Is this relevant to my interests? [y][n]
June 4, 2010 10:17 AM   Subscribe

Best Chicago-centric blogs? We're moving next month, and I need some help getting jazzed up about this.

I'm specifically looking for blogs that focus on things to do and places to go in the Chicago area. My interests include:
  • food/cooking/baking (vegetarian, but I like reading food blogs in general)
  • photography
  • arts/culture
  • music (particularly indie rock/rock and/or roll, jazz, soul, funk)
  • graphic design
  • interior design
  • architecture
  • comics
  • craft beer/home brewing
  • books/book stores
  • natural history and science
  • cute animals
  • made-by-hand stuff, gardening, this whole nouveau urban homesteading movement thing, and on and on and on.
  • posted by booknerd to Computers & Internet (18 answers total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
     
    Not sure about blogs but metromix.com is Chicago's "things to do" website.
    posted by stormpooper at 10:19 AM on June 4, 2010


    I would suggest you start out with Time Out Chicago. It provides a good general overview of possibilities in Chicago. You may also want to check out the Chicago magazine, Reader newspaper, and Metro Chicago blogs. These suggestions should get you started, from there you can surely find blogs specific to each of your varied interests. Summer is a great time to move to Chicago, so enjoy it.
    posted by ChicagoTherapyConnection at 10:22 AM on June 4, 2010


    Seconding Time Out Chicago. Also check out LTH Forum and Chowhound for food stuff.

    For comics, there's Chicago Comics and Quimby's.
    posted by smich at 10:27 AM on June 4, 2010


    Gaper's Block and Chicagoist are two good general-interest blogs. I also like The Beachwood Reporter.
    posted by sldownard at 10:34 AM on June 4, 2010 [1 favorite]


    Some general interest Chicago blogs:

    * chicagoist
    * gapersblock
    *Vocalo (audio blogcastimications)
    * Chicago Reader Blog (alternative weekly paper)

    2nd-ing Quimby's for Comics. Also Third Coast (but I know the proprietor, so biased).

    Also, 2nd-ing LTH Forum for food.

    Beer:
    *Chibeer.org - not a blog, but has a lot of links to local breweries/bars. Go to a few brewery websites, and follow their blogs, or follow them on Twitter.
    posted by baxter_ilion at 10:34 AM on June 4, 2010


    Have you done any searching already? Maybe you could tell us what Chicago blogs you've found and liked so that we 1) get an idea of your tastes and 2) don't send you things you've already seen.

    That said, for finding stuff to do I really like:

    Gapers Block
    Chicagoist
    Chicago Reader
    Time Out Chicago

    Other sources:
    10 Best Chicago Blogs
    Chicago's Best Blogs
    171 Great Chicago Websites
    posted by Colonel_Chappy at 10:36 AM on June 4, 2010


    Best answer: Going through my Google Reader, here's what I've got that's Chicago-focused:

    Gapers Block (by MeFi's own me3dia) is where it's at for all kinds of news/art/music/culture/etc.

    In Your Guts is the blog of Half Acre Beer Co., a local craft brewery.

    mimi smartypants is a funny Chicago-based blogger.

    News and Head Lice is the blog of a local comic artist and cool guy, Paul Hornschemeier (full disclosure: a friend of mine).

    Chicago Gluttons is a weird food blog. NSFW, sometimes/often (language).

    (On preview, I see I was beaten to the punch on Gapers Block. I personally don't like Chicagoist, but that's just me.)
    posted by misskaz at 10:38 AM on June 4, 2010


    Best answer: Check out renegade handmade and the Chicago Craft Mafia.

    I recommend in no particular pattern:
    The Chicago Independent Radio Project
    Forgotten Chicago
    Fresh Picks
    Green City Market
    GrubHub.com with a local zip code plugged in
    Red Moon

    And reading through the Chicago meet-up threads for random things that are Chicago-awesome.
    posted by crush-onastick at 10:43 AM on June 4, 2010


    Best answer: Just to help you get jazzed up about Chicago directly: I lived there most of my life, and the only reason they were able to pry it out of my cold, cold hands was the weather in Los Angeles. And yet, every year, even when sitting on the beach or enjoying a warm breezy afternoon in Griffith Park, I still think "oh, yeah, sure, the cold is awful, but I still want to go back." And I fucking hate cold weather. I would be back there already if I didn't have specific reasons that I can't be.

    Chicago is, simply put, that awesome. It is one of, if not the greatest city in the United States, even with the cold. You're going to love it there.
    posted by davejay at 11:01 AM on June 4, 2010


    In addition to the previous suggestions...

    A.V. Club Chicago
    EveryBlock Chicago
    Apartment Therapy Chicago
    posted by adrian_h at 11:14 AM on June 4, 2010


    You need help getting jazzed up about moving to Chicago?! WTH. As davejay said, Chicago's awesomeness is off the charts.
    posted by onepot at 11:29 AM on June 4, 2010


    music: Chicago Acoustic Underground
    posted by garlic at 12:37 PM on June 4, 2010


    Chicago through the internet is not where it's at. When you get here just start walking around, you'll find half of the things you've listed within 5 blocks. Have you been here before? You should be excited.
    posted by mike_bling at 10:05 AM on June 5, 2010


    Not a blog, but you may want to check out the Electrical Audio (yes, as in Steve Albini's studio) forum at electrical.com. It's predictably Chicago-centered, though there are posters from all over the world. They routinely talk about their favorite places to eat, upcoming shows, where to buy stuff, etc. Like all forums it has a general social "feel" to it--you can sort of smell the testosterone, which makes since as these are all dudes who like to play rock music, so--but there's good stuff.

    Not that you asked but just in case you want some, my recommendations for Chicago include Hot Doug's (on the day they have duck fat fries and antelope sausage!), Pampanga's Filipino, Kuma's Corner if you're a certain kind of young snobby hipster sort (maybe not?), and good lord, the Bleeding Heart Bakery (curry cardamom cupcakes FTW). Oh, and Reckless Records. And the Empty Bottle for shows.
    posted by ifjuly at 10:28 AM on June 5, 2010


    Oh man, and how could I forget?!--Rick Bayless' restaurants!
    posted by ifjuly at 10:30 AM on June 5, 2010


    Newcity is Chicago's other arts and culture alt-weekly: theatre, food, art, etc.
    posted by Jason and Laszlo at 8:38 AM on June 9, 2010


    Thanks for the shout-outs, guys!

    A couple of my own recommendations, beyond what's been listed here:
    Coudal Partners - design, random other stuff
    Bad At Sports - arts blog & podcast
    WindyCitizen - sort of a Digg/Reddit for Chicago links

    Welcome, in advance, to Chicago, booknerd!
    posted by me3dia at 12:19 PM on June 10, 2010


    Response by poster: Excellent, thanks for all the suggestions! Once we find the perfect apartment, I'm sure I'll be feeling even more excited for this move. But then, I guess that's just begging to be a new AskMe...
    posted by booknerd at 4:54 PM on June 22, 2010


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