Chicagoans Archive

And another kind of anniversary. What a difference a decade makes. On how ten years ago, to my surprise, I became a Chicagoan. Read More

Phillip kept the the memorial booklet from Sara's funeral in his tallit bag for 32 years until the day he died...and no one knew it until I opened the bag another 26 years later. Read More

A recent discussion thread in the popular, urbanist City-Data Forum asked for reasons why some people shouldn't move to Chicago. Speaking as an ex-New Yorker who very annoyingly used to measure every city by the standard of the five boroughs, I can think of eight million people who might want to consider a reason to stay home. Read More

'I was in a bilevel Burger King, with the dining room squeezed in downstairs from the order counter. I ordered something I don't remember and a large Pepsi. I really don't know what happened. A tremor? A foot slip? But there I was walking downstairs watching my soda tumble end over end in slow motion in front of me.' Read More

During their windy City visit last week, Seattle’s coolest couple, Kasey and John, waxed giddily about the fun and frolic of my downtown Chicago neighborhood. Their reaction stands in stark contrast to the one I normally get from native Chicagoans when I tell them I live downtown. It’s almost like telling a New Yorker you never ride the subway. The response is always the same: no one's stopping you from doing it, but why would you want the hassle? Read More