I was born in Elgin, 10 minutes before my twin brother, Tim. He has since made up for his tardiness in height, towering over me today by about 1 and 1/2 feet. He and I are tied for the youngest in the family—though I like to consider myself a middle child—and have two older brothers. I grew up on one of the last standing farms in what is now the well-developed area of Prairie View. For those who do not know the town, it is a northwest suburb of Chicago sandwiched in the middle of Long Grove, Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire. I moved to Minnesota to attend Winona State University, which is situated right on the Mississippi River. During my time there, I left for six months to study abroad in Granada, Spain, where I traveled throughout the provinces and even ran with the bulls in Pamplona. I returned to Illinois in June 2007 after graduating with a B.A. in Mass Communications: Journalism and Spanish. I wrote for The Daily Chronicle in DeKalb until June 2010. There, I covered education for about two years, crime for nearly one and during my home stretch, delved into issues centered on the governments of DeKalb County and the City of Sycamore.
The Damen Avenue Caribou Coffee is not among those closing this Sunday. However, it is part of the company's larger plan. Big changes are ahead for the store next year, employees said on Monday.
The company's free, one-day festival is returning this summer to the heart of Lincoln Park. Cultivate Festival showcases the importance of fresh food, recycling and sustainability, overall. Initial details were released Monday.
The company's free, one-day festival is returning this summer to the heart of Lincoln Park. Cultivate Festival showcases the importance of fresh food, recycling and sustainability, overall. Initial details were released Monday.
A local Caribou Coffee will close its doors this coming Sunday. But it's not the only one.
Chicago police officials are crediting a "holistic strategy" for continued progress on the city's murder and shooting tolls. They released data Monday detailing crime in the first quarter of 2013. Some have criticized those numb
Walgreens representatives have released site rendering's for the company's controversial future store on Armitage Avenue. Additional details will be shared at a Monday night meeting, but amidst neighbors' misgivings, some groups have alre
Craving a homemade cookie or some fresh bread? You may want to stop by Dinkel's Bakery, a fourth-generation nearby business that got its start on North Side more than 90 years ago.
Two Wicker Park coffee shops recently made national headlines for being among the best in the nation when it comes to crafting that good ol' cup of Joe. Intelligentsia, which currently has five Chicago locations, was also named.
An $2.5 million North Side home features tons of custom details. Get a glimpse of what this gorgeous home has to offer.
It's that time of year again. The deadline to file your taxes is April 15. Have you been putting it off?
It's that time of year again. The deadline to file your taxes is April 15. Have you been putting it off?
Two Wicker Park coffee shops recently made national headlines for being among the best in the nation when it comes to crafting that good ol' cup of Joe. Chicago's Intelligentsia was also named.
This week's Wow House is a jaw dropper. At more than 5,500 square feet, it includes six and six bedrooms and stands four stories tall. Check out the pics.
After 10 long months, reconstruction has finally started at the site of a furniture store that burned down last spring.
Life moves fast and at Chicago Patch, we know it's easy to miss something. Every Saturday, we're compiling a list of the most-read news stories of the past seven days or so that we've reported right here on the North Side.
Police issued an alert Friday about a Tuesday morning incident in which a man sexually assaulted a young girl who was walking in Wicker Park.
The woman, who used to work at St. Joseph's Hospital near the Lincoln Park and Lake View border, reportedly used the victim's money to renovate her kitchen, pay off debt, "loan" to relatives, and buy a new Mercedes Benz.
Lincoln Park is home to some of the most expensive condominiums in the city. And lately, business at the 39-story Lincoln Park 2550 has been steady, according to reports.
Reporters recently sat down with Mark Domitrovich, owner of Lottie's Pub in Bucktown, to discuss how he and his customers have reacted to the bar serving as a backdrop for NBC show, Chicago Fire.
The winner of this past week's Mixologist Mash-up in Bucktown and Wicker Park has been announced. The contents of the local concoction may surprise you.