Chicago

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).

Who: Stephanie Mattina, Top Stylist

What: Roque Salon

Where: 24 W. Erie, Chicago, IL

When: Open Monday-Saturday, see hours

Why: After unabashedly salon hopping ever since I moved to Chicago, I was ready to settle down and commit. I’ve been to every moderately priced salon in my neighborhood, but never was impressed enough to keep going back to the same one. When it comes to hair, it seems like you get what you pay for. I came across Roque Salon while trying to google Kerastase salons in my area, and found a great deal on their Promotions page. Jackpot! This is what brought me to Stephanie, top stylist at Roque. (more…)

As a relative newcomer to Chicago, I had yet to experience a true, head-to-toe luxury spa pampering. That is, until Spa Chakra invited me to their amazing space in the Palmer House Hilton to review their Specialty Body Therapy treatment. It’s located downtown and I couldn’t imagine a better way to unwind after an annoyingly tough day at work. I took a short walk over, and was greeted by a friendly receptionist who asked me to choose a scent that would follow me through each step of my treatment for a truly personalized experience. My curiosity was piqued and I chose the most relaxing scent, ready to begin. (more…)

You may only know Big Bowl as a place to enjoy fresh, delicious Chinese, Thai, and Pan-Asian foods. Well, the next time you stop in for dinner, stay to try the yummy new desserts! They cost only $3.95 and are such a pleasant way to end your meal. My absolute favorite is the Warmed Asian Pears, pictured above. I love Asian pears for their crisp graininess and was surprised to find how tasty they were softened and sauteed with cinnamon butter. Served with vanilla ice cream, it was pastry chef Jessie Oloroso’s take on a deconstructed apple pie. My date and I polished off the entire dish happily. Jessie Oloroso worked at Top Chef Stephanie Izard’s first restaurant in Chicago, Scylla, and her use of Asian influences in dessert dishes is interesting and fun.

For such a low price, you won’t feel guilty wanting to try the entire menu. Through the rest of March, you can actually have one for free! Just mention to your server the pastry chef’s name and that you saw the free dessert offer on Big Bowl’s Facebook fan page. That’s the easy part — the hard part is trying to decide between the Chai Creme Brulee, Banana Cashew Egg Roll, and Spiced Ginger cake! Find your nearest Big Bowl so you can try these delicious desserts.

If the picture above is making you think, “yummm,” you’re not alone. My girl friend and I recently dined at L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge in Lincolnwood, a bit north of Chicago, and now I have another great place to eat on my list. Top 5 reasons for making the drive up from Chicago to L. Woods:

1. Hearty, delicious food (like the BBQ baby back ribs above)
2. Nightly “recession wine” specials - $10 a bottle!
3. A warm atmosphere to enjoy with your family or friends
4. An in-depth menu of salads and fish in addition to meat, which is ideal for Fridays through Lent
5. Did I mention the hearty meals and affordable wine?

We headed to L. Woods on a Friday night, knowing that they had an extensive menu, since my friend couldn’t eat meat that day. The first thing that struck me was the really warm, welcoming ambiance, and the true “pine lodge” feel. The dining rooms were full of big groups of families and friends enjoying their night, and we were ready to start after spotting the $10 bottle of wine specials on the menu! (more…)

BIN 36 is one of my favorite wine bars in Chicago, and their proprietary line of wines is probably why. BIN 36 makes wines that are both delicious and affordable, making wine tasting accessible and fun instead of pretentious. I jumped at the chance to attend a tasting tour of their newly released 2006 and 2007 wines, led by Brian Duncan, the BIN 36 Wine Director.

Brian makes it easy for wine enthusiasts-but-novices like myself to learn more and expand horizons. He was enthusiastic and knowledgeable, considering himself more of a “wine chef.” He told us, “Wines are like personalities and people. Each grape has its own personality. I take great ingredients and celebrate them – not mask them.” His goal is to break wine drinkers out of their red or white wine shell, so I approached the tasting with an excited, open mind. (more…)

The best crab cakes you’ll ever have in Chicago are actually located in… Naperville! Yes, it’s true, and I was lucky enough to try them. A few weeks ago, I wrote about my visit to the Hotel Arista in Naperville, a true gem in the suburbs of Chicago. A lot of hotel restaurants get a bad rap–luckily, that is not the case at all at the Hotel Arista. The hotel restaurant, SugarToad, is not to be missed and is worth a trip out even if you’re not staying at the hotel. I had already read about how the Chicago Tribune called nationally acclaimed Chef Jimmy Sneed’s crab cakes the best in Chicago and I agree heartily.

I was really looking forward to visiting SugarToad while I was staying at the Hotel Arista. As self-proclaimed crab cake connoisseurs, my date and I were already very excited for our meal. The interior of SugarToad was warmly lit and the decor had a feeling of elegance that was welcoming. A hand-painted mural provides a splash of color along the back wall, and the bar area was a great place to kick back a few drinks. There is quite the wine selection, with a focus on fine American wines. I tried a few glasses of delicious reds from around the country that I actually hadn’t even heard of before, so I enjoyed the wine tasting experience. (more…)