Wouldn’t you just love a stack of these gooey bread pudding pancakes, from Southport Café, to cure that New Year’s Eve hangover? (Photo: Southport Cafe)
Don’t overdo it on New Year’s Eve, so you can have some more fun on New Year’s Day. There’s plenty to do, whether you want to do something active like a 5K run or check out a favorite brunch spot. Or, if you’d rather stay in, whip up brunch yourself and invite friends over.
Check my recs:
STAY IN:
August (1500 W. Division St., 773-252-9560). If you seriously enjoy cooking and trying new recipes, this is your spot. This corner gourmet market has a cooking focus and you’ll find a rotating lineup of meats, fish, veggies and groceries that you won’t find anywhere else. Also, owner/chef George Djurvic creates daily recipes (and he’s sampling them, too!) so you can surprise and thrill your guests. Oh, and if you don’t want to cook, there’s also heat-and-go entrees.
Goddess and Grocer. Get in touch with the Bucktown or Gold Coast location for specialty gourmet platters. Order a basket of assorted breakfast pastries (muffins, scones, Danish, bagels, etc.) or frittatas (Spanish, Mexican or Italian); trays of assorted mini wraps and rolls, petite sandwiches, Spanish tapas or beef tenderloin rolls; or skewers (chicken teriyaki, sesame-honey shrimp, tomato and basil). 25 E. Delaware Pl., 312-896-2600 or 1646 N. Damen Ave., 773-342-3200.
Southport Café and Grocery (3552 N. Southport Ave., 773-665-0100). Many items from this popular Lakeview café’s menu can be made at home. Treat your guests to their gooey good bread pudding pancakes, which comes with cinnamon-sugar butter and vanilla custard sauce. They’re certain to cure any hangover.
GET OUT:
Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! (2024 N. Halsted St., 773-935-5000). Guests who dine in their jammies on New Year’s Day receive a gift certificate valued for the dollar amount of their meals, so brunch is essentially free. Indulge in options like crepes filled with goat cheese and quince or Spanish-style French toast, and belly up to the build-your-own-Bloody-Mary bar, with seven top-shelf vodkas, stuffed olives and all the spicy trimmings.
Rail Bar & Grill (4709 N. Damen Ave., 773-878-9400). Get an unlimited bloody mary bar, one plate and one side order off the breakfast menu for $20 at this cozy neighborhood hang. Also, single bloody marys $3.50; single menu items $5. 10am-2pm.
Winston’s Market (3440 N. Southport Ave., 773-327-6400). The up-and-coming brunch joint in Lakeview serves sandwiches, build-your-own salad options, house-pressed burgers, grilled skirt steak and stews. Also a family-friendly atmosphere.
WORK OUT:
23rd Annual New Year's Day 5K Fun Run and Walk. Benefiting the Lakeview Citizen’s Council, this event’s route travels north along the lakefront to Diversey Harbor before looping back to the finish. A post-race party at Gamekeepers Tavern & Grill (1971 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-549-0400) includes an awards ceremony, raffle and drinks for runners. 11am. $25 in advance; $30 day of event. Call 773-868-3010 for more info.
Exhale Spa (945 N. State St., 312-753-6500). Only two classes are offered on New Year’s Day: a 75-minute level 2 yoga class at 10:30am and Core Fusion (a combination of yoga, Pilates and strength training) at 12:05pm. $24 drop-in fee.
Moksha Yoga. The River West and Lakeview locations offer classes for the hardcore yogis. Check out the River West location (700 N. Carpenter St., 312-942-9642) for vinyasa or Lakeview (3334 N. Clark St., 773-975-9642) for full-primary Astanga. Both at 10am. $16 drop-in fee.
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