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1 week ago | 
flipboard.com | John Kessler
6 hours agoWhether you reckon they are cute, ugly or just plain weird, chances are you have heard of the furry dolls that have become a global sensation - Labubu. Born a monster, the elf-like creature from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart is now a viral purchase. And it has no dearth of celebrity advocates: Rihanna, …
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1 week ago | 
chicagomag.com | John Kessler
Nine Garden 2312 S. Archer Ave. Chinatown Hours Perfect order Shanghai smoked fish ($10), dongpo pork belly ($19), crab lion’s head hot pot ($19) Although we were one of only three tables seated in the restaurant, it had become clear that no amount of waving would bring a server, so my wife took it upon herself to go into the kitchen. She soon emerged with our waiter, who wasn’t bothered in the least.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagomag.com | John Kessler
Will AI be the brains behind your next memorable restaurant meal? That is the question posited in a recent New York Times article in which two prominent Chicago chefs — Grant Achatz of the Alinea Group and Jenner Tomaska of Esmé — detailed the ways in which they’ve been utilizing large language models to devise both recipes and dishware and inch their kitchens closer to the transhuman future.
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3 weeks ago | 
chicagomag.com | John Kessler
Caruso’s Hot Giardiniera
Rating: 1
Heat Index
It slaps — and stings.
Mix Many veggies that look washed out.
Taste Off. I tried three jars from two locations, and the oil always left an unpleasant aftertaste.
Price $12
Vienna Beef Hot Giardiniera
Rating: 2.5
Heat Index
This puppy bites.
Mix Mostly green things. Tons of celery.
Taste Like spicy celery. Too much celery. Super crisp but boring.
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1 month ago | 
jci.org | Haizhong Feng |Giselle Y. López |Chung Kwon Kim |Angel Alvarez |Ángel Alvarez |Christopher Duncan | +11 more
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1 month ago | 
flipboard.com | John Kessler
3 hours agoIn a striking display of patriotism, about 800 members of the Jain Lotus Group in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, have cancelled their post-Diwali trip to Turkey. The decision, driven by Turkey’s recent support for Pakistan in its conflict against India, reflects a growing trend among Indian travellers who are …
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1 month ago | 
chicagomag.com | John Kessler
There’s an exercise in journalism classes that goes like this: Spend five minutes writing about your favorite food, and don’t let the pencil leave the page. Then, working in pairs, read your essays aloud. Finally, you and your partner tell each other what you think the essays are really about. More often than not, the answers lie in one word: “home.” Thalaiva’s Indian Kitchen 110 S. Prospect Ave.
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1 month ago | 
chicagomag.com | John Kessler
If you, like me, are a fan of the Apple TV+ series Silo, then you probably give fewer props to the wooden acting and slow plotting than the amazing set design. In it, nuclear fallout shelters are subterranean cities that extend 144 levels underground via a spiral staircase and are decorated with a hyper-specific and aesthetically pleasing palette of colors. I recently returned to the River North restaurant Indienne for the first time since reviewing it two and a half years ago.
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1 month ago | 
l8r.it | John Kessler
If you, like me, are a fan of the Apple TV+ series Silo, then you probably give fewer props to the wooden acting and slow plotting than the amazing set design. In it, nuclear fallout shelters are subterranean cities that extend 144 levels underground via a spiral staircase and are decorated with a hyper-specific and aesthetically pleasing palette of colors. I recently returned to the River North restaurant Indienne for the first time since reviewing it two and a half years ago.
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1 month ago | 
knkx.org | John Kessler
Husband and wife duo Michael Trotter, Jr. and Tanya Trotter are The War and Treaty. Their music explores their relationship as a married couple, and combines influences from soul, R&B, folk and spirituals, as well as Americana and traditional country music. They received two Grammy nominations in 2024 for Best New Artist and Best American Roots for their song “Blank Page.” They have also received award nominations from the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music.
