Chicago Like a Local Blog

Just a day after Thanksgiving, and already it's that time of year again, and nothing puts you in the holiday mood like seeing some Christmas lights with friends, family, loved ones, or a lion. Yes, a lion. ZooLights presented by Lincoln Park Zoo are back again for the holiday season, opening tonight! Whether you're with your friends, family, or on a date, The Lincoln Park Zoo Lights have something to offer everyone.

While the neighborhood of Austin on Chicago's West Side has gone through many transformations since its 1920's heyday, you can still find some surprising architectural relics from its earlier years of blossoming. For you architecture, history and neighborhood buffs, here's an overview of the architecture of this historic neighborhood. 

The holiday season often plays host to an uninvited guest: stress. Take a time out and pamper yourself or treat a friend to a holiday spa experience at one of Chicago's premier spas. Whether its after hosting the whole family this weekend and after Black Friday shopping, these special treatments are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up we all need during the holidays.

Need a little bao in your day? Lucky for you, Wow Bao is on the go - or more accurately, bao buns are on the run!  Follow #BunsOnTheRun for locations and more information about Wow Bao's food truck, hitting the street Monday-Friday, serving up freshly steamed bao, potstickers, rice bowls, salads, and homemade ginger ales.

Happy Thanksgiving, Chicago! Put your feet up, enjoy some quality family time (and some quality turkey time), and have a happy and safe holiday. After the big day tomorrow, what are your plans? For those of you braving the Black Friday deals, we salute you. But if 3 AM shopping post-Thanksgiving isn't your style, Chicago is bursting into the holidays in full force this weekend. Embrace the season and enjoy the weekend!

The holiday season is high time for pie. Sure berry pies in the summer are all well and good, but let's not pretend that pie doesn't comprise the crux of most food pyramids during the colder months. It's how we cope. Comfort food at its finest. Thanksgiving of course usurps most pie-eating rituals, but I say any fall day is primed for pie. When that craving strikes, here's where to go.

Visiting Chicago over the holidays? Consider checking out one of our city's smaller, chic boutique hotels, where special holiday packages make family stays all the merrier.

From the corner café with the tasty cappuccinos to the tailor who can expertly hem a pair of chinos, our streets are brimming with special stores that are the heartbeat of our neighborhood.

Passion, inspiration, creativity, wonder: just a few of the experiences you'll discover
in your Art Institute of Chicago stocking this holiday season. Now's the time to make a trip to the Art Institute, whether its tradition or just long overdue! Here's a round up of all things merry and jolly happening this season at the Art Institute.

Thanksgiving cometh. You can practically taste the turkey and the lethargy already. You still have some time to prepare for the grand feast, but in the meantime what you can do to prepare is eat your way through some of Chicago's coolest Thanksgiving-inspired eats. We're talking Thanksgiving burgers, pumpkin pie doughnuts, empanadas stuffed with stuffing, and more Thanksgiving burgers. Here are some of the most notable Thanksgiving dishes to eat around town right now.