Life
Buzzle the Wuzzle
'Most of all, please make it fit for young readers. My sister has standards, I beg that you meet hers. Under no circumstance unveil the puzzle. The item I sought to buy? Call it...the wuzzle.'
Life
Life
Speed Queens
When Cincinnati Jamie pulled up in front of the Hilton one evening in October with a spent Austrian airline pilot in the passenger seat, I tried to be demure. As he got out of the car, I told Herr Pilot, 'When I blog about this, I promise only to refer to you as number three.' Jamie's response? 'He
Life
The Radioactive Donut of Indignity
There are many words that your doctor can probably go ahead and edit out of an oral report on your CT scan results. 'Most likely benign' are not among them. Given the rigamarole and drang I went through that led up to the words being written, I felt I had earned hearing them.
Life
Fleet Week
There's nothing like the feeling that you're eternally just about to pass a frozen chicken to light a fire under your butt. Under those circumstances, however, home remedies can only go so far. Their effectiveness tends to run out much the same time that your dignity does, too. In my case, both limi
Life
Vagina Dialogue
The first step to getting healthy is admitting you have a problem. There's no getting around it, I am hopelessly addicted to Cincinnati chili. I find myself making excuses for being in Lincoln Square, eight miles from my downtown home, to accidentally drop in at Cinner's, Chicago's only authentic Qu
Life
Box of Whine
It's a train that enters the station with Swiss Rail precision. Whenever a downtown Chicago resident rightfully complains about neighborhood noise, some local wag tells us to grin and bear it. Here's what I think those local wags can do.
Life
Battle of the Blogger Bulge
American Apparel must feel vindicated right now. Last year, after the depression diet that followed my breakup with Devyn, I was happy to discover two things: St. Johns Wort is like God's Zoloft without the sexual side-effects; and I was trim enough to shop at the official clothing retailer of Ameri
Life
Hung Up on Market Days
Let the gay community come and take my toaster oven back. I'm not a fan of Market Days. Yes, I know it's the largest street festival in the Midwest and the high point of Chicago's LGBT calendar. To me, it always feels like a Queer Taste of Chicago. And by the time Market Days rolls around, I've alre
Life
Putting Your Best Foot Sideways
Even seated, Pastry Chef Chris couldn't help but grimace over the top of his grande iced green tea cooler. 'Maybe you slept wrong,' I offered. His response: 'How does one sleep wrong on a foot?'
Life
Scooby Doo in New Chinatown
As soon as newcomer Cincinnati Jamie and I arrived in New Chinatown, his brow immediately began to furrow. 'This place reminds me of something,' he said. And then things really got animated....
Life
What Makes You Smile in Downtown Chicago?
I'm curious to know what are the special corners, nooks, and crannies that readers treasure about downtown Chicago. If something or someplace in downtown Chicago has a special meaning for you, please feel free to tell us all about it.
Life
Urban Hiking Clear My Mind
Some people get in their cars and drive to clear their minds and think. Me, I put on my shoes, pick a direction, and start walking through my wondrous downtown Chicago urban neighborhood. Here's a look at my favorite Windy City urban hikes and why I find them so special.