Photo: Kristine Sherred

Chicago Zen Buddhist Temple

Past Wrigley Field, past the crowds in red and blue, the sunburned faces, the men selling umbrella hats, the bars and bros and drunken hos, the noise and sweat and smoke. Down Addison past the taverns, tucked away on the corner of Cornelia and Paulina is the Zen Buddhist Temple. It seems such an odd little brick building, out of place on the loud streets. Brightly colored Korean paper lanterns strung outside the entrance sway in the warm wind. Stepping inside all sound is sucked away. A woman in the lobby bows her head in greeting and points to a shelf where others have set their shoes. The brown tiled floors are cool against bare feet. It feels like another universe. The temple is at the top of the stairs. More paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. The room is lit solely by natural light coming from the walls of windows, sweet-smelling jasmine incense fills the space and four stone statues of Buddha and his followers sit smiling from the altar. No one speaks. Everyone sits cross-legged on round pillows atop square cushions, adjusting their feet to point upward on their knees. The gathering is small, maybe twenty-five people, and is a mix of obvious newcomers and devoted Buddhists. In the back corner two tattooed skinheads begin to hum in low steady tones.  Read the rest of this entry »

Firecat Projects

Formerly the studio of artist Tony Fitzpatrick, Firecat is now a gallery founded by Fitzpatrick and Stan Klein, and recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. In addition to giving one-person shows to deserving local and emerging artists, Firecat has a rare business model in that the gallery takes no commission from sales.

Firecat Projects
2124 North Damen
(773)342-5381
firecatprojects.com

Audience choice:
Western Exhibitions
119 North Peoria
(312)480-8390
westernexhibitions.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Zara

More upscale than its fast-fashion peers, Zara’s higher price tags are worth it. There aren’t any frenetic fifteen-year-olds here, and they have a remarkably high ratio of “I’d totally wear that!” to “Oh my god, what were they thinking” pieces, while still managing to stay on-trend. Pick up their silk shirts and trousers, $40 ballet flats that won’t wear out any sooner than ones that cost twice as much, and whatever else you need this season—like sheer maxi skirts and color blocking accessories.

Zara
700 North Michigan
(312)255-8123
One West Randolph, Block 37
(312)368-6178
zara.com

Audience choice:
H&M
22 North State, (312)263-4436
840 North Michigan, (312)640-0060
hm.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Photo: Kristine Sherred

CorePower Yoga

Regardless of whatever misgivings you might have about supporting a corporate yoga company, there’s no denying the advantage of having seven—soon-to-be-eight—studios located throughout the city, each with almost a dozen classes each day. Regardless of where you plan to get your next drink, there’s somewhere nearby that gets you a yoga high and yoga bod beforehand—no excuses. But the CorePower mecca is the South Loop studio: As you search for a drishti (gazing point) in tree pose, you can choose to focus on an element of Chicago’s downtown skyline, which the fifth-floor studio showcases through its large windows.

CorePower Yoga
12 West Maple, (312)266-9642
1704 North Milwaukee, (773)227-9642
945 West George, (773)862-9642
corepoweryoga.com

 Audience choice: (tie)
Bikram Yoga Chicago
47 West Polk, (312)922-9642
1344 North Milwaukee, (773)395-9150
2736A North Clark, (773)348-9642
105f.com
and
CorePower Yoga

Best of Chicago 2011

Smart Bar

Established in 1982, it may be older than most of its patrons and even house music itself, but Smart Bar puts the lie to the idea that club goers want flavor-of-the-minute nightspots with velvet ropes and bottle service. What they want is great music and a dance floor where people actually dance. This DJ-driven dance club will certainly give your ears a much needed rest from top-forty remixes since you’ll hear music—techno, dubstep and house—spun by Chicago’s, and the world’s, top DJs. The delightfully diverse crowd is always there to dance, not just to sway back and forth or, heaven help us, fist-pump, and at Smart Bar you actually have the room to do it. And, hopefully the funds too. If not, on Sundays, you can time travel for Dollar Disco with resident DJs Michael Serafini, Adulture and Kid Color. Featuring excellent house, nu disco and electronica, as well as old disco hits that never really get old, Smart Bar’s Dollar Disco is worth the lag in your Monday morning.

Smart Bar
3730 North Clark
(773)549-0203
smartbarchicago.com

Audience choice:
The Mid
306 North Halsted
(312)265-3990
themidchicago.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Thai Pastry & Restaurant

Sweet and sugary describe the homemade cakes at Thai Pastry. They’re crowned with frosting and flowers, and they’re fabulous. Each miniature birthday cake serves two hungry people, and is decorated with piped-on pastel details. So finish your spring rolls and chicken satay, then indulge in a tiny round cake, in vanilla or coffee flavor. And don’t forget the birthday candles.

Thai Pastry & Restaurant
4925 North Broadway
(773)784-5399
thaipastry.com

Best of Chicago 2011

The Haymaker Shop

While most of the home décor shops on Andersonville’s Clark Street hawk high-end salvage, Haymaker, which opened in June, features a curated selection of objects from local designers and artists. Proprietor Arrin Williams pairs contemporary, handcrafted furniture with dazzling posters designed by Sonnenzimmer and Legendre & Rutter.

The Haymaker Shop
5507 North Clark
(773)681-0798
haymakershop.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Photo: Kristine Sherred

Fritz Pastry 

Fritz is a classic neighborhood bakery, named as an homage to head baker Nate Mead’s grandfather. Keeping it traditional, they produce signature baked goods from classic recipes with top-shelf results, from their macarons to their donuts. Cakes, muffins and vegan options are a must. They take themselves seriously, but allow for a bit of good humor—their outdoor announcements depict rock album covers altered with baking plays-on-words (like Metallica’s Bake ‘em All).

Fritz Pastry
1408 West Diversey
(773)857-2989
fritzpastry.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Bernice’s

Too cheap for the Cell? This homey dive, a stone’s throw from the ballfield, is the next best thing. With its tin ceiling, year-round Christmas lights and copious knickknacks, plus dirt-cheap Old Style, this is a great pub for watching the Pale Hose. Live roots rock and honkytonk bands also make this a fun place to kill a Friday night. Open since 1965, this is one of the city’s last buzzer bars, where the front door is locked until you’re deemed worthy to enter. But once inside, you’ll find the regulars are a friendly crew–as long as you don’t mention the Cubs.

Bernice’s
3238 South Halsted
(312)326-9460

Audience choice:
Cork and Kerry at the Park
3258 South Princeton
(312)842-0769
corkandkerrychicago.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Amish Healthy Foods

When all the farmer’s markets are done for the season but you’re still looking to support local, sustainable food—that doesn’t break the bank—this Amish market really hits the spot. In addition to a fairly wide selection of meat, including grass-fed beef, the market also offers fresh butter, milk and eggs from an Amish farm in Indiana. Sometimes they’ve even got double-yolk duck eggs in stock. Seasonal selections like fresh vegetables and cider round out the selection. It’s not organic, but doesn’t have the pretension or price tags of some places that are.

Amish Healthy Foods
1023 North Western
(773)278-1717
amishhealthyfoods.com

Best of Chicago 2011