10 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 19, 2016 5:30PM
Image via River Roast's event page.
There are plenty of ways to beat the cold this week, from experiential dinners to one epic holiday rock band.
MONDAY DECEMBER 19
NEIGHBORHOOD CHEF DINNER: River Roast Chef John Hogan teams up with Spiaggia’s Tony Mantuano for Monday’s edition of the Neighborhood Chef Series from 6 to 8:30 p.m. They’ll cook up a five-course menu with wine pairings starring gnocchi and white truffles. Tickets are $125.
CHRISTMAS VACATION LIVE READING: Witness a dramatic live reading of the classic holiday film Christmas Vacation at Uptown Underground at 8 p.m. There’s no doubt the audience already has most of the lines memorized, so reminisce as actors live read the script in old Hollywood on the Moonlight Mainstage. Tickets are $15 and include a drink ticket.
Image courtesy of Mercadito.
EXPERIENTIAL DINNER: Indulge in a Holiday Party Experiential Dinner with Mercadito and Casamigos Tequila from 6 to 9 p.m. Executive Chef Patricio Sandoval of Mercadito has curated a delicious five-course meal of Tortitas de Bacalo, Chamorro de Cerdo, Buñuelos and more. Each course will be paired with a different Casamigos cocktail. Tickets are $75. To reserve a spot, call 312-329-9555.
CIDER CLASS: The Northman’s cider class series continues with a tour of English cider country. You’ll be guided through tastings from Somerset, Herefordshire and Devon with background and stories or the rural English beverage. Tickets are $30.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 20
Image via the Hideout's Facebook page.
HIDEOUT HOLIDAY SALE: You’ve turned last-minute shopping into an art form. Let the Hideout help you out with their Last Chance Holiday Sale from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s the 18th annual sale for the beloved small venue, featuring goods from local hand-makers, many of whom who have worked at the Hideout. Celestial Kitchens, Puffs of Doom and Metropolis Coffee will also be on hand with holiday treats. Free.
TOYS + TAPS FOR TOTS: Fountainhead invites you to “donate a toy, and have some beer” as they team up with Deschutes Brewing for a Toys & Taps for Tots event from 6 to 8 p.m. The Deschutes Elf will be spreading holiday cheer as bartenders serve up Jubelale English Strong Ale and Sage Fight Double IPA w/ botanical sage & juniper berries. Free.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21
Image courtesy of The Whistler.
SINATRA CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA: Cocktail bar The Whistler hosts Anthony Bruno and His Christmas Spectacular at 9:30 p.m. Bruno will sing re-invented classic Frank Sinatra tunes with his band like White Christmas, Jingle Bells and Winter Wonderland. The bar team will shake and stir up classic cocktails from the 40s, 50s and 60s in honor of the event. Free.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 22
Image courtesy of J. Parker.
PAPPY VAN WINKLE DINNER: Attention whiskey lovers. J. Parker is hosting an exclusive whiskey class and dinner with Buffalo Trace that will feature pours from their renowned Pappy Van Winkle line. We’re talking rare pours of the 10-, 12-, 15-, 20- and 23-year editions. The evening’s five-course menu has been perfectly paired to go with the flavors and aromas of each bourbon. Tickets are $225. UPDATE: Organizers have postponed this event.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 23
TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: If you missed last week’s high-drama Christmas concert from Mannheim Steamroller, you’re in luck. The other epically intense holiday band, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, comes through town this Friday for a show at Allstate Arena. Progressive metal, laser lights, this show is like Christmas on steroids. Two shows at 3:30 and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $46.50.
SIMMER BROWN COMEDY: Celebrate the birth of a “Savior” with the Simmer Brown Comedy Collective this Friday at 8 p.m. Sam Norton (FOX's Laughs) and Sherman Edwards (FOX’s Empire) join founding producer, Prateek Srivastava for an evening of diverse laughs at the Bughouse Theater. Tickets are $10 in advance ($15 door).