A view from the all-new CityScape

I'm not sure if I can see myself partying it up in a Holiday Inn (remember that line from Rapper's Delight: ". . . . hotel, motel, Holiday Inn . . ."), but didn't we say the same thing some time ago when the W Lakeshore (644 N. Lakeshore Dr.) reinvigorated the space formerly known as the Days Inn with Whiskey Sky?

Now comes CityScape (350 W. Mart Center Dr., 312-836-5000), the lounge on the 15th floor of the hotel that wants to take the town by storm. It's right off the Merchandise Mart, and guests can easily gain access through a passageway. But the coolest thing about CityScape is that like Trump's Rebar, it'll have the best views of the Chicago River with its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Light bites will include crab cakes, chicken "strings," mini-burgers, and a crab and shrimp cerviche—which we're told is simply phenomenal. And, in addition to classic cocktails and specialty beers, they're boasting local and organic beers as well as certified organic wines. Look for it to open in mid-February.