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!

But you can warm up and enjoy some time outside of your condo with a comforting meal, especially if you live downtown! What could be better on a cold winter day than gathering with a buddy or two, sitting around a table for a long lunch or dinner and filling yourself with hot, hearty grub? Chicago has a blossoming, cutting edge culinary scene, but that scene was built on what Chicago does best– comfort food. After all, isn’t the Midwest known for good ol’ meat and potatoes?

Here are our favorite places to pick up warm comfort food near downtown Chicago condos:

Heaven on 7: Are you a displaced Southerner, or simply someone who appreciates soul food, sweet tea and “yes ma’ams”? Either way, you should give Heaven on 7 a try on a cold winter day. The southern style fare, heavily influenced by the Cajun cuisine of Louisiana, features gumbo, red beans and rice and jambalaya. The jalapeno corn muffin will warm you up with its spicy flavor, and the variety of Southern-fried dishes will leave any Chicagoan fully satiated.

With a location in the Loop and the Near North Side, there’s plenty of access to warm food and good service for owners of downtown Chicago condos. Heaven on 7 will leave you thinking about rocking chairs on the front porch and a warm Southern breeze… not the wind chill factor!

Pastoral: For the francophile in us all, this European-style deli right off of Michigan Avenue at Lake Street has the very best of gourmet cheese, bread, wine and charcuterie. You can eat in or carry out a fresh sandwich or salad with the best ingredients. The Bocadillo De La Mancha, with serrano ham, manchego cheese and quince, is a delicious play on savory and sweet for any sandwich lover.

Or pick out a variety of your favorite cheese, bread, tapenade, olives and charcuterie (all of which you can sample in the store!), select a bottle of wine or champagne (the staff will help you with pairings!), and take it all back to your Chicago condo. Camp out on the floor in front of your favorite movie and enjoy an indoor picnic. It can take you away to a less snowy zone for a few of your weekend afternoon hours!

The Publican: This award winning West Loop restaurant is particularly geared toward comfort food and creating an inclusive dining experience for its patrons. It has been described as a place where you “just sit back and let the food come to you,” and here, comfort food and drink are king. The menu features “beer cuisine” consisting of oysters, seafood, and pork. The seasonal, American menu is highlighted by the 12 draughts and 75 bottles offered.

This is the kind of restaurant where you won’t be hurried out– so take a few hours, eat casually, drink slowly, and enjoy meeting the people around you in the family-style seating. The Sunday brunches and Sunday dinners are a special event every week and will fill you with a warm, welcoming feeling on the coldest of days.

Perry’s Deli – Perry’s Deli on Franklin Street in the Loop is “the home of delicious sandwiches as big as your head.” Every day of the week has its own special sammy, and each one will leave you feeling as full as Thanksgiving dinner. With a dedicated 3 person staff, there will always be a friendly face serving you, and the signature decor and menu have been the same for over a decade! You always know what you are going to get at Perry’s (a great sandwich!) and you can get it in your most casual attire. So throw on some sweats and walk over to Perry’s from your downtown Chicago condo. Consistency and comfort is the name of the game!

Russian Tea Time – Right across from the Art Institute, slip under the red awning of Russian Tea Time for an old country delight. You can escape winter chills in their large and richly appointed dining room during their afternoon tea service, a traditional high tea with pots of fine tea, scones and sweet and savory small dishes.

Russian Tea Time in Downtown Chicago

Or go for a long lunch or dinner, and order from the menu of hearty and comforting “Russian, Slavic and Jewish classics complemented by upscale dishes of Imperial Russian Courts.” The potato latkes with sour cream and applesauce are a great place to start!

But what will really cure you of the winter chills? Drams of Russian Tea Time’s house-infused vodkas. They’ll teach you how to drink it the Russian way, and even if you aren’t a vodka enthusiast, you’ll have fun learning the Russian tradition that is specifically meant to warm you up but not get you drunk. Their explicit advice: “Repeat the round in 15-20 minutes; slow down when you feel fuzzy, warm, comfortable and your attention span is not at 100%.” Leave it to the Russians to know how to relax on cold day!

So if just thinking about heading outside of your Chicago condo gives you a shiver, use this surefire way to warm up: EAT. Good company, good food and good drink will fill you with warmth during the winter. And you might discover a part of downtown Chicago that you’ve never experienced before!

When one walks through its doors, Aqua glistens in comparison to it other Chicago condo buildings. The spacious interior, modern amenities, thoughtful layout, and impeccable craftsmanship are apparent in every unit. While the cascading wave facade of the building seems to transform at every angle, on the inside, these Chicago condos are a wonderful place to call home.

For those seeking Chicago condos that offer convenience and innovation, Aqua has become one of the most desirable locations to live in the city. Aqua’s position in the Loop puts Chicago condo owners in the midst of the daily buzz of the city and its vibrant, entertaining nightlife. During the day, those who reside at Aqua may enjoy a short stroll to work, and later visit one of Chicago’s fabulous eateries, like Bandera Restaurant or Fox & Obel Food Market Café, popular lunch spots for those dwelling and working in the Loop.

In the evening, the city twinkles with limitless cultural and entertainment possibilities. Chicago condo owners might enjoy a show at the Chicago Theatre, and then visit Shaw’s Crab House for a memorable seafood selection.

All Chicago condos are not created equal; an address at Aqua will inspire awe (and a tiny bit of envy) in others while providing a luxurious lifestyle for residents. The stunning architecture of Aqua is what sets it apart from the first glance, but the life you can lead there is what sets it apart for a lifetime!