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Taste of TLT - February 28, 2011
Each weekday Taste of TLT tells you where to go in Chicago.
Free Barenaked Ladies Concert
Barenaked Ladies fans are lucky lucky lucky. WTMX's Cara Carriveau is hosting a free concert tonight from 6 to 8m at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park. Yes, that is a bit of a hike, but it's Barenaked Ladies! And it's free! If you don't have a car, you can take the Orange line from downtown to Kedzie, and then grab the 52A to 115th and Spaulding.
When: Today! 6 to 8pm
How much: Free
Where: 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 W 115th St, Merrionette Park
For Tourists Only: Free Chicago Tours
One of the best ways to see Chicago is in the company of locals. When those locals volunteer their time to share their passion and knowledge it's even better. And when there's no charge to experience that expertise, you have the Chicago Greeter program.
A Whole Lot Of Free Stuff Going On
If money's tight it's a good day to be in Chicago. There's a plethora of free things to do today!
Make The Most Of Tonight's Joffrey Ballet Free Performance
Tonight the Joffrey Ballet is performing some of their favorites in Millennium Park. This is a magnificent event in Chicago to see one of our top cultural attractions in one of the city's best venues.
Oprah's Chicago Season Kickoff Show: A How-to Guide
You may have heard by now that Oprah's taking over Michigan Avenue on Tuesday, September 8, for her season opener. Whether you think it's the bees knees or like being stung by a swarm of them, here's how to make the most of it.
See Lyric Opera and Joffrey Ballet for free
Two of Chicago's treasures are Lyric Opera and The Joffrey Ballet. They are a significant part of what makes this a world class cultural city. Normally they perform in the prestigious Civic Opera house and Louis Sullivan-designed Auditorium Theatre and ticket prices are prohibitive for many. This September they'll both be performing in the also magnificent Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, and everyone can afford these.
Family Fun Tonight at Pritzker Pavilion
Kids just love to dance, and tonight parents will want to join in with "Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine" and "Bunny Clogs".
Labfest!
Do your kids think science is bo-ring? Have you tried to show them it's exciting and cool by making them watch countless hours of CSI only to find that gives them nightmares and/or the urge to grow mold in your refrigerator? Instead of creating mini-Grissom's, take them to Labfest!
When Being All Wet Is All Good
The waters off of Navy Pier are a backdrop for fireworks and a playground for the Lake Michigan cruise boats. This weekend it's also a stage.
More than Turks at this Turkish Fest
Go to Navy Pier this weekend and you'll hear more than just jets flying overhead. The Third Annual Chicago Turkish World Festival is taking place both Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 10pm. Despite the name, the event actually represents six countries in addition to Turkey, honoring their shared heritage as well as their diverse cultures: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Bosnia.
Free World Class Jazz
The Chicago Jazz Festival is Chicago's oldest lakefront music fest, but it's still a month away. You don't have to wait that long for some fantastic (and free) jazz; you can get your fix now with "Made In Chicago: World Class Jazz".
Free Opera Tonight In Millennium Park
Opera is normally reserved for people with fairly deep pockets. It's an expensive genre to enjoy. Tonight, however, everyone can experience the pleasure of this dramatic art form.
Last Minute Date Night Idea
Have a date tonight and no clue where to go? Head up to Botanic Gardens for a relaxing evening, with soothing sounds in an idyllic environment. Every Monday the Carillon Bells ring across the water from Evening Island. You can bring a picnic or you can buy sustenance there, including bottles of wine. Get there a little early and you can take a tour and see a demonstration, and even ring the bells yourself.
Outdoor Film Festival Begins Tonight
One of the most popular summer activities is the Outdoor Film Festival, and it begins tonight!
Celebrating Olympic Day
When you think of the Olympics it seems they've been around forever. They did start back in Ancient Greece, after all. But the modern games have only been around for 115 years. Back in 1894 the International Olympic Committee was formed on June 23 and the modern games began.
Since 1948 this date has been christened Olympic Day, and cities around the world celebrate with festivities. Considering Chicago's aspirations to be the 2016 host city, it should be no surprise that we're doing some celebrating of our own tonight.
If you think running is fun, you're in luck. At 6pm, two groups of runners will take off from Irving Park Road and from Grant Park and meet in the middle at North Avenue Beach. It's a 3-mile run along the lake front and registration is free (online is closed, but you can register on-site).
Or, you can beat all those sweaty people to the punch and head directly to North Avenue Beach. They're turning it into a mini-games, with exhibition competitions of archery, soccer, wheelchair basketball, kayaking, and beach volleyball. There'll also be live music, of course. Elevation, the U2 cover band whose lead singer is about as close to Bono as you can get without being the real thing, will be opening for The Freddy Jones Band.
Fun Runs, Irving Park Road (4000 N Lake Shore Dr) & Grant Park (Balbo & Lake Shore Drive), 6pm
North Avenue Beach Mini-Games, 1600 N Lake Shore Dr, 6 to 10pm
Movies In The Park
As soon as summer rolls around Chicagoans flock outside like seagulls to a busy harbor. We go shopping at farmers markets and art fairs, dine at the hundreds of outdoor cafes, and attend as many street fests and outdoor concerts as possible. We even watch our movies outside.
Thousands swarm Grant Park for the Outdoor Film Festival, but that doesn't start until mid-July. Get your al fresco film fix now with Movies In The Park. Starting today over 170 movies will be shown at parks throughout the city. Tonight you can catch The Dark Knight
at Erie Park in River North, Journey to the Center of the Earth
at Graver Park on the south side, and Hardball
in Shabbona Park on the far northwest side. You can see the complete list of movies for the summer on the Chicago Park District's website.
Thousands swarm Grant Park for the Outdoor Film Festival, but that doesn't start until mid-July. Get your al fresco film fix now with Movies In The Park. Starting today over 170 movies will be shown at parks throughout the city. Tonight you can catch The Dark Knight
at Erie Park in River North, Journey to the Center of the Earth at Graver Park on the south side, and Hardball in Shabbona Park on the far northwest side. You can see the complete list of movies for the summer on the Chicago Park District's website.All movies begin at dusk, and they're free, so grab your picnic basket and your blanket!
FYI -- no alcohol allowed.
Mondays Aren't So Bad
Poor Mondays have the worst reputation, but it doesn't need to be that way. For example, today you can enjoy some of Chicago's top attractions for free!
Lincoln Park Zoo is just a short walk away, and it's one of the oldest and only free zoos in the country. Some of my favorites are the penguins and seabirds, the lions and tigers, the apes and monkeys...aw, heck, the entire place is great! The only downside right now is that the pond on the south side next to Cafe Brauer is fenced off while they sculpt it into a more natural and scenic layout. The zoo is open and free every day of the year.
The Chicago History Museum is always free on Monday. This exploration into Chicago's exciting past has something for everyone, from fashion to sports. Surprisingly, my teenage son was fascinated by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and the 1933 Century of Progress exhibits. I learned that some of those streets, like Grand Avenue, that don't quite follow the grid system, were actually old trails used by Native Americans. The museum is located at the corner of North & Clark, on the southwest corner of Lincoln Park.
Lincoln Park Zoo is just a short walk away, and it's one of the oldest and only free zoos in the country. Some of my favorites are the penguins and seabirds, the lions and tigers, the apes and monkeys...aw, heck, the entire place is great! The only downside right now is that the pond on the south side next to Cafe Brauer is fenced off while they sculpt it into a more natural and scenic layout. The zoo is open and free every day of the year.The Shedd Aquarium is another personal favorite. I could spend hours just looking at the Caribbean Reef, but then I might miss the seahorses and the jellyfish. This fun house of fishes is free all week! Special areas like the Wild Reef are extra, but they're available for a discounted rate.
Free Workouts In Millennium Park
The Great Lawn in Millennium Park is a fantastic spot for picnics and watching concerts. It's also a wonderful place for a workout. This Saturday you can practice Yoga, Tai Chi, or Pilates in front of the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Like my suggestions for the rest of the day, these are also free!
When:
Tai Chi, 7am
Yoga, 8am
Pilates, 9am
Where:
Great Lawn at Millennium Park
Getting here:
Take the Red Line to Lake Street or the Brown, Pink, Purple, Orange or Green to Randolph and head east. For bus lines visit transitchicago.com.
Books and Art and Music, Oh My
This weekend you can visit the Midwest's largest book fair, browse art surrounded by skyscrapers, and listen to some amazing music, all for free.
You'll be heading downtown, so I'm including public transportation instructions. If you have to drive, your best bet is to park in the Millennium or Grant Park garages. The Millennium Park Garage is $25. Grant Park North is $26 for up to 8 hours and Grant Park South is $24. Since street parking is now $3.50/hour it's actually cheaper to park in the garage!
On to the fun stuff.
Hosted by the Chicago Tribune, this fair is a book lover's Candyland. There are tomes old and new, maps and magazines, prints and posters. There are book readings and panels. It's all located in the historic Printer's Row district.
When: Sat & Sun, 10am to 6pm
Where: Dearborn & Polk
Getting here:
Take the Red Line to the Harrison stop, and then head west (away from the lake) two blocks. Or, take the Blue Line to Jackson and head south (away from downtown) or LaSalle and head east (towards the lake).
From the garages: Walk west to Dearborn and head south
Formerly New Eastside Artworks, this festival is run by one of the top art fair production companies in the country, Amy Amdur productions. It lines the streets north of Prudential
Plaza and the Aon Center, and offers art, live music, and food and beverage vendors.
When: Sat & Sun, 10am to 5pm
Where: Lake Street between Millennium & Stetson
Getting here:
Hop back on the Red Line and take it to Lake Street. Then walk east two blocks. Or, you could just head over to Michigan from Printer's Row and walk north from there. If you do, you'll pass the next event, which is...
Chicago's known for it's free summer music fests, and this one's the first of the season. This one takes place in Millennium Park, in the bold and acoustically amazing Jay Pritzker Pavilion. There's also a second stage, and between the two you can hear gospel music from noon until 9:30 at night.
When: Sat & Sun, Noon to 9:30pm
Where: Millennium Park, Michigan & Randolph
Where: Millennium Park, Michigan & Randolph
Getting here:
From the art festival, just go south a block. From Printer's Row, go east to Michigan Avenue and turn north. If you're starting off there, take the Red Line to Lake Street; the Brown, Pink, Purple, Orange or Green to Randolph. There are about a gazillion bus lines, so your best bet is to use Google maps, plug in your starting and end points, and choose Public Transit as one of your options.