Spring has officially arrived in Chicago, even if we’re missing the 80° temperatures we were spoiled with in March. Now that there’s no snow on the ground, Chicagoans are relishing the opportunity to explore the city’s array of springtime events. At a loss for what to do with your free time? We’ve rounded up our top five things to do around Lakeshore East (and beyond!) this month:

NHL Playoffs
Begins April 11
The Chicago Blackhawks have officially clenched their playoff spot, so hockey-lovers have a lot to look forward to this postseason. The 6^th seeded Blackhawks are slated to play against the 3^rd seeded Phoenix Coyotes in the first round of the playoffs. This will be the 4^th straight playoff appearance for Chicago, and they have a lot to prove after losing in the first round last year to the Vancouver Canucks. Fans can check out this site for post-season information. Go ‘Hawks!

Chicago International Movies & Music Festival
April 12-15 (Multiple venues)
Chicago arts fans rejoice as CIMMfest presents the fourth annual four-day showcase of concerts, Q&A’s, films, live score performances, and much more. The film lineup includes documentaries such as Fluchkes, a lighthearted look at Yiddish women growing older, and I Want My Name Back, which tells the story of how management robbed Sugarhill Gang of their money and their name. The festival will feature performances by Kids These Days, and native Chicagoan Nora O’Connor, among others. Visit CIMMfest’s website for the full festival lineup and ticket information.

Counting Crows
April 22 at 7:30pm (Riviera Theater, 4746 N. Racine)
Since 1991 the Counting Crows have been cranking out hits like “Colorblind” and “Hanginaround.” The Counting Crows earned an Academy Award nomination for Accidentally in Love (Shrek 2), and in the past 20 years, the band has sold more than 20 million albums. Their performance takes place in Chicago’s historic Uptown Theater District, just a cab ride away from Lakeshore East.

Chicago Improv Festival
April 23-29 (Multiple venues)
For the 15^th year in a row, the Chicago Improv Festival promises seven days of sidesplitting entertainment. This year’s festival includes over 75 acts, from five countries, performing in 10 venues. Improv fans will be treated to acts like Danger Snack (Los Angeles), Russian Komedi (Chicago/Moscow), Mayor Karen (Philadelphia), and Awkward (Kansas). If you’re looking for a night of laughs, check out the CIF website for performance and ticketing information.

Millennium Park
Anytime
You’d never know from looking at it, but Millennium Park is built on what used to be an industrial wasteland. Now, the 24.5 acre park is beautiful urban oasis located just steps away from Lakeshore East. Millennium Park is home to the famous “Bean” (actually titled “Cloud Gate”), The Lurie Garden, The Great Lawn, and Crown Fountain. While the park will host dozens of events come summertime, we can’t think of a better way to welcome spring than simply taking a stroll in the park and soaking up some fresh air and sunshine.

Mention “improvisational comedy” in Chicago, and you’re bound to receive an array of responses as to which of the Windy City’s many famous improv troupes is the funniest. That said, Chicagoans have good reason to be so passionate about their favorite local comedy clubs. The city has been home to some of the best comedians of our day including John Belushi, Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, Mike Myers, and Stephen Colbert to name a few.

Craving a night of laughs and can’t decide on a destination? Let’s take a look at some of Chicago’s best comedy venues located near the condos at Lakeshore East and see what’s happening in the upcoming weeks.

The ComedySportz Theater (929 W. Belmont Ave.)
No, ComedySportz isn’t exactly an “athletics” venue per se. But rest assured, sports fans, that the competitive spirit is as high at this North Side comedy staple as it is when the Bulls play at the United Center. For reference, think of the long-running improv TV show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” except the points DO matter. Just ask the referees that officiate the game – they have been known to give out penalties like “The Groaner Foul” for a bad pun and “The Brown Bag Foul” for bad language.

This month….
ComedySportz – Fridays (8pm, 10pm), Saturdays (6pm, 8pm, 10pm)
ComedySportz’s long-running signature improv show. Watch Team Blue take on Team Red in an improv battle of hilarious proportions.

Notable alumni: Frank Caeti (“MADtv”), Jeff Davis (“Whose Line is it Anyway?”), Dan Harmon (“Community”)

iO Theater (3541 N. Clark St.)
When visiting iO Theater, located just south of Wrigley Field in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, audience members are typically treated to a “Harold” performance. A “Harold” begins with an audience suggestion, and the iO Theater cast members take the reigns from there. Scenes might include a game where cast members pretend to be inanimate objects, rotating monologues featuring eccentric characters, or any number of other outlandish sketches that keep the crowd roaring.

This month…
The Harold – Fridays (8pm, 10:30pm), Saturdays (10:30pm)
Each performance of iO’s famous “Harold” show features 2-3 improv groups who specialize in weaving together wild characters, genres, and plots in completely unexpected ways. Arrive prepared to volunteer; “Harolds” have a reputation for inserting audience participation into sketches.
Newspeak – Saturdays (8pm)
Whirled News Tonight presents a satirical twist on worldly events in this feature show. Cast members improvise based on audience suggestions of current news stories from around the world.

Notable alumni: Vince Vaughn (“Wedding Crashers”, “Dodgeball”), Mo Collins (“MADtv”), Tim Meadows (“SNL”)

Second City (1616 N. Wells St.)
The New York Times has called Second City “a comedy empire,” and for good reason. Second City boasts locations in Toronto and Hollywood, but its home and namesake are both Chicago to the core, with its famous Windy City theater just north of Lakeshore East in the Gold Coast neighborhood. In contrast to other theater styles, Second City’s first two acts are semi-scripted, followed by an improvised third act. Shows feature everything from songs, to skits, to completely off-the-wall story-lines. With shows seven nights a week and a rotating cycle of featured performances, laugh-seekers of all types will find something to tickle their fancy at Second City.

This month…
Sex, Love, and The Second City: A Romantic Dot Comedy – Saturdays (2:30pm), Sundays (4:30pm)
Online dating has revolutionized relationships from iPads to iDo’s. Following multiple stories originating from a fictional online dating site, this entertaining show explores love in the digital age… for better or for worse.
The Second City’s History of Chicago – Sundays (1pm), Tuesdays (7:30pm)
You’ve never seen it presented like this! Rounding up 50 years of Second City’s best Chicago-centric acts, this show makes fun of everything you love (to hate) about Chicago.

Notable alumni: Bonnie Hunt (“Cheaper by the Dozen,” “The Bonnie Hunt Show”), Jane Lynch (“Glee,” “The 40-year-old Virgin”), Stephnie Weir (“MADtv”)

Do the winter blues have you down? Never fear!

Chicago is home to a significant collection of world-renowned museums, many located right along the Lake Shore near the luxury condos and parkhomes at Lakeshore East. So, if ice-skating at Wrigley Field or a stroll along the “Magnificent Mile” seem a little chilly, Chicago’s museums offer an ample opportunity to stretch your legs (and your brain) indoors.

During the late winter months, museums around the Windy City feature special exhibitions for locals and tourists alike. Here’s a look at what’s going on at some of the most famous and popular museums on the planet:

Shedd Aquarium: 1200 South Lake Shore Drive
Boasting over 25,000 fish and 5 million gallons of water, the Shedd Aquarium is one of the world’s largest indoor aquariums. Home to otters, beluga whales, and giant sea turtles, the Shedd is temporarily hosting an exhibit billed as “95 percent water, 100 percent amazing,” Jellies. Almost a dozen species of jellyfish are on display, some with tentacles up to 100 feet long! Learn about one of nature’s most mysterious creatures at Jellies, which runs until late May.

Field Museum: 1400 South Lake Shore Drive
Just a few blocks south of the Shedd Aquarium lies the Field Museum of Natural History, one of three of the Chicago’s most notable attractions that’s part of what’s called the “Museum Campus.” The Field Museum is most famously home to “Sue,” the largest, most extensive and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex fossile ever discovered. The Field Museum is also home to a brand new exhibit called Opening the Vaults: Mummies. The exhibit features twenty mummies, so of which haven’t been on public display in over a century, and it runs through April.

Adler Planetarium: 1300 South Lake Shore Drive
Rounding out the Museum Campus trio is Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere and the oldest currently in existence. Alder Planetarium’s three full-sized theaters are capable of reproducing the entire night sky, and feature short, educational films for the whole family. The newest of these is Space Junk 3D, an “explosive” look at the solutions aimed at cleaning our plantet’s orbits. The planetarium is also home to one of the city’s favorite evening cocktail events, “Adler After Dark,” a 21+ soiree which takes place every third Thursday of the month.

Art Institute of Chicago: 111 South Michigan Avenue
North of the Museum Campus in Grant Park (site of the 2008 Presidential victory party) lies the historic Art Institute of Chicago. At over 1 million square feet in area, the “AIC” is second largest art museum in the U.S. (after the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York). During a tour around the sprawling museum, you’ll no doubt see a few of the world’s most famous (and most valuable) paintings, including Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” and Gustave Caillebotte’s “Paris Street; Rainy Day.” Those who place cameras alongside paintbrushes can enjoy “Light Years: Conceptual Art and the Photograph, 1964-1977” an exhibit that focuses on the 20th century Conceptual Art movement and its lasting impact on the art of photography. The exhibit runs through March 11.

From Feb. 17-23, the Windy City is home to the 5th Annual Chicago Restaurant Week! Residents of our downtown Chicago condos at Lakeshore East certainly are in luck.

During what’s commonly referred to as the “Tastiest Week Ever,” hundreds of Chicago’s finest and most prestigious restaurants offer lunch and dinner at discounted rates ($22 for lunch and $33 or $44 for dinner). It’s hard to believe that this weeklong event, which began in 2008, started with only 36 participating establishments!

It’s not uncommon for downtown Chicago residents to use Restaurant Week as an opportunity to explore the wide range of cuisine their city has to offer. Some use the week to find a new establishment for hosting a business lunch. Some use the week as a way to experience restaurants making international headlines. Some even use the event to find that perfect place to take a first date!

With many of Chicago’s famous eateries located within short walking distance, Lakeshore East is quickly gaining a reputation as “ground zero” for Restaurant Week. Starting on Friday, foodies, casual diners, and proud Chicagoans from the city’s most glamorous neighborhoods will converge on Lakeshore East to enjoy exciting menu options from world-renown places like Aria, III Forks and Fillini.

Over course, Restaurant Week’s skyrocketing popularity means that space is quickly filling up. See a full list of participating restaurants and make your reservations here.

See why Saveur calls Chicago “America’s new culinary star,” and introduce your taste buds to some of the greatest restaurants the world has to offer.

Events
Of course, there is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a must-see Chicago event if you’ve never gone before. This year, it will start at noon on Saturday and runs through Grant Park on Columbus Drive between Balbo and Monroe Streets.

For a less traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebration, participate in the St. Paddy’s 5k Run/Walk and Leprechaun Leap on Sunday. With proceeds benefiting the Lake View Citizens’ Council, entry is $30 and includes a post-party at Trinity Bar & Grill.

For something off the beaten path of the usual St. Patrick’s Day weekend, see one of your favorite “brat-pack” movies come to life on the stage. pH Productions in Lakeview turns The Breakfast Club into a Broadway style musical this weekend; tickets are $10-$15.

Restaurants
You can catch dinner and some live entertainment at Dee’s Place, even though it hasn’t had its grand opening just yet. The comfort food joint will serve Southern classics like fried chicken, fried catfish and barbecue dishes, with sides such like mac and cheese and greens. You’ll also find jazz, blues and poetry performances to fit the 1940s Harlem decor and vibe in the new East Village eatery.

The 20th Francesca’s location in Chicago opened in February in the Seneca Hotel, a perfect location for owners of downtown Chicago condos. Francesca’s on Chesnut will seat 150 patrons and will serve up its lauded Northern Italian and Tuscan fare.

Movies
Last weekend saw the premier of Tim Burton’s latest remake: Alice in Wonderland. If you missed its trippy special effects and star-studded cast, check it out this weekend!

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland combines a classic story with cutting edge visual effects.

Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Wesley Snipes get gritty in the New York police action-drama Brooklyn’s Finest. Watch police officers in Brooklyn deal with ethical conflict as they navigate their lives and jobs in NYC.

For fans of rock and roll, check for a special screening of The White Stripes’ new documentary, Under Great White Northern Lights. Follow the band as they play concert halls both large and small on their first tour in Canada.

Events
If you live in a Chicago condo, there’s a large chance that you are also a Chicago Cubs fan (Sox fans, just skip to the next event!). Just a week or two before Spring Training begins, start getting into the Cubs’ spirit with an event at Rockit Bar & Grill in Wrigleyville! Local sports expert David Kaplan of WGN 720-AM, ChicagoNow.com, and the Chicago Tribune hosts Cubs-Aholics Anonymous, where you can connect with other fans and sports media. It happens every Thursday, and it sounds like a great way to start the weekend early to us!

If an artistic endeavor is more likely to interest you than an athletic one, stop by the Museum of Contemporary Art sometime this weekend. Friday is, of course, First Friday, where you can get museum admission, live entertainment, and complimentary Wolfgang Puck hors d’oeuvres for $16. Saturday, show up at 10 a.m. for Coffee and Art, an art history class like you never had in college. For $18 for nonmembers and $15 for MCA members, you can enjoy coffee and conversation led by an art expert. Also at the MCA on Saturday, join Chicago Public Radio for the Third Coast Festival– an audio festival celebrating storytelling, sound and the art of listening from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Ticket information here.

Restaurants
Take a look at a few pictures of the newly-opened Gilt Bar, courtesy of Metromix. And if you like what you see, give the new River North eatery a try. “No white tablecloths, no snooty staff and no dish topping $18–just simple comforts in the form of unfussy eats and classic cocktails.” Sounds like a perfectly relaxed evening!

Gilt Bar, a new restaurant in River North, is a great option for dinner or drinks this weekend.

See inside Gilt Bar and consider stepping out of your Chicago condo for a visit to the new eatery!

And for a pre-Oscar brunch, try a pancake joint new to the neighborhood- Elly’s Pancake House. On the border of Old Town and the Gold Coast, it’s a great brunch location for Near North Siders, Lincoln Park residents and downtown condo owners alike. You can eat your fill of pancakes and other classic greasy spoon grub, and you’ll definitely be back in the comfort of your own Chicago condo in time to see the celebs walk the Oscar red carpet!

Movies
And finally, what movies should you watch on Hollywood’s biggest weekend? Well, we’d recommend you check out some of the films nominated for Best Picture. Luckily, Chicago is one of the cities where you can watch all 10 nominated movies in a 24 hour marathon this Saturday! The Best Picture Showcase takes place at AMC River East, starts at midnight on Friday and runs until midnight on Saturday. What a way to spend a day!

However, if you’d like to check out just one or two of the honored movies from the comfort of your own Chicago condo, the nominees are:

• Avatar
• A Serious Man
• Up
• District 9
• Inglourious Basterds
• The Blind Side
• An Education
• Precious
• Up in the Air
• The Hurt Locker

No matter how you plan to celebrate the Oscars and this weekend, we hope you have a great time!

Events

Ever seen a rock opera? Well, this weekend you should check out the Apollo Theater and see Baby Wants Candy. The best part is that the script is partially based on audience suggestion, so you never know exactly what will happen during the show!  Tickets are $15, get the details here.

Bring the kids this weekend and have Snow Much Fun at the Children’s Museum at Navy Pier. Children can build fabric snowmen, have pom-pom snowball fights, and skate in your socks on a slippery linoleum rink.

Get in shape, learn the Tango, and have fun while doing it! Tango Chicago is offering 6 classes at various levels for $300.00. Each class is 3 hours and in each class you will learn rhythm, posture and partner communication. Sounds like fun!

Restaurants

Restaurant Week 2010 is not over yet! Save cooking at your luxury condo for another time and choose from more than 165 restaurants are offering three course lunches and dinner menus starting at just $22. Want to see if your favorite restaurant or one you have wanted to try made the list? Check here.

Rockin’ Taco just opened in Lakeview and not only is this restaurant fast but the cooks are using made-from-scratch marinades to prepare the steak and chipotle garlic chicken. Want something to do while you wait? Pick up an electric guitar, bongos or one of the other instruments hanging on the wall and rock out.

Movies

Are you feeling comedy or thriller this weekend? Well, we have both!

If you are looking for something funny, check out Cop Out, starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. With these two, it has to be a good laugh.

As for horror, The Crazies opens this weekend. Here’s the synopsis of the movie: “Unknown toxin turns the peaceful citizens of Ogden Marsh into bloodthirsty lunatics.” Need we say more?

Whatever you decide to do have a fabulous and fun weekend!

Events

Although we don’t live in New Orleans, who’s to say that we can celebrate like they do? The Bead Quest 2010 Mardi Gras is happening this Saturday starting at 2pm. Come have fun and check out 9 different bars in Wrigleyville, including Murphy’s Bleachers and Sluggers.

The 101 Dalmatians was a huge favorite to so many of us in the early 90’s. Now, we can show our children the same classic in the Broadway adaption which is playing throughout this month at Cadillac Palace Theatre. Go to broadwayinchicago.com for more details.

Do something different this weekend, and explore the history of Chicago by visiting the first “modern” house in Chicago, the Charnley Persky House located in the Gold Coast. The tour opens at 10am on Saturdays and has 15 spots available. To see more information about this fascinating historic house, click here.

Restaurants

Save cooking in your luxury Chicago condo for another time and get ready for Restaurant Week 2010! More than 165 restaurants are offering three course lunch and dinner menus starting at just $22. Want to see if your favorite restaurant or one you have wanted to try made the list? Check here.

We already mentioned Bucktown/Wicker Park coffee house Filter, but now that we’ve visited it ourselves, we think you should get out of your downtown Chicago condo and head that way for breakfast!  There are lots of space to relax, drink coffee, chat with friends, or catch up on work. Filter features a variety of coffee drinks and food delicious for breakfast or lunch in a 195o’s setting.

Movies

You might have missed this movie over your actual Valentine’s Day weekend, but Valentine’s Day is still definitely one to check out. This movie is filled with tons of A-listers like Jessica Alba, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and Ashton Kutcher, just to name a few!

Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is a suspense-drama by director Martin Scorsese. It premiers on Friday, so if you don’t want to see a romantic comedy, be sure to check this one out instead.

Whatever you decide to do have a fabulous and fun weekend!

Events
If you haven’t seen it yet, get your tickets to see August: Osage County at the Cadillac Palace Theater. The theater is close to Chicago loop condos, and the Tony and Pulitzer prize winning play shows every day this weekend in the afternoon and evening!

If you love your luxury condo, you might love luxury automobiles, too– so stop by the Chicago Auto Show all this weekend and next week! It’s the largest show of its kind, and you’ll be able to check out domestic and imported cars, trucks and SUVs, and experimental and concept vehicles.

For a hands-on art experience, travel down south from your Chicago loop condo to discover Cocktails & Clay at the Hyde Park Art Center. “Think night on the town meets playing in the mud,” say the event’s organizers, because you’ll be treated to 45-minute clay sessions, a live DJ and drink specials for a suggested donation of $15.

Restaurants
If you didn’t get to stop by last weekend for the restaurant’s opening, stop by The Southern this weekend for fried green tomatoes, sweet tea, and a large selection of bourbon (along with some other great Southern-inspired fare).

Fried Green Tomatoes at Chicago restaurant The Southern, courtesy of Daily Candy

For a casual Asian lounge, Izakaya Hapa just opened in River North. Patterned after a Japanese izakaya (a casual style of bar that serves food alongside after-work drinks) and seating 250, it’s a great place for a Friday happy hour with friends. Brought to you by the owners of the beloved Rise and Shine restaurants in Lakeview and Lincoln Park, you know it will be good! We’re excited to see this chain move south and a little closer to Chicago loop condos.

Movies
If you are feeling a little too moody for a romantic Valentine’s Day flick, try action-thriller Edge of Darkness starring Mel Gibson. We won’t blame you if you feel like wearing all black and watching Mel beat up some bad guys on the 14th!

However, if you’re more prone to wearing pink and eating candy hearts on this holiday for lovers, maybe you’ll want to see the saccharine-sweet and appropriately named Valentine’s Day this weekend. It has just about every movie star we know in it, so it should be entertaining at the very least!

So whether you are celebrating New Orleans or Beijing style or just spending some time with the one you love on this long weekend, we hope you’ll have a fabulous few days inside and outside of your Chicago condos!

Events
If you aren’t into football, maybe art is more your thing! This Friday, for one night only, you can attend Now You See It, Now You Don’t at the Flat Iron Arts Building in Wicker Park, where 40 local artists will “unveil murals throughout the building’s hallways and then, at 10 p.m., destroy the work by painting over it.” Or for something more traditional, head to the MCA for the First Friday after-work mixer!

What about some magic? Join necromancer Neil Tobin in Chicago’s most haunted building for a comedic and interactive trip through the city’s paranormal history in the show Supernatural Chicago. Complete with demonstrations!

The Randolph Street Market introduces its first ever Valentine’s Day Market this Saturday and Sunday. Browse vintage antiques, collectibles and indie designer goods from the 1800s to the 1980s with your Valentine, and find something special for your sweetheart!

Restaurants
Wicker Park coffee shop, Filter, just opened in a new, green location. The couches are comfy, and the appliances are energy-saving (even the coffee brewing system!). Stop by for breakfast or brunch!

Karyn’s on Green is now open in Greektown. The Green Street spin off of Karyn’s Cooked and Karyn’s Raw is slightly more upscale, with vegan interpretations of dishes like crab cakes and shepherd’s pie.

Movies
From Paris With Love is out this Friday. See John Travolta reinvent himself again, this time as wildcard U.S. intelligence agent, in this high octane action flick.

Crazy Heart tells the story of a rundown country music star, trying to find his song again. Jeff Bridges has already won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Bad Blake, and T-Bone Burnett created the soundtrack for the film. With soundtracks under his belt like Walk The Line, Cold Mountain, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the movie’s music is already garnering awards, too. Good acting and good music … a killer combo!

We’ll see you out and about in downtown Chicago this weekend, except for during the big game of course! We’ll be glued to the TVs in our Chicago condos for the Super Bowl and it’s hilarious commercials. No matter who wins, we hope you have a great weekend!