Grace Wong

A spring theme counters the dark elements of the historic building in which Maypole is located, at 121 W. Front St. in Wheaton. The restaurant opened June 22, 2023.

New Maypole restaurant in downtown Wheaton features Filipino-inspired menu

June 24, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Chad and Alicia Hauge and Mike Melazzo hadn't really planned on opening a restaurant. The team's hands were full with Common Good Cocktail House in Glen Ellyn, which they'd been...

Updates to theWit include sculptural columns in the lobby and light fixtures that look like origami in guest rooms.

Chicago hotel guide: 7 new, updated and renovated spots for summer tourists and staycations

June 14, 2023 at 6:24 p.m.

There's no better time to enjoy Chicago than in the summer. Whether you're taking advantage of world-class museums or soaking in the sun on the lakefront, the city comes alive...

Wild Rice Retreat in Bayfield, Wisconsin, offers wellness experiences rooted in yoga, nature and guided healing.

In times of grief and mourning, Midwest wellness retreats offer guided healing

January 18, 2023 at 3:58 p.m.

There's an inherently healing quality to travel, particularly when it involves communes with nature and escapes from daily routine. And when a traveler seeks to address a specific wound —...

The Ohio State Reformatory is a historic prison in Mansfield, Ohio. Construction on the facility began around 1886 and, after much delay, it officially opened in 1896 before shuttering in 1990 on federal orders. One of its most famous inmates was Gates Brown, who served time for armed robbery and then went on to play for the Detroit Tigers from 1963 to 1975. Another athlete, Cleveland Browns running back Kevin Mack, served a month for a drug conviction. In its final years, the allegedly haunted reformatory was featured in many movies, including the 1994 drama "The Shawshank Redemption" and music videos for Godsmack and Lil Wayne.

Take a Midwestern road trip to thrills, chills and ‘Eeek’

September 22, 2022 at 7:50 p.m.

It's only a matter of time before the days are darker, the nights are longer and there's a certain chill in the air, all telltale signs of Spooky Season. As...

Batch recipe cocktails Meadow Mingle, left, and DoliSpritz are seen in Chicago on Friday, May 20, 2022.

5 batch cocktail recipes from top Chicago drink slingers for every summer gathering

March 12, 2024 at 12:07 p.m.

Soaking up the sun with a drink in your hand is undeniably a whole vibe, and it's one we can't get enough of when the weather perks up in Chicago....

A resident walks past the Henry Moore sculpture in front of the Cleo Rogers Memorial County Library in downtown Columbus, Indiana, on March 2, 2004.

8 family-friendly trips for spring within driving distance of Chicago

March 3, 2022 at 3:49 p.m.

As the snow is starting to melt, your mind may be turning to warmer days and the trips your family postponed the last few years. Equipped with just a car,...

Soap Dev on the shelves at Side Practice Coffee.

6 degrees of Francis Almeda, whose Ravenswood coffee shop has become a launch point for small businesses

February 15, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

Side projects have always been Francis Almeda's thing. A graphic designer who worked at a number of advertising agencies, Almeda was always the office's go-to guy to discuss entrepreneurial dreams...

The Peninsula makes non-traditional egg custard mooncakes by hand every year for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

How mooncakes, the ultimate fall pastry, helped me celebrate my Chinese heritage — and where to find them in Chicago

September 21, 2021 at 4:49 p.m.

Often equated with Western Thanksgiving, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the time of year when family members reunite from around the world to celebrate the full moon, give thanks and enjoy...

Nobody's Darling co-owners Angela Barnes, left, and Renauda Riddle on July 9, 2021, in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood.

Chicago’s lesbian bars aren’t dying out — they’re evolving

July 15, 2021 at 3:13 p.m.

Chicago's lesbian bars are dead. At least, that's what the national conversation would have you believe. When widespread movements like The Lesbian Bar Project showcased dozens of such beloved establishments...

From pizza to doughnuts, burritos to Spam musubi, here are our favorite takeout orders and restaurants in the Chicago area.

Takeout 100 — our guide to Chicago’s best restaurants for pickup and delivery right now

January 12, 2021 at 3:21 p.m.

Takeout, once an afterthought, something to grab on the way home from work, has become a lifeline to restaurants — and to us. With dining rooms closed since late October...

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