AND BUCKETS WRITTEN BY “A DRINK WITH” In this sit down we talk with Raaja Nemani, co-founder and CEO of Bucketfeet.The interview highlights Bucketfeet’s beginnings, near defeats, and how the brand gives artists the opportunity to showcase their work to the world.

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Bucketfeet has raised $13.3 million in funding to date. At just 28 you started the shoe brand. Would you say that you were born an entrepreneur or that you fell into it?

A little bit of both. I think I always knew that I wanted to work for myself. I knew I wanted to leave a mark on the world. When it’s all said and done, I want to know that I left the planet better than when I came here. That’s always been a goal of mine, but then I went to school, got a regular job out of college and worked in finance. I sort of went on a completely different path. I went the exact opposite way of what I always thought. In 2008 I did something that changed my life forever –I quit my job to travel and lived abroad for two years.

Not many people have the guts to leave their stable job like that. I consider myself very privileged to have had that opportunity.

What it really showed me is that there are a lot of really amazing people around the world doing amazing things. A lot of them have had it a lot harder than me, and they’re taking these risks despite the fact that they might not have a safety net. It makes you think, “Are you taking any risks by doing something on your own?” For someone like me – I have work experience– if I completely fail, I’m still going to have the opportunity to do something with my life. So why not take that chance? That’s what it was for me.

That was the lightening rod that gave me the confidence to go out and do something.

Your two years abroad took you to 30 countries and every continent. To those thinking about quitting their jobs and traveling the world, what’s one piece of advice you’d give? Pack 80 percent less than what you need. What you don’t realize is that pretty much everywhere on the planet you can get anything you need, even in the most remote place you can get toothpaste and shoes and you’re always going to want

to buy stuff. I think what I ended up with was probably one or two things I started with.

Pack light. Very light.

Bucketfeet connects people through designing unique limited edition shoes using artists’ prints from around the world.

Was there a lightbulb moment that sparked the idea? It was many lightbulbs. I met my co-founder, Aaron Firestein, in Argentina. We were volunteering, became friends and that was it. We hit it off. Before I left Argentina, I found out he designed shoes. I said, “You have to design me a pair of shoes. I’m going to wear them while I travel around the world and take pictures,” which, of course, I never did. But, I was hoping to wear them around the world while I traveled. So he designed these shoes for me. Everywhere I went I was alone. I’m naturally not the person that’s going to go meet people. I found that when I ate dinner by myself my shoes were this icebreaker. Everywhere I went people commented on my shoes. I had this interesting story to tell. I talked about Aaron.

I talked about where he was from, where we met and the inspiration for the design. All of these things made me seem a lot cooler than I was. Had it had happened once, it wouldn’t have mattered, but literally hundreds of people asked about these shoes and I had a cool story to tell. It never got old.

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Would you still have started the company h a d yo u k n ow n a b o u t t h e o b s t a c l e s yo u ’d f a ce? T h at ’s a g re at q u e s ti o n .

That’s something we’ve talked about a lot.

Something I knew nothing about were shoes.

They’re really hard to make. Our first investor, he’s a fashion guy, Brian Spaly, who started Trunk Club and Bonobos said, “Literally the only reason I’m investing is because you’ve figured out how to make shoes and have made shoes that I like and my team likes.”

He said, “If you’re able to figure this out, I’ll assume you’ll be able to do everything else.”

If we weren’t so naïve about how hard shoes would be, we may have been like, “Screw it, let’s try t-shirts.” Our mission is connecting people through art, so we weren’t driven by shoes necessarily. We just thought it would be a fun, unique, different product. We’re glad we did it. I don’t think there’s any chance we would have [pursued] it if we’d known.

It’s crazy.

What were some forks in the road where you had to make a specific decision on how to grow the company? There were a few.

Number one: We raised very little money in the beginning to start the company which was also naive. We didn’t realize how much capital it took, and we made the obvious sort of amateur assumption that, “If we make this many shoes we’ll just sell them all and then we’ll just reinvest.” You don’t realize you have all of these other expenses and you may not sell every single size at the same pace. So, when we had to build a website we could either try and raise more money, try to put more of our money in, or partner with somebody else willing to do that. We partnered with this local company, Dashfire.

They trade services for a little bit of ownership in the company. Now, when we don’t need to do that, I wouldn’t because you don’t want to give ownership. But, if we hadn’t done it, we may not have had a company. You make these choices that allow you to live another day. You try to make as many decisions as you can to live another day, and then hopefully one day you’ve built something.

A ny o t h e r t u r n i n g p o i n t s t h a t w e r e monumental? Another major one was: We were working with a company called Li & Fung. They are an asset global sourcing agent and they’re expensive. They still are, but they get us all of our stuff on time. The quality is amazing. We were trying to save costs

in the early days and we got introduced to another supplier and said, “Let’s work with them.” We effectively stopped talking to Li & Fung and we didn’t even say, “Hey, we’re gonna go in another direction.” We stopped talking to them and we sort of put them on hold. Then we realized this other company didn’t have the same resources.

They didn’t have the same quality factories to work with. It was much more difficult to interact with them. They didn’t speak English as well either. After meeting them in China and seeing their operations, seeing them in person, we’re like, “Holy sh-t, we just ran into the worst mistake of our lives.”

That must’ve been a long plane ride home.

This was in the early days, so I said, “Aaron, we can’t leave. Li & Fung is based in Hong Kong too. Let’s try and get hold of them.” I literally called them and said, “Hey, I happen to be in China for a friend’s wedding and we’d love to meet.” We met with them and they decided to keep working with us. They’ve been the most incredible partner ever. We still work with them today.

This year you raised $7.5 million in a Series A round and have over 10,000 artists in your network. Was there ever a moment when you weren’t sure if there would still be a Bucketfeet? Yeah! We’ve almost gone bankrupt, and our investors know this. I actually had this conversation with a friend recently. They asked me, “Maybe you’re just running the company horribly. Why are you guys always almost going bankrupt?”

What was your response? I hear stories from other entrepreneurs and they talk about how they’re about to go bankrupt and then they get another round of funding, survive and sell. Even Brian [Spaly] from Trunk Club has a story on how they were almost bankrupt, raised money and sold the company to Nordstrom for $350 million. To succeed and make something out of nothing you have to sort of run it to the bone and basically push it to the limit. It’s either going to break and not work or it’s going to work.

I think if you don’t do that then you may still have a great company and you may still grow, but you’re never going to be one of thesespecial companies.

We are far away from that, but our dream is to be a special company and not just here [in Chicago], but around the world.

We now see the shoes at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Lord & Taylor in addition to your website and pop-up stores. What’s it been like starting an international retail fashion brand in Chicago? I think if you were to try and count the cool, fun consumer brands in this city, there’s not that many.

There’s Threadless, there’s Trunk Club and there’s us. It feels special being one of those few. If you go to New York there’s a million. If you go to L.A. there’s a million. I think it’s cool to put Chicago on the map. Our partners are surprised we’re in Chicago. We do a global sales meeting every year. People are flying in from 25 countries. For many of them it was their first time coming to Chicago last year.

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What was scarier, deciding to travel or starting the business? One hundred percent the travel. I think it was scary for my mom too. That was the big step off the beaten path, right? In 2008, I was just under two years in private-equity and my friends were either taking promotions, going to business school or going to other big companies and I walked into my boss’ office and said, “Hey, I’m actually going to go travel for a year.” It ended up being two years.

Most unnerving moment on your journey?

I bought a one-way ticket to Argentina. I honestly had a panic attack on the plane. I was thinking, “Did I just quit my job? I have no money. I don’t know anyone here!” I’m not the outgoing guy. I’m fine when I meet people and I’m very social, but I’m not going to just go up to somebody. I landed —I still remember this, you remember these moments in your life— and it was a rainy, dreary day. I go to the hostel, tried to pay for the hostel and my credit cards and ATM cards won’t work. I’m trying to call Citibank; this is literally my first day. The hostel was like, “Well, if you can’t pay by this time we’re going to have to kick you out.” I just got off on the wrong foot. Finally the cards worked. People were playing pool at the hostel so I bought a beer to just go hang out by myself. It was such an awkward feeling. These British, Irish and Scottish guys start talking to me and asked if I wanted to go out with them that night. To this day it’s one of the best nights of my life, very good night. We’ll leave it at that.

me. You never know what the next day, not even the next day, the next minute or hour is going to bring, and that’s amazing.

Aside from getting on that plane, your business would not be here today had you not done what? The business would not be here had I not volunteered. I literally met Aaron in the most unlikely of neighborhoods.

One of the poorest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and he was one of three other people there. What I think it also tells you is there’s always that next opportunity around the corner. Sometimes you feel like you missed out on something, but then something else comes up.

If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be? The one person that I really respect is Bill Gates. I think in 50 years nobody is going to remember Steve Jobs, and nobody is going to remember Bill Gates for Microsoft. I think everyone is going to remember Bill Gates for the non-profit work he’s done and the work in Africa he’s done.

He’ll have eradicated all of these diseases and convinced the richest people in the world to do the same.

I think it’s incredible that this type of person decided to make that his life mission.

Biggest takeaway from those experiences while traveling? What you thought was the worst experience of your life can switch like that. And that’s what this trip told

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CREDITS Publisher: Cynthia Kerby Image Cover: Danny Mota Image Inside Cover: ViktorHanacek.cz

Enjoyment Section

Landmarks Section

Sofa Article Written By: Laurel Fay Photo Credits: Sofa Chicago

Written By: From The Chicago Theatre Website Photo Credits: From The Chicago Theatre Website and Neal Kharawala

Headquarters Article Written By: Sam Zuba Photo Credits: Headquarters Beercade

Article: Willis Tower Written By: Article from The Willis Tower website Photo Credits: Mathew Hamilton

Beerhoptacular Article Written By: Article from craftbeer.com Photo Credits: Beerhoptacular, Elan Cohen

Article: The Museum of Surgical Science Written By: Article from The Museum of Surgical Science website Photo Credits: From the Museum of Surgical Science website

Speakeasy Article Written By: Article from aroundme.com Photo Credits: Grant D. Mills, Wil Stewart, Steve Newman, Jerry Kyle

Article: The Art Institute Written By: Article from the Art Institute website Photo Credits: Blogger Mike Article: Pedway System Written By: Article from The City of Chicago Website Photo Credits: Joseph Lekas

Lifestyle Section Article: Chicago Reinvented: Meet Danny Mota Written By: Janli Gwo Photo Credits: All photos by Danny Mota Article: Living the Life Chatting with Chicago based artist, Cody Hudson Written By: John Peabody Photo Credits: All photos by Dustin Ortiz and Jared Eberhardt Article: Everything That Will Definitely Happen to You While Riding the CTA Written By: Zack Shornick Photo Credits: Stephy Miehle, Lou Levit, Eddy Lackmann, Danny Mota, and slayerprincess of Pixabay Article: Vintage Meets Modern: Get to Know Tiffany Paige, co-owner of Chicago’s Own Modern Cooperative Written By: Gina and Lucille of Gin and Luce Photo Credits: All photos by Gina and Lucy Article: Ambition, Dedication, and Buckets Written By: A Drink With Photo Credits: Bucketfeet and Lindsay Henwood

Culture Section

Food Section

Article: Meet Jamila Woods Written By: Rawiya Kamer Photo Credits: Matthew Avignone, Ariel Zambelich, Gunner Stahl

Article: The Most Important Hotdog in Chicago History Written By: By KAILLEY LINDMAN and SEAN COOLEY

Article: Connect with Esther Garcia Written By: Lucy Hewett Photo Credits: Lucy Hewett Article: Unite with Theaster Gates Written By: Ben Austen Photo Credits: Stephen Wilkes, Kavi Gupta, Sara Pooley Article: Encounter Rising Stars Written By: Stella Quimby Photo Credits: HalfStack Magazine Article: Top 8 Must-See Events Written By: Doyle Armburst, Mark Bazer, Cassie Walker Burke, Robert Loerzel, Catey Sullivan Photo Credits: Hamilton Broadway, Aleksandr Karaj, Tempestt, A Time Waner Company, Brandon Dahlquist, Thomas Duval, Gina Frangello, Jofferey Theater

Photo Credits: chowhound.com/food-news/126354/chicago-s-best-hotdogs/ pizzachicago.com/menu.aspx flipboard.com/@thegifchef/hot-dog-fanatic-13u65jsmz facebook.com/SuperdawgDriveIn goldcoastdogs.net/weiners-circle-double-chardog/ chibbqking. blogspot.com/2010/04/murphys-red-hots.html youtube.com watch?v=utyd89HXKk0 Hot dog & fries. Courtesy of Gene & Jude’s Article: Your Next Meal Needs To Be At Chicago’s Revival Food Hall Written By: By MAGGIE HENNESSY Photo Credits: Scart Javier Article: Interview With Chef Bill Kim Of Bellyq Chicago Written By: JSFashionista Photo Credits: http://www.marketingandtechnology.com/repository/ webFeatures/plateEdit/images/ Article: The 15 best food trucks in Chicago Written By: Amy Cavanaugh and Elizabeth Atkinson Photo Credits: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/restaurants/the-15best-food-trucks-in-chicago Article: THE MOST IMPORTANT HOT DOGS IN CHICAGO HISTORY Written By: CAROL HILKER Photo Credits: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/chicago/chicago-hotdogs-portillos-superdawg-hot-dougs-wieners-circle

Travel doesn’t have to be far from HOME

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