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Don’t forget, this year’s Chicago Jazz Festival, presented by CareFusion, has grown. Music begins on Thursday, September 2 at Millennium Park with afternoon performances from noon to 4pm.
Take a walk down Michigan Avenue to Roosevelt University to catch the festival’s first performance from Artist-in-Residence Nicole Mitchell who plays with pianist Anthony Davis at 5pm in Ganz Hall.
Then on Friday afternoon, the Chicago Cultural Center (77 E. Randolph) features jazz music in three locations: The Claudia Cassidy Theatre; Preston Bradley Hall and the Randolph Café.
That evening, return to Millennium Park for a full night’s slate that begins at 4pm and concludes with Ramsey Lewis and his 75th birthday celebration.
The Chicago Jazz Festival, presented by CareFusion moves to its traditional home of Grant Park on Saturday and Sunday where four stages offer music from mid-day to 9:30pm. Festival hours are 11am-9:30pm and it is all free admission.
More information at chicagojazzfestival.us
This will be a new one for us, but being self-proclaimed wine aficionados, we are excited to check out the Windy City Wine Festival coming up September 10th and 11th.
For $25 in advance, you receive an acrylic souvenir wine glass, ten tastings of your choice (each tasting is a one ounce sample), festival program, food & wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, musical entertainment, and the opportunity to purchase wine at a discount.
Ten additional tasting coupons may be purchased at the festival for $5.00. I can’t imagine either of us being able to get through more than 20 ounces of wine so we’ll probably pass on the additional coupons.
There will be some local restaurants selling their specialties at the festival (Aria, Caoba, Cyrano’s, Markethouse, Palermo’s, Sullivan’s, etc.) but we plan on ending Friday evening with a walk and picnic dinner, further north in Grant Park.
We’ve just decided personally to keep the evening within budget and a bit more on the private side. So we probably won’t be hitting the Wine Discount Center tent, but if you’re in the market there’s a 25% discount on cases.
Live music, good wine, beautiful surroundings for about $50; what could make for a better Date Night?
Details after the requisite Buckingham Fountain photo…
Details:
Friday, September 10th from 4:00PM to 10:00PM
Ticket sales end at 8:30PM, alcohol sampling and sales end at 9:30PM.
Saturday, September 11th from 3:00PM to 9:00PM
Ticket sales end at 7:30PM, alcohol sampling and sales end at 8:30PM.
Tickets are $35 at the door so we recommend buying your tickets online in advance. Note that there is a $4 transaction fee on top.
Featuring wines from: Banfi Vintners, Black Box Wines, Constellation Wines, Constellation Wines, Easley Winery, Treasury Wine Estates, The Hess Collection Winery, Hope Family Wines, Mionetto USA, Old Bridge Cellars, Redwood Creek Winery, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Underdog Wine Merchants, Gekkeikan Sake, Michael-David Winery, The Naked Grape, Tenzing Wine & Spirits, Tenzing Wine & Spirits, Ironstone Estates, Shaw Ross Imports, ENYE Distribution Group, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Click Wine Group, and St. James Winery
Please be responsible, use public transportation, take a cab or use a sober driver.
We are big fans of enjoying the outdoors during the limited time we have in Chicago (it’ll start snowing again before you know it). Lakeview’s Oktoberfest made for a great Date Night adventure last year and we’re sure we’ll have a similar experience this year. It’s a great cap-off to the festival season here in Chicago.
“Beer, Bands and Brats” is their slogan and we found that to be very true and very much the perfect combination for a street fair. The admission is only $5, and proceeds benefit St. Alphonsus Church. The price of the food and drink is what you would expect but jamming to an 80’s cover band, 16 Candles, on Saturday night is priceless.
Of course there is the traditional German atmosphere with a big top beer garden, steins, lederhosen and “oom-pah” of the German music. Oh, did we mention beer?
This year we’ve invited a couple in from the suburbs as well so we are going for a real “Double Date Night” and saving some money by going for the “Brewmaster Sponsorship”. The $100 membership price includes:
- Official 20 ounce 2010 Oktoberfest Ceramic Stein (Refillable at the fest for the 14 ounce beer price)
- Four 3-Day Passes to Oktoberfest
- 4 complimentary beers (tickets will be provided)
- 2 complimentary famous Oktoberfest bratwursts (tickets will be provided)
- 2010 Oktoberfest T-shirt
- 2 for 1 Brewer Bucks Food & Beverage Tickets
- Additional steins @ $ 25.00 each
Register for the St. Alphonsus Brewmaster Package here and the event details at http://starevents.com/events/oktoberfest/, September 24th-26th. Let us know if we’ll see you there!
So you’ve worked your way up to no kids for a full day! What to do? Here are five semi-local date ideas for those of you that live in the Chicagoland area.
1. Southwest Michigan Wine Country – Our favorite stop is the Round Barn Winery for not only their wine but their vodkas and gourmet vinegars. Spend the day stopping by St. Julian’s, Tabor Hill, Lemon Creek and Round Barn. End your visit to Harbor County and have an upscale meal at Timothy’s or be a bit more casual at the Red Arrow Roadhouse. Mix up the wine tour with some apple picking as well!
Read the rest of Five Great “Date Day” Ideas »
As you all may have noticed, Chicago has been incredibly uncomfortable lately due to the skyrocketing heat and humidity. My husband and I decided to look it square in the eye and laugh last month when we joined Chicago’s Critical Mass for their ride of the month.
Read the rest of Critical Mass »
Well here’s your chance, twice! Take your significant other and live vicariously through the like of Rob Gorden (John Cusack’s High Fidelity character) and Corey (Liv Tyler’s Empire Records character) as Lincoln Hall hosts two of the greatest record store movies of all time. Picnic baskets not necessary with the great food and drink deals.
Lincoln Hall Hosts “High Fidelity / Empire Records” Double Feature – August 18
Come out for “free movie night” as Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave., hosts its monthly movie night called “The 3 Penny was Here” on Wednesday, August 18. The “3 Penny was Here” movie series is a monthly double feature of classics. This time, they focus on Chicgao’s own John Cusack in “High Fidelity,” also starring Jack Black combined with another record store flick, “Empire Records.” Lincoln Hall would like to know how many are coming so please go to their Facebook page and RSVP — if you do, there’s another freebie for you – free popcorn!
The double feature gets underway at 7 p.m. and you must be 18 and up to attend. Make sure you stick around afterward for free Auto Tune Karaoke in the front bar
Wednesday, August 18 2010 – 7:00 PM
18+ $0.00 FREE!Air Conditioning!
This free movie is a good time and there are also low-cost food and beverages!
Corn dogs – 2 for $3
$3 Bud drafts
$3 Busch tallboys
$3 SYN Vodka drinksCast:
John Cusack … Rob Gordon
Iben Hjejle … Laura
Todd Louiso … Dick
Jack Black … Barry
Lisa Bonet … Marie De Salle
Catherine Zeta-Jones … Charlie Nicholson
Joan Cusack … Liz
Tim Robbins … Ian ‘Ray’ RaymondHIGH FIDELITY TRAILER:
Cast:
Anthony LaPaglia Joe Reaves
Maxwell Caulfield Rex Manning
Debi Mazar Jane
Rory Cochrane Lucas
Johnny Whitworth A.J.
Robin Tunney Debra
Renée Zellweger Gina (as Renee Zellweger)
Ethan Embry Mark (as Ethan Randall)
Coyote Shivers Berko
Brendan Sexton III Warren (as Brendan Sexton)
Liv Tyler Corey MasonEMPIRE RECORDS TRAILER:
What’s the best double feature you’ve seen. Or if you had to watch two movies back to back what would they be?
