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April 25th, 2008 Sunshine! Sunshine! We could stop right there. But we won't. Sunshine! It makes us get outside and ... drink! Ahhh, patio- and porch-sitting. It brings us Vitamin D and a good mood. We were so psyched to whip out our 'blades again and cruise around town and along the boardwalk. It makes us feel so cool and carefree! Of course we ignore the token rollerblader jokes and overlook the fact that not one of our friends will agree to join us, but we have never really claimed to be too cool for school, as they say. And alas, you must do what makes you happy, be it crunching numbers, teaching kidlets, or snackin' on mozzarella sticks and cheesy poofs. Or … rollerblading with your tunes on around the pretty city of Chicago. Ahhhhh. Sunshine! p.s. We think we know what makes you happy. How about another rad spring giveaway? This time from Chicago designer Lisa Spagnolo. She's offering up a very pretty new springtime purse as a fabulous prize for one very lucky reader. The person to forward Chicago Picks to the most friends and CC picks@chicagopicks.com has a shot to win happiness in the form of a handbag! |
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Chicago Picks: |
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| 1 | Oh, Happy Day We don’t have to tell you just how busy we are, right? Sometimes we get strapped for time, and it’s usually right before we have to arrive at a buzzin’ party with the perfectly-chosen gift. Those moments, it can be hard to remember to stop and smell the crème brulee body mousse. You know what we tell ourselves to cure the overscheduled agita? “Enjoy and slow down.” And it’s not just a suggestion: Enjoy, located in the heart of the Lincoln Square promenade, bills itself as an “urban general store” but we consider it “the girl-on-the-go’s lifesaver.” Walk into this friendly, relaxed boutique and walk out with a unique piece for hostess, best friend, baby or boss—and your own refreshed sense of inner peace. Find snarky onesies for the new arrival, or delicately-packaged Luxe almond candles for your BFF. Of course, Enjoy also has a special place in our heart for carrying the free-spirited, Curly Girl line of note cards. With the nearly one-stop-shopping available at Enjoy, our day’s gotten much more … enjoyable. Enjoy |
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| 2 | Empanada Dreams Yesss! Beach weather is (slowly) approaching! However, this by no stretch of the imagination means that our inclination for comfort food will abate anytime soon. And we’ve found our new favorite for the summer... and fall. And winter. Lito’s Empanadas is a tiny new storefront in Lincoln Park with bright colors, cheerful staff and our new favorite fast food alternative: empanadas. Lito’s keeps it simple and oh-so-sweet with eight empanadas for under $3 each, including one chocolate and banana dessert option that put our Nutella-banana crepe obsession to shame. Lito’s also offers party platter options, and these lovelies are for sure our new go-to cocktail hors d'oeuvres, with desserts and entrées all rolled—er, folded—into one. The empanada shells are flaky and sweet, and the warm meats, cheeses and vegetable combinations inside will 100 percent, without a doubt, tempt you to order a second. Or a third. Or—oh heavens, aren’t we supposed to be getting into beach-ready shape? Screw it. We’d rather have another Hawaiian empanada. Lito’s Empanadas |
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| 3 | Risqué Business As a rule, we don’t venture to Wrigleyville for a dinner on the town. For late-night drinks and sporting events? Surely. But it’s not the go-to locale if we’re looking for a quality meal rather than fried apps and sticky floors. So it’s about time we classed it up a bit while still keeping it real—and risqué. And we found our spot, bellas: Risqué Café, newly opened bar and smokehouse. Risqué offers the relaxed vibe typical of the neighborhood but with a sleeker (and cleaner) bent. The name of the game is meat—pulled pork and chicken perfectly seasoned, and turkey legs with meat that literally falls off the bone. Add to that six-foot tall paintings of pinup girls in retro bathing suits, and we were sold. Risqué is also a beer connoisseur’s haven, with more than 200 beer selections from all over the world. There are plenty of down-home whiskey and scotch selections, too, and after a couple of Risqué’s Jim Beam lemonades, we were ready to don that retro bikini. Risqué Café |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Hot Purse + Shoes = You Can't Lose Is it any wonder "Spagnolo" rhymes with "Manolo" (kinda)? We don't think so. 'Cause every girl likes to get dolled up in sexy shoes and a just-right handbag. Miz Lisa Spagnolo is the Chicago go-to girl for the bag. We have a huge crush on her white summer tote (so popular that it’s completely out of stock) and her clutches are dainty-fresh with whimsical vintage fabrics and elegant detailing. Now you can say, "I knew about her!" before Lisa gets all rich and famous. |
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| 2 | Portraits from an Artist We used to dabble in drawing. Piddle in painting. Tragically attempt to produce stellar works of art on a regular basis. We (thankfully) moved on, but we still love art and therefore gaze in awe at Ken Keirns’s vibrant, cartoonish paintings. These are best seen in person to be believed. Catch the end of Keirns’ Stream of Unconsciousness show at Rotofugi this weekend, and at Gallery Provocateur ’til May 18. |
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| 3 | Sexy/Strong
Susan is a mother and a designer, and a burgeoning do-it-all superwoman. The defining element behind her gorgeous craftmanship is quality. We're talking in-style-forever quality paired with a beautiful, feminine, nature-inspired aesthetic. She uses 14K gold, and real diamonds and gems (which can all be custom ordered). Diamonds are one of the strongest substances found in nature. Coincidence? We think not. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Wherefore Art Thou Maybe you're an artsy chick. Maybe you knit little sweaters for your pup. Maybe you paint faux lions on people's walls. Maybe you're looking to become a little more refined? Don't miss the 16th annual fair (or all five exhibitions for Artopolis, for that matter), showcasing more than 180 modern and contemporary galleries and thousands of artists. What: Art Chicago |
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| 2 | Not a Crepe-y Idea Crepes and beer go together like champy and cupcakes … or something. And the fact of the matter is, you can sound all cool and worldly by being like, "oh I'm going to a crepe festival" and then have your crepe and eat it too while you get all boozy from the 20 beers from around the world. What: Crepe and Beer Festival |
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| 3 | We Heart Astronaut Jones Dude, Tracy Morgan is hilarious. Please tell us you've seen him on 30 Rock playing "Tracy Jordan." His whole shtick is playing his crazy ol' self. Which is exactly why he was cast on the show—because they knew he'd be perfect at playing himself,more or less. Catch this former SNL-er at the Vic Theatre—we guarantee you’ll laugh! What: Tracy Morgan |
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Have you seen a swank new spot in your 'hood? Drop us a line and tell us about it at picks@chicagopicks.com. |
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