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
Spend the evening enjoying Dueling Pianos featuring Steve Kouba and Dave Roberts who will be playing all your requests starting at 9pm at LuxLounge.

Belushi Birthday Blowout Weekend, Friday and Saturday at Faith and Whiskey, includes $5 Jack Daniels shots and cocktails and live music from The Bluz Brothers Friday at 9pm!

Le Passage is hosting a Haitian benefit on Friday, January 22^nd and January 29^th from 7 – 10pm. All tips given to bartenders within those hours will be donated to the Red Cross, so tip generously.

Restaurants
Be the first to check out Longman & Eagle in Logan Square this weekend! This restaurant (which will also feature hotel rooms in March) was created to be reminiscent of a traditional Chicago Inn, where you can get your coffee in the mornings and grab a pint of beer after a long day.

Longman & Eagle opens this weekend in Chicago.

A new sushi spot, Macku on Clybourn in Lincoln Park, features traditional sushi along with their signature sashimi and nigiri topped with seasonal toppings.

Movies
Brendan Fraser is back on big screen next to Harrison Ford in Extraordinary Measures, a passionate drama about a man fighting for the life of his children diagnosed with a fatal disease.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ashley Judd star in a family comedy about a man sentenced to serve time as the real Tooth Fairy.

Events

You might have lights on the balcony of your Chicago condo, but have you seen the Licoln Park Zoo’s lights? Take your friends and family, and go see over 200 million lights! Zoolights details here.

A new, musical adaptation of George Seaton’s classic film The Miracle on 34^th Street is now playing at Theatre Building Chicago in Lakeview, and you can stay after the show for a chance to meet Santa. Tickets are $40.

Have you been to Navy Pier lately? The holidays have turned the pier into a Winter Wonderfest with indoor ice staking, rides, holiday characters, fireworks and visits with Santa through Dec. 24.

Looking for that perfect dress for New Years Eve? How about borrow a couture dress for the holidays? If you reserve by December 23^rd, you will get a great discount. Want to learn more? Click here.

Restaurants

Love Italian food with local fare and seasonal menu? Local hotspot Ceres’ Table in Ravenswood serves favorite dishes such as country-style pate and gnocchi with rabbit confit, arugula pesto and pecorino. It sounds delicious!

Order some great pastries for the holidays at Oak Mill Bakery. which just opened in Bucktown. Choose from European-style cakes, cookies, and other goodies to feast on.

Movies

Avatar by director James Cameron starts playing this weekend. It is getting fabulous reviews and it said to be one of the best movies of the year.

Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon star in the true story,  Invictus, which follows the events of the newly elected President Nelson Mandela in South America in 1994.

Events
This weekend get into the Christmas spirit and come see the tallest tree at the Hancock Center’s Winter Wonderland. Bring the kids because on the weekends, and they can enjoy organized kid’s activities such as face painting, cookie making, and even visits from Santa. Tickets are $15 for adults and kids get in free in December.

This weather predicts this weekend will be a cold one, so why not sled at Soldier Field? Well, not in the stadium but on the southeast side is Soldier Field’s official sledding hill. Even if there is no real snow, if it’s cold enough, the Park District staff ensures good sledding by creating artificial snow when needed.

Skip the crowds on Michigan Avenue and head to Division Street Wicker Park for some boutique Christmas Shopping. Click here to see what shops are participating.

Restaurants/Bars
Most of you probably have that ugly Christmas sweater that you swore you wouldn’t wear again. But for those of you brave enough to put it on just one more time, join some friends in Lakeview this Saturday at 1pm for the Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl.

Friends and family: that’s what is important during the holidays (and all year round, of course), right? Well, inspired by that thought, a new spot in Lincoln Park is called just that, Kith and Kin. The French eatery features “traditions of the season”… doesn’t that sounds warm and cozy?

Movies
Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire all star in Brothers . Looks like a stay-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of movie!

Inspired by a true story, this weekend go see Invictus starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman. It’s getting great reviews, and plus Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman are always fantastic.

And of course, enjoy your weekend!

Events
Indulge your sweet tooth this weekend with Eli’s Cheesecake Festival! Enjoy a variety of different events like cooking classes, free cheesecake samples, a cheesecake eating contest and on Sunday there will even be a classic car show. There will be live music all day long beginning at 9:30am Saturday. Bring in a canned food donation and get a free slice of cheesecake! Don’t miss this delicious affair. Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm; free admission. 6701 W. Forest Preserve Drive.

Break out your cowboy boots and head to Grant Park this weekend for the 19th annual Chicago Country Music Festival! Celebrate your inner country music lover with two days full of nonstop music on four stages. Visit the dance stage for a lesson in traditional country line dancing or show off your square dancing skills. Bring your little country music lovers to the kids’ corral, but don’t miss performances from Joe Pug, Miranda Lambert, and The Flatlanders. Saturday and Sunday 11am-9:30pm. Admission is free!

For all you wine connoisseurs, this Sunday 1pm-6pm is the 10th annual Friends of the Grape Wine Festival held at St. Matthias Parish and Transfiguration School in Lincoln Square. Swirl and sip your way through 30 different wines paired with food samples from local restaurants. Enjoy live music and a Grand CRU raffle with a grand prize of $5,000! Advance tickets are $30 per person or $70 per couple. Door prices are $40 per person and $80 per couple. St. Matthias School is located at 4910 N. Claremont Ave.

Dining
Chicago real estate owners near Chens on Clark, rejoice! This Saturday they’re celebrating the Chinese Moon Festival by giving away free moon cakes, a traditional Chinese pastry eaten during the Moon Festival. The moon cakes are provided by Golden Horse Carriage Bakery in Chinatown and will be served as a complimentary treat at the end of your delicious dine-in meal. Come for the incredible food, stay for the moon cakes! Chens is located at 3506 N. Clark.

Fall is here and that means it’s time for the 7th Annual Harvest Festival at Bin 36! You’ll have the unique opportunity to blend your own personal wine under the guidance of Bin 36’s wine experts. Then you can purchase a case or a 6-pack of your wine with a custom designed label. Bin 36’s own delicious wines will be served during the class along with some “harvest munchies.” Sunday; 1pm-4pm. $36 a person. Call 312.755.9436 to reserve your spot today.

This Saturday morning leave your Chicago condominum early and head to the Green City Market in Lincoln Park for locally grown and organic produce and other goodies like freshly baked treats, honey, cheese and more! Pumpkins, apples and squash are in season and can be used in tons of tasty recipes and local chefs will be on hand to give you a few pointers. These are the last weeks of the year for the market (it closes October 31) so get there while you still can! 1750 N. Clark St. 7am-1pm.

Movies
Woody Harrelson stars in the crazy pseudo-horror flick Zombieland! It’s the story of two men who have found their own way to survive in a world overrun by zombies and the people they meet in their travels. Opens Friday.

Don’t miss British comic Ricky Gervais in his newest comedy The Invention Of Lying, opening Friday. In a world where everyone tells the truth, Gervais is the one man who has figured out how to lie. Hilarity ensues.

Drew Barrymore directs Whip It, a heart warming comedy about an outcast played by Ellen Page who finds her unlikely place on a Texas roller derby team. Based on the novel by Shauna Cross. Opens Friday!

Events

Gourmet food takes center stage this weekend at the second annual Chicago Gourmet, “a celebration of food and wine”. Over 50 local chefs will be on hand conducting food demonstrations and gourmet food samplings, and there will be wine tastings and seminars given by world-class sommeliers. Ted Allen, Rick Bayless, Graham Elliot Bowles and Tony Mantuano are just a few of the celebrity chefs who will be there. But just like the gourmet food they serve, tickets to this event don’t come cheap: $150 gets you in for one day and a two-day pass will run you $250. Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm in Millenium Park. This will definitely make for a memorable weekend.

Take a trip to the theatre this weekend to hear “Conjunction Junction” and all your old favorites with Schoolhouse Rock LIVE! The Attic at Hamburger Mary’s on Clark St. hosts a live musical version of the Emmy Award-winning 70s cartoon every Thursday, Friday and Saturday till October 3rd. Tickets are only $10! Doors open at 7:30pm and the show is at 8pm. The Attic is located upstairs from Hamburger Mary’s at 5400 N. Clark St.

Looking for something a bit different? Experience a twist on the traditional circus this weekend with UniverSoul Circus! All your circus favorites will be there, including clowns, acrobats and aerialists. They call this circus the “circus with soul” and indeed it is. The 16th annual show will feature performers from China, South Africa, Russia, Brazil and the U.S. Shows go on Friday 7:30pm and Saturday 12pm, 4pm and 7:30pm in Washington Park at 5531 S. King Drive. Tickets range from $11-$31. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind performance!

Restaurants

Come on down to River North this weekend for some amazing, authentic Mexican food with flair. Mercadito already has locations in New York and Miami, and this new addition to the Chicago dining scene is not going unnoticed. Mercadito is doing things a little differently with wide selection of ceviches and different kinds of salsa and guacamole. But never fear, they’ve still got your favorites like chile relleno and mole chicken. Try one of their unique tequila drinks like the pera té: black tea infused with tequila with mezcal, pear and agave. Open daily from 5pm-midnight, Mercadito is located at 108 W. Kinzie.

If you can’t afford Chicago Gourmet but are still looking for something a little more upscale, try the afternoon tea at the Palmer House Hilton. This traditional and elegant tea is held in the warm and inviting Palmer House lobby. With all the posh touches you might feel like you’re spending a fortune, but the tea is offered for just $35. Champagne is available for an extra $10 and kids are only $25. Tea is served daily from 2pm-4pm and reservations are required. Call 312.917.3404 to reserve your place today. The Palmer House Hilton is located at 17 E. Monroe.

Sunday brunch is calling, and there’s no better deal than the $24 brunch sampler at Cafe des Architectes on the Magnificent Mile. Cafe des Architectes offers chic French cuisine, and a celebrated brunch. Their brunch sampler is served Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am to 5pm and includes fresh juice, your choice of fresh fruit kabobs, smoked salmon, brioche French toast and much more. This is truly an amazing bargain. Cafe des Architectes is located in the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower at 20 E. Chestnut St.

Movies

Experience your favorite musical on the big screen! In this remake of Fame, a group of talented young dancers, singers and musicians hone their skills at a top New York school for performing arts and try to make it in this highly competitive world while still enjoying life and what it means to be young. Now playing.

Check out Bruce Willis’s latest sci-fi flick, Surrogates. Robots take the place of humans at work and in other daily activities while the humans they’re designed after control them from the comfort of their own homes. But something in this perfect society goes wrong when someone commits the first murder in years, and Bruce Willis has to get out there and do some old fashioned human detective work. Opens Friday.

This Friday see Dennis Quaid starring in the futuristic thriller Pandorum. Astronauts awake from “hyper sleep” on an abandoned spaceship and cannot remember where they are or why they’re there. While exploring the ship they discover that it’s not as abandoned as they thought and whatever is there is not friendly!

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
This Saturday and Sunday don’t miss supergroup U2 live at Soldier Field on their 360º tour. It takes a venue like Soldier Field to accommodate the thousands of U2 fans who will be rocking out with Bono, The Edge and the rest of this legendary ensemble. This promises to be an incredible show, but tickets are going fast, so get yours today!

The seventh annual Renegade Craft Fair is happening this weekend in Ukranian Village on Division between Damen and Paulina. Check out a wide variety of handmade crafts from more than 300 local and international artists. You can find anything from jewelry and clothing to comics and stationary. Grab some sustenance from the food and beer vendors and enjoy live music while you browse. Saturday and Sunday, 11am-7pm; admission is free!

Break out your lederhosen and mosey on down to Lincoln Square for the 89th annual German-American Festival! Enjoy delicious authentic German fare like sauerkraut, brats and potato salad, but leave plenty of room for that fantastic German beer! There will be live music and folk dancers every day, and Saturday at 2pm don’t miss the 44th Annual Von Steuben Parade on Lincoln Ave. between Irving Park and Lawrence. Festival runs Friday, 5pm-11pm, Saturday 12pm-11pm and Sunday 12pm-10pm; free admission. 4700 N. Lincoln Ave.

Restaurants
Happy Anniversary to More on Chicago’s Gold Coast. This cupcake shop has been wowing customers with tasty and innovative sweet and savory cupcake creations for one year. This Sunday they’re celebrating with you! Visit any time between 10am and 6pm and receive a free signature cupcake and a 20% off coupon for your next visit. More is located at 1 E. Delaware Place.

Looking to perfect your pasta-making skills? This Saturday head to Pane Caldo where Chef Maurice Bonhomme will teach you the proper way to make authentic gnocchi. Lunch and wine will be served in addition the pasta lesson, and each participant will receive a $25 gift certificate. Class is at 10:30am, $30 per person; call 312-649-0055 for more information.

Treat yourself to a little food entertainment at the Feel the Heat Jalapeno Eating Challenge at Mi Tierra on Kedzie. This Sunday at 3pm 15 professional eaters will compete for $5,800 cash by eating as many hot peppers as they can as fast as they can. Enjoy a margarita while you watch and be thankful you’re on the sidelines! Mi Tierra is located at 2528 S. Kedzie.

Movies
Be sure to go see Tim Burton’s latest animated masterpiece, 9. It tells the story of a group of puppets struggling to survive in post-apocalyptic world devoid of humans. Features the voices of Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly and Martin Landau. Opens Wednesday.

Take a look inside the real world of high fashion in The September Issue. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler goes deep inside the world of Vogue Magazine and documents all the trials and tribulations that come with producing a full issue of Vogue that meets the sky-high standards of editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour. This is the real “Devil Wears Prada”. Opens Friday.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the sorority house- Sorority Row opens this Friday. In this campus thriller the death of a sorority sister leads four others to weave a deceit-filled cover up of the murder. But one year later they become prey to a stalker; someone knows what they did. And they won’t get away with it!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Events
Saturday and Sunday join the fun for the 24th annual Bucktown Arts Fest. Artists from around the nation will be displaying their wares. They’ll have everything from jewelry, ceramics and paintings to sculpture and photography. There will also be performing arts like theatre, spoken word, dancing and live music. Food and beer available for purchase; admission is free! Opens 11am each day, at Senior Citizens Memorial Park, 2238 N. Oakley Ave.

Also being held Saturday and Sunday is the Randolph Street Market Festival. Vintage and antique collectibles will be on sale from over 200 dealers at this indoor/outdoor festival. Don’t miss the gourmet foodstuffs like truffles, salsa and olive oil as well. 10am-5pm Saturday and 10am-4pm Sunday. $10 gets you in for both days; $5 for students; kids under 12 are free. On Randolph St. between Ada & Ogden.

Shake your hips at the 21st annual Viva! Latin Music Festival. Features multiple stages where you can enjoy all different types of Latin music. If you get hungry feast on some authentic Latin cuisine from the festival food vendors, and browse the arts and crafts fair too. Saturday & Sunday, 11am-9:30pm each day at the Grant Park Museums, 300 S. Columbus Drive.

Restaurants
This is the last weekend for the Diva Brunch at The Spot in Uptown. You enjoy a lovely Sunday brunch and they provide the entertainment: Cabaret performers, drag artists, and musical theatre singers serenade diners in a glamorous environment fit for any diva. $35-$50 will get you the brunch, entertainment, mimosas, bellinis, coffee and tea. Don’t miss it! 4437 N. Broadway.

Friday night indulge yourself at Vosges Haut-Chocolate in the DePaul area. From 7pm-9pm delectable gourmet chocolates will be paired with Goose Island beers. There will also be an open bar serving 312 and a live performance and book signing from didgeridoo player Sam Boys. 10 percent discount on all chocolate purchased during the event. $30 a person- RSVP required. 951 W. Armitage Ave.

The latest issue of Chicago Magazine pays homage to Chicago’s best burgers. This weekend pay a visit to any one (or more!) of the 30 restaurants listed and take a bite out of some of the best burgers you’ll ever taste. Here are a few locations to get you started: HotChocolate- 1747 N. Damen Ave., Kuma’s Corner- 2900 W. Belmont, Custom House- 500 S. Dearborn St., Cortland’s Garage- 1645 W. Cortland St. Dig in!

Movies

Taking Woodstock is the story of how, in the summer of 1969, Elliot Tiber saved Woodstock by offering the festival coordinators his family’s Catskills motel and nearby farmland as a location to hold what turned out to be the most epic event in music history. Demitri Martin stars. Opens Friday.

Michael Myers is back once again in the newest version of the classic horror flick, Halloween. In Halloween II, opening Friday, Rob Zombie resurrects Myers and the terror he instills in all who cross his path. Don’t see this one alone!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Events

Don’t miss the 60th annual Greek Fest going on Friday-Sunday. They’ll be serving delicious Greek specialties like souvlaki, lamb, and Greek pastries, and there’s nothing like fresh, authentic baklava. Work off all that food by dancing to live music and playing games. Greek fest is being held on the grounds of St. Demetrios Church, 2727 W. Winona. See you there!

Looking for something a bit more off the beaten path? Visit the exotic Black Thai International Arts and Crafts Fest. You’ll find vendors selling beautiful handmade items from Africa, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Pakistan. Opens 9am Friday, at Canal and Jackson Boulevard.

This is your last weekend to get in on the fun with the Chicago SummerDance Festival! Skip your workout and go dance those calories off instead. Friday 6pm-9:30pm, Chicago bop music by Chicago Catz, Saturday 6pm-9:30pm, do the Jitterbug with Margot McGraw, and Sunday 4pm-7pm, foxtrot and jitterbug to music by Sam Burckhardt Nonet. Held at Grant Park, Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave. Admission is free!

Restaurants

Congratulations to Chicago’s own Rick Bayless, the new Top Chef Master! This weekend, go get a taste of what makes Bayless so amazing at Frontera Grill, Frontera Fresco or Topolobampo. You won’t be disappointed when you taste this brilliant chef’s take on authentic Mexican cuisine.

If you’re in the mood for something chic, don’t miss the brand new Elate, located at Hotel Felix in River North. Their rustic yet elegant menu includes a lovely selection of cured meats and artisan cheeses, along with comfort food like the Elate burger. There’s something for everyone at Elate. Located at Clark and Huron.

If you’re looking for a different Sunday brunch place, try Jam in Ukranian Village on Damen Ave. and Walton. They elevate simple breakfast foods to gourmet levels. Try the malted custard French toast with macerated stone fruit, lime leaf cream and crushed pink peppercorns. It’s not to be missed.

Movies

This weekend don’t miss the opening of Quentin Tarantino’s newest masterpiece, Inglorious Basterds which follows a group of Jewish soldiers who hunt and kill Nazis in WWII Germany. Brad Pitt stars as Lieutenant Aldo Raine in this much anticipated irreverent comedy. Opens Friday.

College grads looking for someone to sympathize with in the midst of their job search won’t want to miss Alexis Bledel in Post Grad. Don’t worry, graduates: even Alexis Bledel’s best laid plans go awry.