Bridgeport
Unfinished and Organic
In a city known for its devotion to steel towers, brother and sister curators Peter Kepha and Lauren Pacheco have decided to investigate a more organic material—wood. In their display at the Chicago Urban Art Society, “Wood Worked,” the duo dictated that every sculpture be made of wood—no exceptions. It is a deceptively straightforward... »
Famiglia Style
Let the smell of warm, fresh pasta wafting into the fall air guide you into one of the overstuffed leather booths at Calabruzzi’s Café. Exposed brick walls, an enormous tri-color decal of Italy on the floor, and an accordion over the speaker system typify Italian-American restaurant décor, but the sharp smell of frying garlic... »
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is one of Chicago’s “up-and-coming” neighborhoods. New foodie havens, a booming arts scene, and hopping nightlife beckon twenty-somethings and art types from across the city. While it is certifiably hip, Bridgeport feels strangely isolated from its surrounding communities in terms of geography and character, which gives it a quirky, organic hometown vibe. »
Bloody Good Pie
Pleasant House Bakery was utterly charming. A chalk sign on the wall advertised pasties, royal pies, and “bangers and mash.” The entire kitchen, where two men were busy rolling dough and filling pies, was visible behind the counter. On a nearby table, a sprig of purple-blossomed chive rested in a small glass. The British... »
Home on the Range
Friday night’s opening of “Riders,” Co-Prosperity Sphere’s latest installation, felt a little bit like a family reunion for the family you probably never had. The exhibition focuses on how the beauty of Mexican ranch life can be simultaneously maintained and reinvented in new spaces—from Mexico to Indiana to the white walls of this Chicago... »
Mark My Words
Typeforce 2, which opened last Friday at Bridgeport’s Co-Prosperity Sphere, makes a strong case for Chicago’s place as the second city of typographic design. »
A magazine called desire
“Free whiskey’s over there, and the sex magazine is in the corner,” said the Alan-Rickman-as-Snape look-alike taking tickets, as we entered the Co-Prosperity Sphere for the release party of Lumpen’s ’95 sex magazine. »
The Runoff
In the Bridgeport of 2011, Maria’s Dry Goods and Community Bar is bringing politics and booze together again. »
