When a man has lived as full a life and served his constituents and countrymen as loyally and as completely as Senator Ted Kennedy, we must ensure that every ounce of sadness felt in mourning is matched by equal parts pride, gratitude, and promise.

Pride that we were all...

Six of Chicago's own top chefs and their teams arrived at the Calphalon Culinary Center in the early hours Wednesday morning, eager to prepare three dishes using fresh local ingredients from the Green City Market.

They did not, however, have a clue what ingredients they were to use....

Moms looking to make a bolder statement with their tresses have no shortage of celebrity "Mom-Do's" to pull inspiration from this year. From tousled and low-maintenance looks to skull sculptures requiring a live-in stylist, there's something for every mom, from the campaign trail to Hollywood; from celebrity to wannabe. Before...

When the Chicago Cubs' Sunday night ball games are televised on ESPN, my husband and I have two choices:

1. Watch the game on mute and turn on WGN radio, hearing every play happen five seconds before it's actually shown on TV or --

2. Suffer through three or...

In the words of the infinitely wise Dr. Seuss (with a twist):

The time has come.
The time is now.
Just go. Go. GO!
We don't care how.

You can go by foot
You can go by cow.
Roland W. Burris,
...

Crisp sparkling wines, oak-aged whites, mild rosés, and spicy reds were center stage when the first Languedoc Ambassadors Tour, hosted by the Conseil Interprofessionel du Vin de Languedoc, arrived in Chicago. Hosted at the famously vino-friendly Avec Restaurant, the Tour presented 28 distinctive wines, selected in a blind tasting by...

Michelle Obama's stylistic choices face as much scrutiny today as Sarah Jessica Parker's did in the actress's "Sex and the City" heyday. Many bloggers panned her red and black Narcisco Rodriquez election night shift as a "dress misstep," and her Inaugural gown, a one-shoulder white chiffon dress designed by...

Last week, a pit bull in my neighborhood viciously attacked a small dog, nearly killing it. A neighbor informed me that about a year ago, the same pit bull actually killed another small dog, and that no charges had been pressed because the owners had been friends with one another....

In 2003 and 2004, prior to the swift-boating and the widespread criticism of his wife, Senator John Kerry's opponents attempted to discredit and defeat him by drawing attention to his French relatives, and referring to him as "French-looking." Rush Limbaugh got a big kick out of calling the junior senator...

Up close, the First Lady's yellow Isabel Toledo sheath and matching jacket revealed an intricate wool guipure detail, a choice which reflected both her enviable confidence and her bold approach to fashion. From afar, as she walked Pennsylvania Avenue, her J. Crew green leather-gloved hands clasping her husband's, the outfit...

Raise a glass to our new president and his administration on January 20th with five very different, surprisingly presidential wines from around the globe. Whether you're attending an inaugural ball in D.C. or simply catching the celebration on TV, these diverse yet inspired, accessible selections will help you toast this...

Perhaps it is because the founding fathers of Illinois could not yet fathom corruption of this nature that they did not offer an alternative solution for filling a vacant Senate seat when they ratified our state's first constitution in 1818. Certainly, it would seem placing the governance of such affairs...

This morning, CNN.com posted a commentary by Kent Redfield, director of the Sunshine Project and professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Illinois, titled "Illinois Voters Should Blame Themselves." He writes:

"Two years ago, most Illinois citizens suspected what they now know about Rod Blagojevich. But...

It was Chicago-native and future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that once said:

"Being a [Chicago] Cubs fan prepares you for life -- and Washington."

What the events of this week have shown us is that while Chicago may prepare politicians for Washington, nothing can adequately prepare a politician for...

In the wake of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest this morning on federal charges relating to fraud, extortion, and efforts to "sell" President-elect Obama's vacated Senate seat, a chorus of Chicago and Illinois officials, Democrats and Republicans alike, have called for his resignation.

If convicted, Blagojevich will be...

This is more than slightly ridiculous.

As the Boston Globe reports today, a pregnant woman in labor and her husband, en route to the hospital in a traffic jam, pulled over in the "breakdown lane" to ask a state trooper for permission to remain in that lane until the...

During the presidential campaign and throughout this economically tumultuous time, the phrase "the American Dream" is tossed about with increased frequency. Yet when you ask various people to define the American Dream, you seldom get the same answer.

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFP) hosted their first "Defending the...

My cousin Justin and I are speaking to each other for the first time in a decade. He tells me about the usual things that interest ten-year-old boys: his favorite restaurants, karate class, his new haircut, and Nintendo games. I find myself enjoying our conversation and hearing about the activities...

As a pet owner, I understand how the costs of feeding and caring for a pet can add up. But the CNN.com story "Mortgage meltdown results in pets going to pound" just about broke my heart.

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Furry signs of a down-trending economy peer dolefully...

Dear Obama transition administration:

On behalf of all my fellow Chicagoans, I'd like to thank you for launching the Chicago-Hawaii Cultural Exchange program, in which citizens of the city of Big Shoulders can apply for the opportunity to swap a year beside Lake Michigan for a year on the shores...