Hip-Hopera

People’s Choice
Kevin Coval—the charismatic Def Poetry vet, cofounder of the teen poetry festival Louder Than a Bomb, and (ahem) recently featured Chicago single—performs selections from his latest book of poetry, Everyday People, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 31st and Friday, August 1st at...

This Week's Nightlife Buzz: The It List

1. GQ has named its top 20 cocktails in America, and two are from Chicago: The Violet Hour's Juliet & Romeo and Nacional 27's Strawberry-Rhubarb-Basil-Balsamic Mojito. Agree? Disagree? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

2. Zocalo and Partida Tequila team up for a tequila tasting tonight...

Stick a Pitchfork in It

Here you go: the best and worst of Pitchfork, which sits firmly atop my list of favorite local summer festivals (my other picks: the Hideout Block Party Sept. 20-21 and the African Festival of Arts over Labor Day weekend). If you didn't get to Union Park over the weekend, you missed a reunion of Public Enemy that people either loved or hated, some great up-and-coming musical talent, and a few Hobbesian moments in the mud—all of which I'll tell you about below. If you did make it to the fest, I'd love to hear your...

Forget and Forgive

You know those couples who celebrate their relationship almost as often as they sneeze? I'm not just talking about married people. For these folks, nearly anything is a cause for celebration: the anniversary of a first date, a first kiss, a first joint trip to the grocery store. I find it irritating as hell. It's almost as annoying as some of my female friends who refer to their husbands as "my husband" rather than just using his name—as if I won't know whom they're talking about...

The Parent Trap

Everyone Prefers Blondes
The camera loved her; men swooned for her; and ladies are still mimicking her iconic style. Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe traces the definitive blonde bombshell from Norma Jean to screen queen in an exhibition of 300 Marilyn-centric works by more than 80 artists and photographers, including...