Chicago! The best fiction dad in Illinois history isn’t dead, he was just resting.
Also, tell all your friends to subscribe to the Chicago mailing list. We gave away tickets to Chicago mailing list subscribers.
We write stuff. Here’s some of that stuff from the last week that may be applicable to your preferences
- • Roseanne is back. We’re glad Roseanne and Dan Conner are back.
ACTIVE: Squasht Boutique on Chicago brings you an evening of yoga and wine so you can stretch out yer body and then stretch out the miiiiiiind.
CULTURE: Longrunning Hungry Brain feelings chat show The Therapy Sessions is switching over to a different schedule, and for this last weekly installment, host Seth Vanek is welcoming the audience to be a part of the show, hitting the stage for a special round of Theraoke.
FILM: Doc Films at the University of Chicago screens a copy of the cult 2000s indie drama Lost in Translation. Classic movie for me and I’m wondering if it holds up? I’m intrigued!
FOOD + DRINK: The Smart Museum of Art’s Painting With Pie event is here to encourage folks to get creative with their food. Inspired by the Robert Arneson’s Cherry Pie, the folks from Bang Bang Pie Shop will be on deck to feed you while you get painterly with your food.
FREE: Celebrate the life of Lil Peep, the misunderstood and wildly influential Soundcloud rapper whose genre-busting sound has both confounded and amazed listeners since his rapid ascent in late 2016, before passing in November, at a special event at the Whistler. Chicago Reader writer Leor Galil, DOPEITSTOM, and Salad Days Pins DJ Peep jams all night in tribute to this fallen auteur.
MUSIC: Cindy Wilson from The B-52’s headlines Beat Kitchen tonight, which is honestly wild. Easter Island opens, with tunes from DJ Philly Peroxide throughout the night.
OUTSIDE: Fitness collective BFF Bikes is offering up a “how to” clinic in anticipation of their monthly beginner rides, which start up soon now that we’re almost out of winter! Get fit and back on your bike, you know?
STAGE: StragerMajick Queer Comedy & Dance Party at Late Bar is a monthly happening featuring standup comedy from local comics, followed by an inclusive dance party that goes until 4am!
STAY IN: Bryan Cranston’s new family-oriented sitcom The Dangerous Book For Boys, starts streaming today on Amazon! Looks to be a pretty fun piece of work.
ACTIVE: Critical Mass time! It’s the last Friday of the month so it’s time to hop on your bike and ride around the city along with a few hundred of your closest cycling allies. Show the streets who’s boss!
CULTURE: Massively important Andersonville bookstore Women and Children First celebrates the release of Together We Rise, a new chronicle of the Women’s March, with a conversation with Women’s March organizers in the shop. Expect a moderated panel featuring Chicago activists and politicians Sameena Mustafa, Bushra Amiwala, Kina Collins, and Angelica Magaña.
FILM: The Music Box has been showing a trio of films from French genre filmmaker Jean Rollin over the last several weeks, the latest of which is Fascination, an extremely inventive vampire flick.
FOOD + DRINK: Emporium Arcade Bar’s latest Instagram-baiting popup, The Dollhouse, wraps things up this weekend, with “fake DJ sets” from Joey Purp, Joe Freshgoods, and more.
FREE: Bonus Round Game Cafe, a new boardgame cafe in the southern reaches of Wrigleyville, opens their doors this weekend. Head over for a special ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration!
MUSIC: Ex-Disappears space rockers FACS celebrate the release of their new LP at the Empty Bottle tonight, joined by their all-caps pals DIM, plus Ethers.
OUTSIDE: It’s Easter weekend, yall. Maggie Daley Park and Medieval Times have teamed up for the first of many Easter Egg Hunts this weekend. It’s The Great Chicago Egg Hunt, expect more than 25,000 eggs hidden throughout the park, followed by Medieval activities for kids of all ages.
STAGE: The Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival presents a performance of No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks at The Studebaker Theater, featuring a live score from Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods. This looks rad.
STAY IN: Happy Anniversary, a new romantic dramedy starring Noel Wells and Ben Schwartz, hits Netflix tonight. Great lead couple with a super interesting premise!
ACTIVE: Wild Blossom Meadery, Winery, and Brewery hosts Yoga & Buzz, an hourlong yoga with the endpoint goat of having a complementary glass of sparkling mead at the end of the class. It’s important to have goals, in this life.
CULTURE: Wildly influential electronic music record shop Gramaphone Records in Lakeview hosts Walking and Falling: A DJ Mentor and Workshop instore event. It’s a mentorship type program for non-binary and woman-identifying music fans who are looking to take the next step into DJing!
FILM: It’s still the Chicago European Union Film Festival 2018 at the Siskel Film Center, which means you can catch an exclusive screening of The Young Karl Marx, a biopic of the wildly influential political thinker.
FOOD + DRINK: River Grove tiki haven Hala Kahiki hosts a Hawaiian Hula Dinner & Show! Take in some classic cocktails, plus a buffet and live entertainment!
FREE: Free local gig at Emporium Chicago featuring glam rockers The Gold Web and drag collective Strange Doll Haus!
MUSIC: The Empty Bottle’s extremely cool and good Live Music in a Cemetery series Beyond the Gate is back with a show featuring Julie Byrne, Brett Nauke, and Sam Wagster. Celebrate the Spring Equinox on a nice full moon in a chapel in a graveyard!
OUTSIDE: It’s soccer season, yall! The Chicago Fire’s home base Toyota Park hosts a Chicago/Portland doubleheader, featuring the Chicago Fire facing off against the Portland Timbers, followed by the Chicago Red Stars v. the Portland Thorns.
STAGE: Beloved Simpsons fandom podcast Everything’s Coming Up Simpsons appears live at Thalia Hall tonight, featuring special guests CM Punk and Woo Hoo! Chicago Trivia crew.
STAY IN: The insightful, revealing new memoir My Dead Parents got started as an anonymous Tumblr, chronicling writer Anya Yurchyshyn’s experience of uncovering the details of her parents’ history through their letters, photographs, and ephemera. It came out earlier this week, grab a copy from yer fav book shop and don’t leave the house til it’s finished.
ACTIVE: Head over to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore for a freaking April Fools Mystery Hike! Explore a special surprise excursion across their lovely nature preserve.
CULTURE: The Piggery Chicago’s got a Friends trivia night! Think u kno the Friends??? Prove it tonight.
FILM: Catch a screening of the 2006 monster movie The Host at Doc Films, screening today only in 35mm! This movie rules.
FOOD + DRINK: Celebrate Easter on the freakin High Seas, buddy! The Spirit of Chicago’s Easter Brunch Chicago Cruise sets out on Lake Michigan. Eat some eggs n flapjacks and enjoy a nice early Spring boat ride.
FREE: The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago hosts a Sunday snack Choreo-Chat, featuring a discussion between choreographers Bebe Miller and Molly Shanahan backed with delicious, complementary snacks for all attendees.
MUSIC: Smart Bar’s well-loved inclusive dance night is back for another week of jams and drag performances, soundtracked by Michael Serafini, Garrett David, and Celestethedj Alexander.
OUTSIDE: It’s Easter today, which means Longman & Eagle’s popular Adult Easter Egg Hunt goes down this morning. Discover special treats hidden around Logan Square, followed by a block party at the bar.
STAGE: iO’s Karaoke Storytellers series is back for their twelfth installment, featuring seven stories about different songs meaningful to local storytellers and comedians.
STAY IN: The latest “live TV stunt casted musical” thing, Jesus Christ Superstar, airs live on NBC tonight! Cast includes Alice Cooper, John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and more!
