It’s a feast for fans of The Hunger Games. The wildly successful film adaptation of the dark novel hits DVD shelves this holiday season. Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster trilogy about young Ka]]> With the film industry heading towards instant downloads and video streaming via the Internet and other delivery modes, the release of large DVD sets is becoming more and more rare. That’s a sha]]> There are few things in this world more irritating than paying an oversized cable bill (OK, paying an oversized gas bill comes close). Thankfully,  TV fans don’t have to suffer the indignit]]> The once dignified kingdom of coffee table books, where Norman Rockwell retrospectives ruled, has fallen to the shameless, hilarious hordes. Behold the many highly giftable books from bloggers who fir]]> Don’t let those who’ve cut the cable miss out on their favorite shows. Holiday downtime is perfect for catching up on some of cables’ most popular and critically acclaimed shows. Her]]> Avocado goat cheese dip• 3 ripe avocados• 2 gloves minced garlic• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)• 4 ounces ]]> Tired of the same old bird for the holidays? Give your turkey an extreme makeover by taking the cooking – and the party – outside. “A turkey smoke-roasted on the grill tastes better,]]> Books open a world of discovery in ways even the coolest toys can’t achieve. This season, tempt a kid to turn off the TV and find an adventure in words and pictures on a printed page. These accl]]> This holiday season, the familiar warm glow of candles will be complemented by frosty winter wonderland colors and fragrances.“There’s a sense of icy, fresh, watery – like a really l]]> This Saturday, Dec. 15, six downtown historic sites are combining efforts and welcoming visitors to celebrate the holidays, a bit like the hospitable ol’ Fezziwig in Charles Dickens’ A Chr]]> If you’re like most Illinois Times readers, your life is safe and secure and the holidays are a time for family fun and delicious meals. Sadly that isn’t the case for everyone in our]]> There’s an old saying among photographers that the best camera is the one you have with you. For many of us, that’s increasingly a smartphone. But if someone on your list relies only on a ]]> The Vita, PlayStation’s next-generation portable gaming device, took the top Hardware honors from the gaming press at E3 2011, but unfortunately, it won’t be available in North America til]]> Every year, holiday lighting manufacturers introduce more varieties of bulbs, strands, colors and accessories. Luckily for the seasonal lighting industry (and those who love cruising the neighbo]]> In this age of digital technology and toy gadgetry, children may be keener to flip on the TV or shuffle their MP3 player than crack open a book. This holiday season, try reigniting their imagination w]]> Lend a hand to these central Illinois organizations this holiday season. Check Illinois Times next week for more local wish lists. Send lists to holidaywishlist@illinoistimes.com Habitat for Hum]]> 1. Stock a ’Holiday Party Pantry’Find a place in your home (a cupboard, closet, or a few shelves) where you can collect basic elements to help you pull together a great celebration, even a]]> You might be a PC, but there’s no doubt that they’re a Mac –%u202Fand nothing else with suffice. If you need the perfect –%u202Fand newest –%u202Fperipheral to plug into ]]> Before the iPad debuted in early 2010, no one really knew they needed a tablet. But, gosh, how did we ever live without them? Lighter than a laptop with more real estate than a smartphone, tablets hav]]>