—Perry's Steakhouse & Grille (PerrysSteakhouse.com): This suburban spot (with two restaurants in Oak Brook and Schaumburg) is well-known for its delicious cuts of meat, sumptuous sides and hand-crafted cocktails. It's open Thanksgiving Day (outdoor seating and to-go) with items such as butternut squash soup, smoked turkey breast with pan gravy, cranberry relish and more for $45/person. (Don't forget a pumpkin cheesecake, for $8).
—Cluck It (CluckItChicago.com): This Near South Side spot (2537 S. Wabash Ave.) recently opened and advertises that it has "the best damn fried chicken you've ever eaten"—a bold claim that is near (if not on) the mark. The Mother Clucker sandwich is delicious AND massive, but there are so many other items to try, ranging from lobster mac 'n cheese to sides like collard greens to sweets such as banana pudding. By the way, chicken can be ordered according to four spice levels: country (no spice), mild, hot and XXhot (with habanero pepper and scorpion chili).
—OUT100 (out.com): This year's list was revealed Nov. 19—and what a diverse list this is! Wilson Cruz, Janelle Monae, Joe Mantello and activist/Black Lives Matter Canada co-founder Janaya Khan grace the various covers, and a few of the other LGBTQ+ individuals on the revered list include explorer Erin Parisi, retired baseball pro Billy Bean, activist/tech developer Brandon D. Anderson, Apple CEO Tim Cook, designer Diego Montoya, fashion icon Andre Leon Talley, National LGBTQ+ Task Force Executive Director Kierra Johnson, journalist Rachel Maddow, politician Shevrin Jones and Canada's Drag Race alum Ilona Verley.
—The Octopus's Holiday: A Different Kind of Christmas Story (PaulPycraft.com): This is a picture book (and a finalist in the 2018 Fence Books Modern Prize in Prose for Literature Appropriate for Children) by Paul Pycraft that's written for children ages 6-13—but really it is a book for all ages and genders. The plot description is as follows: Shelly the Octopus is visiting her one-of-a-kind octopus friend Doris in the small town of Fishery. The fish in Fishery love Christmas and want everything to be exactly the same as every year before. But octopuses have three hearts, and they know that if you love Christmas you can love Christmas lots of different ways.
—Graf Lantz's Zenbu face mask (graf-lantz.com/pages/organic-cotton-linen-face-masks ): So many companies are selling face masks (and that's a good thing, of course), but Graf Lantz's Zenbu is surely one of the most comfortable you'll try, thanks to an optimized fit, customizable metal nose band and the luxury-grade materials. Also, for every mask purchased, Graf Lantz donates 10 meals to Feeding America.
