Outgoing Best Of
Galleries, classes, and experiences I’d send a friend to. Each edition recognizes ten selections equally, with a specific reason for every one.
Oct 6, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026
I’ve found reasons to eat your way across Chinatown, compare chicken tenders at Navy Pier, and sit down for a tasting. These ten Chicago-area plans put food and drink at the center of the week.
Meet the ten selections ↗Oct 6, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026
A fossil Pokémon, a very demanding mouse, and a pumpkin waiting for paint give you different starting points. I’ve picked ten Chicago-area outings for the week, with the older-child options called out along the way.
Meet the ten selections ↗Oct 5, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026
A patio double feature, close-up theater, and a little shared suspense. These ten Chicago-area outings give you something to plan together this week.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
I’d make room for art you can walk into, a mansion full of detail, and galleries that give one exhibition your full attention. These ten Chicago-area spaces offer different ways to spend an afternoon looking.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
Glass, clay, scent, spray paint, and a little circus. These ten places across Chicago and its suburbs give you a reason to put the phone down and make something.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
I like a food-and-drink plan with something else to keep you there: a book, a tasting, a game, or the distillery itself. These ten Chicago-area places give the table a little company.
Meet the ten selections ↗Oct 6, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026
I’d put something on the calendar that leaves you with a conversation afterward. These ten DC-area films, shows, and performances give an evening together a little direction.
Meet the ten selections ↗Oct 6, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026
There’s cider to press, a storytime to settle into, and a garden full of Halloween clues. I’ve picked ten DC-area outings for the week, with quieter stops and options for older children in the mix.
Meet the ten selections ↗Oct 5, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026
Clay, pastry, dance steps, and a project to take home. These ten creative outings around the DC metro make room for trying something new this week.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
These ten art spaces across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia bring exhibitions into conversation with working studios, classes, and the people making the work.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
A mead flight in Hyattsville and a wine bar with resident cats ask for very different evenings. I’ve picked ten places around the DC metro where what you’re drinking comes with something to do.
Meet the ten selections ↗2026
I’d start with what the children want to try: making something, climbing something, or figuring something out. These ten places around the DC metro give you a few ways to build the day around it.
Meet the ten selections ↗