Gene & Georgetti offering nationwide delivery of its steaks/Photo: G&G
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ART
Was Buying Frieze A Good Deal For Dealmaker Ari Emanuel?
“What is the value of an art fair? According to the Hollywood super-agent Ari Emanuel, who on May 1 announced he will buy Frieze from his previous company, Endeavor, for nearly $200 million, it is more than most people expected. And by some margin. Other would-be bidders are said to have been in the game nearer the $100 million mark,” reports The Art Newspaper. “It is easy to put it down to a passion project for a man who just made $174 million in cash and more in equity from Endeavor’s $25 billion sale to Silver Lake. The otherwise reserved Emanuel has made his feelings for Frieze well known, describing the group as ‘a source of inspiration… both personally and publicly’ to the media.
“But Emanuel is not working alone—the Frieze acquisition marked the launch of his new events-based business, whose experienced backers include the investment firms Apollo Global Management and RedBird Capital Partners. They seem unlikely to put their money into one man’s fantasy. As one veteran industry observer puts it: ‘Normally people overpay for a business for two reasons. Either they are stupid, or they are smarter than everyone else and know how to make it more valuable. Ari Emanuel is clearly not stupid. But if he had a way to make the business run better, why didn’t he do it before?’”
Monumental Sculpture Returns To Milwaukee
The City of Milwaukee has announced the installation of “Within the Folds (Dialogue 1)” (2020), a nine-foot bronze sculpture by the British artist Thomas J. Price, in Vel R. Phillips Plaza. “The installation marked the return of Price’s figure of a casually dressed Black man to Wisconsin Avenue, where the piece debuted in Milwaukee as part of Sculpture Milwaukee’s 2020 public art exhibition.” More Sculpture Milwaukee here.
DESIGN
Visit The Newly Opened MillerKnoll Archives In Michigan
MillerKnoll will open its archive in Zeeland, Michigan to the public starting this summer, “offering visits to the sprawling facility that contains more than one million objects from the company’s century-spanning collection,” reports Hypebeast. “Located at its Michigan Design Yard headquarters in Zeeland, Michigan, the 12,000-square-foot space was brought to life with the help of NYC design consultancy Standard Issue. The space contains three key areas that will open to public visitors on select dates in July, August and October.”
The three spaces include Open Storage, the Reading Room, and “a curated exhibition titled ‘Manufacturing Modern,’” which “delves into the intersecting Modernist legacies of Knoll and Herman Miller in the twentieth century with spotlights on designers who shaped the brands, including Florence Knoll, George Nelson, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, Harry Bertoia, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer.”
A New Chicago Courtyard Building Starts Construction
For anyone who’s wondered why we can’t build them like we used to, a new Chicago courtyard building is taking shape: “It’s still very early in the construction progress at 4709 North Paulina in Uptown, but it’s already showing signs of what its renderings depicted,” reports Chicago YIMBY. “Masonry work on the front façade of the first floor indicates this will be bricked in as it goes up, highlighting brick and limestone markings on the courtyard-style apartment building and its west-facing bay windows.”
DINING & DRINKING
Heritage Restaurant, Ukrainian Village’s Caviar Castle, Is Closing
“During Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar’s eight years in Ukrainian Village, chef Guy and Tif Meikle have witnessed how perceptions have dissolved for an item once thought reserved for only the rich and famous,” reports Eater Chicago. “Heritage was part of the rise of the unstuffy caviar bar. Tif Meikle says part of that was attributed to the neighborhood. Many with Eastern European roots don’t have the same apprehensions about enjoying sturgeon eggs.” The restaurant at 2700 West Chicago will close on Saturday, August 30. “The Miekles praised their landlord, but say they couldn’t afford the proposed lease increases.”
Make Kumiko-Style Potato Salad At Home
“Kumiko’s Julia Momosé is a master of thoughtful, impeccably balanced cocktails inspired by her native Japan. Her potato salad calls for the same level of care, from pickling petite cucumbers in shio koji (fermented rice) brine to prepping both mashed and fried spuds… Know that each component has a role to play… ‘It’s a play on textures,’ Momosé says. ‘Creamy potatoes, crunchy pickles, roasted ham for savory depth, and crispy fingerlings for an addictive bite.’” Read the recipe at Chicago magazine here.
Roosevelt Collection Shops Launches Thursday Night Market Tonight
Roosevelt Collection Shops has announced the return of its popular summer “Night Market” in partnership with South Loop Farmers Market, running every Thursday from 4pm-8pm through September 25. Following the success of last summer’s launch and this winter’s indoor market, the Night Market will have over a hundred vendors offering everything from farm-fresh produce and local baked goods to handmade art, wellness products and specialty foods. More here.
Dove’s Deluxe Dinner Returns
Wicker Park diner Dove’s Luncheonette brings its deluxe dinner back, featuring five courses “loaded with peak produce,” including: spring peas with chilled smoked buttermilk, herbs, trout roe; tuna carpaccio with yuzu oil, sorrel, fermented serrano and lime, aioli; asparagus with green garlic gribiche, crispy bits; and Iberico pork steak with grilled little gem, nduja vinaigrette, sauce of tomatillo water and ramps. June 26, 5pm-9pm. Tickets ($95) here.
Gene & Georgetti’s Taking Its Famous Steaks Nationwide
Gene & Georgetti, Chicago’s Italian steakhouse since 1941, introduces Gene & Georgetti Meats, “a premium online ordering and delivery service offering nationwide access to the same USDA Prime hand-cut steaks that built the restaurant’s iconic reputation.” From the site: “Prime steaks & chops are what we know and what our house was built upon, combined with delicious Italian dishes imported right from the family’s Tuscan heritage. We are proud to partner with Purely Meats as our purveyor for these incredible cuts.” More here.
FILM & TELEVISION
Steve Carell Returns To Northwestern For Commencement Speech
“Actor and former Second City cast member Steve Carell will speak at Northwestern University’s 2025 commencement. Along with addressing Northwestern’s class of 2025, he will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Arts at the ceremony at the United Center,” reports the Tribune. “Carell, whose daughter is a Northwestern alum and son is a current student, said his speech will focus on ‘The Importance of Lowering Expectations,’” adds Fox 32.
LIT
Booking The Mystery Of Edith Farnsworth
“A new book reclaims the narrative of Dr. Edith Farnsworth, the Plano patron of Mies van der Rohe,” reports Alison Cuddy at WBEZ. “Farnsworth remained a mystery in her life—and after her death. A new book, ‘Almost Nothing: Reclaiming Edith Farnsworth’ (2025, University of Illinois Press) by Nora Wendl, a professor of architecture at the University of New Mexico, sheds fresh light on the doctor. The book orbits around Farnsworth’s life, including the events that led to and followed the ambitious project she took on in 1945, one that would change the course of her life and reputation. That was the year Farnsworth commissioned Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, then head of architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology, to build a weekend retreat for her on land near Plano.”
Godmother Of Audiobooks Barbara Holdridge Was Ninety-Five
“Beginning with a reading by the poet Dylan Thomas, Barbara Holdridge and a friend found unlikely commercial success in the 1950s with recordings of famous writers reciting their work on the Caedmon label,” chronicles the New York Times. Her work, including “Thomas reciting his story ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ … led to today’s multibillion-dollar audiobook industry.” The label later released LPs “of such notable authors and poets as W.H. Auden, T.S. Eliot, Langston Hughes, Gertrude Stein, Robert Frost, Eudora Welty, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway reading their own words… The label aimed to present literature as it originated—in the spoken word.”
MEDIA
Looking Beyond New York, NY Times Announces Two New Chief Restaurant Critics
“Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan will be our next chief restaurant critics. Ligaya and Tejal—our first co-chief critics—are at the center of our ambitious new plan to cover restaurants in a way that is maybe best described simply as ‘more,’” announces the Times. “Here’s how it will work. Tejal will remain in California and travel frequently to cover restaurants across the country. Ligaya will review restaurants here in New York City, as Pete Wells did before her, but she, too, will travel nationally. We’ve tasked both Tejal and Ligaya with capturing this moment in American dining—the restaurants that are most interesting, exciting and emblematic of our times. Both will award stars wherever they go, breaking our tradition of awarding star ratings almost entirely in New York.”
ABC News Fires Veteran Reporter Terry Moran After Calling Trump And Official “World-Class” Haters
“ABC News dropped veteran correspondent and anchor Terry Moran on Tuesday after he had posted on social media that President Trump and a senior White House official were ‘world-class’ haters,” reports David Folkenflik at NPR. “Moran had been a foreign correspondent, chief White House correspondent and anchor of ‘Nightline’ over his nearly three decades at ABC News… White House officials including Vice President JD Vance and press secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced Moran and called for him to be punished or fired. Moran took down the post but has not repudiated it.” In Moran’s weekend post on X, he wrote that Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff, “is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred.”
MUSIC
RIP Brian Wilson, Who Once Moved To St. Charles
Tributes are pouring in for the eighty-three-year-old musical genius Brian Wilson, including Ben Sisario’s obituary at the New York Times. “‘That ear,’ Bob Dylan once remarked. ‘I mean, Jesus, he’s got to will that to the Smithsonian.’” And: “’Being called a musical genius was a cross to bear,’ he told Rolling Stone in 1988. ‘Genius is a big word. But if you have to live up to something, you might as well live up to that.’”
Producer Joe Thomas brought Brian Wilson to St. Charles, Illinois near the turn of the century, reported Rolling Stone in 1999. “Thomas and Wilson met [in 1995] in Nashville when the producer was recording ‘Stars and Stripes,’ a country tribute to the Beach Boys… In 1996, their wives bought sprawling homes next to each other in the rolling countryside of St. Charles, Illinois, and a studio was installed in Wilson’s basement to record ‘Imagination.’ The Wilsons chose St. Charles almost by chance. ‘Joe and Brian were in the studio in Chicago one day, so Chris [Thomas’ wife] and I went shopping, because they were looking for a house,’ explains Melinda, sitting with Brian in a small, comfortable room off the studio in St. Charles. ‘We saw this place with a basement that was unfinished, and we thought, “Why not?”‘ … “It doesn’t matter about the weather, doesn’t matter about traffic. If Brian doesn’t want to work, he just goes upstairs, and when he feels like it, he comes down.”
Chicago Symphony Cancels New Music Series
The CSO has informed subscribers that the MusicNow contemporary music series has been “paused” for the season, reports Chicago Classical Review. “The CSO series presented just two MusicNow concerts this current season, most recently in March.” In an emailed statement, Cristina Rocca, CSO vice-president for artistic planning, said the pause is “to take time to imagine new possibilities for connecting Chicago audiences with new music.”
Angélique Kidjo And Yo-Yo Ma Perform In Free Millennium Park Concert This August
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma returns to Chicago’s Millennium Park with vocalist Angélique Kidjo for “Sarabande Africaine,” a free public concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion described as “a transcendent journey where the classical elegance of the cello meets the vibrant rhythms of West African song, exploring connections that unite cultures and generations.” The program is presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association and the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Tuesday, August 26, 6:30pm. More here.
STAGE
Freeman’s | Hindman Presents Joel Grey’s Collection
Freeman’s | Hindman is presenting “Master of Ceremonies: The Joel Grey Collection,” a tribute to the performer’s life and legacy as both a collector and artist. “Drawn from Grey’s New York residence, the sale features fine art, decorative objects and cherished memorabilia, including a portrait by David Hockney, works by Jim Dine, R.B. Kitaj and Betty Parsons and iconic pieces from ‘Cabaret,’ such as Grey’s black lacquer piano and his retractable top hat. These works reflect Grey’s deep friendships with artists and his extraordinary impact on stage, screen, and the cultural life of New York.” Says the ninety-three-year-old Grey, “I’ve always thought of myself as custodian of these beautiful things, and I’m excited for a new generation to find joy and inspiration in them through this auction.” The auction is here.
TUTA Theatre Summer Rep Includes Celine Song’s “Tom And Eliza”
TUTA Theatre has announced a two-play repertory for the summer, beginning on June 26 with the Chicago premiere of “Tom & Eliza,” by Celine Song, whose other works include 2023’s Oscar-nominated “Past Lives” as well as “Materialists,” which opens in theaters on Friday. “‘Tom & Eliza’ examines a young couple from their ordinary first date toward the end of civilization. In little more than an hour, with no intermission, the two characters use rapid-fire language to chronicle their entire relationship, mercilessly withholding nothing.” TUTA co-artistic director Aileen Wen McGroddy directs the Chicago premiere. More here.
Steppenwolf Seeks Marketing And Memberships Manager
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is looking for candidates for the full-time position of marketing and memberships manager, posts Playbill. “This position is a member of the administrative staff and an active participant in the planning and execution of departmental marketing initiatives, and efforts to draw attention to the productions on our stages and expand our audience… This position drives the evolution of Steppenwolf’s subscription offerings and package alternatives and executes our year-round membership campaigns. This role also works to develop and support single ticketing strategies as the industry shifts and Steppenwolf looks to expand its audience.”
ARTS & CULTURE & ETC.
Booth School Receives $12 Million Toward Healthcare Initiative
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has received $12 million in commitments from alumna Mary Tolan to advance the work of its Healthcare Initiative. Founded in 2020, the Healthcare Initiative is a “hub for the diverse disciplines engaged in healthcare research at Chicago Booth, and it fosters collaboration across the University of Chicago and beyond. The center is composed of a community of faculty members, policymakers, industry leaders, alumni and current students who bring analytical, empirical and humanistic approaches to bear to improve the healthcare sector.” More here.
Northwestern Institutes Hiring Freeze And Budget Reductions Amid Federal Funding Challenge
“Two months after the Trump administration froze $790 million in federal funding for Northwestern, University leadership introduced additional financial changes to address challenges in the wake of the freeze,” reports the Daily Northwestern. “A faculty and staff hiring freeze and reductions to the permanent administrative and academic budgets are among the measures announced… adding NU to the growing list of universities cutting spending in a time of uncertainty for higher education.”
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