What they're saying on Facebook . . .

The NRA's executive chef John Abels is up for grabs at Maven's "Share the Love Date Auction" tonight at Martini Park. (Photo: John Abels)


John Abels (Executive Chef/National Restaurant Association): "TONIGHT is the night......Maven's Share the Love Date Auction at Martini Park."

Yogi Jones (Mascot/Berry Chill): "Excited for the return of Pink Guava and Peach Mango (frozen yogurt) this Thursday!"

Joncarl Lachman (Executive Chef/HB Home Bistro): "Thinking this feels like a good day to do alot of braising."

Edwin Rios a.k.a. DJ Bear Who?: "Gathering the beats for a beat down at Evil Olive tonight."

Joe Shanahan (Owner/Smart Bar): "Getting ready for the return of Frankie Knuckles in Smartbar tonight. it has been 27 years since he has played the club!! It is going to incredible."

For all the single ladies (and lads!)

(Photo: NBC)


Why should couples have all the fun on V-Day?!

Instead of hibernating with mushy movies and music while everyone else is out wining and dining, get your butt out there in the mix.

So many spots cater to singles this year, so grab your pals and go:

Angelina Ristorante hosts a Singles in the City feast on Friday. Guests won’t have to worry about being in a sea of couples because this five-course, family-style dinner encourages friends and family to get together. For $40 each, you’ll get your choice of five dishes and a drink with dinner. Four-person minimum table. 5-11pm.

Cobra Lounge celebrates all weekend with St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Friday's event features a naughty burlesque show with Miss Maya Sinstress and Kendra James followed by a virtual freak show with The Reverend B. Dangerous. And in case that isn’t enough, metal band Skank will be performing live to keep you pumped. If that’s not quite your scene, round two will be on Saturday night with The Chamber Strings headlining. 9pm-2am. No cover.

An all-girls party happens at The Fifty/50 with Valentine's Day pampering for all. Love Soiree includes three hours of complimentary manicures and massages during dinner. Just sit back and feel the love while you enjoy your meal and then sip on Skyy Cherry Bomb shots and martini drink specials until 3am. Party starts at 9pm Saturday. No cover with RSVP to info@shequechicago.com.

J Bar pokes fun at love by encouraging guests to poke pins in party-favor "voodoo dolls." While DJ Rock City spins, the hilarious "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" plays on several plasma screens. Bartenders serve specialty themed cocktails, including the Love Him or Leave Him Cosmo (of course there's Effen black cherry vodka!). 8pm-3am Saturday. No cover.

Indulge a sweet tooth at Jake Melnick’s, where ladies will be given comped hand-made chocolate bon bons as reps from Magic Hat Brewery will be stirring things up with sexy party favors. Of course, you'll find specials on signature beers, including Founders Double Chocolate Breakfast Stout, which should pair perfectly with those bon bons. 9pm-2am Saturday. No cover.

Passion and Spice: Singles Night Out happens at Le Bar with a number of specialty cocktails and the opportunity to meet your match before the big day. Mixologist DJ (Daniel) Love has concocted a trio of treats to set it off right: Passion and Spice (depicts the heat felt when two lovers first meet through the spice of the cayenne pepper and Agave nectar), Aphrodite’s Chalice (represents the "getting to know you" phase of a relationship with rosé champagne, Hendrick’s Gin, raspberries, egg whites, simple syrup) and Cupid’s Arrow (rosé champagne, lychee puree, lemon, Veev, simple syrup; served in champagne glass). 7pm-2am Friday. No cover.

Pull out your boas and pearls for a Roaring Twenties-style set at The Lodge. The two-hour party will be complete with era dancers, Beefeater gin cocktails, bubbly, themed food and a Speakeasy atmosphere. 6-8pm Saturday. $30.

Turn old sorrows into a reason to party by checking into Rednofive’s Heartbreak Hotel. Revelers will be rocking to love-ballad remixes from guest DJ Rock Tee alongside resident favorites. Redno also offers special "love potions" to encourage extra mingling, including their potent version of the French Kiss Martini. 10pm-5am Saturday.

Looking for some old-school action? Silver Cloud hosts a Valentine’s Prom Night with a four-course dinner package and a half bottle of wine. You might want to skip the flashy dress and tux, but be prepared for a complimentary prom photo to take home as a souvenir. 6-11pm Saturday. $29.95 each.

Slip up to Sushi Samba's Sugarcane Lounge for C’est Dommage. Happening on Feb. 13, the masquerade bash includes a photobooth, complimentary masks and themed drinks. $10 gets you free passed appetizers and a hosted open bar (8-9pm). A portion of the proceeds benefit Howard Brown. 8pm-1am Friday.

Timothy O’Toole’s hosts a Nuts and Bolts mingler for singles. Each guy gets a “nut” and each girl receives a “bolt.” Only one matching set will exist in all the pieces, so there will have to be a lot of mixing and matching to find the "parts" that fit. Could this be some sort of sexy innuendo?! The winning “Nut and Bolt” pair will each be rewarded a $25 gift certificate. 9pm-3am Saturday. No cover.
--Suzy M. contributing

Bleeding Heart Bakery responds to shuttering

Michelle Garcia of Bleeding Heart Bakery (Photo: Bleeding Heart Bakery)


The Stew and other food-focused blogs wrote about the health department's temporary shuttering of Bleeding Heart Bakery.

But this afternoon, owner Michelle Garcia released this statement:

"It was reported yesterday, 2/9/09, that the Chicago Health Department conducted a routine inspection of Bleeding Heart Bakery, resulting in its closing due to clogged sinks, no manager on duty and overflowing garbage in the alley. The blogs, internet and news has run am muck with the story and many speculations and slanderous comments have been made.

We are writing this statement to put a stop to the rumors and to state our side of the story, which not one reporting agency, besides the Booster, has bothered to ask.

On Sunday night, after service, our kitchen sink became clogged, once noticed in the morning, the sink was covered and not used. The hand sink near by was affected and was also closed. These are two of 6 sinks we have in the bakery, three of which are hand sinks. This in no way said that we were not either washing our hands (as there is a sink 15 feet away for that) or our dishes. We were not actually open and no food could have in anyway been affected. Drano (yes, I know...bad) had already been purchased and cleared the drain in minutes. Problem solved before 11am.

We get our trash serviced every Monday by Waste Management. They usually come around 10 am which they did yesterday. As our inspection was between 8 and 9, the garbage was not emptied yet. We pay for this service and they come faithfully every week.

There were two members of the staff present both of which had their sanitation license, they were not asked for it. However, the bakery was cited for not having a staff member with their sanitation license present. The owner, Michelle recently had surgery and had to run out for 1 hour to a post op appointment. This one hour just happened to be the hour the health department showed up. Interesting.

We have always prided ourselves on our cleanliness and have supported an open kitchen from the very beginning to prove we have nothing to hide.

We apologize for any problems this may cause people, we have already gone back to the city and will be re-inspected within 48 hours, which is routine procedure. We will be open for business this weekend or sooner, without a doubt, and we will be celebrating another wonderful Valentines Day."

What they're saying on Facebook . . .

Paul Virant, the acclaimed chef of Vie in Western Springs, is scouting spaces for a new downtown venture today. (Photo: Paul Virant)


Gregory Hall (Owner/Brewmaster Goose Island): "Thirsty for old Goose Island favorite Lincoln Park Lager, to be tapped on Abe's birthday, only at 1800 Clybourn."

James R. Lasky (Restaurateur): "Stoked for 63 degrees. Chaise will have a few outside tables ready for those who dare!"

John Ross (Owner/The Bristol): "Me and the redhead are reworking the drink menu to get our fabulous guests drinks faster....times are tough they need drinks (now)."

Paul Virant (Owner/Chef Vie): "Going to check out a restaurant space downtown (Tuesday) am."

Props for new Pilsen bar

(Photo: Simone's Bar)


We haven't hung out in Pilsen in years, but Thrillist's take on newcomer Simone's Bar makes it tempting:

"Further in's 'Simone's Lab,' a 1,000 sq ft bar-within-a-bar, event space, and art gallery, housed in a former mechanic's shop sporting graffiti-scrawled chemistry desk tabletops, dusty lab equipment displayed in lofted cases, random machine parts, and church pews (the only non-reclaimed thing is your jaunty soul).

Booze includes 40+ brews, from cheap staples ($2.50 PBR tall boys) to micros (Founders' Dirty Bastard, New Holland Dragon's Milk, etc) . . . "

'Swoon' on the sweetest day

Philip Foss of Lockwood. (Photo: Philip Foss)


They heat up the kitchens and now they're heating up your computer screen.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, our friends over at CitySearch have rounded up the sexiest chefs in town.

Of particular note: Michael McDonald (onesixty blue), Chad Starling (Le Lan), Philip Foss (Lockwood), and the lone female on the list—Radhika Desai (Between Boutique Cafe and Lounge).

We have some thoughts on who else should've made the cut, like . . .

What they're saying on Facebook . . .

Marc Brooks of Park 52. (Photo: Marc Brooks)


Manolis D. Alpogianis (Partner/America's Dog): "The best stimulus package for Chicago is nice weather."

Marc Brooks (owner/Park 52): "Wondering why my friend Patrice Miner is talking about Houston's spinach dip and not Park 52's."

Michigan Avenue: "Looking forward to the Obamas coming back to town next weekend ! Any guesses on where they will go?"

Gregory Hall (Owner/Brewmaster Goose Island): "Can't wait for Chicago Art Brigade Valentine Market at Goose Island on Feb 11."

Julius Spates (Deejay): "Ready for the 3Degrees party at US @ Crocodile Lounge on Thursday & Jack @ Zentra on Friday!"

Rick Tramonto (Chef/Owner Tru): "Making a Tropical Fruit Salad with Vinaigrette Noodles for South Beach Food & Wine Festival."

More props for local restaurants and chefs

The Publican is Chicago's only eatery up for Bravo's "A-List Restaurant." (Photo: Bob Briskey Photography)


Chicagoans represent in two categories in Bravo's annual A-List Awards, which selects the country's top tastemakers:

A-List Chef: Guiseppe Trentori (BOKA); Koren Grieveson (avec); Grant Achatz (Alinea)

A-List Restaurant: The Publican

Vote now!