Today in "Pencil This In:" an obscure Louis Jordan film gets a new life at the Portage Theater. more ›

Perhaps you couldn't afford to Lolla this year -- sux. Or maybe you are disenchanted with the whole music festival scene: the $6 hot pretzel dinners, and the foul-smelling porta-potties, and the crappy bands you have to sit through to get to the good bands. Well, we are here to remind you that you have entertainment options -- and they don't involve wristbands, or Perry Farrell, or the onset of tinnitus, or even hot pretzels. Instead, they involve mingling, and pine-scented bathrooms, and possibly some bowls of Sun Chips. Oh -- and visual art! more ›

Get artsy while you wait for the weekend: more ›

It's time once again for the nonprofit Chicago Artists' Coalition's Chicago Art Open, taking place October 3-19 at the Merchandise Mart and in the West Loop's FLATFILEgalleries. This year's exhibition features 285 works representing all media, from drawing to installations. The festivities kick off Friday, October 3 with a special preview event (i.e., more expensive) from 4-6 p.m. and a general opening reception (i.e., less expensive) from 6-10 p.m. at the Merchandise Mart. Other Open events include gallery tours, panel discussions and an October 19 talk with collector, philanthropist, MCA founder and National Medal of Arts recipient Lew Manilow; click here for the full schedule. more ›

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