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City Cast Chicago

Simone Alicea

Happy 30th anniversary to the former president and first lady!

Barack and Michelle Obama were married on this day in 1992 at Trinity United Church in Washington Heights, with a reception at the South Shore Cultural Center.

Can we all just take a moment to admire Michelle’s enduring elegance in her 

. 

If you really want to celebrate one of Chi’s favorite political love stories, consider visiting the Hyde Park corner where the couple had 

Barack and Michelle Obama in Chicago in 2019 (Scott Olson / Getty)

Emily Mack

So, I jumped in the Chicago River. Considering 

, you might think me brave. Or stupid. But ever since 

, I’ve wondered, viscerally, what it would be like to wade in.

 was a fundraising effort for ALS research and swim education. On Friday, I took a small part in the festivities, jumping in alongside other passionate Chicagoans, some politicians, and former Bear Charles “Peanut” Tillman.

And I gotta say: Come on in, the water’s fine! Well, mostly.

As a multitude of speakers assured us before the jump, the water quality had been tested repeatedly. That didn’t 

 assuage my nerves — “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” But I took a literal leap of faith.

Once I jumped in, I immediately forgot about the river’s nasty reputation. The water was perfectly warm. It smelled only slightly metallic. And I gotta say, floating on your back while staring up at Marina City towers is downright dreamy.

Sure, after the swim, I couldn’t stop thinking about 

. There’s a reason swimming in the Chicago River is technically prohibited. But ongoing efforts to clean the river show.

When I told my friends I planned to jump in the river, they shuddered. Visibly shuddered. 

 It was once the “Stinking River,” flowing (slow and brown) into Lake Michigan, sickening Chicagoans.

Famously, the flow was reversed in 1900. But that didn’t mean the water was suddenly clean. Treated as a dump for decades, 

 until the 1970s. That’s when the Deep Tunnel Project began to 

Fifty years later, the project is still underway, expected to complete in 2029. Who knows? By then we might be meeting each other for a dip in the Loop.

I jumped in the Chicago River. It was quite warm!

So, I Jumped in the River

Everything to know about Chicago neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Chicago Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

Have you been following the news in Chicago this week? Prove it! Take the City Cast Chicago news quiz.

Looking for a previous City Cast Chicago news quiz? Find it here.

How closely were you paying attention to this week's current events in Chicago? Test yourself in our weekly trivia quiz.

Your Weekly News Trivia Quiz

Take This Week's Chicago News Trivia Quiz

What Chicagoans have been wondering. We break down why things in Chicago are the way they are and how they work.

Chicago, Explained

As the city gears up for the Bears’ first home game of the season, don’t sleep on college football games playing across the city.

Chicago State University’s Division 1 football team

 — that technically makes them Chicago’s only Division 1 team. (Sorry, Wildcats.) And 

But if you’re cheering for another Midwest alma mater, here are some sports bars to watch from. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, most are around Lincoln Park.)

A guide on where college football games are playing across the city.

City Cast Guide on Where to Watch College Football

Where to Watch College Football

Kayleigh Padar

 for help setting the scent vibe for any situation you find yourself in this fall.

Co-owners Mark Towns and Stephen Pearlman opened their store in 2022, after spending years experimenting with scents and making their own candles at home in a crockpot. (Fun Fact: The first time the couple ever sold their creations was in 2016 at the annual Edgewater neighborhood yard sale!)

Without further ado, here are Mark’s scent recommendations for every mood!

 is our bestselling scent for a good reason! Many people love the scent and say it's just the thing for relaxation.”

 scent is a beautiful ode to fine pencils, and might be just the thing for a study mindset.”

 is a woodsy spicy scent, and I love it for its clean and sharp aroma.”

You’re hosting (or attending) a dinner party: 

 scent is one of our most popular host gift candles, and it's easy to see why! People tell us they can almost feel the effervescence when they smell this one.”

 is a cozy dream. It leans more towards luxurious than gourmand, while still balancing warm spices and sandalwood.”

. All day, all night, 24/7, 365! I love this scent with all my heart — I bathe with our Palo Santo body wash, and even use our Palo Santo Rollerball to spread a little oil and scent in my hair!”

I reached out to the experts at Edgewater Candles for help setting the scent vibe for this fall.

Edgewater Candles Has Scents For Every Mood

Keep It Local

Sign up for Keep It Local from City Cast Chicago

Whether you want to make your own candles, get a new one every month, or search for a Virgo’s last-minute birthday gift — there’s a candle shop out there for you!

 at 2021 S. Western Ave. was founded by a massage therapist who wanted to create soap that would be safe for her clients’ sensitive skin. Since then, she’s created over 30 scent variations!

🕯️ Workshop Apothecary mostly sells soaps, fragrances, and lotions, but they offer a 

This family business upcycles the bottoms of empty wine bottles and uses them as vessels for their homemade soy wax candles! Chicago Candle Co. at 1100 W. Cermak Rd. is run by a couple with two young sons who help out with imagining new and creative scents.

 collection, featuring intoxicating scents like 

Next time you’re looking for a gift, you should stop by 

at 3728 West Montrose Ave. In addition to 

, they sell home decor, jewelry, fancy soaps, and much more. And they’re opening a 

, you can also book additional experiences like a private yoga session (in their studio next door) or a tarot card reading.

 at 11336 S. Michigan Ave. was founded by a family who used the art of making candles together as a way to heal and grieve the unexpected loss of a loved one. Through their shop, they hope to help others use aromatherapy to find peace.

📦 Overwhelmed by all the options? Max Candle offers a 

! For $65 a month, you can receive a rotating selection of seasonal scented candles in the mail.

Whether you want to make your own candles or get a new one every month, there’s a candle shop out there for you!

City Cast's Guide To Chicago’s Scents

Your Guide To Chicago’s Scents

Two Chicagoland spots just landed on the 

New York Times’ list of the best restaurants

 in America. Honestly, I’m surprised there are just two. We Chicagoans know the city is full of excellent new places to try.

Just what Logan Square needed: an upscale coffee-shop-bar! I kid. But the martinis are pretty damn good. And if, like me, you can’t stomach the $18 price tag, there’s a “tini” version available for $12. TBD on a coffee review — the line was too long when I went to try one.

The second Picadilly Market opened recently at the courtyard on the corner of Clark and Fullerton. It’s essentially a boutique (sorry, “European-style”) grocery store with an all-day cafe and bar. Local vendors include Pretty Cool Ice Cream, Publican Quality Bread, and Katherine Anne Confections.

 Bartender Andrew gave me a heavy pour of wine, and my friend enjoyed her spicy tuna sandwich.

From the team behind romantic French bistro Le Bouchon comes a very different kind of restaurant. This one serves rotisserie chicken on paper plates. And it’s working — lines stretch down Western Avenue. (It arrives in the original Taqueria Chingon space.)

This new spot by Bunoa is minimal in name and concept. The pop-up, walk-up window on Division Street serves, yup, Italian beef. (Okay, there’s also vegan beef, milkshakes, and chips. But still. Pretty sparse.)

Thai restaurant Taan is also a wine bar. The cozy interior truly evokes both. However, you might not find your Thai go-tos on this menu — there’s no basil chicken or pad thai. And that’s the point. Owner Chanita Chayaluk says 

. For now, the menu is made up of small bites.

This new arcade, inside former Rock Bottom Brewery, has 61 racing simulators, plus food and signature cocktails. The drinks are by James Beard Award-winning chef/bartender Julia Momosé, of Kumiko fame.

I really like the food at another River North gaming spot, 

 — don’t write off downtown arcade grub!

I recently walked past Thai spot Tarra — in a burger costume — but I haven’t gotten to visit yet. Luckily, a little birdie (aka the Hungry Hound’s daughter) told me just what to order when I do: crab curry, grilled chicken thighs, and fried shrimp cake.

Other new spots to dine 😋

Seven new bars and restaurants in Chicago — including two hot Thai spots. 

New Restaurants and Bars in Chicago

7 New Spots to Dine and Drink

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Chicago. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Chicago Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Over the weekend, Mayor Brandon Johnson officially launched his reelection campaign, joining a race that includes roughly a dozen other challengers.

 previously teased his announcement with 

. He also talked about the wins of his progressive administration. However, his campaign launch comes 

, Illinois State Comptroller and former Chicago City Clerk, is using social media to amplify (

) her image. A centrist Democrat, Mendoza is pro-police and says Chicago is facing 

, Illinois Secretary of State, is generally considered to have improved office (and line) conditions … but in 2010, 

the collapse of his family's bank cost him the U.S. Senate election

. Giannoulias lost to Republican Mark Kirk.

, Cook County Treasurer, has served in that position since 1998 — though you may know her for her flamboyant clothes and damning property tax reports. She has 

. She’s also running to retain her seat in November.

, U.S. Representative (5th), is simultaneously running for reelection and mayor. He’s represented much of the Northwest Side in Congress since 2009. Recently, he

, Cook County Board of Review commissioner, and former 12th Ward alder, launched his campaign with a message that seemed relatively moderate — 

, former Chicago Housing Authority board chair, is an 

. Previously, Johnson attempted to remove Brewer as CHA board chair.

, a National Guard veteran and a nonprofit founder

, a real estate developer and progressive focused on tax reform

, the millionaire businessman running for the fourth time

, a cardiologist and public policy advisor

, an entrepreneur, former teacher, and wealth management firm CEO

, a businessman, lobbyist, and consulting firm CEO

, a traffic signal repairperson with the Chicago Department of Transportation

, a pro-Trump Republican and co-founder of Chicago Flips Red

Now remember: The field is almost certain to narrow after the Oct. 26 filing deadline, as petition challenges are likely to follow. The process of 

getting — then proving — signatures can be thorny

After that, remaining candidates will campaign until the citywide election Feb. 23 … not to be confused with the 

, during which Chicago will vote on its first-ever fully elected school board 👀

Mayor Brandon Johnson officially launched his reelection campaign, joining a race that includes roughly a dozen other challengers.

Candidates Running For Mayor in Chicago

The Latest Candidates Running For Mayor

Stepping into Sheep Cult Comics, you’re surrounded by whimsical, winding caverns of cloud-like shelves, presided over by sculpted sheep heads.

Co-owners Emma Akins and Trevor Hormel opened the shop this year because they wanted to create a space where local artists of all experience levels can sell their work and receive a fair cut of the profits. They 

“I feel like our biggest accomplishments are the times a 13-year-old kid comes in with a zine they made,” Hormel said. “You can get some really unique stuff from people who might be considered outsiders. It’s exciting to see people get to create something and put it out into the world for the first time.”

Hormel designed and crafted free-form sculptures for the store’s displays based on drawings that Akins made. He used wooden shelves as a skeleton, then constructed frames around them with chicken wire, burlap, and concrete.

“I grew up going to a lot of roadside attractions because my dad loved them,” Hormel said. “So, I really wanted to create something like that, where it doesn’t necessarily look good, and it just looks like someone built something.”

Akins and Hormel said they’re stocking “anything you wouldn’t find in the Barnes and Noble across the street.”

low-budget DIY zines printed off home computers

$30 one-of-a-kind hand-risographed art anthologies

, Sheep Cult Comics sells all kinds of printed works with a focus on autobiographical stories, photo zines, poetry, and comics.

“What I love about comics is that we artists have gotten really good at portraying an emotion in just one panel,” Akins said. “It gives you a moment in time where you can just be with the character in whatever they’re feeling, and I think that makes us feel less alone.”

Sheep Cult Comics also regularly hosts makers’ markets, comedy shows, and 

Step into Sheep Cult Comics, a whimsical new shop in Wicker Park.

Sheep Cult Comics Celebrates Local Chicago Comic Artists

Barack and Michelle Obama were married on this day in 1992 at Trinity United Church in Washington Heights, with a reception at the South Shore Cultural Center.

Today in Chi History: Obama Wedding

People, places, and scenes from Chicago's past.

Chicago History

Michelle Navarro

If you are like me, all your family history lives within multiple photo albums and VHS tapes stored in your parents’ living room cabinets. I love the rare occurrences where we pull them out and talk about the day that the photo was captured, who was still around, and how the block used to look.

What if you could share that family history with the city? These three archival projects are keeping Chicago family stories alive through photographs and videos past and present.

Black Film Club Collective’s new archival project, Making Meaning, partnered with photographer Kenn Cook Jr. to take 

beautiful black and white portraits of West Side families

 like photos and home movies that reflect life on the West Side to their collection.

 is dedicated to digitizing and showcasing Chicago’s Latine history. The project, founded in 2024, hosts photo-scanning events where Chicagoans can digitize their memories. They accept submissions of photographs taken before 2008.

📷 This collection makes me so nostalgic of my childhood in Chicago because it showcases backyard parties, kids playing in open fire hydrants, posing outside of storefronts that no longer exist, or the everyday gatherings with family and friends.

This searchable catalog has over 700 digitized home movies shot by South Siders from 1929-1982. The project started over two decades ago with the mission to preserve and celebrate personal histories on the South Side. If you are or were a South Sider, you can 

How are you preserving old family photos and home movies? 

If you are like me, all your family history lives within multiple photo albums and VHS tapes stored in your parents’ living room cabinets.

Who’s Preserving Chicago Family History?

, Chicago’s first non-indiginous permanent settler, arrived in 1779 and set up shop — er, trading post — along the north bank of the Chicago River. Along with his 

, DuSable did business with Native Americans, plus British and French explorers.

 had thriving trade networks across the Great Lakes region. (

Those routes eventually became our diagonal streets!

All that came long before Chicago’s official incorporation as a city on 

. At that point, the city had about 4,000 residents. (It was 

.) From then on, it was full steam ahead.

Does incorporation truly = birthday? In Chicago, it certainly does. Any reason to celebrate!

Chicago’s biggest birthday party this year takes place at the city’s marked geographic center: 

 in McKinley Park. The free event will be inside Andrew Lutheran Church. Expect cake, live music, and a rendition of 

“Happy Birthday” in multiple languages

 at 18th Street Casa de Cultura in the Lower West Side. 

Remember how Chicago turned its stinking river around?

Here’s where Al Capone actually hung out

An ode to poetry from the City of the Big Shoulders

Why alleys are still the backbone of Chicago

The etymological and environmental mystery of the Windy City

Why Chicago’s flag rules — and Illinois’ doesn’t

Now, I leave you with my favorite quote about this 

“Chicago … Like loving a woman with a broken nose, you may well find lovelier lovelies, but never a lovely so real.”

Chicago's official incorporation was in 1837, but Native American tribes had thriving trade networks across the Great Lakes region going much farther back.

Happy Birthday, Chicago!

Tuesday is Millennium Park’s 20th anniversary. With 

, let’s take a look back at the origin story of the city’s iconic public park.

. It was built on the site of old railroad tracks City Council granted to the Illinois Central Railroad in 1852, which was also used later as a parking lot. Mayor Richard M. Daley first announced a plan to build a park in 1998 after convincing the railroad to donate the land rights.

Construction began that year with an opening date of summer 2000, hence the name “Millennium” Park. When the park was finally finished four years behind schedule, it was also way over budget. City officials expected the project to cost $150 million — but the 

 is home to various sites and attractions. The iconic Cloud Gate, or “The Bean,” was completed after the park opened. Architect Frank Gehry designed the Jay Pritzker Pavilion to distribute sound waves evenly throughout the space. The lush Lurie Gardens take up 3.5 acres in the park.

Chicago History

Today in Chi History: Obama Wedding

Simone Alicea

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Chicago History

Who’s Preserving Chicago Family History?

Happy Birthday, Chicago!

The History of Millennium Park

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So, I Jumped in the River

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Your Guide To Chicago’s Scents

7 New Spots to Dine and Drink

The Latest Candidates Running For Mayor

Sheep Cult Comics Celebrates Local Chicago Comic Artists