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February 22nd, 2008
Well, we've been hootin' and hollerin' for a while now about cold weather hardships. And we have finally realized that we have toot-tooted and beep-beeped our little horn enough! We are fed up with our whole Debbie Downer winter charade. And luckily, we are reaching the cusp of spring. We can almost feel the rainstorms replacing the snowstorms, wearing pants without fear of salt marks, and sunsets after dinner. Ahhhh. |
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Chicago Picks: |
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| 1 | Fancy Pants The secret is out. We've been a Gossip Girl junkie from day one. The drama! The fashion! We just can't get enough of those flawed yet fabulous Upper East Siders. The season of striking writers deprived us from the gossip surrounding Serena and the crew, but luckily our true blue Veruca kept us in the fashion know! |
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| 2 | Grownup Gothic Chic In high school we went through an unfortunate stage of faux Goth, in which we vamped both our hair and our nails in black and we were convinced only The Cure could understand the pain that was our rural teenage life. And while our angst-ridden teenage stage passed (thank the heavens, all that is good in life, and Oprah!), we still love The Cure, Gothic architecture and grand, old-world décor. We’ve met our grownup match with Libertine Gastropub and Lounge. Just under three months old, Libertine is dark, moody and over-the-top elegant with intricate chandeliers, fleur-de-lis embellishments and skull paintings illuminated by flickering candlelight. The lounge’s signature cocktails are sweetly decadent and served in black martini glasses for added oomph. And the pommes frites and antipasti platter of patés and terrines hit the perfect note of old-world France. Think of Libertine as your best-kept secret. It’s an under the radar (for now) late-night option, with an upstairs VIP lounge and stellar dance music. And head there Mondays for $1 PBRs and guest bartenders! Libertine Gastropub and Lounge |
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| 3 | Sit, Boo Boo, Sit. Sometimes—when our man du jour brings home a pizza instead of roses, when our boss keeps us working past Happy Hour and our relatives ask about babies—it’s easy to believe that it’s just us and our furry friends against the world. They’re loyal, love us unconditionally and think we look great in any color. So we reward them at Sit! We totally surrendered to the teensy Cubs jersey and fresh, mod collars—check out the Manhattan, Pink Alligator and Boulevard designs. Our little buddies will love us even more (if that’s possible) when we bring home catnip cigars or doggy snacks in a delish Chinese take-out box—handy, since Fido will probably try to eat that along with the cookies. There are tons of organic items, too, and animals are groomed using all-natural, cruelty-free products. February is Customer Appreciation Month at Sit!, featuring raffle prizes, store coupons and half-price tooth-brushing at the in-house grooming salon. Year-round, donating a gently-used dog toy, collar or bed will get you 10% off your next purchase. Doing our bit for shelter animals while pampering our own? We’ll bite! Sit! Pet Boutique & Grooming Salon |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | A Royal Secret We don’t have access to NYC’s designer sample sales—but we’ve heard about the chaos, the bargains, the once-in-a-lifetime chance to own Dolce & Gabbana leopard-print pants—and the lines to get in. No thanks! So we’ll let you in on an online sample sale that will blow your shopaholic minds: Regent’s Secret. Get access to items from designer jeans to gorgeous dresses—affordably priced. It’s invite-only, but click the “register here” box and enter the promo code: secret. Invite your friends! When they shop, you save! |
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| 2 | The Good Life Which is why Vital Juice Daily.com is so rewarding—it’s entertaining, uplifting, and gives us the daily dose we need to take care of well, everyone. From fitness to healing, nutrition to beauty, “Do Good” and “Green Living,” we always feel a little more pampered when we get the Juice. |
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| 3 | YouTube Your Lashes The celebs got Tube Your Lash in their Oscar gift bags and there's nary an unpretty face in Tinseltown ... hmmm, wonder why? www.tubeyourlash.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Mighty Fine Wine So, lately we've been hearing a lot, a lot, about sulfites being the culprit for killer red-wine hangovers. And while we're fine with saying sayonara to Jose Cuervo (forever), we're not ditching the vino anytime soon. So uh, wanna meet at Pastoral's (downtown location) for some free organic wine tastings with the chance of a headache-free morning? |
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| 2 | Mid-East Meets Mid-West We went to a party with hired belly dancers recently, and developed a yet-to-be-crafted-but-you-better-believe-it's-gonna-happen hidden passion for belly dancing. (And have you seen that Shakira video with the paint and totally hot rhythmic and robotic moves? Hot stuff!) We are going to scratch the itch at this event… and learn some moves of our own! What: Where the Mid-East Meets the Mid-West Belly Dance Showcase |
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| 3 | A Dandy Warhol Good Time We're obsessed with American icons. The people who seemingly stop time and grab the attention of our entire nation. They are the alchemists for change, growth, and a completely unique vision. They are the politicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and dreamers that put ideas into action. Like Andy Warhol—he had a story to tell, demanded attention, and defined the pop art movement! Rad. What: Andy Warhol's Silver Clouds |
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We sure hope you are enjoying Chicago Picks in a deep-dish-pizza-satisfying way, dear readers. And remember, like waiters, we like good tips. Or ... like the puppet show guy on Mich. Ave, yeah, we love good tips like him, too. We want to hear your tips, scoops, and very favorite things about our city so we can explore it, experience it, and then write the heck out of it. So share … and feel free to pass us on to your fave spots as well! Oh, and tell your friends about Chicago Picks!!! |
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