Title: WhatsToDo - guide to restaurants, shows, and events

February 25th

This week's restaurant recommendation is Sura, a Thai place
located at 3124 N. Broadway in Lakeview. The sleek modern look
is unusual for a restaurant of its kind and makes for a pleasant
change of scenery. The crab fritters and ginger calamari are
highly recommended. If you go with a group, you may like to try
several dishes and share. Click HERE for more info.

The Art Institute, located at 111 S. Michigan Ave, is free in
February and there is a special exhibit of the works of Edvard
Munch. The Impressionist Galleries are also back.

Go see the comedy 'Don't Dress for Dinner' at the Royal George
Theater (1641 N. Halsted). Click HERE for show times.

Sura:

Crab Appetizers at Sura: Renoir at the Art Institute:

February 13th

Visit Sushi Samba on Friday the 13th for a fun Valentine's Party!
The first 200 guests receive complimentary masquerade masks.
$10 cover.
Go see 'The Wild Duck' at the MCA (220 E. Chicago Ave.) for an
interesting interpretation of Ibsen's classic. Check show times
HERE. To call for tickets: (773) 753-4472.
For a romantic Valentine's dinner, try Rivers for a nice view of the
water water Located at 30 S. Wacker Drive. View menu HERE.

Scene from 'The Wild Duck'

2008 Selected Archives

December 13th

Pay a visit to Christkindlmarket Chicago, located in the Daley
Center Plaza at 50 W. Washington St. You will find all sorts of
interesting foods and crafts. Be sure to try the marzipan and rum
pecans! Sausages are delicious too. Free admission! Open
Sunday through Thursday 11am- 8pm. Friday and Saturdays
11am - 9pm. Last night is Christmas Eve.
For a change with some Persian cuisine, try Reza's, located at 432
W. Ontario and at 5255 N. Clark St. They have a delicious
sampler platter where you can have your pick of falafels, hummus,
salmon, lamb kabobs and more. Click here for MENU.
This holiday's movie recommendation is 'A Christmas Tale'
showing at the Music Box Theater located at 3733 N.
Southport. This French movie was one of the standout hits of
the Cannes, Toronto, and New York Film Festivals.

Scene from 'A Christmas Tale'

Christkindlmarket Chicago:

Bavarian Workshop:

Wooden Carousels:

November 4th

If you are a Democrat, don't miss the Grant Park festivities
If you are a Republican, you may want a drink at Martini Park

Grant Park:

October 24th

An interesting choice for dinner if you like sushi or other Japanese
food is Ra Sushi located at 1139 N. State St. View menu here.
For a change of pace, drive out of the city to Six Flags in Gurnee
for Fright Fest. Have some fun on roller coasters and visit the
haunted house. The whole theme park will be full of people in
costume who will try to scare you and make sure you have a good
time.
For a happening Halloween party, check out the Eurocircle
Halloween Bash at Rednofive (located at 440 N. Halsted).
Friday October 26th 9pm to 3am . $10 cover before midnight.

Fright Fest:

Sushi:

October 16th

On Thursday October 16th, visit Talbots (700 N. Michigan) for a
special opener with free champagne and appetizers (6pm - 9pm)
Go to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Agenda" at Second City-
Donny's Skybox Theater Friday at 9pm. Students of the
Advanced Writing Program present an original sketch comedy
revue. The show is hilarious! Tickets are $10.
Visit Corcoran's (1614 Wells St.) across the street from Second
City for a burger or a nice cocktail. You might even run into some
of the Second City writers/ actors!

September 27th

Check out First Fridays at the Museum of Contemporary Art,
located at 220 E. Chicago Ave in the Gold Coast. It will be Friday
October 3rd from 6pm to 10pm and will feature appetizers from
Wolfgang Puck. Price ranges from $7 to $15. There is a cash bar,
music, date matching games, and more. The atmosphere is
crowded enough for some easy mingling.
On Saturday there is a big shopping event from 2pm to 6pm in
Millennium Park. The fashion bazaar includes more than 40
designers from Chicago and around the country. There will be a
tent under the Chase Promenade plaza.
For a nice BYOB dinner place, we recommend Hema's Kitchen for
some Indian food. There are multiple locations. Click here for
more info.

Samosas at lamb curry at Hema's Kitchen:

September 20th

Have as much fun as a tourist! Shopping + Museum Outing!

Saturday September 20th is Macy's Shop for a Cause day, so
you ought to check it out. There will a fun crowd and shows put
on during the day. Last year, Shop for a Cause raised over
$9,500,000 in one day. Great way to shop and raise money for
charity!
As summer is coming to a close, you may want to take advantage
of the last few weeks of Green City Market, located at 1750 N.
Clark. It runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7:00 AM to 1:
30 PM and has a great selection of fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk,
and more. Be sure to try the tasty grilled cheese samples!
The Field Museum is free September 21 through 26, so you may
want to pay a visit this Sunday! Open 9am to 5 pm (last
admission at 4pm).

September 13th

This week the weather is pretty rainy so we recommend you go
out only for a good meal. This week's pick is Le Creperie,
located at 2845 N. Clark St. A quaint but good quality French
place, they have all sorts of crepes: sweet ones, salty ones,
ratatouille, etc., as well as some other tasty dishes: chicken with
wine, escargot, and more. Great selections. You may also be
entertained by live French music.
This is also a good weekend for a movie.

Le Creperie:

September 6th

Head over to North Avenue Beach for Red Bull Flugtag, a
competition of flying machines over the lake! The place opens at
11am on Saturday and the shows start at 1pm.
For a nice brunch place nearby, we would recommend Nookies at
1746 N Wells St. Pricing is reasonable and there is a nice outdoor
seating area.

Nookies:

Labor Day Weekend

Time for a food festival!

We recommend the Taste of Greece, located in the heart of
Greektown at 250 S. Halsted St. It will feature food from several
good Greek restaurants as well as nightly belly dancing and
games. It will take place Saturday August 23rd and Sunday
August 24th from 12 pm to 11pm.

For a sit-down dinner, this week's recommendation is Big Bowl
for an interesting mix of Asian cuisine. Try the Teriyaki chicken
and Mai Tai! There are multiple locations; you have your pic of 6 E.
Cedar St. or 60 E Ohio St. We recommend making reservations.

If you are in the mood for a nice glass of wine and mingling, head
to the D.O.C. wine bar located at 2600 N. Clark St.

Spanokopita at Taste of Greece:

Weekend of August 15th

Check out the Chicago Air and Water Show! August 15th,
16th, and 17th at North Avenue Beach. This year, celebrities Bill
Murray and Gary Sinise will help to celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the show. Admission is free! For more information,click here:
Link to Air and Water Show
The Lincoln Park Fireman's Cookoff is August 16th (noon-
10pm) and 17th (noon- 8pm). Four firehouses in and
surrounding Lincoln Park will be firing up their grills and squaring
off in a Firemen’s Cook-off August 16th and 17th, under the
rumbling skies of the annual Chicago Air and Water Show. The
Park West Community Association (PWCA), a non-profit
philanthropic neighborhood association, will be inviting their
Lincoln Park neighbors and Air and Water Show spectators to the
First Annual Lincoln Park Firemen’s Cook-off. Lincoln Park Market
has generously donated their lot at 2500 N. Clark Street for the
event which offers a weekend of live music and DJs and local
firehouse favorites.
For dinner, try Twist in Wrigleyville for an interesting tapas
selection. Located at 3412 N. Sheffield. Be sure to have the
sangria and baked goat cheese!

Air and Water Show Highlights:

Weekend of August 9th

The storms have passed and we're in for sunny weather!

For a fun weekend outdoor activity, check out the Northhalsted
Market Days Festival. This event is billed as the Midwest's
Largest two-day festival and includes over 400 art and food
vendors, as well as nearly 40 on stage musical acts! Located at
3500 N. Halsted. The event runs down Halsted from Addison to
Belmont. Admission donation $7. It will be running August 9th
and 10th, from 11am to 10pm.

For a FREE art festival, try the Gold Coast Art Fair, located at
700 N. LaSalle St. The event will include works from over 350
juried artists, music, painting and sculpting demos, and food and
wine vendors. Friday August 8th from 12pm to 6pm, Saturday
August 9th and Sunday August 10th from 10am to 6pm.

For dinner, this week's recommendation is Adobo Grill in Old
Town, located at 1610 N Wells. There is a great selection of
contemporary Mexican cuisine. You have your choice of the
Diego-Rivera style decorated inside and the casual outdoor
tables. Be sure to try the Guacamole prepared table side!

Pyramid at Northhalsted Market Days

Week of August 1st

If you're having a weekend on the cheap, check out Retro on
Roscoe on August 2nd and 3rd for a music festival (only $5 entry
fee, held along Roscoe from Damen to Oakley). Then when you
are warm from the sun, we would recommend either a swim at the
North Avenue Beach or a viewing of Batman in a nice cold theater!

If you have money for tickets (> $80), try the giant festival of
bands Lollapalooza, August 1st - 3rd in Grant Park (500 S.
Columbus Dr.)! More details h ere.

For dinner, this week's recommendation is Cafe Ba-ba-reeba in
Lincoln Park (located at 2024 N. Halsted). They have $3 tapas
and $2 drink specials!

At night: For a casual hangout with lovely outdoor seating,
spend an evening at Fulton Lounge (955 W. Fulton Market) and
have a 'Big Easy' martini or a glass of wine. It is open Tuesday
through Friday 5pm- 2am and Saturday 5pm - 3am.

WhatsToDo find out what to do in your neighborhood today...

A R C H I V E S

Week of March 5th

Visit the Chicago Cultural Center for some great and free
music mixes. Try the Lunchbreak Friday series this week on
March 6th at 12:15. There will be a Mediterranian guitar duet.
On Wednesday, March 11th at 5pm there will be a Jazz Jam
Session. You will enjoy exploring the artistic building, having a
bite to eat, and watching the shows. Click HERE for more info.

Visit the Chicago History Museum, located at 1601 N. Clark to
see the special Couture exhibit. Click HERE for more info.

Have an Indian night -- This week's restaurant pick is Tiffin,
located at 2536 W Devon Ave. The buffet allows sampling of
many interesting dishes. Afterwards, you may like to see
'Slumdog Millionaire' if you have not already.

Tiffany glass at the Chicago Cultural Center:

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Week of March 20

For a funny play at moderate price, go to see 'Man of La Mancha'
showing Saturday March 21 at 7:30pm and Sunday March 22
at 3pm at the Athenaeum Theatre at 2936 N. Southport.
Tickets from $15 to $40. More info at www.chamberoperachicago.
com. Tickets available at Ticketmaster or at 773-935-6860.

Man of La Mancha:

2009 Selected Archives

Week of March 27

For a classic suspense thriller, go see 'Wait Until Dark' at the Court
Theater. Details HERE

Wait until Dark:

This week's restaurant pick is India House, located at 59 W. Grand Ave.
Details and Menu HERE.

Custom Search

Week of April 13th

This week's restaurant pick is Coco Pazzo, an Italian place located at 300
W. Hubbard St.

Check out the Chicago Annual Improv Festival for some laughs,
running April 13th- 19th. Details HERE.

Feel like partying Friday night? Try Eurocircle's annual Spring Fling
party for some networking on Friday April 17th. The event is located at
NV Penthouse Lounge at 116 W. Hubbard St. Admission $10. There
will be $6 Snow Queen vodka drink specials all night long. Proper attire is
required. Runs 9pm to 2am. For more details click HERE.

NV Penthouse Lounge:

Week of April 22nd

This week's restaurant pick is Greek Islands, located at 200 S. Halsted.
The flamed saganaki cheese, spinach pie, and grilled octopus are highly
recommended. Menu HERE.

Flaming saganaki cheese

Check out the Young Professionals of Chicago (YPC) Theater event
Wednesday April 22nd, featuring a private performance of Diversey
Harbor at the Greenhouse Theater (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.). There will be
a networking happy hour from 5:30 to 7:00PM, the performance from
7:00 -8:00pm, and a wine reception with the cast and company from
8:00 - 9:00 pm. Tickets are $15 for YPC members and $30 for non-
members. Ticket price includes light appetizers and cash bar with drink
specials at John Barleycorn ($3 domestic beer & $3 well drinks), the
performance, and a complimentary glass of wine served as part of the post-
show discussion. Details HERE.

Scene from 'Diversey Harbor', Four strangers
meet in Chicago...

On Thursday April 23rd there is a Networking for a Cause event at
Fado Irish Pub, located at 100 W. Grand Ave. The event will provide a
chance for local professionals to network with non-profits and community
organizations. Appetizers will be served. Details and RSVP HERE.

Running now until April 30th is the Latino Film Festival, showing at
multiple theaters. The closing festivities on April 29th are
recommended, as there will be a cocktail hour prior to the final film
showing. This will take place at the Thome Auditorium at Northwestern
University, located at 375 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets for the whole night are
$50; tickets for just the movie are $15. Details and Film Schedule for the
festival HERE.

6pm: Cocktail Reception
8pm: 'Nochebuena' (Christmas Eve)

Week of May 6th

For something different in the spring time, pay a visit to the Peggy
Notebaert Nature Museum, located at 2430 N. Cannon Drive. Be sure
to visit the live butterfly greenhouse, featuring 75 species of
butterflies. A great place to take your own photographs. See the site for
current exhibits HERE. Jim Rowan's Planet of the Arthropods photography
exhibit continues this week.

Close by the Nature Museum is Mon Ami Gabi, a tasty French restaurant.
Try the seafood! Menu HERE.

A fun late-night dessert place is Molly's Cupcakes, located at 2536 N.
Clark St. Try the chocolate and strawberry cream.

Week of May 22

The Art Institute is free this week through Friday May 22nd to celebrate
the opening of its new Modern Wing. Details HERE.

There will be a great summer party at Flatwater (321 N. Clark St.) this
Friday May 22nd at 9pm. Mix and mingle with people from all over the
world at this Eurocircle event. Details HERE.

If you missed the show last week, you have another chance to check out
the DjM Trio on Wednesday, May 27th at 9PM at Darkroom (2210 W.
Chicago Ave)! If Weather Report, Squarepusher, Fela Kuti, King
Crimson, Charlie Hunter, Miles and Coltrane played the soundtrack for The
French Connection in 2015 then you have DjM Trio. They will be
supporting the Andreas Kapsalis Trio and See Diagram. Show starts
early at 9. More details on DjM HERE.

Week of May 27th

This week is Mayfest, the annual German fest in Lincoln Square.
Admission is free! Stop by for some German food, live music, and
maypole dancing. Located at Lincoln and Leland Ave. May 28- 31st.
The opening ceremony takes place at 8pm on Friday, May 29. Details
HERE.

The weather is warming up this weekend. Try Berry Chill for some
delicious frozen yogurt and fresh berries! Multiple locations.

Also coming up is the Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival, located at
3200 N. Sheffield, on May 30 and 31st. Cost $5. Enjoy a mix of live
music, crafts, food, drinks, and more.

May 30: 12pm - 10pm
May 31: 12pm - 5pm

Week of June 3rd

Friday June 5th from 4:30 to 10 PM is Far Out Friday at the Adler
Planetarium (1300 S. Lakeshore Dr.). Experience many activities, a
telescopic view of the night sky, unlimited shows at the Sky Theater
and Definiti Space Theater, and a free lecture at 7pm entitled, 'The
Day We Found the Universe' by Marcia Batusiak, Science Journalist and
Visiting Professor at MIT. Far Out Fridays costs $20 for adults, all
inclusive. If you don't want to pay and would still like to see the
Planetarium, Discount Days are coming up with FREE admission.
June 7th - 12th are Free Days. Details here.

This week is the 57th Street Art Fair in the Hyde Park neighborhood on
June 6th and 7th. FREE admission! The event is billed as the oldest juried
art fair in the Midwest. You can check out a guided tour by art experts
each day at noon. Plan to arrive by 11:30 am at the info booth at Kimbark
and 56th St. Details HERE.

June 6 : 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
June 7 : 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This week's food pick is a quick, cheap, and tasty lunch spot in the loop
called Taza, located at 176 N. Franklin St. They have a tasty mix of
Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern food. The falafel sandwiches are delicious
and affordable!

Week of June 12th

The 60th Annual Old Town Art Fair is this weekend (June 13 and 14
from 10am - 6pm). Main gate entry at Lincoln and Wisconsin. 260 Artists
will be featured. There will be food, beer, a garden walk, and live music.
$7 suggested donation. Details HERE.

Flowers at the Garden Walk - Old Town:

Just south of the Old Town Art Fair is the Wells Street Art Fair, located at
1300 N. Wells St., between North Ave and Division. This weekend
from 10am to 10pm June 13 and 14. Details HERE.

Week of June 19

This week's restaurant pick is Honky Tonk Barbecue, located at 1213
West 18th St. in Pilsen. This restaurant has unbeatable barbecue meat.
They are 3rd place winners in the Memphis International World
Championship of Barbecue Cooking. Live swing music is featured on
the weekends. Details HERE.

Check out the Global Grooves Summerfest on Sunday, June 28 for a
barbecue with music from 3pm to 2am. Located at Green Dolphin
Street (2200 N. Ashland). $10 admission. Complimentary barbecue
from 3pm to 6pm.

Week of July 25th

This Saturday July 25th is Venetian Night. Boats decorated with lights and
props will sail from Roosevelt Rd. all the way up to the Chicago Yacht Club at
Monroe St. Admission FREE. Stake out a spot early.

    Events of the night:
        8 PM Chicago Fire Department’s Air/Sea Rescue Re-enactment
        (Queen’s Landing located at Congress and the Lakefront in Grant Park.)
     8:15 PM Boat Parade
        Fireworks follow Boat Parade

This week's restaurant pick is Ann Sather, a Swedish place. There are
multiple locations (5207 N. Clark St., 909 W. Belmont Ave, 3411 N.
Broadway, and 3416 N. Southport). Most famous for cinnamon rolls and
waffles, but the poached eggs are also delicious. Great place for brunch!

WhatsToDo
F a V o R i T e S
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Week of October 16th
Check out the Adler After Dark Kick-Off this Thursday, October 15th from
6pm to 10pm. FREE admission this month only! The event will feature music,
cocktails (which aren't free) and appetizers. Visitors can tour the Doane
observatory, as well as view space shows and speak to astronomers. Located
at Adler Planetarium: 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.

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The 45th Chicago International Film Festival continues this week, running
through October 22nd. View CALENDAR HERE. For several movies, the
Director and actors are scheduled to attend.