The Chicago location of Beauty Bar, the national chain of salon-themed lounges beloved by scenesters from Brooklyn to San Diego for its $10 martini-and-manicure special, officially opened its doors last Thursday in the old Sonotheque space. Our photographer checked in when the night was still young and the nail polish was still wet—the manicure deal runs from 5 to 11 p.m. most nights—with DJs Skyler and Kid Color... Read more
Tag: Seen on the Scene
Pro ballers fill out brackets, too. On Thursday, the Chicago Bulls’ power forward and 2009 first-round draft pick Taj Gibson hosted a March Madness kickoff party at the River North sports bar Bull & Bear—and while Gibson was gracious enough to sign autographs, he kept one eye on... Read more
A green Wednesday night may an even greener Thursday morning make, but judging by the St. Patrick’s Day crowd at Chief O’Neill's, it was well worth it. Our photographer headed to the Northwest Side pub, one of our 100 best bars, to snap the Triallta Irish Dance Company, the Emerald Society Pipe Band, and legions of Irish (and Irish-ish) revelers... Read more
"Chicago is too vibrant a town not to have more performance venues," says the jazz violinist Diane Delin, who, with her husband, the jazz guitarist and singer Greg Pasenko, opened Club Blujazz on the eastern edge of Bucktown-Wicker Park last Friday. The couple run a recording label, also called Blujazz, and are drawing on their experience both behind the scenes and onstage ("We've been performing forever, and I'm old enough to say forever," Delin says)... Read more
From bikinis to animal costumes, attire ran the gamut Saturday at Kirkwood's second annual Polar Bear Party. Some folks seized the opportunity to strip to their swimsuits for an invigorating hot-tub dip in the bar’s beer garden; others bundled up in fake fur and watched the festivities from dry land. Our photographer captured both camps; browse the photos... Read more
As the last few Olympic events played out in Vancouver over the weekend, a clutch of battle-ready contestants gathered in the West Loop for a fierce competition of their own: West End’s second annual spelling bee, featuring a $1,000 grand prize. There was agony, elation, beer in boots, and a caller clad in a bumblebee costume—and our photographer was there to capture the contest in all its glory, G-L-O-R-Y, glory... Read more
After four cast members of MTV’s runaway reality hit Jersey Shore abruptly canceled a weekend’s worth of Chicago appearances back in January, two of the newly minted celebs, Mike “The Situation” and DJ Pauly D, attempted to make amends by holing up in a VIP booth at Lumen last Friday... Read more
Not only did the ladies line up outside Enclave on Saturday to see Brody Jenner (the MTV-anointed prince of reality shows from The Hills to Bromance), they observed the night’s recommended-attire memo with gusto. See our photos from the Little Red Dress Valentine’s Day Party below... Read more
If you build it, it will open. After months of renovations and waiting on licenses, Chicago's third Small Bar, on Fullerton Avenue, launched with relatively little fanfare last week. Our photographer stopped by Saturday night to snap the not-so-small space. Also not so small? The burger, whose Division Street sibling we... Read more
In case you’re the lone Chicagoan who hasn’t heard the news: Revolution Brewing, the much anticipated Logan Square brewpub from Handlebar’s Josh Deth, opened last Wednesday to great fanfare and epic waits. Our photographer stopped by Saturday evening and snapped a packed house of early adopters sipping from the inaugural lineup of four house-brewed beers... Read more