Phil Arvia

Pizza tour? Famous graves itinerary? Be a tourist in your own backyard

May 22, 2019 at 5:24 p.m.

In Kim Kislowski's 27 years with the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau, the mission has never changed. The catchphrase, however ... "The ultimate goal of the CVB is to...

Portillo's cranks out 80 to 90 tons of beef weekly from commissaries in Addison and Aurora that service the chain's 50 restaurants from Florida to California. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Italian beef: Sizing up the Southland’s favorite sammie

May 22, 2019 at 5:22 p.m.

Does it matter, really, which came first when now there are so many? Does it matter that his favorite isn't hers isn't yours? When it comes to the Italian beef,...

Trailblazing cyclist has tips for enjoying the ride

May 22, 2019 at 5:20 p.m.

Walking — for a change — along the Old Plank Road Trail, just west of downtown Frankfort, Greg Duffner spoke through a lingering smile wrought from a thousand memories. "I've...

Izak McDonald, 2016 amateur men's world champion, of Lockport, plays disc golf at The Canyons at Dellwood Park in Lockport, Ill. on Tuesday, Apr. 25, 2017.(Mike Mantucca-Daily Southtown)

Disc golf popularity continues to soar

May 22, 2019 at 5:20 p.m.

On a beautiful spring day not long ago, 29-year-old Cory Matthews could be found doing what he's done almost every time he could carve out a couple of spare hours...

A pavilion and concert area, along with a second set of limestone stairs, were added to Swallow Cliff in 2016.

Swallow Cliff gives nature lovers, workout warriors a lift

May 24, 2019 at 2:28 a.m.

Driving through the vast and typically packed Swallow Cliff Woods parking lot, the stairs — dueling limestone risers bookending a steep hillside that used to be a toboggan slide —...

Arvia: Docs want single-payer and so should you

June 5, 2018 at 9:54 a.m.

Obamacare, Trumpcare, I don't care. There is no fixing U.S. health care as it now teeters, a festering bureaucracy that spends more money on patients than any other country in...

Arvia: With baseball upon us, it’s all about the plate

June 5, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.

Sometimes, inspiration arrives like a light from above. Or at a light, on Ridge Road. While stopped at the latter last week en route to work, with a mood to...

Arvia: That’s journalism, with a capital (PB&) J

June 5, 2018 at 3:52 p.m.

In this "Enemy of the People" era, it's great to see journalism is still capable of weighty, illuminating work of great import. Greater still when such work arrives thrice in...

Kendall Coyne warms up with the U.S. Women's National U-18 Hockey Team before a World Championship exhibition game against the Chicago Mission on Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2010. The Palos Heights native and the rest of the Team USA roster announced plans not to report to training camp on Wednesday in advance of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship. On Monday, Coyne was in Philadelphia with several teammates, in negotiations with USA Hockey.

Palos Heights native, teammates in negotiations with USA Hockey to prevent strike

June 5, 2018 at 5:23 p.m.

A typical day for Kendall Coyne looks like this: Rise early to get in a 6 to 8 a.m. workout. If there's work — she has a part-time gig in...

Randy Schmitz of Lockport gets a turn on the new Aerosmith pinball machine at Chicago Street Pinball Arcade Friday, March 17, 2017 in Joliet, IL. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)

Pinballers ‘flip’ for Aerosmith machine at Chicago Street Arcade

May 22, 2019 at 5:19 p.m.

Not every pinball wizard, to misappropriate a quote from a 48-year-old rock opera about an 86-year-old arcade game, sure plays a mean pinball. Mark Czarnowski, who owns Joliet's Chicago Street...

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