read.
Semi-Charmed Life
a conversation with jennifer meyer
944 Magazine / December 2009
It’s hard not to envy Jennifer Meyer: the daughter of Universal Studios prez Ron Meyer, the Malibu native has two children with husband and heartthrob Tobey Maguire and an übersuccessful jewelry line adored by the Hollywood elite. But with her down-to-earth demeanor and ever-appreciative outlook, it’s even harder not
Cupcake Wars
a look at the flavor behind the flavor
944 Magazine / November 2009
Sure, frozen yogurt has its following. And bacon certainly has been enjoying its 15 minutes. Even salted chocolate has become the sweet-and-savory treat du jour. But nothing – really, nothing – holds a (birthday) candle to the power of cupcakes. Recession-defying, neologism-inspiring, veritable cultural movement-spawning, these bitty baked goods are
Boka
a family affair
Cheeky Chicago / August 2009
Privileged. Independent. Sophisticated. Accomplished with a slight air of heir-apparent elitism. There’s something about the first-born. Accuse me of narrow-minded stereotype-pandering all you want, but admit it – those hackneyed ideas about birth order are trite because they’re generally true. And besides, I’m not talking about you, narcissist. Though while we’re on
Café des Architectes
les petits choses
Cheeky Chicago / August 2009
Sometimes it’s about the little things. A stolen glance here, a heavy pour there, the pickup line that doesn’t make you want to vom. And at Café des Architectes, it comes in the form of an ineffably charming Frenchman. Il s’appelle Romi, our pitch-perfect server at the aforementioned restaurant and a
the Terrace at Trump
the new best rooftop in town
Cheeky Chicago / July 2009
Yes, it’s a Trump venture. Yes, it’s associated with a name that conjures thoughts of ostentation, if not downright gaudiness. Yes, yes, yes, it’s bound to be exorbitant. That said, reasons why you should go to the Terrace: 1) The view is spectacular. 2) The food is enjoyable, if incongruous with
Blackbird
imagine that
Cheeky Chicago / July 2009
You can go one of two ways at Blackbird. One (the überfoodie, self-righteous, know-it-all route. Also, the Serena route.). Peruse the menu of elaborate, avant-garde offerings, assuring yourself you fully understand the juxtaposition of wagyu flatiron with smoked quinoa and baby swiss chard (got it), goat's
LA Roundup
you think you know, but you have no idea
Cheeky Chicago / June 2009
Los Angeles is a polarizing city. A love-it-or-hate-it kind of place, it’s a town about which everyone has something to say. Generally, it’s of the ew-LA-is-a-city-of-raging-artifice-and-vapidity variety, and I’m not saying the opinion isn’t merited. To an extent. But for all the silicon, there’s legitimate substance, too – in the way
Perennial
on market-driven minutiae
Cheeky Chicago / June 2009
I approached my meal at Perennial with a degree of dissonance. On the one hand, the eatery is the latest addition to a restaurant group that includes two of my longtime Lincoln Park faves, BOKA and Landmark. As I’m a firm believer in the rule of threes (what,
Custom House
meat your heart out
Cheeky Chicago / May 2009
Excuse me, Shawn McClain, but I don’t know what you want from me. First you pluck me from my protein-packed universe and drop me in Green Zebra, asking me to forgo my unbridled love of beef for a meat-free meal. You woo me with wilted greens at your
L2O
academia and art collide
Cheeky Chicago / May 2009
It all came down to the macaron. After a combined 17 courses, eight alcohol pairings, four-plus hours and maybe 700 ingredients (don’t quote me), the quintessential Parisian pastry appeared before us. Peering at it, I was reminded of exec chef Laurent Gras’s blog entry about the recipe; I, too,
Green Zebra
cabbage has never looked like this
Cheeky Chicago / April 2009
Allow me to preface this with some background. When I was six, my family went to Mexico. Armed with our bikinis, our (sun)block and our beach reads, I thought we were in for a wholly enjoyable, if unmonumental holiday. My, how naïve I was. Rather than pore over vapid
URBANBELLY
gimme some kim(chi)
Cheeky Chicago / March 2009
I have a confession to make. I’ve fallen in love with a strip mall restaurant. That’s right, this fast food-snubbing, rating-worshipping, self-proclaimed culinary elitist has been swept away by a noodle and dumpling shop where the dishes top out at a measly 13 bucks and the closest attraction is the
ON OBAMA AND CIVIC PRIDE
a pre-election letter to barack
Cheeky Chicago / November 2008
Barack Obama makes me want to be an American. Fully, wholeheartedly, in a sew-the-stars-and-stripes-to-my-backpack-when-traveling-through Europe sort of way. I've never felt like that before. And it isn't that I don’t love this country, because I do, but to state your allegiance to a nation via citizenship implies a certain support