Babies born during America's 250th anniversary celebration will receive limited-edition Social Security cards featuring the official Freedom 250 logo.

New openings were double that of closings. The post Restaurant Roll Call: Every opening and closing in June appeared first on Denver Westword.

What drives these men to reproduce at an industrial scale?

From "Atlanta" to "This Fool," these 13 comedies highlight the real America in all its glory

Plus, who had the best year in college sports?

Watson and Watson Association8325 S. Stony Island Ave, Mon, Tue, Wed, and Fri, 10 AM6 PM, Thu closed, Sat 8:30 AM1 PM once per month(773) 768-3100, watsonandwatsondental.com, Instagram @watsonwastondental A trip to the dentist should never feel like a clinical chore, but rather like a warm welcome home. At Watson and Watson Dental Association, exceptional ...

The Illinois Lottery has been nationally recognized for its trailblazing work with specialty tickets dedicated to raising awareness and funds for worthy causes affecting our local communities. In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), a portion of every dollar raised by the 7X Bingo Multiplier ticket directly contributes to ...

In 2013 I faced a life sentence. As I went through pretrial in Kane Countys jail, I received a heartfelt letter from my dad that reminded me I still had a lot to live for despite my incarceration. That letter became the most important piece of paper that I own, and under Illinoiss new mail […] The post Where the paper at? appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Encased in protective plastic sleeves is a quartet of letters from my daughter. On the back of each Ive written the date I received it and my guess for when she wrote it. I reread them often, and theyre separated from the rest of my possessions like fine jewels that I carefully hold The first […] The post Graphite love appeared first on Chicago Reader.

Drive about 55 miles northwest of Chicago to find the arcadian Volo Bog State Natural Area, home to whats called the only open-water quaking bog in Illinois. That means plants, including tamarack trees, actually float (and quiver) atop a mat of moss on the bog. A short boardwalk, itself afloat on the water, explains it […] The post Volo Bog State Natural ...

If all you do is stroll to the Skokie River Nature Preserve and meander 3.6 miles of trails through prairie, woodlands, sedge meadows, and savanna, Metra fare (or gasparking is available at all destinations mentioned here) could be the only expense of your broke day trip. When stepping off the train, you might first power […] The post Unplug with nature, ...

I was barely ten minutes into my trip to Long Grove, the quaint village located about 50 minutes outside of Chicago, and I was already being inundated with monkeys. Illinoiss first historic district may be well-known as the home of the Robert Parker Coffin Bridge (a site well worth checking out in its own right), […] The post Drive yourself bananas in the ...

I didnt consult a medical professional when I set about visiting every west-suburban dessert destination on this trail. In full disclosure, I didnt visit all these shops in a single day, so consider eating your way through this path all at once as more of a dare than a recommendation. In any case, I do […] The post A west suburban ice cream trail that is ...

Just west of Chicago, Berwyn makes for an easy, low-cost afternoon built around public art, neighborhood eats, and historic bungalows. Starting at the Berwyn Metra station, yellow banners hanging from light poles and lining nearby streets will signal your arrival in the Depot District, Berwyn’s historic downtown corridor. Established in the 1890s, the ...

Committing to the 20-mile drive to Little Palestine offered the perfect amount of yap time with my mom on the phone. She loved the idea of a broke day trip, as we werent really a vacation family. But it was only on my way to Bridgeviews Al Bawadi Grill that I realized she had never […] The post Call your mom on the way to Little Palestine appeared first ...

The forest is creepy enough on its own: eerie silence punctuated by sounds of skittering creatures, millennia of demonic legends, the constant threat of twisting your ankle and being left to rot among the mushrooms. But Sangchris Lake State Park in Rochester (just southeast of Springfield) holds a grisly secret with a connection to American […] The post ...

Being a tourist in your own city offers a chance to look at your world anew. Artist JeeYeun Lees Shore Land project takes that premise a step further by delving deep into the contested history of the citys lakefront. Shore Land looks at six sites along Lake Michigan through audio walks that mix historical documents, […] The post Shore Land excavates ...

Its the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and in Chicago, youre at the start of the Mother Road. A two-hour-and-change drive takes you to a colorful collection of statues illustrating their place in advertising history.  Take I-55 south to Atlanta, Illinois, get off at exit 140, and see Lumi, a large fiberglass lady, greeting you […] The post Drive two ...

Of all the cities along the south shore of Lake Michigan, Michigan City has the funkiest vibe, lacking the overt swankiness of New Buffalo or the gritty industrial landscape of East Chicago or Gary.  But what gives Michigan City its character are the strange, historic, architectural marvels that dot the harbor and downtown. That includes […] The post Get ...

Where the city flirts at the borders of Niles and Park Ridge, Jujus Vintage greets you with a kitschy window display that resembles an animated short brought to life. Inside, bejeweled tiaras, jumbo seashell necklaces, and elaborate fur hats gather in color-coded pockets. I first visited the shop, run by the fabulous Jules Juju Breen […] The post Juju’s ...

Gary, Indiana, often gets a bad rap, but the Miller Beach neighborhood is a favorite summer day excursion for my partner and me. About an hour away by car, and accessible by the South Shore train line, Miller Beach is located at the southernmost point of Lake Michigan. The beach itself is clean, uncrowded, and […] The post What to do in Gary, Indiana ...

Fiberglass isnt forever, but the apparent corpses in this potters field of pop culture detritus will outlast us all. Beginning in 1978 with the 145-foot musky that greets visitors to Hayward, Wisconsins Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, the antecedents of the FAST corporation (Fiberglass Animals, Shapes, and Trademarks) built a reputation as a go-to ...

The crisp, early May air tickles my nose through open car windows as I veer off I-94 toward 111th for a quick pit stop. I pass the Walmart Supercenter and the municipal-landfill-turned-private-golf-club before easing to a stop in front of a towering building of glass and bright red brick.  I look up at the Pullman […] The post The Eugene V. Debs Museum ...

Its easy to be a cinephile in a city like Chicago. Here, movie-lovers are spoiled with an embarrassment of filmhouse riches like the historic Music Box Theatre, the Siskel Film Center, the beloved Davis Theater, back-to-back Dolby cinemas, multiple dine-in venues, and even a (truly bizarre) seat-rattling, face-spritzing, amusement park ride-like 4DX. But ...

Many of my hot summer days as a child were spent in the coal mines of Grundy County, floating in the water-filled caverns that bloom into a series of local lakes. Feeling the cold, dark depths beneath your kicking legs felt like a rite of passage, hovering above the infinite nothingness of those long-abandoned mines. […] The post Carbon Hill School Museum ...