Smith-ical: Out musician Lucy Smith—a Chicago institution of a singer who leads the Lucy Smith Quintet—will present America: Songs and Stories of Protest and Freedom on Saturday, July 25, at Seward Park, 775 W. Elm St., at 6-7:30 p.m. (If the weather is inclement, the event will take place in the fieldhouse.)
The concert—featuring a project Smith has worked on with writer/narrator/spouse Cheryl Corley—will also be presented on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 5 p.m. at Clarendon Park (4501 N. Clarendon St.) and Saturday, Sept. 19, at 3 p.m. at Washington Park in front of DuSable History Museum (740 E. 56th Pl.). America: Songs and Stories of Protest and Freedom is part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parksprogramming this year, so bring your chairs, blankets—and snacks.
And now, on to culinary items…
—Release the Hounds: The Chicago Hounds (co-owned by Chef Art Smith and husband Jesus Salgueiro) held a championship celebration on July 15 at Kaiser Tiger.
The Hounds defeated the California Legion 35-17 in the 2026 Major League Rugby (MLR) championship at SeatGeek Stadium to capture the first undefeated season in league history and clinch the team’s first MLR title. According to Smith, he and Salgueiro are the only same-sex couple to be part of an ownership of a professional rugby team in the United States, and Smith is the only chef in the country with such a position.
—RESTAURANT PICK: Despite an exhausting schedule, Democratic Illinois lieutenant governor candidate Christian Mitchell took time to weigh in on one of his favorite restaurants—an acclaimed spot on Chicago’s South Side.
Mitchell said that he likes “Virtue. It’s an incredible menu with very, very, very interesting flavor profiles. [The restaurant] rotates some but also has some dishes that are very consistent. My family is very much into Southern cuisine; [that] and soul food is what I grew up on. It’s a new modern twist—and it’s also not far from my house.”
Don’t forget that the Illinois general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
—Outbreak update: Shredded iceberg lettuce sold at some Taco Bell restaurants has been linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis (characterized by gastrointestinal problems that can last for weeks) in five states, CNN noted.
Cases of the illness caused by a microscopic parasite are skyrocketing across the country, with almost 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1—and there have been more than 140 related hospitalizations. The CDC and FDA did not identify the lettuce supplier, but a source familiar with the investigation told CNN it was Taylor Farms, whose produce has also been linked with previous illness outbreaks, including E. coli cases tied to onions in 2024 and cyclospora cases linked with lettuce in 2013.
By the way, you can find out about recent health-related restaurant closures and citations at SAVOR with Andrew.
—Ice to meet you: Logan Square’s Pretty Cool Ice Cream and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are joining forces this month for a limited-edition collaboration featuring custom train-line-inspired pops, a special National Ice Cream Day giveaway and a give-back initiative supporting families in need during the holidays.
The pop line-up includes Brown Line Cookies & Cream (cookies-and-cream ice cream dipped in a chocolate shell and finished with Brown Line sprinkles); Orange Line Mango Passionfruit (mango passionfruit ice cream coated in an orange-flavored shell with Orange Line sprinkles); Blue Line Blue Moon (Blue Moon ice cream encased in a vanilla shell and decorated with Blue Line sprinkles); and Red Line Strawberry Tres Leches (tres leches cake ice cream dipped in a strawberry shell and finished with Red Line sprinkles). (Apologies go to the Green, Purple and Yellow lines.)
A portion of proceeds from every pop sold will benefit the CTA Holiday Food Train. Plus, on National Ice Cream Day (July 19), Pretty Cool will be giving away free pops at select CTA stations across the city.
—G whiz: With Karol G’s sold-out tour hitting Chicago on July 24-25, Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval is offering an exclusive perk for concertgoers: 10% off their meal when they present their Karol G concert tickets.
The restaurant offers Central and South American sharing plates, ceviches and agave cocktails. Toro also has a bottomless weekend brunch that also features a Bloody Mary cart as well as dishes like huevos rancheros and crème brûlée French toast.
—Down on the farm: On Saturday, July 25,, 2-4:15, at Just Roots Farm, 2936 S. Wabash Ave., The Evolved Network (TEN) will host the podcast event/picnic “By Accident, Choice, or Grace.” (A VIP farm tour begins at 1:30 p.m.)
The invitation reads, “Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, your favorite beverages, and the people you love.” As for food, chefs such as TEN’s Chef Sebastian White, Verzenay Chicago’s Arshiya Farheen and Prairie Grass Cafe Chef Sarah Stegner will provide items. Tickets are $20 (kids), $50 (general admission) or $75 (VIP) each.
—Billie behavior: A Billie Eilish vs. Charli XCX Bottomless Drag Brunch will take place (for those 21 and older) at the Northalsted spot Lark on June 25-26, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Drag personalities Venus Carangi and Vanya are slated to perform.
You can buy a ticket on Eventbrite that includes the bottomless brunch package, reserve on OpenTable or call Lark to reserve.
—Drop me a line (hot news, tips, etc.) at syntax3733@gmail.com.
Note: No reproduction of this column is permitted under any circumstances without the express prior written permission from this columnist.
The write stuff: Be sure to read and subscribe to my other Substack—Pop-Eds: My thoughts on pop culture. (Like SAVOR, it’s less than $5/month to access everything.) My most recent column discusses Caitlin Clark’s predicament, Lindsey Graham’s legacy, and the politics of Taste of Chicago vs. Windy City Smokeout, among other topics.