We’ve made it through another year of publishing at Smile Politely. In 2025 we published more than 1,300 articles and SPlogs.

This week is the last week of publishing for the year on Smile Politely, and I want to end 2025’s Thirsty Thursday column with drink that’ll keep us warm on the cold weeks ahead. This ...

Listen up: the University of Illinois Press teamed up with The Country Music Foundation last summer and dropped one of the best holiday gift ideas for anyone on your shopping list: the exhibit ...

Born6, 1775, Jane Austen is the author of literary classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma. These works have inspired several generations of readers and have been the ...

Boba cafes abound in Champaign-Urbana because boba be delicious. People in this town love bubble tea, and in 2022, there was actually a festival in Urbana to celebrate the shared appreciation of boba.

Finding a good dessert just when we want it isn’t always easy. Many patisseries close too early for diners looking for an after-dinner treat. Not everybody might want to go out for ice cream. At ...

I only just recently learned the difference between a steakhouse and a chophouse. For those who don’t already know, a steakhouse specializes in various cuts of beef whereas a chophouse goes for chops ...

In a huge win for the environment, native pollinators, and gardeners across the state, Illinois recently passed HB5296, also known as the Native Homeowner’s Landscaping Act. In summary, this bill: ...