Chicago

The absolute best week for Chicago foodies just kicked off today–it’s Chicago Restaurant Week! Starting today through the 28th, you can have a 3-course lunch for only $22 and a 3-course dinner for only $32 at over 170 participating restaurants in Chicago (all prix fixe). This is quite the deal for a 3-course meal, especially at some of Chicago’s top restaurants. I’m so excited to see that some of my favorite restaurants are participating and I’ve got some great recommendations for you:

• Blackbird counts Anthony Bourdain as one of its biggest fans and offers amazing contemporary dishes from executive chef Paul Kahan, a James Beard nominee and winner.
• Definitely check out Perennial, named one of Travel & Leisure’s Top 50 New Restaurants in America. Their most delicious black truffle gnocchi appetizer is available for Restaurant Week!
• I’ve had the best tapas and even a whole roast pig at Mercat a la Planxa, and they are participating with a special lunch menu.
• Through Top Chef Masters, the rest of the country discovered the talent of Chicago’s Rick Bayless. His Frontera Grill and Topolobampo restaurants will have special lunch menus.
• The Chicago location of Miami’s famous Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab will have those delicious stone crab claws on the menu for Restaurant Week.

Visit eatitupchicago.com for a complete list of participating restaurants, as well as featured recipes from some of the restaurants so you can make the deliciousness at home! You can make reservations very easily online at opentable.com. Enjoy, and eat it up!

Listen up, Chicagoans–here’s your chance to shop for the holidays in the most unique way. The One of a Kind Show and Sale is coming to town starting tomorrow till the 6th. This special shopping event features hand-crafted creations from artists and artisans across the continent, including some of our local faves that we’ve featured on TDO before. Among the artists that will be there are Abbey Brown Soap Artisan, erin gallagher jewelry, and Objets d’Envy, which are all local to Chicago. I’m excited to be able to browse their latest creations, as well as the rest of the unique photography, art, furniture, and jewelry from all of the featured artisans.

Tickets to the One of a Kind Show and Sale are $12 for adults and $9 for seniors and students (bring your ID). Head on over to Merchandise Mart starting noon tomorrow, because 100% of Thursday’s ticket sales benefit the Children’s Memorial Hospital. Click here to purchase your ticket and have fun shopping!

Fusion of Color is an indie line of natural mineral makeup based in Chicago that I think you’ll want to check out. Why? Well, it offers similar products as the big name cosmetics brands out there, but for a far lower price. They even offer small, inexpensive sample sizes of some of their products so that you can try them out easily. Among the mineral makeup they make include finishing powders, primers, eyeshadows, blush, and more. Everything is made in small batches to preserve the utmost freshness. The founder of Fusion of Color, Kathy Duncan, reached out to me and sent over some samples of her makeup for me to try.

Perhaps what I was most impressed by was the Aura-Lusion powder, pictured above. It’s a great alternative to those pricier “high def” powders out there. It’s sheer and manages to smooth and brighten your face in just the right way. I also really liked the eyeshadows–a wide range of colors that are amazingly pigmented that you can apply with your fingers or a brush. For foundation, Kathy has even custom-blended shades for her clients. It’s always great to discover independent beauty brands to add to your radar, so check out Fusion of Color!

A few weeks ago, I gave our Chicago readers the heads up that Erin Gallagher Jewelry was moving their retail location from the West Loop up to the Lincoln Park neighborhood (closer to me, yay!). Well, EG is now settled in their new location, and they’re celebrating with a great party. In honor of their grand opening, they’re giving away the gorgeous ruby ring pictured above, valued at $1500!

All you have to do is RSVP to rsvp@egjewelry.com and be ready to party at 7pm on Thursday, October 22nd. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and live beats by Sub Rocka at the new studio at 2034 N. Halsted, and you’ll be entered in a raffle to win the ring. Click to see the invite for more information, and good luck! (more…)

One of Chicago’s best events every year is the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, coming up this Sunday on October 11th. Whether you’re running it yourself, or cheering on a friend, it’s a fantastic way to get to know the city a little better. The Marathon route goes through many of Chicago’s distinct neighborhoods, and the new Chicago Marathon Collection from Nike celebrates that. Nike invited me to visit their showroom and see for myself. As a relatively new Chicagoan, I loved seeing how the different pieces in this collection highlighted the diversity and uniqueness of the city. Take the Nike Poster Women’s T-Shirt ($28), above. The front of the shirt features a design of the Chicago flag, and the back? Look closely: (more…)

I’ve raved before about erin gallagher jewelry, a line of gorgeous accessories from Chicago-based designer Erin Gallagher. Her retail store location is moving from the West Loop to the Lincoln Park neighborhood, and to celebrate, there will be a moving sale this weekend from August 28th through the 30th. Select items will be 40-75% off! Not in Chicago? Don’t fret–the sale will be available online, as well.

I love the pretty Michele necklace, pictured left, which will be among the marked down jewelry this weekend. The Gabby, Lori, Jenna, and Theodora designs will be on sale too, so you’re bound to find the perfect bauble for you. Stop by 1017 W. Lake St. this weekend, or go to egjewelry.com and use the code: newhome2009 to take advantage of the sale prices! Erin’s new location will be at 2043 N. Halsted.

We at TDO love love love hair accessories, and I’m super excited to have come across Love, Lulu Mae, a Chicago-based line of haid-crafted luxury hair accessories. All of the Love, Lulu Mae pieces have a distinctively vintage feel, since designer Agnes B. Miles finds vintage and antique buttons, textiles, jewels, and exotic feathers to use in her creations. I love her pieces, as they have a flapper-y flair but are so cute as well. Best of all, Love, Lulu Mae has gorgeous accessories at a variety of price points. Above, the Hazel Flower Hair Clip retails for just $45, and looks so sweet and feminine.

Agnes is giving all TDO readers 10% off their purchases! Enter in code LOVE at checkout to save, and keep reading for more of our favorite Love, Lulu Mae finds! (more…)

I love going to wine bars around the city, so imagine my happiness when I recently found a great one right on Michigan Ave. ENO is the wine bar at the InterContinental Chicago, serving up unique wine flights, cheese, chocolates, and newly introduced artisanal sandwiches. On summer days like these, you can even enjoy everything on their outdoor patio.

While I was at ENO, I met wine director Scott Harney and he poured me a glass of very blackberryish zinfandel that they distribute exclusively. I also tried the most delicious goat cheese with a peppercorn brine. The bar recently added small artisanal sandwiches to the menu, which are delicious and a great accompaniment to all the wine and cheese. I had a great time, and was happy to end the night with a truffle for dessert. Yum!

I think ENO would be a great place to bring a date, or even a group of girl friends. ENO is different from what you’d imagine most wine bars to be–it has a relaxed ambiance and is completely unpretentious. It can be as romantic or fun as you want it to be, and the wine list is unique and long enough for even the pickiest wino. Check it out at the InterContinental hotel at 505 N. Michigan Ave.

Now that summer is here in Chicago, I pretty much want to spend all my time outdoors. The weather is finally nice, and I don’t think there is anything better than hanging out with friends, drinking wine up on a roof under the stars. Chicago’s rooftop bar scene is definitely getting better and better, and these are the places that are on my radar this summer:

Vertigo Sky Lounge, pictured above, is located atop the Dana Hotel at 2 W. Erie St. and opened late last year. The outdoor lounge area is about 1000 sq ft and wraps around the building with 12 ft high glass and amazing views of State St. Vertigo serves its own specialty cocktails, like the delicious-sounding Honey Bee (Flor de Caña dark rum, lime juice, and Acacia honey) and Peach Pussycat (Maker’s Mark whisky, peach schnapps, pineapple juice, and cherry). And if you’re hungry, light bites from the Dana Hotel’s ajasteak restaurant like sashimi and Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches are available. DJs spin an eclectic mix of music on the weekends, so be sure to hit it up (Wed.-Sun., 5pm-2am). (more…)

This weekend, Chicagoans will have the opportunity to see rare artwork by some of the greatest rockers of all time. The new theWit Hotel in Chicago will be hosting the Legends: The Artwork of Rock & Roll Loyalty exhibit in celebration of its opening weekend! The exhibit features the artwork of John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, and Grace Slick, and you can see some thumbnails of their work above. I’m so excited to see the inspiring art of music’s great icons – clearly, their talent and creativity were not only limited to music. The exhibit is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation at the door to benefit Bright Pink, a non-profit organization that provides education and support to women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to get a sneak peek at theWit Hotel before its grand opening on June 4. Located at 201 N. State St. in the Loop, the new property has 300 guestrooms, 2 restaurants, a rooftop lounge, a multimedia theatre, and full-service spa and health club. You’ll recognize it by the unique yellow glass bolt of lightening that runs down the length of the building. Go to thewithotel.com for more information, and be sure to stop by this weekend! The exhibit will be in the hotel’s Oscar Wilde Ballroom, open Friday, May 29 (5-9 pm), Saturday, May 30 (11 am-7 pm), and Sunday, May 31 (11 am-6 pm).