Just a quick note for all you deal-hunters out there: Billy Goat will be celebrating its 75th anniversary on Thursday with 75-cent cheezborgers and 75-cent beers at all locations (except O'Hare) all day long. And when we say all day, we mean it: the celebration kicks off at 8 a.m. at the 430 N. Michigan location with Guy Bauer from the Johnny B Show on 97.9 FM (The Loop).
Artwork by Sergei Isupov looks over Navy Pier's Festival Hall during SOFA setup Wednesday. (Al Podgorski/Sun-Times)
SOFA Chicago Through Sunday at Navy Pier; $15-$25
Celebrating its 16th year, the Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair hits Navy Pier's Festival Hall to present work from top international galleries and dealers. Check out the opening night preview gala on Thursday ($50) to get a first glimpse at the show's best work. Hors d'oeurves and wine are included. Tickets for the rest of the show are $15 a day, or $25 for a three-day pass. Get them here or at the door. More: Check out the Sun-Times' SOFA photo gallery.
Lonie Walker's not your average Chicago club owner -- which is good, because her club, the Underground Wonder Bar, is far from your average Chicago club. Since 1989, the wild child has made her Gold Coast spot a haven for local musicians of all stripes (including the rockin' Walker herself), pioneering green business practices and remaining a committed charitable donor along the way.
Sadly, making it to year 21 might prove difficult, as the club's building, at 10 East Walton, was recently bought out. If things don't work out, a lot of people will have the blues, but Walker and her pals aren't wallowing. Instead, they're partying, celebrating a different year in the club's tenure every day, starting with a tribute to 1989 (complete with de-inflated drink specials) tomorrow night. The fun continues over the next few weeks, with the big 20th anniversary bash on November 15, featuring live music from 4 p.m.-4 a.m., drink specials, food and prizes, with proceeds benefiting the People's Music School.
So whether you've been a faithful patron since the days when the Gold Coast was one of the seedier sections of town, or you've yet to make a visit, now is the time to stop in for a trip down memory lane. Lonie will be waiting.
How much would you pay for this?(Photo: Clifton Henri)
Believe it or not, Blind Faith Cafe has been serving up creative vegetarian fare for 30 years now. The Evanston restaurant was way ahead of the local-and-organic trend, and continues to churn out dishes like Sagamite' (hominy corn, wild mushroom, jerusalem artichoke, wild rice and applewood-smoked squash sauteed in a rich vegetable reduction) and Pastel Azteca (layers of spinach, black bean, tortillas and poblano peppers baked with roasted tomato salsa and topped with melted cheese) for an appreciative audience.
Want to try one? Now is the time, because through Saturday, Blind Faith is celebrating its anniversary by letting customers decide what they want to pay for their entrees. So go ahead, try that shiitake walnut loaf you've been curious about -- if you don't like it, you don't have to pay the full $14 price. But since a restaurant doesn't get to the ripe old age of 30 by sending out tasteless food, we're guessing you'll end up parting with at least a little bit of cash.
8 Bold Souls are among the many jazz acts performing on Saturday.(Photo: via www.aacmchicago.org)
Hyde Park Jazz Festival Saturday in Hyde Park; free
This 14-hour, multi-venue event is like a marathon for music fans, and, like any long race, the true rewards are near the finish line, with exciting performers like 8 Bold Souls, Garaj Mahal and Dee Alexander. Remember to pace yourself and stay hydrated as you travel to unlikely music spots like the International House of Chicago, Hyde Park Bank and Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center.
Good news, pizza and pasta lovers.The always amiable Marie's Liquors & Pizza, whose notable features include old-fashioned cracker crust, super-friendly staff and an attached liquor store that will send retail-price bottles right to your table with only a small corkage fee attached, is celebrating its annual Customer Appreciation Days this week. Today, all in-house diners get half-price pizza; tomorrow, it's half-price spaghetti and ravioli.
Thinking about going to Chicago Gourmet (September 26 and 27), but scared off by the $150 ticket price? For today only, you can snag a one-day ticket to the second-annual food-centric fest (featuring a who's who of local, national and international chefs) for just $89 courtesy of Groupon. We're guessing the event has worked out many of the kinks (e.g. too much wine, not enough food) from last year, so this is a foodie deal worth investigating.
Got a mid-afternoon hunger pang going? If you can hold out 'til tomorrow, you can satisfy it for free. That's because Thursday is September Sampler Day; all Panera Bread locations will offer complimentary portions of menu items like the breakfast sandwich, BBQ chopped chicken salad, Napa almond chicken salad sandwich (just had this last week -- it's solid) and desserts including chocolate fudge brownies and macadamia nut blondies.
To take advantage, stop into your local cafe between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. We won't tell if you go twice.
The following table shows the lowest main-floor ticket price available for "Whose Live Anyway?" a live improv-comedy show featuring Ryan Stiles at the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University on April 30, depending on date of purchase.
September 13: $49
September 14: $49
September 15: $15
September 16: $49
September 17: $49
Notice anything unusual?
In honor of its15th anniversary, the Center will offer 15 main-floor tickets to each of its shows for just $15 each at www.centertickets.net on September 15 beginning at 10:15 a.m. If you're one of the lucky ones to get the (up to 69 percent) discount, you can only buy two tickets. Hey, demand is high for shows like Jim Brickman (October 3), Jeff Corwin (October 17), Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (January 23), Los Lobos (March 20), The Glenn Miller Orchestra (May 15) and more. See the full lineup for season on the website.
Looking for a cheap drink downtown this weekend? You won't be able to do much better than the $4 glasses of wine at BIN 36. The deal's actually available all month, as part of the restaurant/bar's ongoing 10th anniversary celebration. If you're skeptical of the quantity and quality of the wine, consider this: BIN offered $5 glasses of wine in August, and were convinced to bring back the deal this month due to customer demand.
Already thinking about what October's $3 deal will be? While we don't know that, we can tell you that BIN 36 will be a good spot for wine lovers to check out early in the month. The annual Harvest Festival takes place October 4, offering a chance to blend your own custom wine using a Cabernet Sauvignon base and adding proportions of Merlot or Syrah. If you like your creation, you can purchase bottles of it for around $15 each. The event costs $36 and advance tickets can be purchased at www.bin36.com.
