Basketball Hoopla
Posted on March 17th, 2010 by Adam Marks
Okay, it’s bracket madness time out there. So many games, so little time, right?
Hammond Horseshoe Casino has thought of it all. This Thursday and Friday, they are hosting a special event with a 60-foot screen to capture all the action. Doors open at 9:30a.m. and you can do a picks sheet for free.
Did I mention the cash prizes? $100 awarded for each individual game, $200 for each game set, and a whopping $2,500 cash prize for the full day bracket. That’s pretty impressive.
To boot, they have a free breakfast buffet from 10 a.m. till noon, and good and drink specials all day long. $2 drafts are calling you!
Head out to Hammond where there is tons of free parking, or hop on the free shuttle from downtown. Either way, it is a great way to spend a weekday.
Tags: Basketball, Casino, Chicago Entertainment and Attractions, Guys, Sports
Lookingglass Theatre’s Trust Reviewed
Posted on March 16th, 2010 by Thomas Connors
Lookingglass Theatre is perhaps best known for its highly visual, physically daring shows and a delight in adapting classics of world literature. Trust, which runs through April 25, is a relatively quiet production by this company’s standards, but there’s nothing tranquil about it. Written by David Schwimmer and Andy Bellin (based on a screenplay by Bellin and Rob Festinger) and directed by Schwimmer and Heidi Stillman, this incisive and smartly staged play takes on the all too common incidence of virtual predation.
Dominated by a wall that functions as a gargantuan computer screen and an ever-changing backdrop (photos indicate a suburban home, a hotel room, hospital, business office, ice cream shop, etc.), with chairs and tables shuttled on and off by the performers, the staging is minimalist in terms of physical stuff (the actors mime eating, drinking, driving), but generous in conjuring the real world and the alternate reality of the Internet.
The initial scenes, which fly by with the swiftness of fingers hitting a keypad, summon the quotidian (kids in their rooms, parents sharing a glass of wine after work, the whole gang catching up over the dinner table), while gradually hinting at the unseen trouble to come—a 35-year old schlub in Dockers who poses as a much younger man in order to achieve intimacy with Annie, and engaging, active teen whose innocence is not yet entirely gone.
Tags: Chicago Entertainment & Attractions, Chicago Theatre, Theater Chicago, theatre
Temporary Kids Pop-Up Boutique in the Shops at North Bridge
Posted on March 15th, 2010 by Rebecca Taras
You can only get away with being called “kooky” in the early stages of life, so the temporary pop-up store for kids with the same namesake is on the right track.
Located in the Shops at North Bridge on the fifth floor, Kooky carries designer (try to keep the grass stains to a minimum) children’s apparel and accessories from Telly Chicago, Pluto Tees (see picture), Tyler Poncho and more. And just like we’ll never stay forever young, the Kooky pop-up boutique is only here through March 31st.
Tags: Chicago Shopping, Kids clothing chicago, kids shopping chicago, Shops at North Bridge, Shops at Northbridge
Gold Coast Shopping: New Marc Jacobs Collection Store Opens
Posted on March 15th, 2010 by Rebecca Taras
New York Fashion Week has come and gone, but designers like Marc Jacobs left a lasting impression. The recent opening of the Marc Jacobs Collection Store in Chicago’s Gold Coast couldn’t have better timing – or better coordinates.
Located in the equally opulent Elysian Hotel structure, the 3,000 square-foot retail palace is more high-end than the Marc by Marc Jacobs store in Bucktown. But seasonable designer goods aren’t the only luxuries you’ll see. Custom designed glass tiles, chandeliers and signature Marc Jacobs marble, glass and nickel displays add a little more “gold” to the Gold Coast.
Tags: Gold Coast Shopping, Luxury, Luxury Shopping Chicago, Marc Jacobs, The Elysian
Trust at Lookingglass Theatre
Posted on March 11th, 2010 by Thomas Connors
Actor David Schwimmer made his name playing a doofus on the 90’s hit sitcom Friends, but as co-founder of Lookingglass Theatre, he’s always been a serious thespian. And an activist, too. (He’s a board member of The Rape Foundation and an active supporter of the Rape Treatment Center in Los Angeles). He returns to Chicago this month demonstrating both passions when he directs—with fellow Lookingglass member Heidi Stillman—Trust, based on a screenplay by Andy Bellin and Rob Festinger.
Schwimmer recently shot the film version of Trust, starring Clive Owen and Catherine Keener. The stage show, which Schimmer wrote with Bellin, concerns a young girl who falls victim to a chat room. In keeping with the Lookingglass penchant for sensory stimulating theatre, the production will
utilize video, texting, and live chat.
Tickets for preview performances, March 3-12 are $18-$34. From March 14-April 25, tickets are $28-$62. Buy online here, or by phone at (312) 337-0665.
Tags: Chicago Entertainment & Attractions, Theater Chicago
Truffles Dressed Down
Posted on March 9th, 2010 by Adam Marks
Though I love to imagine the snorting and sifting that leads to truffles (the fungi, not the candies), they are becoming more and more mainstream in today’s culinary lexicon.
Once reserved only for high-end dishes, innovative Chicago chefs are re-imagining their uses on a more casual level. Two dishes I recently tried stand out as fantastic uses of this magical fungus.
Elate
Chef Randal Jacobs took one of my favorite party staples (ruffles and onion dip), and dressed it up with truffles. His “Ruffles and Truffles” is quite possibly his best appetizer, and that bar is set pretty high. He starts with house-made potato chips (a la Ruffles), and crafts a creamy truffle dip with sour cream and creme fraiche. At my table, this was gobbled up in record time.
Rockit Bar and Grill
My favorite high-end burger joint in Chicago has absolutely remarkable truffle fries. The secret is that the fries themselves achieve perfection (thanks to head chef James Gottwald). Large cut potatoes with a crispy outside and a smooth, tender inside. Drizzled sparingly with truffle oil, the fries are fragrant, savory, and a stellar complement to the Rockit Burger (made with Kobe, which tastes like beef that was grown in the clouds!) Fear not, even if you stick with the basic Angus Burger, you can upgrade to truffle fries for only a few bucks. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Good luck hunting for your own truffles. Post your favorite dish to comments if you’d like to share.
St. Patty’s Day Cruise
Posted on March 9th, 2010 by Adam Marks
I can’t imagine hosting a visitor in Chicago and not taking them on an architectural boat tour. It’s a great way to meet the city, get some fresh air, and learn from the knowledgeable tour docents.
Though spring is only showing its first signs, Shoreline Cruises is getting an early start. It’s time for St. Patty’s Day, and Shoreline is offering two special cruises this Saturday to experience the green river up close and personal.
In addition to the great commentary, cruisers will indulge in a traditional Irish buffet brunch, and be serenaded with Celtic music throughout the ride.
Tours run before and after the parade, so you don’t have to miss a thing! Take the family and friends, and enjoy this once-a-year opportunity.
Departures are at 10:00am and 2:30pm from Ogden Slip on Navy Pier.
River dyeing is slated for 10:45am, so take the morning cruise to see the transformation.
33 Club Hosts Oscar Party
Posted on March 4th, 2010 by Rebecca Taras
If you’re looking for something in-between the tux at the Drake and jeans at Cityscape Bar, the Oscar party at 33 Club in Old Town is the perfect happy medium. 
33 Club and Genuine Entertainment play joyous hosts for the Academy Awards with an evening of cocktails and dining. The celebration will feature an Absolute Berri Acai cocktail reception from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. and a ballot card contest with a grand prize of a night for two at the newly opened Elysian Hotel.
Optional prix fixe Oscar night menu available all evening for $50.
Start with Amuse (deviled eggs with caviar)
1st course select from:
* Classic Caesar Salad
* Steamed Mussels in a white wine cream broth
* Grilled Skirt Steak
2nd course-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
3rd course Entrée select from:
* 6 oz Center-Cut Filet with Caramelized Onion, Potato Cake & Pink Peppercorn Jus
* Grilled King Salmon with Ratatouille & Tapenade Crostini
* All Natural Roasted 1/2 Amish Chicken with Fingerling Potatoes, Apples, Lardoons & Natural Jus
* Vegetarian Risotto
Dessert course select from:
* Red Velvet Cake
* Crème Brulee
* Chocolate Mousse
Space is limited. For Reservations call 312.664.1419
Next up: Finding a party is only half the battle. Stay tuned for Oscar glamour.
Tags: Chicago Restaurants, Old Town, Old Town Restaurants, Oscar Parties Chicago
$5 Oscar Themed Cocktails and a Million Dollar View
Posted on March 2nd, 2010 by Rebecca Taras
If you’re not up for getting dressed to the nines to sip bubbly at the Drake, Cityscape Bar (on the 15th floor of the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza) is hosting a casual Oscar night viewing party, complete with $5 themed cocktails and sweeping views of the Chicago skyline via floor-to-ceiling glass windows. 
Opt for one of the themed cocktails below, or choose from the vast selection of craft beers, specialty cocktails and wines. You won’t go hungry with bites like artichoke drumsticks, Hoisin duck tamales and mini Kobe burgers are at your disposal.
The Red Carpet Martini – Patron Silver Tequila, Patron Citronge Liqueur, Cranberry Juice, Lime Juice, Sugar Rim with Lime Wedge Garnish
The Envelope Please Martini - Grey Goose Vodka, Patron Citronge Liqueur, Apple Juice, Lime Juice, Splash of Cranberry, Garnish with an Apple Wedge
Next up: When you’re looking for more than just apps and drinks on Oscar night.
Tags: Chicago Skyline, Cocktails Chicago, Oscar Viewing Parties Chicago
Gearing Up for the Oscars in Chicago
Posted on March 2nd, 2010 by Rebecca Taras
Whether you’ve seen every nominated film, or you simply want to gawk at the fashions, watching the Oscars is starting to become as celebrated as the Super Bowl – at least for some. Even if you’re not in sunny Los Angeles, snowy Chicago has plenty of options to get you Red Carpet ready, and I’ll be covering them on the Concierge Preferred Travel Blog all week.
The Oscars are all about glamour and the Drake Hotel Chicago is encouraging you to dress up and enjoy the show as if you were actually going to the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. 
Ticketed guests will receive a complimentary glass of Champagne, seating to view a live broadcast of the Oscars and a free raffle ticket for one of over $2000 in prizes. Food such as the Drake’s signature Book Binder Soup, Chicken Satay, Cheese Platter, Mini-Burgers and more, will be available for purchase.
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit Project Save The World, a 501 (c) 3 non- profit organization that was created to give back by changing the world… “one mission at a time”.
Dress: Elegance required, Black Tie optional
Red Carpet Reception: 6:00PM – 7:00PM
Oscars Academy Awards Viewing: 7:00PM
Tickets:
$20 prepay
$30 at the door if available
This event will sell out. Click here to purchase your tickets now.
Looking for a more casual soiree? Check back for some options where jeans are as glam as it gets.
Tags: Drake Hotel Chicago, Oscar Parties Chicago, Palm Court, The Drake
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The Chicago Travel Blog covers all things of interest for the visitor to Chicago, whether here for work or pleasure. Restaurants, shopping, nightlife, accommodations, transportation, and entertainment & attractions are what you’ll find out about here. Use it to pre-plan your visit to the Windy City.
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