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The once and future Sausage King of Bronzeville rules the next Monday Night FoodballMike Sulaon October 19, 2022 at 9:51 pm

The Hot Dog Box is a ketchup-safe zone.

“I know they say you’re not supposed to put ketchup on hot dogs,” says Bobby Morelli. “But I think you know I don’t really follow rules.”

As befits the Sausage King of Bronzeville—or rather, Portage Park—Morelli can do as he pleases. Since I wrote about him a year and a half ago, Morelli and daughter Brooklyn moved the exalted Hot Dog Box from its 51st Boxville Marketplace shipping container into a spiffy brick-and-mortar, and unleashed their loaded, quarter-pound steak Macdogs upon the Six Corners.

This October 24, they’re expanding their realm to the Kedzie Inn for Monday Night Foodball, the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up, just to the west in Irving Park.

No, there’s no ketchup on Morelli’s menu, but the Macdog can stand up in whatever he’s dressing it in, including pizza sauce, mozz, and pepperoni; bleu cheese and buffalo sauce; vegan chili and cheese; or onions, pickles, cherry tomatoes, and mustard. He’s also hinting at a Chef Special: the signature Bronzeville Bourbon, with Peach BBQ Slather, fresh cabbage and carrot medley, and hickory smoked bacon and sport peppers–the Macdog that started it all.

Morelli’s bringing his line of jarred sauces as well, so nobody will judge if you decide to apply THB’s smoky bacon ketchup, peppercorn whiskey steak sauce, or sriracha mustard either. Youngest daughter Bailey’s brownies will also be in the house, as well as THB’s grape Mac’alade, which Morelli recommends with a shot of bourbon. Just ask barkeep Jon Pokorny to spike it. There are no rules to break.

No preorders needed for this one. Just walk on in and place your order this Monday beginning at 5 PM at 4100 N. Kedzie.

Meantime, please gurgitate the full fall Foodball schedule, picking up again after our Halloween break:

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The once and future Sausage King of Bronzeville rules the next Monday Night FoodballMike Sulaon October 19, 2022 at 9:51 pm Read More »

Triangle of SadnessMaxwell Rabbon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm

Triangle of Sadness is wealth without filters . . . or Botox. Ruben Östlund, famous for his unnerving satires The Square and Force Majeure, delivers a three-act commentary on waste, excess, and hoarded wealth, eventually upending the boundaries separating the rich and the poor. Triangle of Sadness introduces us to the (fittingly) petty influencer couple, Carl and Yaya, played by Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean, as they bicker over dinner about the bill and money. No passion, strictly business. 

By the second act, the couple embarks on a grotesquely luxurious cruise among opulent guests including a Russian capitalist, played by Zlatko Buric, and an elderly British couple who earned their fortune by developing the hand grenade (keep this in mind). Östlund’s mastery of tension nears perfection during the nauseating dinner scene, hosted by the drunk and disenchanted captain (Woody Harrelson). However, Östlund fumbles this exciting commentary by abandoning the film’s subtlety for heavy-handedness and vomit. In the chaos, the yacht is attacked by pirates, ending the cruise and the lives of most passengers.

But this does not discredit Östlund’s mastery of momentum. Triangle of Sadness is without a doubt riveting, demanding the audience’s attention for its near three-hour run time. Despite Östlund’s shortcomings and imprudent tropes, Triangle of Sadness is harrowing, consistently funny, and packed with surprises. Östlund dissects the aristocracy, shows us what’s inside, and encourages us to laugh. 

It is necessary to mention that Triangle of Sadness is overflowing with stunning performances that keep the film afloat at its low points, especially Dolly De Leon’s Abigail, a toilet cleaner who capsizes the class structures and takes control of the castaways. Behind Östlund’s satire, the film’s final moments are cruel, revealing insights into the director’s pessimistic view of the world. Triangle of Sadness tries to unravel the foulness of the upper echelon, but its redundancy and unvarying interpretations prevent this satire from exceeding superficiality and truly puncturing the elite. R, 150 min.

Wide release in theaters

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Triangle of SadnessMaxwell Rabbon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm Read More »

TillAdam Mullins-Khatibon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm

Directed by Chinonye Chukwu and utilizing extensive research from filmmaker Keith Beauchamp, whose work led to the reopening of the Till case in 2004, Till is based on the life of Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler) and her struggle for justice in the 1955 lynching of her 14-year-old son Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall).

Till’s cinematography and editing are lyrical at times, utilizing a lingering frame to highlight the pain and pathos of the events. Deadwyler’s performance is masterful, requiring a complete range of emotional depth. Where the film struggles is in the attempt to tiptoe the line between inspirational story without veering into trauma fetish, with the multiple scenes of wailing Black people straying too far over the line. This is of course a story of trauma, but the tone of the film fails to successfully pivot between an uplifting narrative that it feels the film wants to portray. Sadly, that narrative simply isn’t there in the framework of the film and perhaps that message would’ve been better served with more time spent on the activism and advocacy of Mamie Till-Mobley in the years following Emmett’s lynching.

Ultimately and unfortunately, Till is a film that covers important events, but doesn’t quite feel like it adds enough to the story to be an important film. PG-13, 130 min.

Limited release in theaters, followed by wide release

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TillAdam Mullins-Khatibon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm Read More »

Decision to LeaveMaxwell Rabbon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm

Decision to Leave abandons the brutality of Park Chan-wook’s signature style in favor of a restrained ruthlessness that, in the end, cuts deeper than pure violence. Hae-jun, a Busan detective played by Park Hae-il, is assigned to a peculiar crime scene––an experienced rock climber has plummeted to his death. During the first 30 minutes of the film, Decision to Leave offers the foundation or modus operandi of a conventional detective thriller, but then we meet Seo-rae, the unbothered widow of the fallen man played by Tang Wei. Suddenly, the conventional mystery plots are blurred by a familiar fog: a crush. 

Hae-jun immediately suspects foul play, with his eyes closely affixed on the mysterious widow. Despite Hae-jun’s keen sensibilities, fervent perfectionism, and eager professionalism, the detective’s intuitions fall aside as he loses his head over Seo-rae. Decision to Leave disrupts the trajectory of the detective thriller by casting aside the murder for an even more intoxicating premise: a forbidden love story. Distanced from his cold marriage and troubled by insomnia, Hae-jun’s judgments are consumed by a delirium mirroring this unsuspecting true romance. 

Decision to Leave is a subtle masterpiece from Park, braiding a heart-stirring tenderness into a murderous thriller. There is no logical reason to feel enticed by Hae-jun and Seo-rae’s romance, but there is undeniable and magnetic chemistry. Unbefitting of the crime, Park solicits our support. Hae-jun’s wife, played by Jung Yi-seo, claims he needs “violence and death to be happy.” He finds it, but the love he finds is vanishing, making for a finale that will leave you gutted.138 min.

Gene Siskel Film Center

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Decision to LeaveMaxwell Rabbon October 19, 2022 at 10:00 pm Read More »

Best Sugar Daddy Websites For Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies To Meet (2022)

Sugar daddy sites have risen in popularity over the last several years as society becomes more comfortable with unconventional relationships. As more and more people seek either companionship or financial security, sugar arrangements have become very attractive.

Unfortunately, the popularity of sugar relationships has caused an influx of sugaring sites to pop up. Some sites do their part in vetting the members, but others invite scammers, leeches, flakes, and fakes.

We’ve done the leg work for you and have found the best sugar daddy sites where a sugar daddy can meet a sugar baby and vice versa. These sites strike the delicate balance between safety and fun. We review what’s best about a site for daddies and what’s best for babies.

These are our brand new rankings for 2022.

The Best Sugar Daddy Sites and Apps in 2022

RankSiteBest For1.SugarDaddy.comBest overall sugar daddy site2.Secret BenefitsBest mix of daddies and babies3.Our SecretBest for confidentiality4.SugarDaddyMeetVerified income feature5.SugarDaddyForMeQuickest way to find an arrangement6.Ashley MadisonJudgement free sugar dating site7.What’s Your PriceBest for women to set their own price8.Sugar SearchBest database of local sugar daddies9.R/SugarBabyFree way to find sugar babies10.Elite SinglesMeet intellectual sugar babies and daddies11.Established MenBest for daddies seeking a long term arrangement12.RichMeetBeautifulMost secure and discreet site13.Miss TravelBest for sugar babies who like to travel14.Wealthy MenMost straightforward sugar dating site15.AgeMatchFind younger women16.SudyBest sugar dating app17.SugarBookBest sugar app for babies

1. SugarDaddy.com – Best overall site

Sugardaddy.com is one of the most reliable sugar daddy sites around and has been around for quite some time. The site is hailed as one of the greats because it verifies all of its members (daddies and babies) and there are almost 10 million members and counting. At any given time, the site is active with several thousands of users and nearly 2/3rds are babies looking for someone to take care of them.

Free members can actually enjoy tons of features (like sending kisses, using the advanced search feature, and responding to paying members), but a membership is well worth it and pretty affordable compared to its competitors. It’s a credit-based system and costs around a quarter per credit. Privacy is a top priority on Sugardaddy.com, making it easy to discreetly enter into relationships.

What it’s like for daddies:

70% of the users on sugardaddy.com are babies looking to be spoiled. With millions of users, this makes being a daddy on the site extremely easy and entertaining. Credits can be used to get in touch with the babies and they won’t cost you much. Because privacy is taken so seriously on this website, there’s no need to fear your identity being revealed. Furthermore, daddies can rest easy knowing they won’t be scammed by any members given that they are all verified.

What it’s like for babies:

Sugar babies tend to love the ease of this site and how slick it is. Other sugar baby sites tend to look shady or seedy, but sugardaddy.com is slick and modern. It makes it easy to layout exactly what you’re looking for in a daddy. One drawback is the fact that most of the users are babies, so there’s some stiff competition out there. But with millions of daddies online searching, finding the right one shouldn’t be too difficult.

2.  Secret Benefits – Best gender ratio

SecretBenefits.com is one of the most popular and stylish sugar daddy dating websites. It has a modern and fresh look along with an easy-to-use interface which has encouraged millions of attractive and wealthy individuals to join and search for a positive sugar dating experience on the site. Due to its popularity and stellar reputation among the site’s members, there is a constant flow of new hopeful sugar daddies and sugar babies as well as a very active member base.

Anyone can signup, create a profile, and search for free. Sugar babies can enjoy the site and its features for free. If a sugar daddy finds a sugar baby of interest, they need to purchase credits to open a chat with them. There should be no lack of potential candidates among the millions of members as the gender ratio is about 50/50.

What it’s like for daddies:

Signing up as a sugar daddy is very fast and painless. You can also choose to start a very basic profile to search for potential sugar babies in your area before committing too much time or money. Another great feature if you’re looking for a discreet relationship is you can hide your profile at any time as well as go invisible for 24 hours and browse profiles in secret. These features help maintain your privacy while discreetly allowing you to find your perfect sugar baby.

What it’s like for babies:

Sugar babies love using Secret Benefits not only because it’s free, but also because the site’s outstanding support team keeps the riffraff out which provides a safe platform full of serious and active sugar daddies that are not looking to waste anyone’s time. Getting your profile verified via a short intro video also encourages daddies to reach out once they see that you are the real deal. The success rates for legit, happy, and ongoing sugar daddy relationships are extremely high on SecretBenefits.com, so it’s really just about getting signed up and putting yourself out there to find exactly the type of daddy you’re looking for.

3.  Our Secret – Best for confidential sugar dating

Whether you are in a current relationship, a celebrity, or simply a private person that would rather not have your friends or colleagues discover you on a dating site, you might want to consider signing up to the most discreet site on our list, OurSecret.com. Although the site is fairly new, they’ve done a great job delivering exactly what private people are looking for in an effective dating site.

Our Secret has hundreds of thousands of members looking to find their ideal secret relationship with about 50% of its members in the US. The goal of the site is to streamline the online dating process by providing easy signup and profile creation, precise search filters, and an excellent private chat function that also allows members to share additional photos with each other.

What it’s like for daddies:

The discreet sugar daddy will enjoy many of the features that mainstream popular dating sites provide without all of the potential public overexposure. Sugar daddies have the option of creating a basic profile, searching for their potential new secret matches in an incognito mode, as well as hiding their photos in secret albums for choice matches eyes only. All daddies should be pleased to know that creating a profile and searching for matches is totally free. Only if you find someone of interest will you need to purchase credits in order to open a chat, which will remain open and unlimited once the chat is opened. There are no monthly fees so you can come and go as you please as well as hide your profile from sugar babies in search if you find someone you like and want to pursue.

What it’s like for babies:

OurSecret.com understands that many sugar babies are active university students and social media influencers and might not want to be broadcasting their dating profiles to the masses on frequented sites such as Tinder. With this need for privacy and discretion by their sugar baby members, Our Secret has made it easy to streamline the online dating process and help you find exactly the kind of sugar daddy relationship you’re looking for without all the fuss. Using all of the site’s features is totally free to sugar babies. Getting started and adding photos and videos of yourself is a cinch and can also be kept in a private album only available to those daddies that you give permission to, and with the majority of daddies on the site seeking a discreet arrangement, keeping your relationship on the down-low should never be an issue.

4.  SugarDaddyMeet – For rich men who can spoil

SugarDaddyMeet, one of the original sugar dating sites, doesn’t sugarcoat its true intentions. According to the site, it’s only available to men who live in the 20 richest countries in the world. By attracting affluent men, it also attracts beautiful young women. Verifying income and wealth are two major features on SugarDaddyMeet, making it one of the best sugar dating sites for the ladies.

What it’s like for daddies:

For one, you’ll need to actually be rich to get approved for SugarDaddyMeet. Those who meet the requirements are introduced to a world of beautiful females. The platform itself feels like other social media sites that you may already be familiar with. It’s very casual and generally a breeze finding a mutually beneficial arrangement.

What it’s like for the babies:

This site has plenty of features that make women feel safe using it. You can verify income and let the site know what you’re looking for in a sugar daddy. Using a handy algorithm, it’ll match you up based on your preferences. A free membership is all you’ll need!

5.  SugarDaddyForMe – Speedy matching process

This chic site is slick in design and even better in matching capabilities. It doesn’t hide the fact that it’s a tried and true sugar daddy site designed for arrangements. This is made clear for both the women and the men who join SugarDaddyForMe.

What it’s like for daddies:

You should know first that the payment structure is unique. The membership tiers are based on how much time you want to buy rather than what you have access to. SugarDaddyForMe will want to verify your income, but there’s not much to it after that. You’re essentially brought into the SugarDaddyForMe world within minutes, making this platform one of the fastest ways to find a date.

What it’s like for babies:

This is a free sugar daddy site for you! Signing up takes only minutes and you’ll be glad to know that SugarDaddyForMe will want to know what your ideal arrangement would be. This can all be altered later if you change your mind.

6.  Ashley Madison – Find a casual companion

Ashley Madison is the site that people hate admitting they love. Sure, it’s received some shady press over the years, but it works marvelously. Though linked to affairs, it’s a perfect site for those in open-relationships to find fun arrangements with other folks. It’s a completely open-minded and judgment-free space for people to explore sensual relationships.

What it’s like for daddies:

Ashley Madison can be used as a sugar site. It follows a credit-based payment structure that allows men to communicate with women. There’s nothing on Ashley Madison to weed out the sugar babies from the rest of them, so you’ll need to use the age preference feature to find the ladies and chat to see if they are interested. Women are free to join, making it a great breeding ground for relationships with younger college-age women.

What it’s like for babies:

Men on Ashley Madison are usually looking for excitement, and sugar babies know how to have fun. There are a lot of wealthy men looking for younger women on the site, so if you specify that you are looking to set up an arrangement, you’ll have no problem finding a handsome catch.

Want even more about Ashley Madison? Check out our full review.

7.  What’s Your Price – Bid on dates

On many sugar sites, the idea of an arrangement is implied but not always enforced. In other words, SDs don’t feel like spending or SBs ask for too much. On What’s Your Price, the intention is clear. It’s about an agreement or arrangement that works for both parties. What’s Your Price will set everyone up with their ideal situation so that the minutiae of finances don’t cloud the fun! And it was created by the established folks behind Seeking, so you know it’s legit.

What it’s like for daddies:

You will feel like you are shopping for gorgeous women through an online marketplace. We hate to boil it down to an online shopping experience, but that’s kind of how it works! You will be shown tons of ladies who have a price in mind. Then, you can bid on anyone you find attractive or worth your time. You can also send virtual gifts and make bids as low as $10. You don’t have to be “wealthy” to join.

What it’s like for the babies:

What’s Your Price puts you in total control, which is a nice alternative to the chaotic free-for-all approach that other sites have. The only negative to What’s Your Price is that there is a lot of competition. There are 3 million members and counting, which means that your ad is going to have to be competitive.

8.  Sugar Search – Check out “Members Currently Online” before chatting to avoid flakes

It’s just as it sounds. Sugar Search is an easy to use search engine to find a local sugar daddy.

Sugar Search only operates in a few cities. Sorry babies and daddies, if you’re not in NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, or Philadelphia, this isn’t the site for you.

Sugar Search goes to admirable lengths to ensure all the accounts are legit. Some slip through the cracks, but the moderation team is pretty on top of it.

Best of all, the site has great customer service and makes it easy to cancel a membership if you’re over it.

What it’s like for daddies:

It’s a super simple sign up process for daddies. Fill in a few fields, verify some personal info, and you’re set. Sugar Search has a great daddy to baby ratio, so it shouldn’t be too hard to meet a baby. The chat feature is slick and easy to use. If you want your profile to appear toward the top of search results, opt for the Diamond Membership. It really does increase the amount and quality of matches.

What it’s like for the babies:

Babies, you won’t be disappointed. Sugar Search is the ultimate sugar daddy search tool if you’re in one of their cities. Sugar Search requires daddies to verify their personal information, so you won’t encounter too many fraudulent accounts. Do your own due diligence by chatting with a prospective daddy first. The sheer volume of options means you’ll likely connect with someone shortly after you sign up.

9.  Reddit (r/SugarBaby) – Top sugar forum

Reddit is a site that gets a ton of volume. As a general forum for a huge range of topics, people come to Reddit to get information about virtually anything you can think of. It works for sugaring, too, on the subreddits that are related to the subject. If you don’t already know, a subreddit is a specific message board. For the best sugar daddy action, visit the /r/SugarBaby board. We should also warn you that sexy photos flood the page!

What it’s like for daddies:

This subreddit has over 80K users, making it more intimate than most but still giving you a ton of options. The best part is that it’s one of the only free sugar daddy sites on this list. Men aren’t allowed to post, but you can browse through the photos and proposals of the women on the page.

What it’s like for the babies:

You can post on this forum photos and a description of your ideal relationship. If a guy sees you on the page and is interested in pursuing you, he will direct message you through the platform! To post, you will need to go through a verification process, but it’s not complicated.

10.  Elite Singles – Dating site for educated daddies and babies

Elite Singles was not designed specifically for sugaring. It’s a premium dating site that caters toward educated and successful individuals looking for someone who is like-minded. As a baby, you should be seeking something serious when you join Elite Singles. This site is made for real relationships, not a one-time hookup. A majority of the people on this site are college-educated, regardless of age, so that’s another thing to keep in mind.

What it’s like for daddies:

Elite Singles is ideal for the man (or woman) who is interested in meeting an intelligent, independent person to shower with affection or anything else. One of the best things about Elite Singles is that nobody is flakey. People are genuinely searching for their other half and they aren’t greedy for cash because they are successful themselves.

What it’s like for the babies:

This is an app best suited for the baby who isn’t just in this for the money. You don’t need to be wildly successful to get on Elite Singles, but you should have a semblance of independence and perhaps a college degree (or working towards one). This isn’t the quickest way to find a sugar daddy, but it is a place where you’ll meet successful people.

11.  Established Men – Great for long-term sugar dating

If you couldn’t gather from the name, Established Men is a dating site created for successful men looking for a relationship. Men who are established and wealthy often don’t find much time to date around. This site makes finding a partner very simple. It’s not a hookup site but rather a place that caters directly to wealthy guys who want a relationship. Though not exclusively for sugar relationships, women aren’t charged for a membership, making it feel like a free sugar daddy site for them.

What it’s like for daddies:

Established Men is not a free sugar dating site for men, but that shouldn’t be a problem if you are, in fact, established. Through the platform, you are able to send gifts and interact with the beautiful ladies that this website attracts. There are new members daily, so you’ll never run out of options!

What it’s like for babies:

Step into the world of Established Men. These are individuals who know their worth, so they might be tough to please. What’s nice about the site is that these guys aren’t expecting you to come to them with a set arrangement. They just want to spoil someone special with bags, shoes, and more.

12.  RichMeetBeautiful – Encrypted sugar daddy site

Contrary to popular belief, RichMeetBeautiful is not just for rich men. Anyone who is reasonably well off can still engage with beautiful men and women through the platform. It’s also one of the most secure sugar dating sites because it uses encryption security.

What it’s like for daddies:

RichMeetBeautiful claims to be rich in several ways: experience, romance, passion, style, and so on. It also explicitly says “no sugar dating” on the homepage. You’re probably asking yourself why it even made the list. It’s a site for successful individuals to meet one another through a scientific matchmaking algorithm. If you want to find a younger woman to spoil, you will absolutely be able to.

What it’s like for babies:

RichMeetsBeautiful is not explicitly for sugar dating. It is a site where you can converse with men who enjoy spoiling their significant others. It’s built for long-lasting relationships, so be prepared to meet people who want to find real love.

13.  Miss Travel – Best for the adventurous

Miss Travel puts an exciting spin on sugar dating. Rather than finding a companion locally, this site encourages people to find partners from places they’d love to travel to! It adds a whole new element to the fun of sugar dating, and women can join this site for free.

What it’s like for daddies:

SDs in open relationships or looking for fun outside of a relationship love to use this site while they travel for business. However, it’s also convenient for men who want foreign women to come to them. There are a ton of beautiful women who use Miss Travel because they are looking for an adventure with a well-to-do man.

What it’s like for babies:

Ever wanted to travel the world? This is one of the best ways to make that happen. The daddy you find will likely pay for the entire trip. There’s also an exciting “Create a Trip” feature that allows you to plan a wonderful vacation right there on the site.

14.  Wealthy Men – A no-frills approach to sugaring

Wealthy Men is the most straightforward sugar daddy website available to users, and it’s very reliable too. It promises young women that they will meet the wealthy man of their dreams. And, it has a guarantee for its paid members that they’ll find someone in three months. Members can rest assured that Wealthy Men will absolutely work for them.

What it’s like for daddies:

We’ll be honest: Wealthy Men does not make it that easy on the guys initially. You will have to prove that you make at least 85K by providing documentation stating so and comment on how much you’re willing to spend on a baby. While this is annoying, it maintains the integrity of the site.

What it’s like for babies:

This is one of the best sugar daddy sites out there. The financial aspect works in your favor. But you’ll want to pay for it, as the free version doesn’t allow for messaging.

15.  AgeMatch – Best for relationships with significant age gaps

AgeMatch doesn’t market itself as a sugar website. Instead of sugar daddies and young models, it pins itself as a dating platform for people with a very large age gap between them. This works for arrangements because most of the companionships on this site are between successful older men and stunning younger women.

What it’s like for daddies:

Some men don’t want arrangements and prefer the idea of spoiling someone who enjoys their company. For those types, AgeMatch is perfect. You will feel like you are on a real dating site and not a shady or seedy arrangement site, which is a nice alternative to the normal setup.

What it’s like for babies:

The expected age gap works in your favor, but the fact that sugaring is more implied than explicit does not. You won’t be asked about your preferred arrangement. However, there are plenty of wonderful successful older men at your disposal and you are welcome to present them with your terms.

16.  Sudy – A sugaring mobile app

Sudy is a fantastic app in terms of usability. It functions really well and is set up in such a way that makes it easy to meet someone new. There are some things about Sudy that aren’t perfect, which is why it’s at the bottom of our list, but it’s certainly a great option for someone who would rather use their phone than a desktop to find a date.

What it’s like for the daddies:

To join, you’ll need to make over 200K. Once you verify this, you will be introduced to the world of beautiful ladies (there’s a 4:1 male to female ratio). Gorgeous women like to know that you make enough to entertain them, so the verification works in your favor. Sources report having trouble deleting their profiles though, so that might be a turn-off for you.

What it’s like for babies:

There are more women than men, which means it’s competitive. But at the same time, Sudy is also very safe. The Sudy staff work tirelessly to moderate the platform and remove suspicious or fake profiles.

17.  SugarBook – Great for alternative arrangements

Sometimes arrangements aren’t all money-based. There are ambitious women (or guys) out there who desire connections, advice, opportunities, and financial help. Sources say that SugarBook is ideal for that type of relationship with a sugar mama or sugar daddy because each interaction begins by laying out expectations for one another.

What it’s like for daddies:

You will need to verify your income before getting accepted to SugarBook. This is technically a free sugar daddy site for men, but the premium option will show you many more profiles. We’ll admit that it’s limited on the free side.

What it’s like for babies:

You can join for free or pay for more features, that’s totally up to you. Try the free version first, though, because the features just include access to more daddies and a more specific search. You might find what you’re looking for on the free version alone. You’ll have a chance to create a profile where you can explain what you’re interested in.

Have Questions About Sugar Daddies and Babies? Here Are Some FAQs

What Does a Sugar Daddy Do?

A sugar daddy’s role is relatively simple. His “job” consists essentially in using his wealth to spoil the sugar baby. This might include fancy dinners, high-end alcohol, even vacations all around the world. In return, the sugar daddy expects a certain degree of companionship. 

Where Can I Find a Sugar Baby?

Finding a sugar baby is basically the same process as finding a sugar daddy. You simply need to leverage the sites and apps that exist specifically to unite would-be sugar babies with sugar daddies. One of the best sites for this is Seeking, though there are many others (the reviews for which you can see in the above article). 

What Does a Sugar Baby Do?

A sugar baby simply provides companionship to a sugar daddy. In exchange for being spoiled and receiving gifts, dinners, vacations, etc., a sugar baby is expected to provide companionship and affection to the sugar daddy. This isn’t necessarily always sexual, as that depends on the sugar daddy and the terms that you establish. It’s a good idea to be upfront about expectations from the get-go to ensure that everything goes smoothly. 

Is It Ok to Have a Sugar Daddy?

Some people may be wondering if it’s morally okay to have a sugar daddy. Well, that depends. Is the sugar daddy married with kids and doing this on the side without anyone knowing? That’s definitely a questionable thing to do morally speaking. But if no one else is at risk of being hurt by the relationship, and everything is consensual, then it’s perfectly okay to have a sugar daddy. 

Are Sugar Daddy Sites Legit?

Sugar daddy sites can definitely be legit. That said, sugar relationships have become more popular and so many sites have popped up lately. Not all of them are legitimate, so it’s important to be careful. A good idea would be to stick with the sites reviewed above, especially the biggest and most well-established ones. 

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Breathless, CPL Foundation Awards, Fortune at the Hideout

Pioneering French-Swiss film director, writer, and critic Jean-Luc Godard passed away in September, and the Gene Siskel Film Center swiftly put together Au Revoir, Godard, a presentation of three Godard-directed favorites from his 60s work. Tonight’s feature, 1960’s À bout de souffle (which literally translates from French as “out of breath”) is more commonly known in America as Breathless, a crime drama and visual masterpiece that is often found on lists of the best films ever made. Breathless will be screened digitally tonight at 5:30 PM; tickets are available at the Film Center’s website. And if you can’t get enough Godard, you can return to the Siskel Film Center Thursday night at 8:30 PM for a screening of Band of Outsiders, Godard’s 1964 feature starring Anna Karina. (SCJ)

The Chicago Public Library Foundation both directly supports the work of our city’s public libraries with financial gifts and also hosts events that engage library patrons and support Chicago’s big community of writers and creative workers. This year’s Library Foundation Awards revolved around the theme of “bold storytelling,” and honorees Tony Kushner (Pulitzer winner for his play Angels in America), chef Rick Bayless, and Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas were presented with honors at a reception that took place earlier this year. Tonight the foundation presents the award ceremony for free viewing through its website and YouTube channel; go to cplfoundation.org at 6 PM to watch the program hosted by journalist and news legend Bill Kurtis. (SCJ)

If you’re looking for a spooky good weeknight party, look no further than Fortune at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia). Break out the costumes—or just your freakiest duds—to catch DJs Blesstonio, Zeetus Lapetus, and Ayeeo. Jaxxx will be your host for the evening, while Egypt Bfree will be on hand providing tarot readings. (If you’ve gone to past installments of Fortune, this is in lieu of the party’s typical tattoo raffle!) While anyone and everyone is welcome, this event centers BIPOC, queer, and trans people. It’s hosted in an ADA accessible space, and proof of vaccination is required to attend. You must be 21 or older to attend, and the event starts at 9:30 PM. Tickets are $10. (MC)


Immerse yourself in the work of Jean-Pierre Melville, master of the French crime film

The Gene Siskel Film Center begins a five-week retrospective of the director’s work this weekend.


Bandcamp Fridays are back again—at least for the rest of 2022

It’s been four months since we’ve had a Bandcamp Friday. In case you’ve somehow forgotten, Bandcamp introduced them shortly after COVID-19 eliminated stateside touring in March 2020, and they’ve since become something of a tradition, helping countless musicians make ends meet without their usual road money. For the 24 hours of each Bandcamp Friday, the…


Essential plays for Pride Month

Out of the closets and onto the stage

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Bullish on Bull

This is a play of tiny moments and small details, a play in which characters change slowly, the way people and seasons change—silently, imperceptibly at first and then with the sudden, savage swiftness of leaves tumbling from the trees that takes your breath away. This is a play that needs your full presence as a witness, full of strong performances and nuanced, realistic dialogue (mostly in English, but sprinkled with a little Spanish and Spanglish), that rewards audiences who listen with their minds (and their hearts) but leaves audiences who only half-listen or think they have seen this story before (they haven’t) baffled and bored. (The play is NOT boring—bored audience members are boring.) This is not to say it is a hard play to like; it is not. In fact, it is as easy to like as a conversation overheard on a bus, or a long lingering cup of coffee with a friend. (In fact, by the end of this two-act play, the characters do feel like friends.)

BULL: a love story Through 11/20: Wed 1:30 and 7 PM, Thu 7 PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 and 8 PM, Sun 1 and 5:30 PM; ASL interpretation Fri 11/9; Paramount Copley Theatre, 8 E. Galena, Aurora, 630-896-6666, paramountaurora.com, $67-$74

In this world premiere, presented at Paramount Aurora’s smaller Copley Theatre as part of the fifth annual Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival (the first suburban production in the festival’s history), Chicago-based playwright Nancy García Loza gives us a story painfully common, especially among people without good connections and better lawyers, packed with people you meet every day but may never pay attention to. Bull, the play’s main character, has returned to his home after serving ten years downstate for some unspecified crime. Over the course of the story we watch Bull awaken from his decade-long emotional hibernation, first recognizing how much he has missed in those ten years—his daughter is now a moody tween, his Chicago neighborhood (Lakeview) is gentrifying—then mourning his loss, and then, well, I don’t want to give away too much. Suffice it to say that Loza spins a tale worthy of your time in the theater.

Or more precisely, director Laura Alcalá Baker and company have assembled a tight, capable ensemble of actors who seem to know in their bones how to give life to Loza’s words, without overplaying the moments of “quiet desperation,” or playing things so quietly that this heartfelt slice of life feels like a still photograph. Eddie Martinez plays the main character with intense dignity, tempered with wounded pride and years of pent-up sorrow. And Tanya De León, stepping into the role of the mother of Bull’s daughter the night I saw the show, matches Martinez’s energy, showing in scene after scene she too has her wounds to lick. Likewise, adult actor Jocelyn Zamudio is hilarious and a delight, playing an emotional seventh-grader who suddenly has to cope with having her father around.

Under Baker’s direction, all of the elements are in place for a fine evening of theater. You just have to clear your head, silence your expectations, and pay attention.

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Puppet peep show of horror

If you want to move beyond schlock and shock into an elevated horror experience this October, look no further than House of the Exquisite Corpse—A Haunted Puppet Anthology at Chopin Theater in Wicker Park. Created by the brilliant minds at Rough House Theater, this show is a Frankenstein of seven rooms and body parts stitched together, combining the horrors of home (after COVID we can all agree it can feel like a prison) with the frailties of corporeal existence. It is an ambitious and surreal leap into puppet horror. The show was conceived by Mike Oleon and featuring work by Oleon, Time Brickey, Felix Mayes, Grace Needlman, Will Bishop, Claire Saxe, Kevin Michael Wesson, K.T. Shivak, Corey Smith, and Jaerin Son.

House of the Exquisite CorpseThrough 11/5: Thu-Sat (rolling entry beginning at 7 PM; amount of entry slots varies), Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, roughhousetheater.com, $15-$45

To understand the genesis of this project is to get a fuller view of the monstrosity it results in. The seven rooms (or boxes) are a peep show, where the audience is the voyeur of an interior world, with puppeteers, physical theater artists, and designers (dozens of collaborators in all) combining forces to make a haunted house that defies expectations.

And it does defy them. I arrived expecting jump scares from puppets (rather than the usual actors dressed as zombies), and I was pleased instead to be steered along a dark path, through the woods (metaphorically) to a house full of pain and strife. Emily Chervony (production manager and puppeteer) explained at the opening night after-party how the design of the boxes originally evolved to give the audience and the performers some distance during COVID. It works as a concept of horror too, as you are very aware of being a spectator—and feeling creepy about it—yet not entirely removed from the scene.

Overconsumption, mysteries, the pressures of time and aging, and even a toilet vampire from the prehistoric depths of Lake Michigan all astounded our group as we rotated around the ominous and shambly set (design by Oleon and Warren Wernick, with scenic decoration by Sion Silva). These stories all converged around the theme of rooms in a house/body parts—the dining room/stomach, the pipes/intestinal tract, etc. Still, each vision was distinct and Frankensteined to the others by a haunting soundscape (by Joey Meland). Each room also offered headsets to the audience members which provided music, sound effects, stories, dialogue, and layered atmospherics, making the experience intensely immersive. The puppets themselves come in many forms, from shadow puppets to marionettes and with many unique varieties in between.

Some rooms told a direct story, while others were more conceptual and left horrific conclusions up to the interpreter. One of my favorites, “Along the Twisty Road III” (created by Bishop and Needlman—featuring artist Chio Cabrera) tells the tale of the dangers of meeting a significant other’s family members, with the added twist of being queer and othered, and sets the scene on an extra-creepy country road—all done with voice-over acting and a clever blend of shadow projections, overlaid with a kaleidoscope of sounds and color.

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Reclaiming Pilsen’s raw history

From “Baby I Need Your Loving” by the Four Tops to “Money” by Cardi B, everything about this chilling production, including the score, muddles the gap between past and present. An immersive, soul-stirring play by Ricardo Gamboa, directed by Katrina Dion, The Wizards explores the city’s haunting past, reminding us that we are still living in it. 

The Wizards Through 11/26: Thu-Sat 7:30 PM; no performance Thu 11/24 (Thanksgiving), APO Cultural Center, 1438 W. 18th St., clata.org. 45 reservations available each night through Eventbrite for sliding-scale ($20-$60), ten pay-what-you-can walk-up tickets per show.

In the play, following the 2016 presidential election, Amado and Sam, a Brown and Black genderqueer couple played by Gamboa and real-life partner Sean James William Parris, return to Amado’s hometown of Chicago after surviving a hate crime in New York. In their apartment in Pilsen, they discover a Ouija board, which connects them to the ghosts of four Mexican American teens who formed The Wizards, a Motown cover band, in the 1960s, only to lose their lives in 1971.

As Gamboa explores themes like queerness, racialized and sexualized violence, justice, and radical spirituality through the horror stories of these boys, they reclaim the raw history of Pilsen that has been whitewashed by gentrification.

The production (part of the fifth annual Destinos: Chicago International Latino Theater Festival) is hosted in Pilsen’s APO Cultural Center, a family-run site that has cultivated social activism and the arts in the city’s Latino communities since 1962. The community space is transformed into Amado and Sam’s thrilling home. While we sit in their living room, the characters move all around, forcing us to look wherever the action occurs, whether it’s above us on the balcony or behind us through the kitchen pass-through.

Dion pursues an atmospheric style that reveals omens in flickering midcentury modern lamps and records of Mexican American empowerment in Chicano-inspired murals. In her director’s note, she writes to the audience, “You may even be physically uncomfortable.” But as disturbing as white supremacy is, I can say that I did not feel uncomfortable once. The Wizards made me cringe, rage, laugh, and (almost) cry, but its greatest strength was its ability to make me feel safe. 

The cast, with the help of fight and intimacy choreographers Greg Geffrard and Sheryl Williams, navigated these heavy, political questions with empathy and care. And considering we were invited into Amado and Sam’s home to actively engage in these crucial conversations, being uncomfortable wasn’t even an option. 

Even though the story is largely about the history of the Mexican American community in Chicago, there are cultural elements that everyone can identify with. In my own experience as an Arab American, I found Amado’s refusal to go to therapy, which alluded to the stigma of mental health in POC communities, to be hilariously relatable. I was also drawn to the four boys who reminded me of home. 

In regards to the ending, I wish I had gotten closure, but closure is not a privilege we should expect, considering it is often stolen from marginalized communities. If you do anything this spooky season, make sure to see The Wizards. It will haunt you in the best way.

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The once and future Sausage King of Bronzeville rules the next Monday Night Foodball

The Hot Dog Box is a ketchup-safe zone.

“I know they say you’re not supposed to put ketchup on hot dogs,” says Bobby Morelli. “But I think you know I don’t really follow rules.”

As befits the Sausage King of Bronzeville—or rather, Portage Park—Morelli can do as he pleases. Since I wrote about him a year and a half ago, Morelli and daughter Brooklyn moved the exalted Hot Dog Box from its 51st Boxville Marketplace shipping container into a spiffy brick and mortar, and unleashed their loaded, quarter-pound steak Macdogs upon the Six Corners.

This October 24, they’re expanding their realm to the Kedzie Inn for Monday Night Foodball, the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up, just to the west in Irving Park.

No, there’s no ketchup on Morelli’s menu, but the Macdog can stand up in whatever he’s dressing it in, including pizza sauce, mozz, and pepperoni; bleu cheese and buffalo sauce; vegan chili and cheese; or onions pickles, cherry tomatoes, and mustard. He’s also hinting at a Chef Special: the signature Bronzeville Bourbon, with Peach BBQ Slather, fresh cabbage and carrot medley and hickory smoked bacon and sport peppers–the Macdog that started it all.

Morelli’s bringing his line of jarred sauces as well, so nobody will judge if you decide to apply THB’s smoky bacon ketchup, peppercorn whiskey steak sauce, or sriracha mustard either. Youngest daughter Bailey’s brownies will also be in the house, as well as THB’s grape Mac’alade, which Morelli recommends with a shot of bourbon. Just ask barkeep Jon Pokorny to spike it. There are no rules to break.

No preorders needed for this one. Just walk on in and place your order this Monday beginning at 5 PM at 4100 N. Kedzie.

Meantime, please gurgitate the full fall Foodball schedule, picking up again after our Halloween break:

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