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

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!

Events

The Tony Award-winning musical Dream Girls is showing this January at the Cadillac Palace Theatre! If you want to watch it on stage instead of from the couch in your luxury Chicago, grab tickets today. They run from $18-$85.

Did you know that the Chicago Architecture Foundation has 85 unique tours? You can tour the best of Chicago’s amazing architecture by foot, bus, or even with a happy hour. If you’re getting restless  in your Chicago condo, do something different this weekend and explore your home city!

Want to attend a Las Vegas-style comedy show? You have to check out The Red Bar Comedy Club in River North. Come enjoy a great atmosphere and great comedy, and a have a great evening.

Restaurants

Newly opened Mediterranean-focused eatery on Michigan Avenue, The Purple Pig, seats 70 people and features unique shareable pork plates. With family-style dishes, go with some family or a big group of friends for a long dinner and some quality time!

This weekend enjoy some delicious deserts at Beard Papa’s, the cream puff bakery. This is the first in Chicago, but it’s popular all over the country with sweet treats filled with all-natural custard, whipped cream or ice cream.

Movies

Two romantic movies  to head to this weekend include romantic comedy When in Rome starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, and Nicholas Sparks’s romantic drama Dear John. Either should be a great pre-Valentine’s choice!

Don’t let the cold keep you cooped up in your luxury Chicago condos this weekend, Chicagoans! Although they are a great place to come home to, you should definitely take advantage of everything the city has to offer. Whatever you decide to do,  have a fabulous and fun weekend!

Fall is just about here, and this weekend we’ll experience a little dip in our warm temperatures as Chicago welcomes another new season. For those us experiencing the benefits of living in  Chicago real estate– here are some events to look forward to this weekend!

Events

It’s that time of year again, Oktoberfest returns to Chicago this week. Join the fun at Berghoff Oktoberfest at Federal Plaza Square in the Loop. There will be live music every day along with German food and beer. 219 S. Dearborn; Wednesday through Friday 11am-9pm every day. Admission is free.

Test your mettle this weekend with New Belgium Brewing’s Urban Assault Ride . A bicycle scavenger hunt where teams of two find checkpoints all over the city and complete crazy challenges at each checkpoint. Afterwards enjoy a post-race party with New Belgium beer and a raffle with amazing prizes. Sunday 9am; Murphy’s Bleachers, 3655 N. Sheffield Ave. $94 per two-person team. Visit www.urbanassaultride.com for more info.

Head out to Roscoe Village this Saturday for the Land Shark Lager Oyster Fest! Enjoy freshly shucked oysters and pints of Land Shark Lager while you browse an arts and crafts fair and enjoy live music all day from bands like the Tripping Billies and Soul Asylum. Saturday, 11am-10pm; Damen & Roscoe; $5 donation, $7 after 5pm.

Restaurants

Chicago’s Mexican food guru Rick Bayless has just opened his latest venture Xoco, where he features his own spin on Mexican street food. Located right next door to Frontera Grill, Xoco invokes the open, informal atmosphere of street vendor eating in Mexico with traditional handheld eats like fresh churros and empanadas. Delicious! 449 N. Clark St.

Go organic this Friday at Green Grocer , a corner market that carries all organic and locally grown items along with hard to find specialty items. Friday from 5pm-7pm they’re taking their hats off to friends who were recently written up in Chicago Magazine. Featuring fall ice cream flavors from Nice Cream, Sweet Girl’s Chocolate Mousse and fresh pasta from Pasta Puttana. Located at 1402 W. Grand Ave.

Don’t miss the best dining deal in the city at Han 202 in Bridgeport. This BYOB Asian fusion restaurant offers a five-course dinner for $20. Call ahead, but be warned: they won’t seat more than four to a table. The choices are more varied than one might expect, and the dishes are contemporary and delicious. Located at 605 W. 31st St.

Movies

Your favorite children’s book comes to life on the big screen this weekend in the long anticipated Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs . Hungry? Just look up! Opens Friday.

This Friday see Matt Damon play employee-turned-spy in The Informant! When Marc Whitacre agrees to wear a wire to gather evidence on his company’s price-fixing the FBI is thrilled, but it quickly turns to doubt when Whitacre turns out to be less than reliable.

Jennifer Aniston’s latest romantic comedy opens this Friday. Love Happens tells the story of an unstable self-help expert who falls for a florist who is burned out on dating- until she meets him, that is.

Have a great weekend, everybody! And if you’re missing out on these events, consider investing in some downtown Chicago real estate that will put you in the middle of it all!

Events

In its 52^nd year, the Gold Coast Art Fair is this Saturday and Sunday. Come and support the work of over 300 artists, while enjoying good food and wine.

East Lakeview host a huge party this weekend for Market Days, featuring musical guest En Vogue.  This two day event will have over 350 vendors with crafts, food, and drinks.

Looking for something a little more low-key? Get out of the city this weekend and head to Kenosha for the Bristol Renaissance Fair and explore what it was like to live in the days of Queen Elizabeth I.

Restaurants

Five Guys Restaurants are taking over the city with another new location in Lincoln Park at Clark and Fullerton.

The Wit Hotel has become extremely popular with its fabulous rooftop bar. However, if you can’t get into The Roof, definitely check their 2^nd floor restaurant Cibo Matto and try their homemade pasta.

Movies

The Ugly Truth starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler is now playing at theatres around the city; this light-hearted, fun summer comedy is a great date night movie.

If you like something a little more intense, get close with your girl or guy while watching the thriller Orphan, also playing in theaters.

Have a great weekend everyone!