Warren Buffett

A newspaper delivery boy in his youth, Warren Buffett just nabbed the Omaha World-Herald. Just two years ago, Buffett said investing in newspapers is a bad idea—it looks like he’s doing this to support local reporting, not turn a quick profit. If he stays hands-off with the Omaha paper (which it looks like he will, as he’s no Murdoch), letting the Midwesterner edge a bit farther east might not be so bad. And what better billionaire to own our paper than one who wants higher taxes on himself, not the ninety-nine percent?

Audience choice: Mark Cuban

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

Green Eye Lounge

With its rock-scene crowd, Thursday-night art shows and spillover from the neighboring Gorilla Tango Theatre, the Green Eye isn’t your dad’s sports bar, and it’s certainly a long way from the Cell. But Sox fans typically enjoy a particular strain of dark humor. And if anything can mitigate the drudgery of pulling the team through its post-Ozzie malaise, it’s the dry wisecracks of bartenders Eric, Chad, Turbo and company. The dirt-cheap shot-and-a-beer special doesn’t hurt, either.

Green Eye Lounge
2403 West Homer
(773)227-8851
greeneyelounge.com

 Audience choice:
(tie)

Market
1113 West Randolph
(312)929-4787
marketbarchicago.com
and
Green Eye Lounge

Best of Chicago 2011

“Soirée” by Michael Rea at the Elmhurst Art Museum

Founded in 1980, and located in the middle of upper-middle-class suburban DuPage County, the Elmhurst Museum graciously sports Mies van der Rohe’s McCormick House on its grounds. It’s a clean, quiet place that got down and dirty this summer hosting Michael Rea’s delightful mess of an exhibit, “Soirée.” Rea uses unfinished wood to create monumental installations of objects as varying as bongs, spaceships and weaponry. His work is humorous and a perfect fit for Elmhurst’s uptight environs.

Elmhurst Art Museum
150 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst
(630)834-0202
elmhurstartmuseum.org

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

Michael Kaysen

For some unjustifiable reason the Chicago art scene has not taken on the habit of tweeting its guts out to the world unlike peeps in places like New York, Texas and even Puerto Rico. However, there are a few exceptions in Miguel Cortez, director of Antena Gallery (@lapsus5), and the Museum of Contemporary Art (@mcachicago). But it is the director of SideCar Gallery in Indiana, Michael Kaysen (@sidecarhammond), who reaches the far confines of the twitterverse by engaging in inflammatory discussions about art and politics with the likes of star critic Jerry Saltz (@jerrysaltz).

Best of Chicago 2011

Manifest Exhibitions

Run by SAIC graduates Josh Reames and Amber Thomas, this quaint and cold underground space in Logan Square has been the talk of the town. So what’s so special about it? Respected artists like Richard Hull, Eric Lebofsky, Jeff Parrott and Tyson Reeder have graced its walls—but it’s the affordable prices that have everyone excited.

Manifest Exhibitions
2950 North Allen
manifestexhibitions.tumblr.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Printworks

Since 1980, Printworks has been exhibiting mostly works on paper by Chicago artists in an intimate setting. Many of the Printworks artists have been showing in Chicago for decades. This level of sustained commitment and support is rare and indispensable.

Printworks
311 West Superior #105
(312)664-9407
printworkschicago.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Doughnuts

Homer Simpson would salivate knowing how trendy doughnuts are in Chicago. Mmm… doughnuts. Springtime saw the opening of River North’s Doughnut Vault, the Cookie Bar’s doughnut offshoot Dirty Betty’s and many other bakeries serving up the fried delights. Long lines usually wrap around the Vault’s storefront with customers patiently waiting to devour double-chocolate, vanilla-glazed or daily special doughnuts before they sell out. Everyone loves doughnuts, but with such a high amount of trans fat, eating a lot of them will probably kill you. There are worse ways to go, we suppose.

Best of Chicago 2011