On March 11, Newcity will publish its Resto 100 list of Chicago’s essential restaurants, our biggest and most important restaurant of the year.

Here’s last year’s edition.

To advertise, please contact advertising@newcity.com or call us at 312.243.8786 x17

FAQs

Who covers food for Newcity?
Newcity’s Resto 100 is being edited by Michael Nagrant, our regular food columnist. Mike is one of the stars of food writing in Chicago. Here’s his bio: Mixing the smarts of Alton Brown, the honest sensuality of Ruth Reichl, and the gritty no-holds barred wanderlust of Anthony Bourdain, Mike Nagrant knows his way around a corporate franchise salad, hidden ethnic storefronts and precious high cuisine.  He also never met an organ meat he didn’t like until he met the goat eyeball taco at Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market.  But he’ll try anything twice (because you never know if the first example was cooked right), so he’s on the lookout for a better eyeball taco if you know of one.  In addition to his weely Newcity column, Nagrant is the founder of Hungry magazine, a contributing essayist to the groundbreaking Alinea book and the dining critic for Chicago Social (CS) magazine. He’s also a feature contributor to The Chicago Sun Times, Time Out Chicago, Chicago Magazine and the Chicago correspondent for Zagat, and has also written for Saveur and the Chicago Tribune. Read the rest of this entry »

If Valentine’s Day means something to your business, whether you’re a restaurant or entertainment purveyor, a gift seller or an appearance enhancer, you won’t want to miss the chance to advertise in one of Newcity’s most popular Love & Sex issue. Sure, others may try to tell folks what to do, but nobody looks deeply into the soul of romance like Newcity does with our entertaining collection of vignettes, confessions and oddities.

Don’t risk heartbreak. Invest in a happy ending today by contacting advertising@newcity.com

Issue Date: February 11

Space/Materials Deadline: February 5

And if you think you’ve got a story to tell, click here for editorial specs for this issue.

Newcity is pleased to announce the return of our biggest performing arts issue of the year, The Players: Chicago’s leading performers.

While last year’s edition chronicled many behind-the-scenes individuals who bring Chicago theater, dance, opera, comedy and performance to life, this year we’re focusing on the artists, in order to offer a fresh perspective, a fresh list. So this time around, look for Chicago’s leading actors, directors, dancers, choreographers, lighting designers, playwrights and so on.

It will be an issue that lovers of the stage cannot miss. Read the rest of this entry »

Ad space deadline: Thursday, December 31
Artwork deadline: Monday, January 4

After launching a special education issue last January, we’ve come to realize that we all have a lot of learning to do (not to mention that the economic forces driving an increase in demand for adult eduction, while improved, are far from behind us). In that spirit, we’ll again offer our audience an education-themed issue this January, perfectly timed for self-improvement or self-retraining notions to be put into action.

If education is part, or all, of your mission, I hope you’ll engage with us as we endeavor to create a truly special issue. You won’t connect with a finer audience of voracious knowledge seekers anywhere, I guarantee that.

As so many of you did last year, we hope you’ll join us as an advertiser in this issue, as well as our other January issues. Please let us know right away if you’d like to reserve space or see rates. Thanks.

(312)243-8786×17 OR advertising@newcity.com

We’ve just posted the 2010 calendar of special issues. As always, it’s subject to change as world events and whims transpire, but we generally hold most of the dates as planned. (Actually, some are pegged to external events which are only tentative so far.) In any case, we’re officially reserving premium ad positions—back covers, inside covers, etc., starting now.

A few final (we hope) updates to the fall Special Issue calendar. We moved Boutiqueville to October 22, to coincide with Fashion Focus Chicago. And due to the economic forces affecting independent fashion boutiques this year, we’re going to publish this one on newsprint rather than glossy, allowing us to pass cost savings on to our customers.

Due to the Olympics drama, which would have fallen smack dab in the middle of our polling season, Best of Chicago has been moved to November 12. We’ve got some big, exciting plans for this one!

See our full editorial calendar here, and watch for the preliminary 2010 edition very soon.

This week we published a two part (plus introduction) report on the “buy local” movement: how it’s faring in Chicago, and how big corporations are starting to co-opt its values. This is an important read for all locally owned businesses in Chicago. Let us know what you think.

Mom & Pop Worldwide, Inc.: Inside the corporate co-opt of local

The Shop Around the Corner: Local First Takes Chicago

Local Media Bias

Even though this month’s weather belies the premise, we’ve reached that special time of year when, if you’re not on vacation, what else is there to do but drink?

So next week, Newcity publishes its annual Bars of Summer issue, devoted to that very premise. (You can read an archive of past years here: http://boozemuse.com/category/bars-of-summer/)

If you haven’t reserved ad space yet—MISTAKE!—email advertising@newcity.com and we’ll send you the special rates for this issue. It wil be your happy hour.

Operating a media business today is a bit like trying to put together a puzzle made out of Jell-O. Which is one way of saying that we’re thinking about a lot of the contours of our operations these days, and adjusting one thing while another jiggles around a bit. Which is a really long-winded way of saying that these new guidelines for contributors—writers, photographers, illustrators, cartoonists—will likely evolve on a more frequent basis over these next few months. One thing that won’t change is our commitment to literary journalism and the highest levels of artistic creativity.  Constructive feedback is welcome.

A friend reported that the highlight of the Luminaire anniversary event held in March, “An Incredible 35 Year Journey of Good Design” was the Newcity dress created by Luminaire stylist Solomon. We’re not arguing.