This first weekend in March is, of course, the weekend of the Academy Awards. We have a feeling our readers might be tempted to host a swanky Oscar party in their Chicago condos, but that’s not until Sunday night! So what other events, restaurant openings and exciting nightlife adventures should draw you out of those Chicago condos before the big movie event? Here are our suggestions this weekend.
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!
Tags: chicago condos, chicago cubs, Chicago Entertainment Guide, chicago events, chicago movies, Chicago restaurants, chicago weekend events, elly's pancake house, gilt bar chicago, oscar weekend in chicago
