5 things to do this weekend (besides your taxes) | April 12–14
It might not feel entirely springlike in Chicago (yet), but here are five great reasons to get out and about this weekend, Friday 12–Sunday 14:
FlySpace Dance Series
Fri and Sat 7pm; Sun 5pm; Millennium Park. $15.
Members from four female-led Chicago-area dance companies perform contemporary pieces at the Pritzker Pavilion.
"Images Structure—Sonnenzimmer"
Fri 7pm–10pm; Sat Noon–5pm, Saturday; Public Works Gallery. Free.
This exhibition by the always productive and innovative Chicago studio Sonnenzimmer showcases Nick Butcher and Nadine Nakanishi's experiments with textiles.
Let Them Eat Chaos
Fri 8, 11pm; Sat 8, 11pm; Sun 7pm; The Second City Mainstage. $23–$28.
Check out the Second City's awesomely absurdist 101st Mainstage revue before it's high tourism season in Chicago and everyone and their mom is trying to get tickets. (Then again, it's always tourism season at the Second City.)
DOSE Market
Sun 10am–4pm, River East Art Center. $10, advance $8.
Whether you're looking for specialty olive oil, handcrafted kombucha or sculptural jewelry, you'll find it at this carefully curated, über popular market devoted to food and fashion.
Pop-Up Book Fair
Sun 2–6:30pm, Empty Bottle. $5 or free with R.S.V.P.
Viva la print! More than 40 Chicago-area indie presses, publications and booksellers team up to sell their stuff, including Agate Publishing, Curbside Splendor, contratiempo, Quimby's, MAKE, Poetry and more.
Changes at Time Out Chicago
Dear Time Out Chicago readers,
Started in 2005 as a joint enterprise with Time Out North America, we were thrilled to launch Time Out in Chicago, a hub for world-class art, a legendary home for innovative comedy and theater, and a food-lovers' destination. Over the past eight years, Time Out Chicago has developed a large, loyal audience and become a go-to destination for what to do in the Windy City, and that did not change when Time Out Chicago became a separate company in 2010. We’re delighted to let you know today that Time Out Group has acquired Time Out Chicago, making it one of the Time Out Group owned and operated cities joining New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris.
Chicagoans will soon reap the benefits of Time Out Group’s digital offerings which, in addition to an improved website, means that we’ll soon be rolling out the same mobile and iPad apps currently enjoyed by fans in Los Angeles, New York, Paris and London. Completely free, the apps will bring all of Time Out Chicago’s reviews, features, and event listings to your fingertips. There will be changes to the ways in which you get your recommendations, listings and reviews and we’ll keep you up to date with these developments as they happen.
While the media world has changed dramatically since 2005, our purpose has remained the same—to inspire Chicagoans to make the most of their city. We look forward to delivering the expert recommendations and reviews to inspire you to do more of the things you love via new and improved technology.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barr
Editorial Director, Time Out North America
More About Time Out Group
Time Out is the number one trusted choice for consumers seeking inspiration, information, and booking opportunities relating to arts, entertainment, and culture in the world’s major cities.
Time Out was founded in 1968 in London, by Tony Elliott and has since grown into a global media group that spans 37 cities across 25 countries and provides the very best inspiration and information.
Time Out is uniquely positioned as provider of local information and expert guidance to consumers through a distribution network which incorporates magazines, a massively growing online presence, mobile applications, events, and partnerships. Time Out has a worldwide audience of over 20 million across all these channels, most recently launching its iPad app in New York and London. The company received recognition for its achievements within the industry earning the International Consumer Magazine of the Year title at the Periodical Publishers Association Awards two years in a row, in 2010 and 2011.
Time Out North America was established as a partnership between Time Out Group and North American based partners to launch Time Out New York in September 1995. Time Out North America now includes Time Out New York, Time Out New York Kids, the recently launched web property Time Out Los Angeles, and Time Out Chicago.
In November 2010 Oakley Capital acquired a 50% stake in Time Out Group and in 2011 acquired a majority stake in Time Out North America. Oakley Capital is now the majority shareholder in both groups.
Roger Ebert | In memoriam
Roger Ebert influenced more moviegoers than any film critic who ever lived and, it seems safe to say, more than any who ever will. Those of us who thought he’d somehow never stop his unrivaled, 300-review-per-year output should take solace in the fact that he kept it up until nearly the end—announcing a “leave of presence” just two days before his death, at 70, from cancer, a disease he battled with a candor few would have such courage to show in public.
Free things to do in Chicago | April 3–9
Here's a great list of free things to do this week in Chicago.
Wednesday 3
"Artificial Turf."
3–7pm, Peanut Gallery
Two dozen M.F.A. students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign present their new work in painting, sculpture, photography, metal and new media.
D.S. Tequila Company's Team Trivia
8pm, D.S. Tequila Company
Walk away with $100 or get your dinner comped just for knowing useless shit.
This week's cover story | Spring Fashion
Here's a sneak peek at what's coming up in this week's Time Out Chicago, on newsstands tomorrow:
Neon is back! So are floral prints and color blocking! Black and white is the color combo of the season! See how these trends have been updated for spring 2013 in our lovely Spring Fashion issue, which features clothes and accessories you can actually afford. Imagine!
Plus, meet the talented ladies of INDO, the design company that put together our Spring Fashion set.
Catching up with Dmitry Samarov
Once you get to know Dmitry Samarov, you’ll never look at cab drivers the same way. An artist, writer and now ex-cab driver, he spent 12 years of his life driving taxis around both Chicago and Boston, picking up colorful stories and memories along the way. In 2011, he compiled his experiences in a book, Hack: Stories from a Chicago Cab, filled with his musings and artwork depicting life behind the wheel. Now Samarov works as a full-time artist and author (and part-time barista). I recently caught up with him and asked about his current projects: a sequel to his first book and an album of his stories set to music.
Your album is called The Blue Light and Other Things That Happened. Where’d the idea for that title come from?
The Blue Light is the bar that I worked at, and it’s the name of the last piece on the album. [It’s] this horrible 4am redneck bar on Belmont and Western. They’re all true stories—I always call them stories, and sometimes people get confused about that, ‘cause they think stories are made up, but I’ve never had to make up any stories.
How’d you choose the stories that went on the album?
As far as selection, I didn’t want it to be all darkness or all comedy, so I chose a bit of each. I wanted a variety of moods, so I guess you could say it’s "The Many Moods of Dmitry Samarov"—sort of a like a greatest hits or whatever. [Laughs]
Catching up with Dmitry Samarov
Once you get to know Dmitry Samarov, you’ll never look at cab drivers the same way. An artist, writer and now ex-cab driver, he spent 12 years of his life driving taxis around both Chicago and Boston, picking up colorful stories and memories along the way. In 2011, he compiled his experiences in a book, Hack: Stories from a Chicago Cab, filled with his musings and artwork depicting life behind the wheel. Now Samarov works as a full-time artist and author (and part-time barista). I recently caught up with him and asked about his current projects—a sequel to his first book and an album of his stories set to music.
Your album is called The Blue Light and Other Things That Happened. Where’d the idea for that title come from?
The Blue Light is the bar that I worked at, and it’s the name of the last piece on the album. [It’s] this horrible 4am redneck bar on Belmont and Western. They’re all true stories—I always call them stories, and sometimes people get confused about that, ‘cause they think stories are made up, but I’ve never had to make up any stories.
How’d you choose the stories that went on the album?
As far as selection, I didn’t want it to be all darkness or all comedy, so I chose a bit of each. I wanted a variety of moods, so I guess you could say it’s "The Many Moods of Dmitry Samarov"—sort of a like a greatest hits or whatever. [Laughs]
Free things to do in Chicago | Mar 25–31
This is the last week for a lot of free art exhibits, and Mess Hall is having its last shindig before it closes its doors.
Monday 25
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Official Logo Viewing Party
9pm, Spin
Start your "werk" week with the fiercest bitches in America as Drag Race revs up with a fifth fabulous season.
Chicago Tattoo Arts Convention | Photos
Check out our photos of the third annual Chicago Tattoo Arts Convention, held this weekend in Rosemont.
This week's cover story | The Burger Issue
Here's what's coming up in this week's Time Out Chicago on newsstands tomorrow:
We've eaten just about every burger in this city and, boy, are our arteries clogged. Somehow we managed to narrow down our favorites to a list of the top five overall examples of meat between bun, and the 18 best burgers at non-burger joints (a.k.a. fancy spots like Blackbird). Speaking of burger joints, you can split them into two styles (except when you can't): old-school spots like diners that serve smashed, griddled patties, and new-school places that traffic in thicker slabs of ground beef topped with higher-end ingredients like foie gras. Two burger aficionados battle over which style is better, and name their favorites of each genre. And then there are those DIY places, where you can choose from an overhelming array of patty, spice, bun and topping options. Burger maestro Eddie Lakin of Edzo's Burger Shop walks us through how to navigate those choices without creating a franken-burger no human should eat. Of course, no burger meal is complete without fries, and we found five examples that nearly outshine their meaty accompaniments.
Oh, and I went to Chile. It was awesome. Please read about it.
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