Emma:
Blue Door Kitchen
& Garden
Caroline:
Estereo
Tiana:
Pizzeria Portofino
Mimi Li
senior editor
Karen Henrie
senior editor
Go to Karen’s pick
Dirt is an excellent book for foodies and Francophiles. The author travels to Lyon to study French cooking. When you're finished with this book, at a minimum you'll have a lot more respect for the people who toil in the restaurant kitchen.
Allan Gold
senior adviser
Go to Allan’s pick
People love to hate The Beatles. I will never understand that. Every time I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about them, I’ve come away in awe. McCartney 3, 2, 1, a docuseries available on Hulu, is fascinating and delightful. Paul opens up to music producer Rick Ruben about the very early days, how he met the other band members, how they went about writing songs, where they drew inspiration, his favorite tracks, and his heartbreak when the band fell apart. I laughed, I cried, and I was sad when it was over.
Freakonomics Radio offers everything I want in a podcast. The content tackles a huge range of fascinating topics through an economist’s lens. I adore the host, Steven Dubner, whose top-notch interview skills and powerhouse intellect are nicely complemented by his endearing bent toward self-deprecation. The signature, jaunty music always makes me smile. And most episodes are just the right length for a good walk.
A recent episode titled “Is the Future of Farming in the Ocean?” features Bren Smith, author of Eat Like a Fish, and is pure podcast perfection. Give it a listen, and prepare to be hooked. I also like some other podcasts from Freakonomics, including No Stupid Questions, and am super excited about a new one called Freakonomics of Medicine.
Justin R:
Gene’s Sausage Shop & Delicatessen
I could recommend a handful of things this month. I finally caught up on the Atlanta craze; started watching I May Destroy You (damn, Michaela Coel!); got hooked on Glennon Doyle’s latest podcast, We Can Do Hard Things; and discovered the delight that is Song Exploder. All are worth checking out. Here’s what else we recommend this month:
I know I've recommended Succession before, but have you ever delved into the music of the show? The ideas and details behind the scoring!
The actual tracks!
Working to the soundtrack makes me feel like a very pumped version of
the meme of the woman doing calculations. That makes the soundtrack officially an asset in my life.
Our favorite Chicago patios:
Go to Mimi’s pick
Annie Mullowney
senior editor
Go to Annies’s pick
