Chicago Weekend Fun!

The weather has gone from cold and frigid to balmy and a little humid in Chicago. Everyone is outside enjoying the sun (and rain) thankful that the snow has finally ended. There are lots of things happening this weekend but here are my recommendations and picks. Personally it’s time to change the brakes on my car, but if you don’t already have plans, check out these suggestions:

1. Put your air conditioners in the windows but don’t turn them on yet. I am thinking this is a great time to get ready for the oppressive heat that is to come this summer and fit all the air conditioners in the windows of my condo now, before it is 90 degrees and sweltering humid inside. It also may be a good time to check if you need a new air conditioner since the freon or whatever cooling material they use now doesn’t last forever. Mine maybe has one more year left. I will also be sealing better around the air conditioner this year to try and conserve some energy on cooling.

2. Rake the lawn and garden, plant some flowers and fertilize the lawn. I have seen many families tackling these tasks already but most of us have not yet. It is time to pull yourself away from the television and internet to get working outdoors. At least if you live in the suburbs it is. If you live in the city, lucky you.

3. Spring clothing sales at the mall. Since gas is near $4.00 a gallon and people are cutting back on non-essential purchases like clothing, the retailers are not having a great season and they are putting stuff on sale. So, if you need yet another pair of red shoes, see Macy’s or DSW.

4. New movies this weekend. Baby Mama should be plenty weird and possibly funny. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler get wacky with surrogates. Harold & Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay. This could be really funny satire or really awkward and sad. I am hoping for funny. Chicago native and Second City alum Helen Hunt stars and directed the film “Then She Found Me” with Bette Midler which actually sounds like a  good drama-comedy type movie. That is my best bet recommendation for this weekend. If more manly fare is your style, Forbidden Kingdom and Forgetting Sarah Marshall are still playing too.

5. Rodeo in Chicago?Someone in our office said that they had a Rodeo bull rider on the morning news a few days ago and there is a Rodeo at AllState Arena this weekend. They had it almost right. If you enjoy seeing men flung off livestock you can attend the Professional Bull Rider’s Show at 6:50 PM Saturday April 26th. Ticket prices range from $20-$100.00. Call 312-559-1212 for tickets.

6. The NFL Draft is Saturday and Sunday.This means most men will be glued to the TV or Internet all weekend. This is the pre-cursor to the Fantasy Football season draft. It’s necessary educational programming if you play the fantasy league.

7. Artropolis is an Art and Antique show at the Merchandise Mart. Tickets are $20.00 just to walk around, but the volume, rarity and quality of art and antiques is supposed to be high. If you are in the market for rare antiques or a window shopping day this is for you. I found their website artropolis.com confusing, but what I can gather is that it is open from 7am to 6pm (I think) but you may want to check it out yourself just to be sure. Parking is pretty difficult in the Merchandise Mart area downtown, take the brown, green or any line that stops by the Merchandise Mart for an easier trip.