❄️ The best of Chicago winter

Even cold, frigid days can bring sunshine [READER]( The Daily Reader It's what makes Chicago so lovable, amirite? It was one of those frigid January days—you know, the really cold ones where your eyes tear up, then your tears freeze—when my partner and I approached City Hall. She wore a dress worn by her grandmother almost three-quarters of a century earlier; I had on a mismatched suit I pieced together from the aisles of Village Discount. We descended, beaming ear to ear, into the building’s bowels. We were there to get married. Both my partner and I have ADHD. As such, things tend to slip through the cracks. But this time we were diligent. We made sure to get our marriage license weeks in advance, booked a reservation for a celebratory lunch, and even invited a pair of out-of-town friends to join us for the occasion. As we neared the Marriage and Civil Union Court, we saw a piece of paper taped to the door. “NO WEDDINGS ON MONDAYS,” it read. After a brief discussion with the receptionist, we learned ceremonies on Mondays were held over Zoom, and were by appointment only. Shit. We’d done it again. “When’s the next available appointment?” we asked, hoping we could snag a slot later in the day. Not for a month and half, the staffer responded. We were going to get married that day, damnit. We’d find a way. One of our visiting friends stumbled upon a website that offered on-the-spot ordination (it even came with a printable certificate). In true Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope fashion, we constructed a makeshift altar on the mantle of our apartment’s fireplace, adorned with a candle purchased from the convenience store, and threw on a Spotify playlist not-so-aptly titled “Walking down the aisle.” Armed with a corny poem we found online, and in the company of two of our best friends and our four-legged roommate, we tied the knot right there in our living room. There are so many things that make Chicago great—sunny summer afternoons spent sipping craft beers on a patio, the seemingly endless supply of fantastic food spots, the vibrant cast of characters who call our city home. But for me, the best thing about Chicago came on a cold, chaotic day in January. Still looking for your Chicago “best of”? The Reader’s [Best of Chicago issue]( is a great place to start. Shawn Mulcahy News Editor [Best use for the lakefront in a cold snap]( Putting it all in perspective by [Philip Montoro]( | [Read more]( [Best DIY mobile skate park]( OnWord’s OnSite project by [Taryn Allen]( | [Read more]( → [Best hidden beach and nature hike]( South Shore Beach and nature sanctuary by [Kimzyn Campbell]( | [Read more]( → [Best annual collaboration between local filmmakers and musicians]( Chicago Film Archives Media Mixer by [Kat Sachs]( | [Read more]( → [Best NSFW nihilistic queer punk artist]( Mony Kaos by [Kerry Cardoza]( | [Read more]( → [Best citywide display of talent at a monthly underground hip-hop show]( Skoli Moly Donut Shop by [Debbie-Marie Brown]( | [Read more]( → [BEST OF CHICAGO ISSUE]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2023 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616