The 78

Chicago’s fall lineup just got a whole lot louder, prouder, and unapologetically extra. The Emmy-winning World of Wonder is bringing its first-ever immersive fan activation, Drag Race: The Experience, to the city—transforming a stretch of Logan Square into a living, breathing episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Opening this November, the limited-run attraction invites fans to step through the looking glass and into the high-glam, high-drama universe built by RuPaul. This isn’t just a photo-op factory—it’s a full-bodied dive into the franchise’s mythology, where charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent aren’t just catchphrases, they’re the price of admission.

Set inside a pop-up space at 2367 W Logan Blvd, the experience recreates the show’s most iconic environments with obsessive detail. Think the Werk Room buzzing with anticipation, the chaotic brilliance of Snatch Game, and the Main Stage runway where dreams are made—or read to filth. There’s a Confessional Room for your inner monologue, a real-life All Stars Hall of Fame, and interactive challenges designed to test whether you can actually back up your lip-sync-in-the-mirror fantasies.

And yes, there’s a twist of tech-fueled camp: the “Dragrulator,” a transformation experience that lets guests leave with a stylized portrait of their most fabulous alter ego.

“We’re untucking and taking you behind the one-way mirror,” said World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, leaning into the show’s signature wink. Translation: you’re not just watching the illusion—you’re part of it.

Tickets drop in two tiers, including a VIP option that offers flexible entry, a meet-and-greet with a featured Drag Race queen inside the Untucked Lounge, and a discount on exclusive merch that will undoubtedly sell out before you can say “shantay, you stay.” The activation will run weekends only, adding a sense of urgency to what’s already shaping up to be one of the season’s most buzzed-about pop culture events.

Beyond the walkthrough, the space doubles as a hub for screenings, premiere parties, and one-off events tied to the ever-expanding global Drag Race universe. It’s part fan service, part nightlife experiment, and part cultural flex—another reminder that drag isn’t just performance, it’s economy, identity, and community.

For Chicago—a city that’s long nurtured its own fiercely independent drag scene—this glossy, franchise-backed spectacle lands somewhere between validation and disruption. But one thing’s certain: come November, Logan Boulevard won’t just be a street. It’ll be a runway.

There’s a certain kind of confidence you need to remix a Chicago staple. Not arrogance—something closer to instinct. The kind that tells you a pastrami-topped pizza might actually work, especially if you grew up eating both sides of that equation.

Billy Litsogiannis—better known around West Town as Pizza Boy Billy—has spent more than a decade dialing in that instinct at Tortorice’s Pizza. His menu leans familiar at first glance—thin crust, hearty sandwiches, classic sides—but look closer and you’ll find the edges pushed just enough to keep things interesting. A drizzle of hot honey over pepperoni and sausage. A crust that carries more than it should. A willingness to experiment without losing the neighborhood.

His latest swing? A collaboration inspired by Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen—yes, that Manny’s. The result is a pastrami-topped pizza that somehow feels less like a stunt and more like a natural extension of Chicago’s anything-goes food DNA. It’s salty, smoky, indulgent, and just a little bit chaotic—in other words, it works.

And now, Billy’s leaning all the way into the moment.

On March 26, in honor of March Madness, Pizza Boy Billy is giving away free slices all day long at Tortorice’s Pizza (West Town.) No gimmicks, no hoops—just walk in and grab a slice. It’s the kind of old-school neighborhood gesture that feels increasingly rare, and exactly on brand for a guy who’s built his reputation as much on generosity as on flavor.

That generosity isn’t new. During the height of COVID-19, Billy quietly funneled pizzas to hospitals and first responders, keeping kitchens running when the city felt like it might stall out. These days, he’s still showing up—donating meals to local schools, community groups, and Chicagoans who need them most.

For Billy, the pizza is the hook. The community is the point.

There’s a reason regulars keep coming back to Grand Avenue. It’s not just the crust, or the toppings, or even the novelty of a deli-meets-pizzeria mashup. It’s the feeling that this place—like the best Chicago spots—belongs to the people who walk through its doors.

And on March 26, it belongs to anyone who’s hungry.

There are films we admire, films we revisit—and then there are films that rearrange us.

For Daniel Kraus, Night of the Living Dead was never just a movie. It was a language, a mirror, and, at times, a lifeline.

In his haunting and deeply introspective new book, Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World, Kraus delivers something far more expansive than film criticism. What unfolds is a kaleidoscopic meditation on art and survival—where the grainy black-and-white terror of George A. Romero’s 1968 horror landmark collides with the author’s own childhood marked by isolation and violence.

Kraus first encountered the film at five years old. For most, that might be an anecdote. For him, it became a lifelong obsession—one he estimates has spanned over 300 viewings. But repetition, in this case, wasn’t about fandom alone. It was excavation. Each revisit unearthed deeper emotional truths, linking the film’s stark, apocalyptic imagery to the private fears and traumas of his upbringing.

The result is a book that refuses easy categorization. Moving frame-by-frame through Night of the Living Dead, Kraus threads together cultural history, psychological inquiry, and memoir with an urgency that feels almost confessional. It’s a narrative that oscillates—sometimes violently—between screaming humor and profound grief.

Early praise suggests the book lands with force. Booklist has already called it “storytelling at its finest,” invoking the emotional precision of The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Meanwhile, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead describes Kraus as “a sly, sympathetic, and funny tour guide,” praising the book as both a tribute to guerrilla filmmaking and a meditation on the fragile miracle of artistic creation.

That duality—between grit and grace—is where Kraus thrives.

Already a literary force, Kraus has built a career navigating the porous boundaries between horror and humanity. His novel Whalefall earned a front-cover review in The New York Times Book Review and widespread acclaim, while his collaborations with Guillermo del Toro—including The Shape of Water and Trollhunters—have bridged literary storytelling with cinematic spectacle. He also co-wrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with Romero, cementing a creative lineage that now finds its most personal expression in Partially Devoured.

But this latest work feels different—rawer, riskier.

It asks a deceptively simple question: What happens when a piece of art doesn’t just influence you—but helps you survive?

In tracing the cultural aftershocks of Night of the Living Dead—a film that redefined horror, race, and independent cinema—Kraus also maps the quieter, more intimate terrain of memory. The monsters on screen may be fictional, but the emotional truths they unlock are anything but.

And in that uneasy space between fear and recognition, Partially Devoured finds its power.

History tends to spotlight giants. But every so often, you find the figure just outside the frame—the one making things happen.

That’s David Davis.

In conversation with Chicago writer Tom Barnas, author Raymond J. McKoski brings Davis into focus in his biography, David Davis, Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Judge. The book traces how Davis, a close ally of Abraham Lincoln, helped engineer one of the most pivotal moments in American history.

At the 1860 Republican National Convention, Davis worked behind the scenes—cutting deals, counting votes, and outmaneuvering rivals—to secure Lincoln’s presidential nomination. It wasn’t luck. It was strategy. Lincoln rewarded that loyalty with a seat on the Supreme Court of the United States in 1862. But Davis didn’t stay loyal in the way presidents might hope. On the bench, he built a reputation for strict impartiality—even when it meant ruling against Lincoln-era policies during the American Civil War.

That tension is where McKoski’s book thrives.

Davis wasn’t just Lincoln’s ally—he was a counterweight. A trusted insider who could also say no. Behind the scenes, he even served as a quiet backchannel, helping the administration avoid damaging legal missteps without compromising judicial independence.

The result is a portrait of influence without ego—a man who shaped a presidency, then stepped away from it when principle demanded.

Concise, sharp, and deeply researched, McKoski’s work reframes David Davis not as a footnote, but as a force—one whose impact still echoes in how we think about power, politics, and the courts.

In Chicago, few food institutions carry the weight of tradition quite like Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen. Since 1942, the West Loop deli has served as both a neighborhood gathering place and a culinary landmark — where towering sandwiches, steaming trays of comfort food, and generations of loyal customers come together under one roof.

Each March, Manny’s finds itself at the crossroads of two cultural traditions: the city’s famously festive St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and the deeply symbolic Jewish holiday of Passover.

In Chicago, the dyeing of the river green is practically a civic ritual. But inside Manny’s, the celebration comes in the form of brisket — lots of it. On St. Patrick’s Day alone, the deli serves more than 1,000 pounds of corned beef, sliced thick and piled high onto rye bread or served alongside cabbage and potatoes.

Fourth-generation owner Dan Raskin keeps the tradition alive, demonstrating how Manny’s iconic Reuben sandwiches are made — from the perfectly brined corned beef to the sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and tangy dressing that complete the deli classic.

St. Patrick’s Day at Manny’s: An Ode to Corned Beef It’s a distinctly Chicago moment: an Irish-American holiday celebrated in a Jewish deli that has fed politicians, reporters, construction workers, and neighborhood regulars for more than eight decades.Preparing for Passover: A Celebration of Freedom

As St. Patrick’s Day winds down, Manny’s kitchen begins preparing for another meaningful tradition — Passover, one of the most important holidays in Jewish culture.

Passover commemorates the biblical story of the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. At the heart of the observance is the Seder, a ceremonial meal that retells the Exodus story through symbolic foods and rituals passed down for generations.

Among the key elements:

• Matzah – Unleavened bread symbolizing the haste with which the Israelites fled Egypt, leaving no time for bread to rise.

• The Seder Plate – Featuring foods like bitter herbs, representing the bitterness of slavery, and charoset, a sweet mixture symbolizing the mortar used by enslaved laborers.

• Dietary Traditions – During Passover, many Jewish families avoid fermented or leavened grains such as wheat, barley, and rye.

  For many families, the Seder is both solemn and joyful — part storytelling, part communal meal, and part reflection on freedom and resilience. Some describe it as an interactive, ritualized gathering similar to Thanksgiving, though centered on the enduring theme of liberation.

  Through it all, Manny’s remains a cornerstone of Chicago’s food culture. What began as a modest cafeteria on the city’s Near West Side has grown into one of Chicago’s most beloved delis.

  Known for its massive corned beef sandwiches, house-made comfort food, and welcoming cafeteria-style dining, Manny’s has remained proudly family-owned for more than 80 years, now led by the fourth generation of the Raskin family.

  In a city that thrives on tradition, Manny’s continues to serve something deeper than sandwiches — a living piece of Chicago history, where cultures, holidays, and communities intersect around the table.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

A Hidden Cabinet of Curiosities in Portage ParkTucked along West Irving Park Road in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood, Ecclection feels less like a store and more like a carefully staged fever dream of found objects. The small storefront at 6059 W. Irving Park Road hums with personality, a place where handmade art leans against vintage curiosities and recycled relics wait patiently for their second lives.This behind-the-scenes video tour pulls back the curtain on one of Chicago’s most unusual independent shops, guiding viewers through a space where creativity outweighs polish and discovery beats convenience.Part vintage trove, part neighborhood clubhouse, and part oddities bazaar, Ecclection specializes in affordable finds that begin at just a dollar. Every shelf carries evidence of a previous life, objects rescued, repurposed, or reimagined.Shopping here feels analog in the best possible way. No algorithms steer the experience. No digital carts interrupt the moment. The only navigation tool is curiosity.This video offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the physical space, revealing the textures and layers that make Ecclection feel alive.Corners are stacked with handmade jewelry, vintage décor, crystals, and small artistic experiments. Nothing feels mass-produced. Items sit close together, like strangers sharing a long train ride.The effect is immersive.You wander instead of browse.You discover instead of search.Some pieces inspire, some puzzle, and some simply make you laugh.Prices remain intentionally accessible, with many items starting at just one dollar, reinforcing the shop’s philosophy that creativity should never be gated by price.One of the most fascinating additions featured in the video comes from the recently closed American Science & Surplus.Known for decades as a wonderland of scientific oddities and experimental materials, the legendary surplus retailer supplied generations of inventors, artists, and curious minds.Now, pieces from that vanished institution have found a second life inside Ecclection.Boxes of unusual components, scientific curiosities, and eccentric tools have been folded into the shop’s rotating inventory, creating a strange historical echo.The artifacts feel like survivors from a lost laboratory.Test-tube ghosts.Mechanical fossils.Fragments of forgotten experiments.Their presence deepens the shop’s atmosphere, turning casual browsing into a kind of archaeological dig.A Store Built on CommunityEcclection operates as more than a retail space.It functions as a neighborhood living room.The shop regularly hosts:Kids craft eventsSchool fundraisersSip-and-shop nightsPlus-size pop-upsCommunity gatheringsThese events reinforce the store’s identity as a place where people linger instead of transact.Conversations matter here.Stories matter.The object you take home often comes with one attached.The Thrill of the FindEcclection thrives on unpredictability.Inventory rotates constantly, ensuring that no two visits are identical. A piece that sits quietly on a shelf today might be gone tomorrow.Visitors come searching for many things:Something vintage.Something handmade.Something strange.Or simply something they didn’t know they needed until they saw it.The shop rewards slow looking.Patience becomes part of the experience.Treasure appears when you least expect it.

Chicago winters can feel endless. Gray skies. Frozen sidewalks. Lake Michigan whispering in ice. But inside the glowing walls of the Shedd Aquarium, entire ecosystems pulse with color, motion, and life. This season, the aquarium is giving Illinois residents even more reasons to step inside with free admission days, immersive experiences, and the unforgettable Behind-the-Scenes Tour.

This is more than a visit. It’s an escape into living water.

The Shedd Aquarium Behind-the-Scenes Tour opens doors few visitors ever see. Past the public exhibits lies the beating heart of the aquarium, where science and care shape every drop of water. Towering filtration systems hum like underwater cities. Coral labs glow with quiet intensity. Aquarists move with practiced calm, guardians of fragile worlds.

Dive Beyond the Glass

Families searching for things to do in Chicago with kids discover something rare here. Not just entertainment, but connection. Curiosity sparks. Questions flow. Wonder deepens.

Guests may explore:

• Animal care and nutrition kitchens
• Coral and reef conservation labs
• Dolphin and aquatic mammal backstage areas
• Life-support and water filtration systems
• Stories of animal rescue, conservation, and behavior

It feels part science lab, part secret world, part living documentary.

Admission to the aquarium unlocks daily discovery. Visitors can experience:

• Animal Spotlights showcasing marine mammal adaptations
• Touch experiences with sturgeon and starfish
• Live animal feedings and educational programs
• Expert chats about sharks, penguins, and aquatic life
• Evolving habitats like Wonder of Water

Every visit shifts and changes, making each trip unique for families, kids, and returning guests.

Shedd Aquarium is announcing new Illinois resident free days in January and February, offering a warm escape into coral reefs, freshwater rivers, and vibrant aquatic worlds during Chicago’s coldest stretch.

Everyday Wonder Included With AdmissionIllinois Resident Free Days Bring Winter Relief

Ahead of and following the aquarium’s annual maintenance closure, Illinois residents can enjoy free admission on select dates.

2026 Illinois Resident Free Days January 6-8, 13-20, 27-29 February 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26

Closed for Annual Maintenance January 21-22, 2026

The aquarium will also continue offering Illinois resident free evenings (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) throughout the year:

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 April 7, 14, 21, 28 May 5, 12, 19, 26 June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Advance reservations are strongly recommended due to high demand. A $5 convenience fee applies to online reservations, while phone reservations at 312-939-2438 carry no additional fee. All adults must provide proof of Illinois residency when redeeming discounted tickets.

This year, the Shedd transforms after dark with its first-ever Heartbeat House Party, an adults-only Valentine’s celebration set inside the aquarium’s glowing aquatic world.

On Saturday, February 14, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., guests can dance to house music surrounded by drifting jellyfish and swaying seahorses. Expect themed bites, deep-sea surprises, and a sea of red and pink as couples, friends, and solo explorers celebrate beneath the water’s pulse.

It’s Chicago nightlife, reimagined underwater.

For anyone searching best family attractions in Chicago or unique Chicago experiences, the Shedd Aquarium delivers:

• Educational, interactive experiences
• Memorable family activities
• Conservation and science in action
• One of Chicago’s most iconic destinations
• A perfect winter escape for locals and visitors

The Shedd has always been more than an aquarium. It’s a living world in motion, a reminder that even in the coldest Chicago winter, life thrives just beneath the surface.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

Valentine’s Night Beneath the WavesWhy Families and Locals Love the Shedd

National Hot Chocolate Day gets a decidedly elevated upgrade this year at Hotel Chocolat’s Southport location, where the beloved chocolate brand is transforming a childhood comfort into a curated tasting experience worth slowing down for.

From January 24 through January 30, Hotel Chocolat is offering two thoughtfully designed Hot Chocolate Tasting Flights, inviting guests to explore the depth, texture, and nuance of its iconic drinking chocolates just in time for the January 31 celebration.

The Classic Hot Chocolate Flight showcases the brand’s signature style with a trio of standout flavors: Classic 70%, Salted Caramel, and Coconut White. Rich, balanced, and deeply cocoa-forward, the flight leans into indulgence without excess. Meanwhile, the Vegan Hot Chocolate Flight highlights Hotel Chocolat’s plant-based offerings, proving that dairy-free doesn’t mean compromise. Each flight also includes a mystery flavor, a playful wildcard that adds surprise to every sip.

Founded by Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris, Hotel Chocolat was built on a simple but ambitious idea: make chocolate exciting again. That philosophy still drives the brand today, blending innovation with ethics. More cocoa. Less sugar. Better sourcing. Better flavor.

Hotel Chocolat now operates 160 stores across the UK, along with cafés, bars, and restaurants. The brand grows its own cacao on a sustainable farm in Saint Lucia, home to both its Rabot Estate and luxury hotel, while chocolate production happens in Cambridge, England. With a growing footprint in the U.S. and Japan, Hotel Chocolat continues to reshape how chocolate is experienced globally.

At its core, this Southport tasting flight isn’t just about hot chocolate. It’s about reclaiming a familiar ritual and giving it a little polish, a little depth, and just enough surprise to make you pause mid-sip.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

In this intimate, wide-ranging conversation, Jacob Tolliver sits down with Tom Barnas to trace a career that feels less like a straight line and more like a series of fortunate collisions, each one louder and more electric than the last.

Tolliver reflects on his formative years in Chicago, a city whose clubs, musicians, and restless creative energy helped sharpen both his sound and his sense of purpose. That grounding proved essential when he landed the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in the hit Las Vegas production of Million Dollar Quartet. Night after night, Tolliver didn’t just play the piano. He wrestled with it, channeling the volatile spirit of early rock ’n’ roll and earning a reputation as one of the show’s most combustible performers.

That performance opened doors few musicians ever touch. Tolliver recounts surreal moments trading stories and stages with Jerry Lee Lewis himself, crossing paths with icons like Elton John and Mick Jagger, and learning firsthand that rock history isn’t something you study. It’s something you survive.

The conversation also explores Tolliver’s unlikely leap from a viral YouTube video to a Las Vegas spotlight, a modern myth fueled by old-school chops. While many artists chase algorithms, Tolliver doubled down on the physical act of performance, believing that live music remains the last honest handshake between artist and audience.

Musically, Tolliver refuses to live in a single lane. His sound pulls from rock, country, pop, and blues, blending classic structures with a contemporary edge. As a songwriter, he favors emotional immediacy over polish, aiming for songs that feel lived-in rather than perfected.

Now focused on his original music, Tolliver is entering a new chapter, one that honors the past without being trapped by it. His upcoming projects promise a sound that’s nostalgic but restless, rooted yet exploratory. In an era obsessed with reinvention, Jacob Tolliver is doing something rarer. He’s evolving while staying unmistakably himself.

For updates, releases, and upcoming performances, follow along at jacobtolliver.com.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

Chicago has always sold itself in steel and glass. The skyline rises, the river bends, the trains rattle on. But just beyond the clatter of the L and the low hum of Metra platforms, something softer begins to take shape: dunes that roll like quiet punctuation marks, wetlands breathing between rails, forests that seem improbable given their proximity to rush-hour traffic.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Tom Barnas and author Lindsay Welbers pull back the curtain on this other Chicago, one measured not in blocks but in trailheads. Welbers, whose explorations began as a personal attempt to reconnect with nature without leaving the city behind, has spent years mapping the green arteries that run parallel to Chicagoland’s transit system. The result is Chicago Transit Hikes, a guide that feels less like a hiking manual and more like a permission slip to wander.

Illinois, she reminds us, is far from flat in spirit. Its landscapes shift from oak savannas to prairies, from Lake Michigan dunes to quiet forest preserves that rank among the largest urban systems in the country. Many of these spaces remain overlooked, hidden in plain sight, accessible not by car but by train ticket.

What distinguishes Welbers’s work is its practicality. The book is slim enough to slide into a backpack, organized by rail line rather than region, and built for people who think in stops and schedules. Each hike comes with train-to-trailhead instructions, accessibility notes, dog-friendliness, seasonal highlights, and even guidance on what flora and fauna might be watching you pass through.

There’s history here, too. Old campgrounds like Dunewood, a favorite of Welbers’s, carry the echoes of early conservation movements and rail-era leisure travel, when Chicagoans routinely escaped the city by train in search of fresh air. These stories add texture, grounding each hike in something older than the rails themselves.

Public transportation, often framed as a means of commuting, becomes a quiet act of environmental engagement. It lowers the barrier to outdoor access, reshapes how residents think about their surroundings, and subtly redefines Chicago’s reputation. This is not a city divorced from nature, but one threaded through it.

As the conversation turns toward the future of Chicago Transit Hikes, one idea lingers: exploration changes perception. Step off the platform, follow the trail, and the city you thought you knew gives way to something wilder, calmer, and unexpectedly close.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.