The Chicago Traveler

• The African Festival of the Arts is Chicago’s largest neighborhood festival, featuring three music stages, ethnic cuisine, and more than 300 vendors selling everything from fine art to skin care products. Presentations include book discussions and dance workshops. (Aug 29 – Sept 1)
• The 30th annual Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s longest-running lakefront music festival and features local, national, and international performers on several stages. (Aug 28-31)
• Get your fill of pierogi, Polish sausage, and sauerkraut at the Taste of Polonia, where you can listen to live bands play everything from rock to polka. (Aug 29 – Sept …read more

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I’ll be heading out of town this weekend, but for those of you staying here in Chicago, you’ve got lots to look forward to.
• The 11th Annual Chicago Improv Festival takes place at various locations and includes performances by Paul Scheer, Jack McBrayer, and John Lutz. (ends June
• The largest free outdoor blues event in the world, the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, features local, national, and international entertainment on six stages in Grant Park with more than 90 performances. (ends June
• More than 170 current and classic films will be shown this summer in neighborhood parks throughout …read more

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The Italian Beef is a simple sandwich that is unique to Chicago, and there are several places in the city to find this great dish. Of course, just as is the case with pizza and hot dogs, Chicagoans can debate for hours on who has the best. I’ve tried to be as fair as possible with this ranking order, but I’m sure there will still be contention. Be sure to leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail, and let me know what you think!

8. Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage. For decades, generations of loyal customers have been enjoying this …read more

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Search the Internet for keywords like “Italian beef” and “Chicago,” and you will find dozens of ongoing debates about where to find the best jus and peppers in town. About a block or two east of La Peña, one contender whose name comes up often is Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage.
Roma’s definitely has a nostalgia factor attached to it. Talk to the regulars, and most will tell you tales of how their parents were regulars, too. For decades, customers have enjoyed the Chicago flavors that are cooked up here, including great Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beefs with sweet peppers. …read more

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• Every First Friday of the month, relax with a cash bar and free Wolfgang Puck appetizers at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Enjoy live music from local DJs along with the work of an up-and-coming Chicago artist. This month’s theme: Fallen Stars. (Jan 4)
• There’s not much you can get for $10 on Michigan Avenue. But every first Friday of the month, your $10 will help you Wine Down at Foodlife. Sample 20 international vintages and snacks on the mezzanine level of Water Tower Place. (Jan 4)
• It’s time to get started on that New Year’s resolution for more …read more

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La Peña is a family-owned restaurant that is bright and colorful, in more ways than one. From the rich tablecloths to the lively atmosphere to the vivid live music, this place is a South American celebration.
Many Latin restaurants start you off with a free basket of tortilla chips and salsa. However, La Peña offers something delectably different: thinly-sliced plantain chips. I guarantee you: those won’t last long, so you should probably grab something from the appetizer menu. The empanadas are absolutely delicious, as are the humitas and the tortillas de papa (potato pancakes stuffed with cheese and topped with …read more

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Got an idea for a creative costume? Not military-related? Maybe you should stop at American Science & Surplus in Jefferson Park, just down the street from Andy’s Deli.
There really is no adequate way of describing American Science. It’s a bit of an oversized junk drawer, with all kinds of odds, ends, doodads, and thingamajigs. The store carries a large collection of old science-fair things (chemistry sets, ant farms, etc) as well as home repair items (paintbrushes, small engines, wrenches, etc). But that doesn’t even begin to describe the kinds of things you can find in the numerous aisles of this …read more

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The Polish culture has played a significant role in Chicago’s history, and there are plenty of authentic places in the city to satisfy cravings for Polish food.

Andy’s Deli in Jefferson Park has about 150 different products (including bacons, hams, cheeses, pork loins, sausages, and more) and also has its own bakery, producing its own breads and pastries. While the family-based company does rely on a few vendors, nearly all the goods are the deli’s own. In fact, Andy’s is the largest producer of a variety of Polish sausages, sold throughout the United States.
In the Lakeview neighborhood, Pierogi Factory is much …read more

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