David New - Chicago Realtor

Created by artist Dessa Kirk, Magdalene is a striking "living sculpture" that transforms industrial scrap into a symbol of grace.

The figure is welded together from discarded 1970s Cadillac car parts, specifically hoods and fenders. For Kirk, using these materials was a way to reclaim the Cadillac—often associated with power and exploitation—and turn it into something dignified.

The sculpture’s lower half is a metal lattice designed to act as a trellis, allowing vines and flowers to grow through it and create a "living dress" that changes with the seasons.

The piece explores themes of faith and nature, drawing parallels to the Greek myth of Daphne, who transformed into a tree to find protection. By blending cold, recycled steel with vibrant greenery, the artwork serves as a reminder of resilience and the ability to find beauty in unexpected places.

It has become one of Chicago’s most beloved "hidden gems," often overlooked by tourists but cherished by locals who watch her garden skirt bloom every summer.

You can find Magdalene in a small triangular garden at the intersection of South Michigan Avenue and East Ida B. Wells Drive (formerly Congress Parkway). It sits at the western edge of Grant Park, just a short walk south from the Art Institute of Chicago.

This is the No. 1 thing to do during winter in Chicago, according to Time Out Discover the hidden retreat redefining “warming up” this season.

Grant Park Music Festival announces 2026 lineup, featuring Ben Folds and ample American music The free summertime classical series in Millennium Park will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with work from dozens of domestic composers.

Handel wrote his famous Water Music in 1717 for a boat party on the River Thames. Chicago’s Music of the Baroque performed it on the Chicago River. They finished with an amazing and inspiring Hallelujah, Chicago!, a citywide singalong of the “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Love how the chorus includes young musicians from 7 Chicago public high schools. Also love how this music brought such a diverse group of Chicagoans together (including 🐶 and 👶🏼)!

Tickets on sale July 17th!

Le Creuset brings its secret dinner series to Chicago this summer The multi-city pop-up is coming to Chicago in August

https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/chicago-area-home-prices-are-rising-four-times-faster-than-the-rest-of-the-u-s-062725

Chicago-area home prices are rising four times faster than the rest of the U.S.

When Great Lake Pizza shut down in 2013, owners Lydia Esparza and Nick Lessins left the door open for a possible revival.

Twelve years later, they're finally back.

The duo is in the midst of opening Great Lake — sans "pizza" in the name — at 1476 W. Berwyn Ave., two blocks south of their original Andersonville location. The eatery appears to be in a soft opening phase, operational but not yet in full force.

Great Lake 1.0 was wildly popular. Shortly after its 2008 opening, GQ restaurant critic Alan Richman called Great Lake the best pizza in the country. Megastars Beyonce and Jay-Z even popped in for a bite in 2011. The national attention caused the restaurant to have hours-long waits.

Read more here: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/restaurants/great-lake-quietly-reopens-chicagos-andersonville?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

A new multi-venue music festival is debuting in Chicago this September Six venues. Forty-eight artists. Five days.

The strawberry moon—the final full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere—takes its name from the ripening of summer berries in North America during June. (Photo: Getty Images) https://trib.al/v7KjkeI