Margarita madness . . . and more

Adobo Grill celebrates "National Margarita Day" on Friday with $5 margaritas at all its locations. (Photo: Adobo Grill)


Get out! Get out! Get out . . . this weekend:

AlphaWomen.com Launch Party. The new community-based web site hosts this launch event tonight at Sofitel (20 E. Chestnut St.). Its purpose? It's for women across the United States and globe to connect with one another and discuss “real” issues and experiences. From 6-9pm, guests will mingle, enjoy hors d’oeuvres and P.I.N.K. Vodka specialty cocktails. Party-goers will also get the chance to indulge in complimentary hand massages from Sephora and H20+, mini makeovers by Bare Essentials and fashion tips and styling by wardrobe consultant Julie Watson. The first 100 guests get a fabulous swag bag filled with glamorous gifts. $30 in advance; $40 at door. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Lung Cancer Alliance Organization. Call 312-464-8111 for more info.

Hooray for Rosé. Get the real deal on this "misunderstood wine" during a tasting from 6-8pm. Just don't call it white Zinfandel! This is the wine for spring’s awakening and to ceremoniously bid winter an early adieu. WineStyles Chicago (1433 W. Belmont Ave., 773-549-2227). Free.

Margarita Madness. Take the edge off handbag shopping with a little tequila at Bess & Loie (1015 W. Lake St., 312-226-2247) accessories boutique tonight from 6-9pm.

Whiskey Seminar and Tasting. Master of whisky Martin Duffy leads this seminar to help you learn the differences and similarities between a variety of Irish and Scotch whiskies at popular North Center restaurant, Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro (3905 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-248-3905). Tonight 7-8pm. $10.

Chicago Restaurant Week. It's finally here and starts on Friday at area restaurants. See the full list of participants here, including Prosecco (710 N. Wells St., 312-951-9500), NAHA (500 N. Clark St., 312-321-6242) and Kiki's Bistro (900 N. Franklin St., 312-335-5454).

National Margarita Day! Hey, it's any excuse to start drinking on the weekend. So celebrate Friday with a margarita or two or three . . . All Adobo Grill locations (1610 N. Wells St., 312-266-7999; 2005 W. Division St., 773-252-9990) celebrate with a $5 margarita special in honor of the occasion. Also, raise your margarita glass at Blue Agave (1 W. Maple St., 312-335-8900), Agave (3115 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-404-1800), Salud (1471 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-235-5577) or Zocalo (358 W. Ontario St., 312-302-9977), which also offers half-price appetizers in the bar from 5-7pm and live Latin music every Friday.

Four-Course Fridays. Every Friday at Il Fiasco (5101 N. Clark St., 773-769-9700), the Italian shop offers a new menu for $39 per person (exclues tax, tip, gratuity). Get there early tonight for a special art show with a meet and greet with the artists from 6-8pm. There will be complimentary appetizers and it's free to get in.

Flashback Fridays. Friday kicks off a late-night event at Rednofive (440 N. Halsted St., (312-543-4998) featuring veteran deejays known for their energetic styles. Julian “The Night Ninja”, Tim "Spinnin" Schommer, Frankie "Hollywood" Rodriguez, Flipside, "The Boogieman", "Too Kool" Chris and others are the spin stars. The launch event features Jesse De La Pena and Frankie “Hollywood” Rodriguez. Friday 10pm-4am. $20.

BYOB Taste of Rogers Park. Jean Iverson, author of BYOB Chicago, stops by Taste Food and Wine (1506 Jarvis Ave., 773-761-3663) to sign books and discuss the BYOB scene in Chicago. They'll be pairing complimentary wines with tastings from Taste of Peru (6545 N. Clark St., 773-381-4540) and Pakistani eatery Luzzat (1505 W. Jarvis Ave., 773-764-1065). 6-7:30pm Saturday. Free.

Rock the World. Just in case you're not down with all the Oscar parties going down on Sunday, Sonotheque's Joe Bryl is bringing something completely different. He's spinning some mad music at Danny's Tavern (1951 W. Dickens Ave., 773-489-6457) that includes Bollywood beats, German grooves, Spanish soul, Turkish funk, Cambodian Garage, Brazilian Psychedelia and Japanese rock. Alrighty then! 9pm-2am. Free.

Another one bites the dust: The Cheese Stands Alone

(Photo: The Cheese Stands Alone)


Lincoln Square gourmet shop The Cheese Stands Alone (4547 N. Western Ave., 773-293-3870) calls it quits.

After five years in business as the place to go for husband-and-wife team Matt and Sarah Parker's handpicked selections, the store is closing this weekend. They carry more than 100 cheeses from around the world, specializing in fine European cheeses like aged Gouda, so if you're looking for a deal, they just might be on sale this weekend.

The Wild Brunch

I went to dinner with a couple of my best male friends last night. Unfortunately I took them to a place with flatscreens showing NCAA college basketball. I wanted to bitch and moan about current events, dating drama, blah, blah, blah, but they weren't listening. They were too busy watching whomever was playing on the tube.

So that reminded me that "March Madness" is right around the corner. So . . . it's going to get even worse. Nonstop, all-day basketball watching—especially on Saturdays and Sundays during brunch time. We may as well get used to it and embrace it and check out some spots that do sports brunch well:

Jake Melnick's Corner Tap (41 E. Superior St., 312-867-4908). The lodge-like, Gold Coast bar recently became infamous for its seriously ridiculously over-the-top hot wings that are so intense that you have to sign a waiver in order to get them. But, if that's not your bag, go for the Hot Dog Flight with three different styles of mini hot dogs. And Sunday is their regular brunch, featuring Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast, as well as a host of omelets and skillets. Also, on Sunday, go for $3.12 312 Pints or $5 Bloody Marys from the build-your-own bar.

McGee's Tavern (950 W. Webster Ave., 773-549-8200). The Lincoln Park institution is most popular for its rowdy brunch crowd, Eggs Benedict and Haystack skillets (i.e. Placido’s Mexican Haystack, Veggiestack). Oh, and how about that build-your-own Bloody Mary bar that continues until brunch time is over? You don't want to miss that action. Multiple flatscreens over the bar and at many tables keep the natives occupied, and many people get there at 11am and don't leave until it's dark outside. Now, that's a brunch.

The Gage (24 S. Michigan Ave., 312-372-4243). Or, for a more civilized brunch, we bring you this South Loop gem that's made its name as a popular post-work hangout. They've got Dirk Flanigan in the kitchen, so of course the menu's much more creative. He's put his spin on a traditional Irish breakfast, plus steel cut Irish oatmeal brulee and an apple pancake soufflé.

'You have a baby . . . in a bar?!'

Good idea or very bad idea?

Here's what Slashfood has to say on the subject.

Some notable openings

The Stew reports that Jerry Kleiner's Park 52 (5201 S. Harper Court) is opening in mid-March. For reals this time. And did we mention that Park 52 sounds too much like Table 52 (52 W. Elm St., 312-573-4000)? He might want to rethink that one.

Drive-Thru checks out new Loop lunch spot Noodles & Co. (180 N. Michigan Ave.).

And Basil Leaf Cafe (2460 N. Clark St.) in Lincoln Park recently closed, but it's now joined forces with sister restaurant next door, Sage (2465 N. Clark St., 773-348-7243), with a larger dining space and bar area.

Deal of the day . . .

(Photo: Dogfish)


Embrace the beer craze tonight with Vertical Tasting, in which guests get to sample an awesome selection of Dogfish Head craft beers. The event's held at Delilah's (2771 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-472-2771) with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery owner/brewer Sam Calagione and Delilah's owner Mike Miller leading the largest single sampling of more than 20 Dogfish Head beers ever attempted in Chicago, including many rare beers and vintages of World Wide Stout and Immort Ale. Tonight 9pm-midnight. Free.

As usual, "Greazy & Sleazy" DJ Jason Larsen spins, and for those not into Doghead, the Wednesday specials are $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon Longnecks and $2 Ten High Bourbon.

If you can't make it to Delilah's tonight, head here on Saturday, Feb. 23 for Vintage Strong Beer Fest 2008. It's the 10th annual festival for this event, and guests will get to sample more than 70 beers, primarily strong ales, from over 50 breweries. Just some of the ales include Three Floyds, Goose Island, Greg Browne Brewing, Capitol, Two Brothers, Rock Bottom, Flossmoor Station, Flatlander’s and Bell’s & Lakefront Brewing. Many of the brewers will also be in attendance. Noon-6pm. $20.

Do you want to get DIRTY?!

Last month, gastro-pubby The Filthy Libertine (1615 N. Clybourn Ave., 312-654-1782) opened in the old Aldente space in Lincoln Park.

Now, we've got an update on another naughty-named night spot that we told you about last year.

Look for DIRTY to open soon in the recently vacated Mas home at 1670 W. Division St. in Wicker Park. Owned by Dion Antic—whose Rock Star Dogs (801 N. Ashland Ave., 312-421-2364) opens in Ukrainian Village in early March—DIRTY will have some big-name celebrity involvement, "DIRTY" burgers on the menu and porn stars coming through on a regular basis. Just how "dirty" will Dion get? If you remember some of his most memorable projects like Liquid Kitty, (the first) Harry's Velvet Room and Get Me High Lounge, then you know that he does it with kick-ass flash.

The Beer Bistro takes the plunge

(Photo: Chicago Polar Plunge)


West Loop gastropub Beer Bistro (1061 W Madison St., 312-433-0013) is sending out a call for help so they can participate in the annual Chicago Polar Plunge, which is taking place on Sunday, March 2 in the freezing waters of Lake Michigan.

Hundreds of brave souls take the plunge every year to raise funds for the Special Olympics Chicago. This year, the Beer Bistro staff is going as the Polar Beers (ha!), and they're looking for donations of $100 per person.

Those who donate $100 (or more) will be able to join the Beer Bistro folks back at the bar following the Polar Plunge for a party that includes an open bar and food. Go here for more info.