Chicago is Second City again...

...in house teardowns, otherwise known as "bash and build." Check out the article here.

Holiday Shopping Edition: Swiss Chocolate

Not everyone can buy Teuscher chocolate in the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland. Fortunately, we have our own Teuscher here in Chicago. For the story of how Swiss chocolatiers are conquering the world, see this article in the New York Times. The trend is toward exotic flavors (chili pepper and even goat cheese) and darker chocolate. But the Swiss are obliged to turn their attentions abroad -- at 25 pounds of chocolate per capita per year, their compatriots couldn't eat more of the stuff if they tried (or unless they were British, who eat more -- and indeed I even know some Swiss people who prefer Cadbury to Spruengli!). But no one can beat Teuscher for presentation, so if you are looking for a special gift, check them out.

Photo by Dominic Buettner for the New York Times.

Should Chicago Take the Gamble?

Chicago politicians are tired of seeing a potential source of huge income leave the city and even the state. Should Chicago, with its checkered history, get into the casino business? Listen to the story here. NPR funnyman and Chicago native imagines "da casino" here

Good Press

Via The Real Estate Bloggers, check out this well-written, informative, and relatively upbeat article in the New York Sun.

Meanwhile, don't forget our party tomorrow! 'Tis the season!

The Big Freeze

No, I am not talking about our weather, but rather the announcement to come from the White House today on the freezing of interest rates on some subprime loans. Slate has a good summary of the coverage here.

Ben Stein, Scandalmonger

Ben Stein has caused quite an uproar with his editorial in the New York Times on the role of Goldman Sachs in the subprime scandal. You can read the original article here. NPR has an overview of the commentary, and Stein's reaction to it, here. If you still haven't had your Stein fix, you can listen to his own voice on why the credit crunch should not induce panic; or check out his website.

Happy Hanukkah

In honor of the first night of Hanukkah, here are some great recipes for potato pancakes (latkes) from epicurious.com.

Why The Holiday Season May Be a Great Time to Buy a Home

Check out this interesting post from the folks at The Real Estate Bloggers. They make some salient points. For example: "Sellers who are listing in the holiday period are motivated. Odds are they have a job change, a life change, or a mortgage they have to get out of. They need to sell their home and want to do so as quickly as possible. " On the other side of the table, you can of course expect fewer prospects looking to buy at this time of year. That is precisely why the buyers coming around in December "are actual buyers, not tire kickers."