Second Chances

There are a few places that I have been that I decided deserved second chances before I did a formal review. NV Penthouse is one place. The other place is Red Kiva. There is an after work social being hosted at Red Kiva tonight. I will let you know how it was...

Black Wall Economic Summit

This Saturday 8:00 a.m at the Chicago Urban League, 45th & Michigan Ave.
For more info. and RSVP info. click the above link.

DW's Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop”
By DW

Week of 11/29/07

Thursday
Ladies Football Social Club @ Junior’s Sports Lounge
Playoff Preview and book signing by Gale Sayers
724 W Maxwell
7-9pm (Gentlemen are welcome after 9pm)
$40 per person includes passed hors d’oeurves & dinner buffet, Barcardi Mojitos & Skyy Martinis
Reserve your spot by calling 773-276-7582

Friday
Fashion Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula (It’s not just for the Brits)
Enjoy their famous traditional Afternoon Tea with live string music and informal fashion show from some of Chicago’s finest boutiques.
2:30pm or 4:30pm
Dress: Smart Casual
Price $36 per adult/$18 per child; $25 with the Peninsula Teddy bear
Step it up to the Royal Tea ($95 per adult) and enjoy a glass of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries dipped in Gold Leaf and Caviar.

Saturday
Anita Baker @ the Chicago Theatre
Need I say More !?!
175 N State
8pm
$90/$75
www.ticketmaster.com

Sunday
See a Play: A Park in Our House
The Chicago premiere of a drama about the struggles and dreams of a family caught in Castro's Cuba in 1970.
Victory Gardens Greenhouse Theater
2257 N Lincoln Ave.
773-871-3000
3 pm
Tickets: $20-$45.
Contact: victorygardens.org or 773-871-3000


Bonus - Monday
Degustation Mondays @ Quartino
626 N. State Street
www.quartinochicago.com
From 5 - 7pm enjoy five premium wines from Italy paired with Salumi and spunti as well as analysis from Quartino’s resident Italian wine expert.
Reservations not required.
$25 per person

Salud Tequila Lounge - 3 Stars

1471 North Milwaukee, Chicago IL
www.saludlounge.com
(773) 235-5577

Salud Tequila Lounge is known for offering a wide selection of the finest 100% agave tequilas in Chicago. I dined at the lounge for the first time last Thursday for a dinner event featuring Don Julio Tequila. Don Julio, a Diageo product, is named after its founder Don Julio Gonzalez Estrada. Don Julio Tequila is said to be the #1 choice of Tequila in Mexico. Once again, you should have been there. Included in the low price of $40 was a 3 course meal, 3 sample shots of Don Julio Tequila, 3 specialty Don Julio cocktails with each course, and a special presentation by a Don Julio representative. The meal opened with roasted poblano peppers stuffed with chicken and served with a black bean sauce. The main course was sauteed tilapia with mashed potatoes and chipotle cabbage salad. Both were quite good. Dessert was chocolate chip cheesecake topped with raspberry sauce. But back to the focus of the evening - the Tequila. We were welcomed with a Don Julio Marguarita, did a tasting of Don Julio Blanco, had a Don-Tini made with Don Julio silver with our appetizer, did a tasting of Don Julio Reposado (aged 2 month to 1 year), had a Toronrosa made with Don Julio Reposado with the Tilapia, and then did a tasting of Don Julio Anejo (aged more than 1 year). The evening closed with a special treat. We were served Don Julio's 1942, which was the year the company was founded. I suggest checking out Salud Tequila Lounge's website for future events. See you there!

Prices: $$

BMW’s Ultimate Moves 11/08/07: 4 Stars

Little Black Pearl

1060 E. 47th Street

By Neonu Jewell

The Richmond Group brought to the Southside’s Little Black Pearl the BMW Performance Series event Ultimate Moves. Little Black Pearl was a great choice of venue. It is a contemporary 40,000 sq. ft facility with a 36-foot glass atrium. BMW’s guests sipped on cocktails provided by Grey Goose as they danced to the hip-hop, house, and old-school sounds of DJ World. The evening also featured live performances by Muntu Dance; the Chicago-based group performs authentic and progressive interpretations of contemporary and ancient African and African-American dance, music, and folklore. Local salsa dancers and tap dancers were also showcased. Dancing, networking, and inspiring cultural showcases, definitely not your average after work social.

DW’s Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop”

Week of 11/14/07

Wednesday
Corey Wilkes "Wednesday Jam Session"
Close Up 2
416 S. Clark St.
3 Sets:
1st Set - 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
2nd Set - 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
3rd Set - 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
General Admission $10
www.closeup2jazz.com

Thursday
ART in ACTION event with GlamLive and Belvedere
Landmark
1633 N. Halsted
9pm to 2am
A revolutionary painting party where they supply the materials and you create the art.
There's also body painting and live painting by Chadwick

Friday
Rack ‘em

• G Cue Billiards, 157 N Morgan
  
• City Pool Hall, 640 W Hubbard
  
• English, 444 N LaSalle
  

Saturday
Volo Wine Bar Pre-Holiday Wine Tasting
2008 West Roscoe
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM
$20.00 per guest
Sample up to eight 2 oz taste pours along with complimentary light hors-d'ouevres in the cozy indoor and heated outdoor space (weather permitting).

Sunday
Brunch it UP!!!

• Citizen, 364 W Erie
  
• Yolk, 1120 S Michigan
  
• Bongo Room, South Loop, 1152 S Wabash
  
• Flo, 1434 W Chicago, http://eatatflo.com/
  
• House of Blues Gospel Brunch, 329 N Dearborn, www.hob.com

Swirl Wine Bar: 3 Stars

111 West Hubbard, Chicago, IL
www.swirlwinebarchicago.com

As the name suggests Swirl is a wine bar. And my advice is to stick to the wine. Go somewhere else if cocktails you desire. The décor is cozy, modern. You definitely feel like you are in a neighborhood bar at Swirl. The wait staff acts more like patrons than servers. Swirl hosts live jazz nightly. The Latin jazz band I heard was impressive. Even more impressive are the acoustics at Swirl. Fantastic! This is what makes the spot perfect for dates. So plan a date at Swirl, order some wine, and sit back and enjoy the music.

Prices: $$

Tour de Champagne 10/20/07: 5 Stars

www.tourdechampagne.com

If you enjoy sophisticated evenings, champagne, and/or great food add Tour de Champagne to your to do list for next year. I will be there! Tour de Champagne began eight years ago in Washington D.C as an annual event celebrating some of France’s best champagnes and D.C. area’s top chefs. This year Tour de Champagne went on the road inviting guests to sample champagne from various labels and the culinary treats of local chefs. The list of cities is Atlanta, Washington D.C., Houston, Boston, San Francisco, New York, Miami, and Chicago. The Drake Hotel hosted Chicago’s Tour and provided the perfect backdrop for a wonderful event. There was live music and even a silent auction benefiting ‘Common Threads’ and ‘Meals on Wheels Chicago. Some of the featured Champagnes were Moet & Chandon, Perrier Jouet, Nicolas Feuillatte, Pol Roger, Veuve Eleonore and Taittinger. My favorite was the Veuve Eleonore Grand Cru 2002. It was crisp, clean, and simply fantastic! Some of Chicago’s best chefs were also represented. My favorite dish and the favorite of just about everyone in attendance was the cauliflower and caviar soup created by NoMi’s chef. The guests were a very diverse group; there was diversity in age, ethnicity, and dress. It was not quite black tie, though I saw a few tuxedos. Most people were dressed in classic suits and elegant dresses.

Overall an evening to remember! 5 Stars

DW’s Loop

“How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren’t in the Loop”

By DW

Week of 11/7/07

Wednesday
Subterranean
2011 W North Ave
$5 all night
For complimentary admission before 10:00pm
RSVP: sean@swanksociety.com by 5:00pm Wednesday
Specials: $5 Effen, $3 Domestic Beers
Special Guest Vocalist: Carla Prather (Mr. Ali)

Thursday
Diwali (the festival of lights) @ Victor Hotel
311 N. Sangamon
9pm-2am
PLS Magazine, Entity Entertainment, Good for Party and Mantra Nights celebrate India’s biggest holiday, Diwali.
Featuring Chicago’s best hip-hop, house, soul, bhangra, reggae and Hindi pop.
Reduced Admission before 11:30 with RSVP info@plsmag.com

Saturday
Chaka Khan @ the Star Plaza Theatre
I-65 & US 30, Merrillville, IN
8PM
$40 - $55
Tickets: 312-559-1212 or log onto ticketmaster.com


Sunday
Leg Room Chicago
7 W Division
7pm – 4am
½ Price Drinks

DW's Loop

"How can you stay in the Loop, if you aren't in the Loop?" By DW

Week of 10/30/07

Monday

Pretty in Pink to raise awareness for Breast Cancer

You MUST mention that you are booking a "Pretty in Pink"

Promotion is daily and ends on October 31^st.

Price: $31 per service. Complete list of participating locations and offers: http://prettycity.com/pink/#IL

45-minute mini-facial at Mirror Mirror Salon

Aroma-rain massage at Spacio

Brazilian wax at Sinead Salon & Spa

Tuesday

Opera

1301 S. Wabash Ave
$28.95 Three Course Prix-Fixe Dinner

Wednesday

Yelloween Party @ Cuatro

2030 S. Wabash
Begins @ 6pm

10 Cane Carmel Apple Martinis

Bottles of Veuve $50/ $10 glass

Comp hors d'ourves

You Must RSVP by October 29, to sara@cuatro-chicago.com

Thursday

"Red Hot Cocktails" - An after-work fundraiser brought to you by the Associates Board of the Primo Center for Women and Children.
The Gage Restaurant, 24 South Michigan Avenue
Open bar, complimentary appetizers, specialty cocktails for a donation of $50.

Your donation is tax deductible and all proceeds benefit the Primo Center for Women and Children.
www.primocenter.org/events.htm

Friday

Live Jazz at Dragon Fly mandarin

7-10p

832 W. Randolph

Steak Fries Reprise

Saturday

18th Annual Chicago Humanities Festival

Daily through November 11th

Price: $5-$10 per program

Various locations throughout Chicago. Check chfestival.org

Sunday

5 Magazine November Release Party

The Dating Game 8926 S. Stony Island, 10pm-2am, no cover

DJ Emanuel and DJ Terry Hunter!

Diddy Says Drink Ciroc

October, 2007

Today Diddy signed a multi-year deal with Diageo to develop its Ciroc Vodka brand in exchange for 50% of the profits, which could mean more than $100 million for Diddy. Last night I watched Diddy on Donny Deutsch's CNBC show The Big Idea (by the way 5 stars for this show). Diddy explained that vodka was his drink of choice and he realized one day that none of the premium vodkas were marketed to appeal to the sexy, sophisticated, and money-spending crowd. So in classic Diddy style, he decided he was just the person to change that image and that Ciroc was the vodka deserving of such a blessing.

Bars, lounges, and clubs you better stock up on Ciroc. Hate him or Love him Diddy Gets Results!

Exposure Tapas Supper Club: 4 Stars

October, 2007

1315 S. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
www.exposuretapas.com
312-662-1060

The South Loop is fast becoming the place to be. The new hot spot in the South Loop is Exposure.

Eats
Exposure is primarily a restaurant that specializes in small plates. But never fear Exposure’s portions are larger than most tapas restaurants. I ordered the calamari and it was quite filling. The flavor was both spicy and tangy. It was cooked exactly right, tender, and not tough or chewy. Several patrons I spoke to about this dish said it was their favorite on the menu (apparently it’s the owner’s favorite as well). I also ordered oysters on the half shell. I preferred the east coast oysters to the west coast oysters, but that is just personal taste. Other picks: Ahi tuna, shrimp and artichoke tempura, lobster and sweet corn spring roll. After visiting this restaurant several times my take away is that people really like the food. Prices for most tapas range from $5 to $13, but they also serve a few dinner plates too that are priced in the mid-20s.

Social Scene
Exposure has only been open a couple of months, but the word is spreading fast. Early in the week the bar is frequented by South Loopers enjoying the new find. Fridays, after work, a very nice professional crowd stops by to relax and toast the end of the work week (hopefully it’s the end). The political crowd has also discovered Exposure, as it has been chosen to host at least one high-profile fundraiser.

Unfortunately, the area designated as the bar and lounge area is small and can get very crowded. Yet, the owners have managed to create a cozy nook with lots of seating for the space. There are plans to use the 12,000 square foot space downstairs for live entertainment in the near future. Stay tuned for details…

The Bar
The bar is stocked with all the expected top shelf liquors and a few not so well known gems. The bar staff is friendly and they mix quality cocktails. So I have only one complaint. The bar staff is slow. Like I said, Exposure has quickly caught on as the new hot spot in the South Loop. The problem is the current bartending staff must not have experience in high volume environments (i.e., in industry terms: “Being in the Weeds”). Not Good. Speed bartending requires 2 hands – not one. The result is loss of high margin sales for Exposure and more importantly frustrated customers on busy nights. Customers that may not choose to drink there next time. I am hopeful that this is just temporary and the staff will improve their ability to work quickly under pressure. Suggestion: Hire at least one bartender who has experience working in an upscale nightclub Friday and Saturday nights. The others will get up to speed after checking this person’s tips.

Overall Great Addition to the South Loop. 4 Stars

Prices: $$

Stoli Hotel - Evening in Vogue - 10/11/07: 5 Stars

By Carmen Allen

I attended this event and it was great. It was hosted in a large warehouse type building with exposed duct work and ultra high ceilings. As soon as you walked in you were greeted by hostesses with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Of course every cocktail was made with Stoli Vodka and they had specialty drink menus all around for you to choose from. If that was not enough they had multiple bars set up as well. The purpose of this event was to preview men's and women's fall fashions from Faconnable. The fashion show was awesome. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. I thought it was going to be one of those where they highlight clothing you would never wear nor want and it was the total opposite. They highlighted the current styles and it was clothes you could easily wear everyday, either to work or to just hang out. I can't forget the models. They were fantastic!

After the fashion show they opened the other side of the venue. As you walked over they had a sign directing you to the Spa and Hotel. Yes, this was a spa that offers facial's and messages, etc. And down from that were the hotel rooms. There were 4 rooms furnished and staged like hotel rooms. A plush bed, elegant chairs and sofa that were placed in the sitting area with tables. They were decorated in four colors based on the flavors of Stoli Vodka. A blue room for blueberry, red for raspberry, orange for orange, and cream for vanilla stoli. Not only were these rooms comfortable for lounging, but "what a clever idea"! Clearly others loved it as well. People poured in to find a place in each room to relax and enjoy the themed decor. The other cool thing about it was that people moved from room to room mingling and openly talking with each other.

Loved it!!! I give the event the highest rating of 5 Stars!

Takeover Thursday @ La Pomme Rouge: 4 Stars

October 13, 2007

Presented by Bryan Wallace and Stephen Mitchell
www.takeoverthursday.com

Takeover Thursday's mission is to provide a vehicle to further the growth of the young urban professional network in Chicago. This past Thursday they sponsored a networking event at La Pomme Rouge (http://www.lapommerouge.com/) . The creator’s of Takeover Thursday promised to deliver a quality venue and they did not disappoint. La Pomme Rouge is an upscale restaurant and lounge. The décor is stylish and elegant. The muted colors and pleasant staff create a very warm atmosphere. The bartenders are very well trained, so you get your money’s worth.

It was the right background for a gathering of Chicago’s finest - graduate students, lawyers, bankers, entrepreneurs, and other corporate and government executives. More important than their titles, the people were friendly, laid-back, and well dressed. People were actually exchanging cards.

Unfortunately, many did not pay attention to the fact that this was an after work event, from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Most people did not arrive until 8:30 and those that arrived at 9:30 were denied access. Those that arrived late missed out on the opportunity to spend a few more hours enjoying tasty food and drinks, at a charming lounge, with a lovely crowd.

Rating Scale

5 Stars: Loved it!

4 Stars: Liked it a lot!

3 Stars: Liked it

2 Stars: Did not like it

1 Star: Hated it!

For price: $ - inexpensive, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive, $$$$ very expensive

M Lounge: 3 Stars

By Neonu Jewell
October 9, 2007

M Lounge
Jazz - Martinis
1520 S. Wabash, Chicago
312-447-0201

October Live Jazz

The M Lounge is featuring various Jazz artists on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 until 11. I stopped by last night to check it out. I like the M lounge. I like its neighborhood feel. There are one or two bartenders there that should find a new line of work, but the others are better than average.

Last night’s artist was good, not great, but good. She provided a nice background for an after work drink. The M Lounge posted a sign at the front door stating that there was a two drink minimum. I am not sure if they were enforcing this or not. I am not a fan of these types of rules. It sends the wrong message. Patrons should feel welcome and comfortable. Minimums, particularly posted at the entrance, almost always lead to negative conversations. Why is there a minimum? Do sodas count? What if I buy one drink, but it costs $18? An owner should want its patrons enjoying the atmosphere, if they do they will buy. If you have to force drinks on them, you probably don’t have a return customer and thus much bigger issues.

I give Jazz Night at M Lounge 3 out of 5 stars.

Prices: $$