Chicago Weekend Fun!

The 4th of July is almost here and everyone is heading out to their favorite restaurants with outdoor patios and putting on the sunblock to go to the beach in Chicago. It is that rare time of year when we forget that Chicago is really a cold and desolate place the rest of the year [...]

I just heard about this discount from the Hard Rock Chicago Hotel at 230 N Michigan Avenue and wanted to share it. The Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago is an elegantly restored art deco style historic hotel downtown in the loop. It is located almost across the street from Millennium Park and very close to Grant [...]

The Gay Pride Parade is an annual tradition in Chicago. The parade draws thousands of proud GLBT community members and local visitors who enjoy the parade and festivities while they support the freedom to be out and be proud in Chicago. I have gone to see the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago, although not for [...]

Naperville Ribfesthas become one of the largest suburban summer festivals in Chicago. It has been running for at least 20 years and the Ribfest has grown to now include major music acts along with great ribs from all over the country.
The thing that makes this festival so attractive for both businesses and local residents is [...]

I am all about dining out on weekends. I love eating dinner alfresco and eating dinner at a restaurant that offers outdoor patio dining as the sun sets over Chicago and the suburbs. We live in such a frigid climate most of the year that when summer arrives we are even ok seeing just cars and [...]

Every Saturday morning there are free Yoga, Pilates, Dance fitness and Tai Chi workout classes downtown in Chicago at Millennium Park on the lawn of the Pritzker Pavilion from 8am to 11am. What better way to start your day and your weekend than outside in the sunshine getting exercise and working on improving your health? These classes [...]

I got an email announcing the launch of the new Chicago Drinks site with bar and restaurant reviews from the Chicago Reader and wanted to post about it since there are always new bars, restaurants and clubs opening in the city every week. I find it hard to keep up with all the new places opening [...]

I am so excited to see that August Osage County has won 4 Tony Awards this year since it is an amazing play that had it’s start right here in Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theater. I saw this shocking and yet riveting play last summer in 2007 in it’s run at Steppenwolf Theater on the [...]

In case you haven’t already heard, this year’s most eagerly anticipated concert is coming to the Chicago Theater this week. The Swell Season with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova will be in Chicago on their national Tour following their Oscar win for the songs from the Movie Once. (song: Falling Slowly) And I have found from [...]

I think Chicago is a bad choice for the 2016 Olympic Games. I know that I am in the minority with that opinion, so I wanted to make my opinion points (and those of others like me) visible online. Just to be clear, it isn’t that I am not a fan of the Olympics. I actually [...]

The Old Town Art Fair is just one of many festivals going on this weekend in Chicago. On June 14th and 15th (Saturday and Sunday) from 10 am to 6 pm you can pay $5 bucks to wander through the stations and view all the artwork and hear the local jazz and musicians play. The [...]

The Chicago Blues Festival is the second most popular and attended event in downtown Chicago and Grant Park every year. The most popular is the Taste of Chicago. I missed Blues Fest this year due to some lack of planning and lack of time. I still think this is an important festival for chicagoans and [...]

Chicago’s IO Theater has been a local school and proving ground for improv and comedy royalty for decades. These are the shows currently running at IO Theater in Chicago and my thoughts on the shows and actors I have seen. Most of the time when I go to IO, the improvisers surprise and enlighten me [...]

I have lived in Chicago all my life and during that time not only has the Taste of Chicago been a huge event known for great food, music and entertainment, it has gotten larger every year and keeps on growing. Taste of Chicago features some of the best food in the city as well as [...]

The Chicago Improv Festival is always a great collection of shows and improvised comedy for one week every year. This year it snuck up on me because I have been focusing on other things (like this blog) and not doing Improv classes anymore. That said, I hope to still get tickets and attend some of [...]