What’s Up This Month: March 2014

What’s Up This Month: March 2014

Top events and ideas to keep you entertained this month:

 

Food

  • Take advantage of an exclusive opportunity to wine and dine with top chefs in Chicago at the Fear No Art Dinner Party Series. Held March 31 at City Winery (1200 W. Randolph), Chef Carrie Nahabedian of Naha will be cooking for Chefs Rick Bayless and more, and it’s all filmed live! Tickets, $45, will get you in as an audience member of the show’s filming, as well as samples from the chefs, and wine and chocolate. If you can’t make the event in person, watch the show live on the Sun Times – Splash Section site from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
  • Learn about all the inner-workings of food, farming and restaurants in Chicago at the Good Food Festival. Head to the UIC Forum (725 W. Roosevelt) from March 13 – 15 for chef demos (Paul Virant, Rick Bayless, Jason Vincent), workshops, tasting vendors and more. Tickets range from $10 – $300 based on how many specialized events you attend. The “Localicious” party will take place on Friday night, March 14
  • Test your cooking skills by submitting your own recipe to Bespoke Cuisine, for a chance to win two spots in a hands-on cooking class! Enter the Customer Cook-Off Competition by submitting your best recipe for inclusion in upcoming mix-it-up cooking classes. For more information, contact info@bespokecuisine.com

 

 

Drinks

  • Ride the “Urban Bourbon Trail” Saturday, March 1 starting at 1 p.m. on a bar crawl through Four Corners Tavern Group (Kirkwood, Schoolyard, Crossing and Benchmark). Put a stamp on your bourbon passport for each taste of Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Four Roses, Woodford Reserve and more. A fully stamped passport earns you entry to the grand raffle to win a custom bourbon barrel and a bottle of fine bourbon. Tickets, $35, provide bus transportation to each of the bars, your passport, a t-shirt and a water bottle
  • Grapes to Bottles hosts their “Wine Socialist” events monthly encouraging a social, mingling aspect to the traditional wine tasting. The Saturday, March 22nd event, “Old Against New Wine Tasting,” adds a new social flair with a funny photo booth, wine bottle photo shoots and of course, adding your talents to Instagram with hashtag #grapestobottles. The event features a tasting of old world and new world wines, and most importantly, a cheese bar. The event is $35 at the Dana Hotel (660 N. State) and has two time slots: 6 – 8 p.m. and 8:15 – 10:15 p.m.

 

 

Concerts & Comedy

  • Several big names are performing in Chicago this month, including:

 

 

Learn & Create

  • Artists, musicians, designers, chefs, filmmakers and more should head to the Creative Chicago Expo March 14-15 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington) from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (free admission). The event features networking, workshops and speakers such as fashion designer Mario Pinto, Chef Carrie Nahabedian, film producer Robert Teitel and U of C Director of Arts and Public Life Theaster Gates

 

 

Cultural Events & Tours

  • Explore the hidden stories behind several of Chicago’s top theaters, including the Oriental Theatre (March 15) and Cadillac Palace (March 22). Broadway in Chicago offers tours every Saturday at 11 a.m., providing insight to the history, architecture and technology behind some of the country’s most renowned theatres
  • This month’s First Fridays at Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a “spring break” theme featuring Latin dance music from DJ collective Sonorama. Expect live performances and interactive art on Friday, March 7 from 6 – 10 p.m. at this monthly museum 21+ mixer. Tickets $14 – 18 for admission and cash bar inside

 

 

Where to Celebrate Mardi Gras

 

Fat Tuesday is coming up on Tuesday, March 4 – here are several venues offering New Orleans-themed dinner and drink specials:

  • Municipal Bar (216 W. Ohio) – $6 beignets, $13 shrimp and sausage gumbo, $20 hurricane bowls
  • Benchmark (1510 N. Wells) – $12 Etouffee, $11 Cajun-style po-boy, $9 spicy hurricanes, rum runners and Sazeracs
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