Ah, Spring in Chicago. Not to be confused with Fool’s Spring, Fake Spring, Girl Why’d You Put Your Coat Away Spring, and Pre-Construction Season. Whichever you celebrate, our arts and culture staff have the perfect pairings for upcoming Spring holidays.
April 1: April Fool’s Day
Review: ‘Kevin Can F Himself’ Exploits Sitcom Tropes for Laughs & Compelling Drama
The bumbling husband, the uptight wife, the boisterous laugh track, the goofy neighbor; these are just a few of the sitcom tropes that Kevin Can F Himself – AMC’s wonderful dark comedy – draws on for big laughs and bigger drama throughout its first season. The show follows Allison Devine-McRoberts (Annie Murphy) as she transforms…
April 16: World Voice Day
Review: Taylor Swift Makes Soldier Field Shimmer During 2nd Night of The Eras Tour in Chicago
In the five years since the Reputation Stadium Tour, Taylor Swift has released four new studio albums – Lover (2019), Folklore (2020), Evermore (2020), and Midnights (2022) – as well as re-recordings, known as Taylor’s Version, of Fearless and Red. This prolific output demands a live experience unlike any other and The Eras Tour stop…
April 22: Earth Day
The Case Against Fast Fashion: My Rebel Wardrobe
“Haste makes waste, so I rarely hurry. But if a ferret were about to dart up my dress, I’d run.” – The Cheshire Cat, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland The fashion industry has a quiet, lurking problem. They don’t want you to know this, but 13 million tons of textiles find their way into landfills each…
May 4: World Laughter Day
Interview: Jen Kober Spreads Harmony Through Humor with Her New Special ‘No Flies on Me’
Jen Kober isn’t just a hilarious stand-up comedian, she also has a famous face that you’ve probably seen in some of the best shows streaming today. “I like to tell people I’m in one episode of all the shows you’re not watching,” Kober joked by phone earlier this month. The Righteous Gemstones, The Mandalorian, American…
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
Review: Eva Longoria Adds Spark To ‘Unplugging’
There are many ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. One option is to enjoy the energy of Eva Longoria in Unplugging (2022). Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime, the R-rated film showcases the comic timing and onscreen appeal of this talented Texican (Mexican-American Texan). Unfortunately, the rest of the movie isn’t as magnetic as Longoria’s…
May 6: No Diet Day
Running & Delicious List of Women-Owned Restaurants in Chicago
Who loves you, feminist foodies? We do! Enjoy this running and delish list of women-owned restaurants and bakeries in Chicago and women-powered kitchens in the Chicago area. Got a women-owned favorite that we missed? Let us know! 14 Parish Restaurant & Rhum Bar Owner: Racquel Fields Cuisine: Caribbean Neighborhood: Hyde Park Alpana Owner: Alpana Singh…
May 11: Mother’s Day
Review: Four Movies For Mother’s Day
By its very nature, motherhood is the be-all and end-all of humanity. Moms mark the start of everyone’s story! As such, here’s a handful of mom-related movies (in alpha order) to watch on Mother’s Day. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (2023) Directed and written by Kelly Fremon CraigBased on the same-named bestseller, this…
May 17: World Baking Day
Rebellious Living: 5 Ways to Reduce Food Waste
According to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, “the primary driver of food waste is consumer waste and taste,” and despite efforts to reduce food waste, “the U.S. still discards 141 trillion calories annually—that’s 31 percent of U.S. food production.” Being a rebellious human can happen in major ways like starting an intersectional feminist digital…
May 26: Memorial Day
Review: WWII Bios ‘One Life’ & ‘Lee’ Brace For Oscar Defeat
The British biopics Lee and One Life have more than a few things in common. For starters, both are true stories about unlikely World War II heroes, and both movies premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023. Back then, there was Oscar buzz for Sir Anthony Hopkins in One Life based on…
June 14: Flag Day
Review: Flagging ‘The First Lady’ & Drunken History’s ‘First Ladies’
Betty Ford once said, “Any woman should have the right to a safe and legal abortion.” Who knew the wife of a Republican politician would have this view? Actually, there’s a lot about the first (and second) lady of the 1970s that today’s voters probably don’t know. A leader in the feminist movement, the Chicago…
June 15: Father’s Day
Review: ‘King Richard’ Reigns Over The Queen of Tennis
“King Richard” (2021) has nothing to do with European castles and medieval times. Damsels in distress? Well, maybe yes. Set in California and Florida in the 1990s, the heartfelt biopic follows the training of tennis superstars Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) Williams by their parents Oracene Price (Aunjanue Ellis) and Richard Williams (Will…
June 19: Juneteenth
Review: ‘Miss Juneteenth’
Fifteen years ago, Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) was crowned Miss Juneteenth (2020) in her small hometown in Texas–a pageant for Black teenage girls named for the anniversary holiday celebrating the 1865 date it was announced that the enslaved in the state of Texas were now free, June 19th, which came to be called by the…
June 21: World Day of Music
Photo Essay: Muna, Carly Rae Jepsen, Sudan Archives & more play Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival – which featured headlining sets from Black Pumas, Jamie xx, and Alanis Morissette – took over Union Park in Chicago for three glorious days of music and more on July 19-21. The weather was the very definition of perfect and the vibes on-site were nothing short of glorious as acts like…
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