It's our firm belief that Gene Wilder would take Johnny Depp in a fight faster than you can say "vermicious knid," which is why we're so thrilled that The Fulton River District will be screening the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as part of Movies in the Park next week. It's Tuesday, June 29, and is being co-sponsored by The Blommer Chocolate Company, which has been scenting various Chicago neighborhoods since 1939. more ›

Re-imagining any children’s story by author Roald Dahl is a shoo-in for a fun and lucrative undertaking, as Dahl’s stories are both beloved and well known. Adaptations of Dahl’s work have been fairly consistent in the Chicago theater scene, with the BFG running at DePaul University’s Theater School last year, the multi-media show done by The Annoyance in March, and the Emerald City Theater’s puppet production of James and the Giant Peach closing last month. more ›

Moto’s Chef Homaro Cantu has invented an edible paper on which he prints his menus using organic inks and a Canon printer. OK, that’s a little off the wall, but we’ll believe it. After all, Chicago’s stock as an experimental culinary destination has been on the rise as of late. What makes Cantu’s paper, and many of his other gastronomical creations, different is the fact that he is applying to have them patented. He even goes so far as to print the following legal jargon on his tasty paper: Confidential Property of and © H. Cantu. Patent Pending. No further use or disclosure is permitted without prior approval of H. Cantu. more ›

The Chicago production of Wicked marks its one year anniversary today. Sigh… We know we’re not part of this show’s target audience, just as we know our criticism won’t really affect whether or not you go see it. For a moment we’ll forget about that irretrievable night we spent in the Oriental Theater and say a kind word about the show’s marketing. It’s brilliant. Their relentless campaign taps into everything that makes their core... more ›

Anyone who has spent time downtown knows about the delicious cocoa smell wafting over from the Blommer chocolate factory just west of the river. Chicagoist used to hike 2.5 miles each way to our job downtown, and the smell followed us door-to-door. You might think we'd have gotten sick of it, but that warm chocolate hug just made us want to stay home and gorge ourselves on cake and brownies all day. Combine that with the smell of the Bay's English muffin factory near our home and we felt like the fat kid from Willy Wonka. more ›

Are you in the mood for glamming it up for a sugar boost? Chicagoist has got the place. more ›

While the recent Band Aid 20 single did little more than make most Americans say “Wait…Bob Geldof’s still alive?”, music is often the best way to people's hearts, minds and--most importantly: wallets. As private donations to various relief efforts in this country have topped more than $200 million, several local music venues have started efforts to assist those in need. HotHouse in the South Loop leads the pack with a pair of benefit shows. No... more ›

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., the world�s largest gum company, is suing GumRunners for patent infringement. GumRunners, based in New Jersey, produces Jolt Gum, a �caffeine-energy� gum that Wrigley claims infringes on its 2002 patent for caffeine-coated gum. Wrigley isn�t selling that gum, and it has stopped selling Stay Alert gum, which was caffeine-laced. But the lawsuit�s still on. more ›