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The Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
This hotel has been named best in the US — and one of the top 10 on the planet
The plaudits for Chicago keep coming. It was recently named the No.1 place in the US and seventh in the world for culture by Time Out. And now the Windy City can boast of being home to the best hotel in America — The Peninsula Chicago — with the property also making the global top 10. That's according to website which has just released its annual ranking of the best 1,000 hotels on the planet. The list is drawn up by a "sophisticated algorithm" that analyzes thousands of reviews, professional evaluations, and guest feedback. Properties that make the final selection are then assigned a score out of 100. which also produces an annual restaurant ranking, says: 'This selection represents hospitality excellence across three continents." The Peninsula Chicago tops the US list with a score of 99.5. Five US hotels all share the runners-up spot with scores of 98.5. They are the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego; L'Ermitage Beverly Hills; The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York City; The Peninsula Beverly Hills; and The Setai, Miami Beach. A further five US hotels all receive 98 points to form a top 11 — Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Kailua-Kona; Hotel Bel-Air; the Montage Healdsburg in California; The Langham, Chicago; and Wynn Las Vegas. La Liste describes The Peninsula Chicago, located on the "prestigious" intersection of Michigan and Chicago avenues, as an "architectural statement piece that delivers Asian service philosophy within distinctly American spaces". It adds: "Its rooms — among the most technologically advanced in the world — offer intuitive automation that enhances rather than intrudes upon the guest experience." Also making the top 10 globally are La Réserve Paris, described as "a masterclass in discreet opulence"; The Connaught Hotel, London, "where heritage meets contemporary artistry"; The Savoy, London, "an enduring icon of British cultural identity"; Cheval Blanc Paris, a "masterpiece"; and Il San Pietro di Positano, Italy, a "miraculous feat of architecture". The other four are J.K. Place Capri, Marina Grande, Italy, "a masterly reimagining of the sophisticated Italian beach house"; Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, a "living legend of Asian hospitality"; The Peninsula Shanghai, "an architectural tour de force"; and Rosewood Mayakoba, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, "a symphony of limestone, water and indigenous wood". Philippe Faure, president and founder of La Liste, says: "Our algorithm doesn't lie. These establishments truly represent the pinnacle of global hospitality. 'Each transcends the simple concept of accommodation to offer a transformative experience to its guests." The top 11 hotels in the US for 2025 The Peninsula Chicago (99.5 out of 100) Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego (98.5) L'Ermitage Beverly Hills (98.5) The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, New York City (98.5) The Peninsula Beverly Hills (98.5) The Setai, Miami Beach (98.5) Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Kailua-Kona (98) Hotel Bel-Air (98) The Montage Healdsburg, California (98) The Langham, Chicago (98) Wynn Las Vegas (98) The top 10 hotels in the world for 2025 The Peninsula Chicago La Réserve Paris The Connaught Hotel, London, UK The Savoy, London, UK Cheval Blanc Paris Il San Pietro di Positano, Positano, Italy J.K. Place Capri, Marina Grande, Italy Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Thailand The Peninsula Shanghai, China Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Fast Company
25-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Americans are fueling a massive pope economy
It was a fun moment to be online. When the news broke on May 8 that Pope Francis's successor would be the first-ever American to hold the sacred position —and a Chicagoan, no less—social media erupted with celebration and Windy City-specific memes. Within days, some of those memes had morphed into t-shirts for sale. As the conversation around Pope Leo XIV quickly spread to his environmentalist leanings and political opinions, though, the wellspring of unauthorized merchandise spread far beyond novelty shirts that read 'Da Pope.' What has flourished in the days since is a broader pope economy that spans clothing, memorabilia, food, tourism, and more—both in the U.S. and in Rome. Demand in both places appears largely driven by Americans. Stateside fervor for pope merchandise is not without precedent, of course. A pontifical cottage industry sprang up around Pope Francis's 2015 visit to Philadelphia, for instance. Along with t-shirts commemorating the event, Philly streets were flooded with plush pope dolls, life-sized cardboard cutouts, and other pope swag. There was even pope cheese, a mozzarella ball shaped like the bishop of Rome. Considering this level of entrepreneurial excitement marked the occasion of a sitting pope merely visiting the U.S., it's no wonder so many people have found creative ways to capitalize on an American ascending to the papacy. No business like pope business The scope of the pope-based merch empire is already vast. It has a devotional side, with various faith-based online retailers lining up to sell prayer cards, framed portraits, and an insta-book called When the White Smoke Clears: A Guide to Pope Leo XIV's Early Days, which currently has a June 30 release date. Topps offered a limited-release Pope Leo-themed trading card for four days in May, and reportedly sold 133,535 units at $8.99 a pop. (Though the cards are part of a special Topps collection marking significant moments in sports and culture, Pope trading cards date back to the early 1900s.) The Pope Leo cards are now being listed at up to $199 on eBay. For those who would like something a little more three-dimensional, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum recently put on presale two separate iterations of Pope Leo for $30 each. There's also piping hot content on the way: Castletown Media's forthcoming documentary, Pope Leo XVI: A Pontiff's Path, which is expected to reside on an upcoming faith-based streaming service called CREDO. Perhaps some of the many viewers who made 2025 Oscar nominee Conclave a massive hit on streaming during Pope Leo's election will be among the first to tune in. Unsurprisingly, Chicago has become the white-hot epicenter for stateside Popemania. The merch frenzy includes custom White Sox jerseys, in the wake of Pope Leo's brother dispelling rumors of Cubs fandom and archival video footage confirming his Sox bona fides. The Chicago sports shop Grandstand claimed to Sports Illustrated that their Sox jerseys with the Pope's name on it are outselling those of any other player on the team. The Sox's home, Rate Field, took the team's papal love public, installing a mural of him at the stadium. Beloved Chi-town restaurant chain Portillo's also named a new sandwich The Leo, which it describes as 'divinely seasoned Italian Beef, baptized in gravy.' Meanwhile, in Evanston, Bennison's Bakery is offering limited edition cookies that bear Pope Leo's likeness. Chicago may eventually become an even bigger tourist destination for the faithful. The owner of Pope Leo's now-decrepit childhood church—St. Mary of the Assumption, on Chicago's south side—is reportedly in talks to convert the space into a place of worship for local congregations, with a food pantry named after the new pope. (The Chicago suburb in which he grew up intends to either purchase his childhood home that was up for sale, or obtain it through eminent domain, and allow it 'to be viewed and visited by the public as a historic site.') A lot of the papal tourism, however, is currently taking place in Rome. When in Rome Americans already account for the largest segment of tourist visits to Rome, with a record 2.5 million arriving in 2024 alone, according to The Guardian. Now that an American will occupy the Chair of St. Peter in Vatican City, though, vendors and various service providers are preparing for a full-on religious tourist invasion. Tour companies are reporting an increase in bookings for pilgrimages, especially from Americans. The owner of Atlante Star, a hotel in Rome known for its impressive view over St Peter's Basilica, told The Guardian ahead of Pope Leo's inaugural service on May 18 that the hotel was 'mostly full with people from North America, and not just pilgrims.' And as in Chicago, culinary business owners near the Vatican, including gelato makers and brewers, are offering pope-themed confections to entice American visitors. Out on the streets of Rome, some vendors began to sell posters and trinkets bearing the new pope's name and image within 48 hours of his election. No official Pope Leo XIV holy cards or rosaries have gone on sale yet in the Vatican gift shop, though, nor are any available at many of the other souvenir shops throughout the city, which are reportedly waiting for 'the authorization of the dicastery,' a department within the administrative body of the Holy See, to be able to sell merch celebrating the new pope. Waiting seems like a wise move—and not just because it will give all remaining official Pope Francis merch a chance to sell out. Divine copyright protection The Vatican, it turns out, has a long history of legally protecting the pope's image. Back in 2009, toward the end of Pope Benedict XVI's tenure, the Holy See essentially declared a divine copyright. Citing a 'great increase of affection and esteem for the person of the Holy Father' as contributing to broader use the Pontiff's name and image, the Vatican emphasized that 'it alone has the right to ensure the respect due to the Successors of Peter,' and therefore, to protect the Pope from unauthorized uses of his name, image, or any related symbols. Perhaps inspired by all the papal ephemera Pope Francis and his handlers would have seen during the 2015 trip to the U.S., the Vatican went on the offensive two years later. In 2017, it hired global law firm Baker McKenzie to protect the rights to its intellectual property. (Representatives for Baker McKenzie did not respond to Fast Company's request for comment on the work it may have done, or continues to do, for the Catholic Church.) It's unclear how long it will take for the Vatican to authorize official Pope Leo XIV merch. According to Italian news organization Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, it could be as soon as a matter of weeks. In the meantime, the enterprising souls selling trinkets and sandwiches with the pope's name appear to be taking advantage of a Wild West moment of slow trademark enforcement. In the long haul, those 'Da Pope' shirts made in America fall under the parody allowance in the fair use doctrine, but the online merch store with the audacious URL seems destined for litigation. (The operator of the site did not respond to a request for comment, but WHOIS Domain Lookup shows that it went live on May 9 and operates out of Reykjavik.) Retailers selling rosaries decorated with Pope Leo's face, and supposedly blessed by him, may be able to operate unimpeded for the moment. If any folks operating unauthorized shops are religious, though, a much greater punishment than litigation could serve as a deterrent.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I'm man enough to take the punishment. But I'm not sorry" - Ben Wallace was unapologetic after Chicago Bulls benched him in 2006 for wearing a headband
When you think of Ben Wallace, you probably picture him wearing his signature headband — that iconic look became part of his identity. Interestingly, though, that very trademark once cost him his playing time on the court. Back in 2006, while Wallace was with the Chicago Bulls, the former four-time Defensive Player of The Year was actually benched because he wouldn't take off his headband. Headband drama In the NBA, accessories on the court are more than just practical — they're a way for players to show who they are. However, not every self-expression is welcome. At times, both league and team policies have placed limits on what players can wear, leading to surprisingly tense standoffs. Advertisement A prime example is Wallace. The powerful 6'9" player ran into trouble with the Bulls soon after joining them, not because of his playing time or strategy but because of his headgear. Few would expect something as trivial as a headband to cause serious friction, especially given "Big Ben's" stature at the time. He was a multiple-time All-Star, a marquee signing just months earlier brought in to bring toughness and leadership. Still, the team from Windy City had a strict ban on headbands, a rule that reportedly had started years earlier because of issues with former player Eddie Robinson, whose style and behavior annoyed team management. However, Wallace, who had worn his headband religiously throughout his rise to stardom with the Detroit Pistons, refused to drop the look. The Bulls, in turn, initially refused to make an exception. Advertisement Related: Walt Frazier admits NBA players were afraid to lift weights back in the day: "Basketball players thought it would affect their shot" Bulls in crisis What started as a minor disagreement over a headband soon exposed deeper issues between Wallace and the franchise — and, more specifically, with then-head coach Scott Skiles. The tension between the veteran center and Skiles was clear. It wasn't just about the headband. "Big Ben" reportedly pushed back against several team rules, like refusing to tape his ankles and questioning the ban on pregame music. Still, the headband quickly became a symbol of a bigger power struggle. Things came to a head during a game against the New York Knicks, when Scott benched Ben less than three minutes into the first quarter for breaking the team's headband policy. Wallace's reaction was calm and direct, but he stood by his choice. Advertisement "If you know the rules and break them, you expect to be punished. I can't try to put myself above the team or anybody else and wear a headband like I did. I'm man enough to take the punishment. But I'm not sorry," said the 2004 NBA champion with the Pistons, per ESPN. Despite the conflict, a compromise was found. In an unusual step, Skiles let the Bulls players vote on whether their teammate could keep wearing his signature headband — and they agreed. "We still have a no-headband rule," the head coach later explained. "I just left it up to the guys who have been here if they wanted to make an exception for Ben. I was fine with it. They were fine with it." This moment marked a shift — not just in the headband debate but in the team's leadership style. The then-GM John Paxson praised Skiles for "adapting, listening to his players" and, more importantly, for "understanding that the bigger picture is winning." Advertisement At that point, though, "winning" wasn't really happening for Wallace, Skiles and the team. Earlier that season, they had dropped six straight games and were sitting at a disappointing 3-9 just a few weeks in. That, no doubt, also helped turn the headband issue into such a big story. Related: "Are you mocking me?" - Ben Wallace initially wasn't pleased with Pistons fans rocking a fake afro to honor him
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
My kind of town! Chicago is the only U.S. city to land a spot on list of 20 best places in the world for culture
It's the home of the deep dish pizza and the birthplace of America's first Pope. Now Chicago has another accolade, one that might just prompt locals to channel Frank Sinatra and belt out 'My Kind of Town'. It's the only U.S. city to make a list of the best places in the world for culture. The Windy City comes seventh in Time Out's 20-strong ranking of the best cities for culture in 2025. The list of cultural hotspots was compiled by a survey of 18,500 people around the world who were asked about culture in their city. Each was ranked according to how locals rated the quality and affordability of its culture scene, coupled with the thoughts of Time Out's global city editors and culture experts. Chicago is lauded by Time Out for its "stunning architecture" and outdoor installations and public art initiatives. Christina Izzo, interim editor at Time Out Chicago, writes: "[This year] annual favorite Art on the Mart will illuminate downtown buildings with digital artwork, and this year's Expo Chicago will see artists boldly take over area billboards and information panels. "Who needs an exhibition hall when you have an entire city?" There will likely be little surprise that Paris tops the chart. Florence, Italy, comes second, with Edinburgh, UK, claiming bronze on the podium. Time Out reveals that 95 percent of Parisians rated their city's cultural offering as either "good" or "amazing", with the guide adding that its global network of local experts also ranked the city top for culture, too. The guide notes that 2025 sees the Grand Palais reopen with a "stunning" exhibition from Dolce & Gabbana. Florence claimed second place thanks to being a "melting pot of Renaissance splendor and cutting-edge culture, including Tracey Emin's exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi". Edinburgh's third-place gong came courtesy of cultural enticements such as the "world-renowned" Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, plus Europe's first museum of contemporary Palestinian art. The top 20 cities for culture in 2025 Paris, France Florence, Italy Edinburgh, UK Mexico City, Mexico Sydney, Australia Barcelona, Spain Chicago, USA Lisbon, Portugal Hanoi, Vietnam Cape Town, South Africa Beijing, China Tbilisi, Georgia Jakarta, Indonesia Delhi, India Medellin, Colombia Amsterdam, Netherlands Marrakech, Morocco Vienna, Austria Prague, Czech Republic Abu Dhabi, UAE
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Dave Hannigan: Pope Leo may be a devout follower of the Chicago White Sox, but that won't stop others from claiming him
In the frantic hours after it emerged Cardinal Robert Prevost had been elected to serve as Pope Leo XIV, while the Catholic world scrambled to find out more information about the surprise choice of pontiff, Americans were immediately wondering about one aspect of the Augustinian's character. Not his position on social issues or the rampant speculation about whether he was going to be as liberal as his predecessor. No, it was a matter of much more serious ecclesiastical import than that. As a native of Chicago, they were desperate to know whether his baseball allegiance lies with the White Sox or the Cubs. In any city of divided loyalties, you can tell a lot about a person from the team they support. Ask a Scouser, the difference between those who follow Liverpool and Everton. Get a Mancunian to explain what shouting for United over City says about an individual. After the Cubs issued a swift congratulatory post claiming him as one of their own, Prevost's brother John gave an interview to the local NBC affiliate correcting the record. Like most people on the south side of the Windy City, it turns out the first American to become pope grew up supporting the White Sox. When he was born, the club had gone 38 years without a World Series victory. That barren run would last another half-century before coming to an end in 2005. READ MORE A congratulatory message for Pope Leo XIV on the big screen at Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. Photograph:Obviously thrilled to put one over on their noisy neighbours, the Sox put an image of their now most-famous fan, with a custom Pope Leo 14 jersey, on the big screen at Rate Field last week. To thunderous acclaim. The same stadium he was in one night two decades ago, watching his side win game one of the 2005 World Series. His sudden ascension to the highest church office has also got New York Knicks basketball fans in a bit of a tizzy Then living in Rome, he made it back to the midwest to see them take the first step in sweeping the Houston Astros. Footage was unearthed showing him as television cameras panned the crowd in the ninth inning. The Chicago Sun-Times found a photo of the padre on his mobile phone in a background shot the same evening. A portrait of the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics behaving like a normal person. 'If he's a White Sox fan, then he can identify with suffering,' 72-year-old Stanley Brown told the New York Times. 'But it doesn't matter how bad they are, we stay loyal as Sox fans. That's not something you just give up.' Pope Leo XIV made the broadcast while at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series — Joe Binder (@JoeBinder) Regarded by many in the city as a more blue-collar and down-home alternative to the eternally fashionable, hipster darling Cubs up at quaint old Wrigley Field, the White Sox were canny enough to announce that a team hat and pinstripe shirt have been hastily dispatched to the Vatican. Within days of his election, Chicagoans could purchase all manner of baseball-flavoured Leo-related memorabilia. A range of T-shirts show the pope, replete with mitre, swinging at a pitch. Others rather hopefully declare the Sox, currently bottom of their division and in dire need of some divine intervention, 'God's team'. [ Dave Hannigan: Life in the fast lane of elite sport sport no protection against mental health issues Opens in new window ] [ Pope Leo XIV in Ireland: Unassuming and personable, he answered emails on the friary stairs Opens in new window ] Those who grew up with Prevost testify he wasn't much of an athlete in high school, but he's been an avid tennis player throughout his peripatetic career in the church. At Villanova University, that sliver of Philadelphia academia most usually associated in Irish minds with runners from Ronnie Delany to Sonia O'Sullivan, former classmates have also told reporters their pal assiduously followed the college basketball team from afar. Even when billeted in Peru, he was an active participant in group chats tracking the annual progress of the Wildcats in the NCAA's March Madness. A Chicago White Sox fan dressed in papal attire for the team's game against Miami Marlins at Rate Field, Chicago. Photograph:Knocking about campus in the mid-1970s, around the same time a promising miler named Eamonn Coghlan was making a name for himself there, Bob Prevost was apparently a skinny undergraduate studying mathematics while bound for holy orders. Aside from causing a big stir at Villanova, his sudden ascension to the highest church office has also got New York Knicks basketball fans in a bit of a tizzy. Even though he has never professed any interest in them or their fortunes. As their team navigates this season's NBA play-offs, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, three Wildcat alumni, are bulwarking the Knicks' effort. For a tortured fan base who have been waiting more than half a century for a title, the same university delivering America a pope and three of their current starting five is somehow regarded as evidence their team is now anointed from on high. Sanctified in some way or other. Because the lord moves in mysterious ways, usually channelling his power through point guards. Apparently. For game three of their series against the Celtics last Saturday, at least one Knicks supporter turned up wearing a Brunson 11 jersey over full papal regalia. It proved yet again that sport and religion are undefeated at prompting irrational behaviour. There have also been unconfirmed reports that, despite living in Italy and being rather consumed by ecumenical matters this past while, the new pope has kept a keen eye on the team some dub 'The Nova Knicks'. He surely has nothing better to be doing. 'His Alma Mater Is VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY (BRUNSON, HART And BRIDGES Won NCAA Rings At VILLANOVA),' tweeted Spike Lee, movie director and courtside fixture at Madison Square Garden through thick and mostly thin. 'What A HOLY BLESSING. THE KNICKERBOCKERS ARE GONNA WIN THE 2024-2025 NBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IT IS DIVINITY. GOD BLESS.' Lord, have mercy.
