In Tokyo, coffee meets cuteness in the company of capybaras
By Grace Xue Medill Reports TOKYO – In Tokyo’s Sumida district, a quiet residential neighborhood, there’s always a bustling line forming in a little alley before 11 a.m., opening time for Cafe Capyba. Customers wait patiently to spend 1,250 yen ($8.53) for 30 minutes with capybaras. Growing to about 4.3 feet long and weighing up […]
Q&A: Inked-out color artist with unique style draws his way across London tattoo scene
By Tara Mobasher Medill Reports Creativity was never lost on British tattoo artist Joe Frost, best known by his Instagram handle @hellomynameisjoe. Decorated with hundreds of tattoos on his own body, the veteran artist with 15 years in the business, specializes in so-called neo-traditional designs. The strikingly realistic style, particularly popular in the U.K., uses […]
WATCH: ‘I wouldn’t have made it without StreetWise:’ How one organization provides jobs, support for those experiencing homelessness
By King Jemison Medill Reports Experts estimate there are 68,000 Chicagoans experiencing homelessness right now. This crisis may be worsening. That’s where StreetWise comes in. Hear incredible stories of how the organization has helped the unhoused for nearly 32 years — and why it continues to be so essential. KEITH HARDIMAN, StreetWise vendor: StreetWise has […]
‘Blue Badge’ guides make London mecca of tourism
By Adam Babetski Medill Reports On a typical dreary Tuesday in central London, Blue Badge tour guide Sarah Reynolds arrived for work at an atypical place: Westminster Abbey, a church steeped in history that dates back nearly a millennium. Monuments honoring kings and celebrities that would be the centerpieces of other churches were merely part […]
Flowers or tomatoes? Theatergoers share mixed reviews of ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ and ‘Dear Octopus’ revivals
By Medill Explores: Arts and Culture in London students Medill Reports Two reimagined classic shows — one on the West End and another at the Royal National Theatre — earn stars from some Medill master’s students who recently traveled to London. But even the curtain calls come with caveats. “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” Lady Gaga’s […]
New hands, long-time volunteers come together at Beaubien Woods
By Penelope Gardner Medill Reports Volunteers arrived at 10 a.m. at Beaubien Woods on a cold Saturday morning to battle invasive species in an ongoing war. Together, on Feb. 3, the volunteers and Field Museum staff removed buckthorn and honeysuckle, invasive species that choke out native plants and trees. The Field Museum brings volunteers together […]
WATCH: Edgewater residents form council to reopen Broadway Armory Park
By King Jemison Medill Reports Broadway Armory Park closed to the public in August, when the city turned it into a migrant shelter. Edgewater residents are taking action to reopen this longtime community institution. Hear why local residents formed the Broadway Armory Park Advisory Council – and why they believe the park is essential to […]
UNLV’s step back from Las Vegas limelight
By Kaycee Clark-Mellott Medill Reports LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas hosted its first Super Bowl and is home to three professional sports franchises, with another two likely on the way in the next decade. But long before any league looked at the city, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels dominated Sin City sports […]
Joffrey Ballet’s ‘Hungry Ghosts,’ choreographer Stina Quagebeur elevate conversation about opioid epidemic
By Doris Alvarez Medill Reports Last year, more than 111,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, according to the CDC. Opioid fatalities inspired Belgian choreographer Stina Quagebeur to create “Hungry Ghosts,” one of three pieces in Joffrey’s February mixed repertory program, “Studies in Blues.” “I’m kind of fascinated with how we are, how we think […]
WATCH: Edgewater residents fight to reopen Broadway Armory Park
By King Jemison Medill Reports Broadway Armory Park has been a vital community center in Edgewater for decades. But in August, the city closed the park to the public and converted it to a migrant shelter. More than six months later, city officials still have no answers about when it will reopen. Edgewater residents say […]