CHICAGO IS HOT, hot in ways we couldn’t have imagined (people lining up to buy newspapers!), hot for the next fours years, at least, hotter than it was when fires were sparked by Al Capone or Michael Jordan. Here and on the following pages you will find many examples of what’s hot in addition to the city and Barack Obama — on a personal note, I would add the pancakes at the Valois, that venerable Hyde Park restaurant. Some of what you’ll find is out of the financial reach of most mortals, but what’s the harm in fantasizing in the face of wicked wind chills, harsh economic times and the promise inherent in new folks moving into the White House?
— Rick Kogan
Food, Style, Design
HOT: THE STANDARD POODLE
HOT: SHEER FOR SPRING at YSL
HOT: A SECOND PASSPORT
Several EU countries are issuing passports to anyone who has at least one grandparent born in that country. A passport from Ireland or Slovakia would entitle you to live, look for work and receive benefits anywhere in the EU. In hard times, it’s a nice backup.
HOT: SMART CARS
Hot: For the eco-conscious, there’s the tiny Smart Fortwo Passion. Its engine requires pricey 91 octane fuel, but your city parking nightmare is over.
Hotter: The electric Chevy Volt (coming in 2010) will let you drive up to 40 miles gas-free.
Blazing: Tired of being PC? Smart off with Eleanor, the 2008 version of the 1967 Shelby GT Mustang from the movie “Gone in 60 Seconds.” The 535-horsepower FI Performance Model R is made by Oklahoma-based Custom Recreations.
HOT: ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE
Remember when it was de rigueur to smoke, drink and mouth off? The disturbing but magnetic drama “Mad Men” gets an A+ for its pitch-perfect depiction of the politics, culture, prejudices and sartorial style of the early Sixties.
HOT: A HARD CASE
Retro styling in luggage packs a punch. Globe-Trotter’s Vulcan Fibre shell, leather-trimmed bag is guaranteed to withstand the weight of a one-ton elephant. A celebrity favorite, the British luggage can now be had on this side of the ocean, thanks to the company’s collaboration with J. Crew. jcrew.com
HOT: IT’S IN THE MESSAGE
If you missed Jenny Holzer’s text projection on Chicago’s iconic buildings, you can still get an eyeful with her exhibition PROTECT PROTECT, at the MCA Chicago. Through Feb. 1, 2009.
HOT: POLITICAL ACTIVISM — ENOUGH SAID.
GO WHOLE HOG
Eat, drink and be merry. The Publican, a new West Town spot from Paul Kahan and Eduard Seitan (Blackbird and Avec), Donnie Madia (Blackbird, Avec and Sonotheque) and Terry Alexander (Sonotheque, The Violet Hour and Mia Francesca), gives us a tavern to savor with its brasserie-meets-beer hall menu. There are 100-plus varieties of bottled beer, another dozen strains on tap and fabulous fare that focuses on sustainable seafood and pork. Some examples: the chef’s selection of oysters, curried bouchot mussels from Maine cooked in IPA beer and heirloom pork loin with celery root and Brussels sprouts (845 W. Fulton Market; 312-733-9555).
HOT: A GOOD FIT
Menswear with the kind of bespoke tailoring to lust after and a fashion-forward take on “classic” has hit the ready-to-wear market, thanks to new lines from Thom Browne’s Black Fleece collection for Brooks Brothers and Maison Martin Margiela’s Sartorial line. The prices may still raise eyebrows, but so will your sartorial splendor.
HOT: TELLING PORTRAITS
“Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton,” the first survey of the painter’s portraits of figures from the worlds of art, fashion, film and politics, is a mesmerizing and visually riveting oeuvre of late 20th Century pop culture. See it at New York’s New Museum through Jan. 11 and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis from Feb. 14 to June 14 or, better yet, buy the catalog.
HOT: “TOXIC” AS AN ADJECTIVE — TOXIC LOANS, TOXIC DEBT, TOXIC MORTGAGES, TOXIC PEOPLE.
HOT: NATURAL SPIRITS
Many flavored vodkas claim to use natural essences; spirits are not required to sport ingredient-revealing labels. Two stand out for taste that is smooth, subtle and surprising, rather than stilted or strong: Pinky ($28.99) — blended with violets, roses and 10 other botanicals — and Hangar One ($35) — infused with Citron Buddha’s Hand, Kaffir Lime, Mandarin Blossom or Fraser River Raspberry. At local beverage stores.
HOT: GREEN MAGAZINES:
LIVING THE GREEN LIFE HAS GONE MAINSTREAM TO MAGAZINES. HIT TITLES INCLUDE PLENTY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S GREEN GUIDE AND GOOD.
HOT: STAY-CATIONS (STAYING AT HOME AND LOVIN’ IT) AS OPPOSED TO FLYING/DRIVING FAR AFIELD.
HOT: CURED IN AMERICA
Those zesty, mouth-watering salumis — such as prosciutto, coppa, speck, pancetta — that were once the province of European artisans are now being made domestically. The meats are made with vegetarian-fed animals, raised with no antibiotics or are often nitrate free. New York has had Salumeria Biellese since 1925, but the rest of the country’s catching up. Within the last few years, Kathy and Herb Eckhouse founded La Quercia in Des Moines, Iowa, and renowned chef Paul Bertolli launched Fra’ Mani in Berkeley, Calif.
HOT: DECEPTIVE DESIGN
They look like tables, chairs or lamps, but there’s more here than meets the eye; the furnishings are either double entendres, ambidextrous or theoretical at “Deceptive Design: Experiments in Furniture,” a show at the Chicago Cultural Center through Jan. 4.
HAIR TODAY:
The new, 18,000-square-foot, four-story Ulta on State Street (114 S. State St.) gives us a better blend of high and low than any other beauty palace we’ve ever seen, and sports a full-service salon on its top floor headed by star hairstylist David Barnett – formerly of the John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman, where his clientele included Anne Hathaway, Paris Hilton and Bette Midler. The $115 for a haircut and style by Barnett is below his New York asking price of $200. Such a deal! Call 312-279-5081 for an appointment.
HOT: ROVING EYE
When you’re out, you can keep an eye on your kids, your pets and anything else you want, in real time, in any room you want, with the Rovio mobile webcam by Wow Wee. The “home and office explorer” goes where you tell it to, and then its adjustable camera can stream video or take and send snapshots of what it sees. Available at major retailers for around $300.
HOT: PARIS REVEALED
Angelika Taschen’s just-released guidebook, named “Taschen’s Paris,” eats up 400 pages and proves that Paris is burning — hot. Add to that the popular French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his forward-thinking wife, Carla Bruni. Vive la France, from your armchair.
HOT: JUMPSUITS ARE BACK
ETRO’S MODERN VERSION FOR SPRING ’09.
HOT: LITERARY LIGHTWEIGHT
Tired of schlepping your reading around? Introduced last year and plagued with sell-out shortages, the 10-ounce Amazon Kindle ($359) can hold up to 200 titles at a time. Now there are more than 190,000 books, newspapers, magazines and blogs available for this wireless device. Best sellers are about $10 and classics start at $2.
HOT: TIE ONE ON
The thin “Mad Men”-inspired bow tie.
HOT: SHOE
The YSL cage bootie for spring.
HOT: On the fly
As a fractional owner with a Marquis Jet membership card, you gain access to fly on any of the planes in the NetJets fleet.
A new office just opened for business in the Chicago area.
Some owners: Kelly Ripa, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade (the name as published has been corrected in this text), Jim Furyk, Kyle Busch.
HOT: CHUNKY JEWELRY
LANVIN’S RHINESTONE, ACETATE, RIBBON AND CHAIN NECKLACE AT IKRAM, CHICAGO.
HOT: COCOONING WITH PARLOR GAMES LIKE MAH JONG, BRIDGE AND MONOPOLY. WELL, MAYBE NOT MONOPOLY — A REMINDER OF REAL ESTATE GLOOM.
HOT: THE NEIGHBORHOOD
LOGAN SQUARE
Here a few of the top hot spots.
1. BonsoireeThe full-service caterer (boasting Harry Winston’s Jewelers as a client) and BYOB bistro is best known for its monthly “Saturday Underground” dinner, a five-course tasting menu for $55. 2728 W. Armitage Ave., 773-546-9577.
2. Lula CafeYou know they’re doing something right at this innovative American eatery when most of the city’s chefs come here on their off days. 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd., 773-489-9554.
3. The Brown SackHeaving portions come fresh and handmade at this chic cafeteria specializing in shakes, sandwiches and soups. 3706 W. Armitage Ave., 773-661-0675.
4. RustikThis urban lodge setting is ideal for taking in generous portions of stuffed meatloaf and veggie pot pie. 2515 N. California Ave., 773-235-0002.
5. The WhistlerThink of this lively, no-signage (and no phone number) spot as Logan Square’s answer to The Violet Hour. Hand-crafted cocktails and such, but unlike at the VH, you can use cell phones. 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave.
6. The Burlington
Hipster lounge gets high marks for its cheap drinks and friendly crowd. 3425 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-384-3243.
7. Rosa’s Lounge
You won’t get watered-down blues at this tiny music lounge named after the owner’s mom. 3420 W. Armitage Ave., 773-342-0452.
8. Quenchers
The beer emporium specializes in more than 260 choices, and the jukebox is filled with some of the best music you’ll ever hear. 2401 N. Western Ave., 773-276-9730. — Audarshia Townsend
9. Urban Belly
Bill Kim, formerly of Charlie Trotter’s and Les Nomades, has teamed up with his wife, Yvonne Cadiz-Kim, in Urban Belly, a Logan Square BYOB noodle and dumpling house. There are19 dishes on the menu; all are so good we can’t pick a favorite (3053 N. California Ave., 773-583-0500).
HOT: FREE IPHONE APPS
Besides air, awesome apps for your iPhone are gratis. Some stars: Shazam for identifying songs in mere seconds (right down to artist and album); Check Please to calculate what everyone at the table owes, also in mere seconds.
HOT: SCOOTER + STEROIDS
Get around town in this lean, mean, urban machine. The Tomberlin MadAss scooter goes for about $2,795 and, around here, is available at Moto-Scoot in Milwaukee. moto-scoot.net
HOT: FIRST LADY CHIC
Ikram, Maria Pinto or J. Crew? All dress Michelle Obama, but who will supply the the inaugural wardrobe?
HOT: SOUNDS
PASTORAL ROCK
Autumnal melodies; folk-based, stripped-down arrangements; and dusky vocals are making a comeback. Remember The Band’s “Music From Big Pink” and Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon.” Two of the year’s most talked-about albums: The self-titled debut by Seattle quintet Fleet Foxes, and “For Emma, Forever Ago” by Bon Iver, fronted by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
HOT: BANDS
No Age: Los Angeles duo blends agit-prop political views with bash-and-crash power.
Vivian Girls: Named after the heroines in outsider artist Henry Darger’s epic novel, this Brooklyn trio delivers buzzing pop songs about onrushing adulthood.
Kid Sister: Chicago rapper Melisa Young’s awaited debut album is done and should be out soon. She’s gotten a massive buzz thanks to her Kanye West-assisted Internet hit “Pro Nails.”
Led Zeppelin: Even without Robert Plant and the late drummer John Bonham, the Zeppelin brand name will ensure that the reunion of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on tour next year will be a commercial windfall. — Greg Kot
HOT: LIFT CREAMS
No need to go under the knife when you can try facial lift and de-stressing creams like 3LAB’s “M” cream, which contains stem cells from the rare Uttweiler Spatlauber Swiss apple that supposedly slow down the aging process. Find this one at Barneys New York, Chicago.
HOT: POWER PLAYER
The Powerstick by Ecosol gives an on-the-go charge to mobile devices such as BlackBerrys, cell phones, iPhones, digital cameras and MP3 players. Charge it from any USB port, including computers and laptops, then use it to charge your equipment. Fits in pocket, weighs about an ounce.
HOT: SIMPLE SPLURGE
One of the hottest things in the country is, without a doubt, a thin bread topped with sauce and cheese and consumed by the ton every day in the U.S. and the world. The blogs obsess about everything from fermentation time to tomato provenance, from toppings to “slice or no slice,” from mozzarella di bufala to Bel Paese. — chef Mario Batali
About 20 bucks gets you a scrumptious pie that can serve two at Great Lake Pizza at 1477 W. Balmoral Ave. in Andersonville (773-334-9270). Not deep dish but not thin, the pizzas are hand-crafted by Lydia Esparza and Nick Lessins in four or five varieties nightly (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text). Try smoked bacon, creme fraiche and Tropea onions, or another with tomato puree, handmade fresh mozzarella, Salumeria Biellese Sopressata, Golden Marconi sweet peppers, Dante sheep’s milk cheese. The offerings depend on freshly available organic ingredients, and the results are so utterly indulgent it’s easy to over-order. The tiny place seats only eight to 10 people, and you’ll have to fight local chefs for those seats (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).
– – –
WHAT’S NEXT?
Here’s what three trendmeisters predict we’ll see more of in 2009
MARGARET RUSSELL
Editor-in-chief of Elle Decor magazine and judge on Bravo network’s “Top Design”
1. Homesteading — eating at home and having people over.
2. Green chic and repurposing are in. Shop your closet; use what you have; read off your shelf.
3. Authenticity is important. We’re balancing tech gadgets with the artisinal, natural and handmade.
4. Personalization. We’re customizing and monogramming things to make them more intimate and individual.
5. Luxury that lasts is mandatory. People still spending will avoid throwaway chic.
DONNY DEUTSCH
Host of CNBC’s “The Big Idea . . . Your Daily Roadmap to the American Dream”
1. A positive attitude is the new black.
2. Being nice is in.
3. Public service is chic.
4. Conspicuous consumption is dead.
5. Celebrity worship is starting to wane.
TINA WELLS
Still twenty-something pop culture guru and CEO of Buzz Marketing Group
1. Warholism. Everybody thinks they can be famous, thanks to YouTube, Facebook and blogging.
2. Massclusivity. Products designed for the masses, but exclusive to their owners, like iPods.
3. Being a technoholic. An instant-messengers mindset. We want all of our news instantly.
