In response to the underground and hip SPiN in New York and LA, the wildly popular ping-pong (or table tennis to be official) bar founded by none other than Susan Sarandon has spawned a spin-off (ha ha) in the Chi.

George Zaharoff is a mid-luxury menswear designer based in Chicago. His impeccable tailored clothing including made-to-measure and off-the-rack suits, jackets and trousers is rich in details, extraordinary textures, and unique fabrics hand-picked from the finest Italian mills. Described as a “Wunderkind” by WWD, George Zaharoff’s energy, heart and frequent store appearances have inspired a solid base of loyal customers among Chicago’s elite.

As anticipation builds for next week’s big unveiling of the first-ever Chicago Michelin Guide, the Michelin team offered the city a sneak peek last night with the Bib Gourmand selection. The Bib Gourmand designation denotes good cuisine at a reasonable price in a variety of comfort categories. Defined as “Inspectors’ Favorites for Good Value,” Bib Gourmand restaurants offer two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included), and are often of most value to a city’s residents, who regularly dine in neighborhood restaurants.

After a very sick couple of weeks, (flu season one point for you) all I have been craving as of late is warm, hearty comfort foods. In typical haute fashion, instead of mom’s kitchen, I turned to a few former Ritz chefs. Prarie Fire is the newer downtown extension of the wildly popular Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook (Northshore moms, rejoice).

Even though Chicago resides in a landlocked state, our seafood remains on par with the best in the nation. Some foods are better simple. plain. unembellished. Raw bars are one of those items, the cleaner, crisper the taste, the more delicate the shellfish. So shucks, go all out at these picks.

Chasing a dream, Julie Schwanbeck launched jules in 2007. The eponymous jewelry line immediately caught the eye of high-end boutiques, department stores and was featured at Chicago Fashion Week. jules rapid-fire growth has been chronicled in Women’s Wear Daily, People Magazine, OK Magazine, Chicago Social, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Clubline Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Red Eye, The Rachael Ray Show and Lucky Magazine. The ID Tags have been worn by celebs like Rachael Ray, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Beals.

When most people think of the word “flight,” they think of airplanes or wine. Airplane flights transport you somewhere special, and wine flights allow you to sample different tastes in one sitting. Chicago Flights get you a little bit of both.

With the mean winter winds upon us, what better excuse to pamper yourself?
These ultra-luxurious treatments remind you why diamonds are a girl’s best friend and that you can have the golden ticket. Because you should always look like a million bucks.

Carnivores beware, the herbivore/healthy/organic trend is coming up fast and hard. Whether it’s for ethical, religious, environmental, political or cultural reasons, these spots make being a vegetarian haute. Who knew veggies could taste so good?