Life + Culture

Two Forces, One City

A relationship built on mutual respect and momentum Article by Valerie Caballero | Photography by Annette Patko Chicago has a way of putting people on intersecting paths without asking permission. The city moves quickly, rewards proximity, and rarely waits for anyone to be ready. For Breanna Rose and Nick Benson, that pace wasn’t something to resist; it was something to match. They met more than five years ago, not in a moment engineered for meaning, but in the middle of ordinary movement...

Arts + Culture

Chicago Car Collective

Sam Goodman, founder of Chicago's elite car club Article by Valerie Caballero | Photography by Bordeaux Studio-Annette Patko The first thing you notice at Chicago Car Collective is the hum of engines. Then the cars themselves. Each one is different, deliberate, precise. For Sam Goodman, the founder, it started with a single word: “wheels.” Cars have always been more than machines. They are movement, identity, freedom. Learning to drive at sixteen was a milestone, but it also marked the start...

Life + Culture

A Valentine’s Guide to Chicago’s Best Wine Bars

From intimate wine bars to beloved neighborhood favorites. Article by Valerie Caballero   All Together Now – 2119 W Chicago Ave, Ukrainian Village In a relaxed yet refined space that feels like an elevated gathering spot, this wine shop-meets-bar offers thoughtfully curated natural wines alongside artisanal cheese and snacks. The inviting wood-accented interior and approachable wine list make it ideal for those who prefer slow conversation over crowd noise. Pinot Noir or lighter reds here...

Arts + Culture

Introducing Brian Hopkins

A vision for luxury living in Chicago Article by Deanna M. Radulescu | Photography by Alderman Hopkins Office In this featured interview, Alderman Brian Hopkins shared his perspective on the evolving landscape of luxury living in Chicago, with a particular focus on his ward, which encompasses some of the city’s most recognizable and desirable neighborhoods. As Chicago continues to navigate economic shifts, demographic changes, and post-pandemic recovery, the Alderman offered thoughtful...

Style + Beauty

A Fundae with Holly Gallard

Chicago’s Shoe “It” Girl on Style, Sustainability & Self-Care Article by Valerie Caballero | Photography by Annette Patko Step inside Fundae , the eco-conscious luxury shoe brand redefining chic, customizable footwear for women. In her multifunctional showroom-meets-studio at Chicago’s Bridgeport Art Center, founder Holly Gallard shares what it takes to build a brand as a solo entrepreneur. Balancing material experimentation with intentional craft, she centers both women and the planet in...

Health + Wellness

Val Oliveira

Turning Family Tradition Into Wellness Sanctuary Article by Valerie Caballero | Photography by Alexis Goettsch  Do people living in fast-paced cities ever truly know when to slow down? When the skyline is buzzing, when ambition becomes a kind of oxygen, when success demands everything—what does it mean to pause? To breathe? To honor the body that carries the dream? If you ask Val Oliveira, CEO and Founder of Brazilian Lymph Spa, slowing down isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifestyle. It’s...