Flash Dance, Drink and Dine!

Looks like the coolest TV station in town is NBC-5, who is hosting a "flash mob" party at 9pm Thursday, where guests will be treated to free sushi and cocktails, plus one of Chicago's hottest deejays.

For right now, they're not releasing the location, but we can tell you that the after-party's going down at Carol's Pub in Uptown.

They're only letting in the first 115 people, so to get all the deets follow them on Twitter.

The $6K Wine Was Screaming Eagle . . .

Got an update on the $6,000 wine story I wrote earlier this week.

Turns out the diner at an unnamed Chicago steakhouse ordered a 2001 Screaming Eagle. That bottle retailed for $6,000 at the resto, while a 1998 vintage was a little over $3,000. Perhaps he ordered the wrong bottle?!

I'll admit that when it comes to fine wines, I'm no expert, so I turned to Avenues at the Peninsula Sommelier Michael Muser, who shed light on how this situation could've been handled better:

"You delicately and clearly explain what they just ordered, including the vintage and everything," he says. "If you have an item on your wine list that's $6,000, you need to be very, very cautious, making sure the guest understands the severity of the situation. That is a major purchase."

On the other hand, Muser says, if he wasn't paying attention, "he deserved what he got. This is the most exclusive wine, and I'm assuming they know Screaming Eagle and know it is one of the hardest wines in the world to get."

Foodie Yoga the Next Big Thing?!

As a hardcore yogi who's been practicing for more than 13 years, I'm finding this latest trend on the mat quite disturbing.

Foodie Yoga is the newest brand of yoga at a New York studio. They're combining vegan food with Bikram, which sounds absolutely unsanitary. I'm all about exploring yourself through yoga—and of course I'm all about the food!!!—but this is beyond, as described in yesterday's New York Times story:

"All had signed up for a strange new hybrid of physical activity: first an hour of vigorous, sweaty yoga, then a multicourse dinner of pasta, red wine and chocolate. As soon as the lights went up, dinner was served on the floor: an (almost) seamless transition designed to allow the yogis to taste, smell and digest in a heightened state of awareness."

I really hope this is one trend that never makes its way to Chicago!

UPDATE: It's coming . . . and happening at Province in March!

Prairie Fire Set to Open Next Week in West Loop

Prairie Fire owners Sarah Stegner (left) and George Bumbaris with Naha owner Carrie Nahabedian. (Photo: Prairie Grass Cafe)


Located in the old Powerhouse resto space, Prairie Fire is set to open next week, according to owner/chef Sarah Stegner on her Facebook status:

"We passed inspection so we should be able to open next week. I"m not sure which day yet. Lot of work to do between now and then."