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Chicago magazine

Now and Zen

Call of the Wild

Transplant Marathon • Someday, there will be no emergencies, and PAs will take care of anything after 3 p.m. and before 10 a.m. But not this day [“The Double Triple,” September]. This day, UChicago’s surgeons said $%#$ you to sleep, and sutured on!

A Quest for Answers • A suburban man’s search for his mother’s fate unearthed buried documentation of the Holocaust.

Your Best City Lights Photos

Talking Points • This month’s essential cocktail party fodder

Payment Past Due • A city income tax is unprecedented in Chicago — but it could be the quickest fix for our cavernous debt.

Backstage Drama • The Auditorium Theatre’s new CEO, Rich Regan, on the institution’s rocky year

Slay Belles • A new book reveals the real-life stories of the women who inspired the musical Chicago. Here’s what we learned.

What’s the Meaning of the Universe? • We asked U. of C. astrophysicist Dan Hooper, whose new book, At the Edge of Time, dives deep into the Big Bang.

The Procrastinator’s Guide to Thanksgiving • Because it’s not too late until it’s too late

Details, Details • This Italian Renaissance Revival house in Evanston will give you whiplash — in a good way.

Till Deep Dish Do Us Part

Wrap Star • Isabelle Gougenheim’s gossamer scarves are tactile wonders.

Rainbow Pop • A new luxury e-commerce makeup line strips the pretense.

Nikki Stanton’s Pedicurist • The Red Stars’ midfielder talks perfect toenails.

Nicole Alexander • Interior designer, placenta popper, bath fan

Get Noticed. • World-Class Marketing that moves your home from Listed to Sold.

Experiences R Us • Browsing the racks is just the beginning at these shops, which offer everything from yoga to a coworking room.

Scent Your House • EXPERT: Alan Hirsch, director of the Gold Coast–based Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation

Flipping Out • Can playing pinball help me become more mindful?

Boot Camp • Even if you never stray off the concrete, hiking-style boots in luxe leathers lend a tough edge to any look.

Sunshine is Always in Season

Retro Repast • The meticulously curated themed dinners thrown by the Eye Eaters society aren’t just meals. They’re happenings.

Sweet Changeup

Barrel-Aged Beauties • Here are five superlative winter brews debuting at the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer that you can find at taprooms.

The Hot List • 10 places everyone’s talking about (in order of heat)

A Night at the Improv • At Wherewithall, Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark’s new spot, each night’s menu is a game-time decision.

Kinky Noodles

Small World • Jay Kupjack is the last surviving member of a towering dynasty built on tiny foundations.

PIZZA • The world of Chicago pizza has undergone a seismic shift since 2015, when we last embarked on a quest to find the best pies in town. Now, alongside deep dish, tavern style, and Neapolitan, there are a Roman-style boom, a thriving Detroit-style scene, and some nonpizzerias shaking up the rankings. Seven of the top 10 spots, including our No. 1, are newcomers to the list.

Frozen Pizza Smackdown! • Two South Side–born pizza giants also go head to head in the freezer aisle: Connie’s, which opened in 1963, and Home Run Inn, which has been serving up tavern-style pizza since 1947. I grabbed an icy pie from each, picked up a six-pack, and held my...