The Chicago Traveler

Tre Kronor (“Three Crowns”) is a neighborhood Scandinavian place that has been around for 15 years, and the well-worn hardwood floors are testament to all the business the cozy restaurant has received over that time. The crowd usually consists of families, locals from the neighboring North Park, and Scandinavian foodies. On weekends, the two-story restaurant has a line out the door, the handwritten menu attracting hungry patrons who show up before the door even opens.
There’s not much here that you wouldn’t find at similar restaurants, but it’s all in the preparation. You’d swear that your long-lost Swedish grandmother was back …read more

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Call me morbid, but I find cemeteries absolutely fascinating. They’re like outdoor history museums, a direct look into the past and its people. And inside the Bohemian National Cemetery on Chicago’s north side lies the home of Helen Sclair, a.k.a. “the cemetery lady,” who’s even more intrigued by cemeteries than I am. After all, she lives in one!
This cemetery historian does keep a certain sense of humor about her situation though, keeping her home decorated as if for Halloween… all year round. Sclair now holds seminars and writes columns educating people about the importance of cemeteries. Her goal is to …read more

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Let’s continue our International Tour by heading to Central and South America. A large majority of Central and South Americans live in the Logan Square neighborhood, but their influences can be found throughout the city.
For example, Mayan Sol Latin Grill in Albany Park is a great eatery that can take you to Central America because that’s where the owners are from. When co-owner Erwin Piril left Guatemala City (the capital and largest city of Guatemala) for Chicago back in 1998, he knew right away that he wanted to open a restaurant. So with his mother’s recipes and her flair …read more

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Chicago is inhabited by people from around the world, which you can see in its neighborhoods, shops, and restaurants. Take for example the neighborhood just a couple blocks from my apartment: Andersonville. It started as a Swedish community, but if you look around, Middle Eastern spots are popping up too. So let’s begin our International Tour of Chicago by looking at the Middle East.
Our first destination: Afghanistan. Tucked away in a mini-mall on Dempster Street in Skokie is Kabul House. This authentic Afghan eatery is the only one of its kind in town, and its name comes from the …read more

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