(from chicagotribune.com)

You see, I am a Chicago red light camera, and everyone hates me. I mean everyone. The people who accelerate through the yellow at Belmont and Sheridan and end up with not only a hefty fine, but also a grainy photo in the mail that looks like they’re being blackmailed. The taxpayers who have to foot the $40,000 bill for the over 400 tickets racked up by CTA drivers in the last two years. And especially by my ex: Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., the red light camera vendor that’s being forced to shell out $20 million to settle their $2 billion bribery scandal which involved paying off a (former) high-level city transportation manager. Who also hates me. It’s pretty lonely being a red light camera, despite the fact that we’re literally everywhere, all the time, constantly up your butt and in your business, not giving a hoot about what you’re late for or where you’re going. (MORE HERE)

(from chicagotribune.com)

We’ve all been there. As you lay your head on your pillow at 3 a.m., thanking your lucky stars you managed to make it home alive, you know, in the back of your drunk mind, that in a matter of hours, you will wake in supreme misery.  But those in Chicago whose careers center around the devil’s liquid know a thing or two about staving off a hangover. Take this “hair of the dog” guide to heart this weekend and live your best life. (MORE HERE)

Dylan Winckler
Bar manager at Jerry’s Sandwiches
“My girlfriend and I have this thing called ‘the spread.’ It’s a cup of coffee, a glass of OJ, a bourbon bloody mary and a small side beer. We usually hit a place with a solid brunch and a good bourbon list. The coffee wakes us up, the OJ rehydrates us and the bloody mary and the beer brings us back a little bit.”

Elyse Fuller
Beverage director at Nacional 27
“A couple years ago, I created a cocktail with a blueberry mint julep. I made a mojito out of it. That’s my go-to because it has the antioxidants and everything you need in there. I start with a blueberry honey syrup (blueberry, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and thyme) and then I muddle some mint with lemon. Then, I add … rye and coconut water—from the coconut, but Vida Coconut Water is fine. The ginger, the blueberry, the coconut—all of it together is going to bring you back to life.”

*Ask for it at Tallboy Taco. 

Caitlin Laman
Beverage director at Mezcaleria Las Flores
“A pretty standard go-to is a michelada, which usually works for me, but when it’s really rough I go with a gin fizz. You’ll want to look for something with salt and acid, and something low-alcohol—like vermouth—to slowly ease you into feeling like a human again.”