”Wonder”-ful: The magic destination The Hand & The Eye will have a weeklong set of special activities on Oct. 27-31, culminating in The Midway of Wonders on the Halloween centennial of Harry Houdini’s death.
On Oct. 27-29, The Grand Exhibition will include a one-hour, limited-seating performance in the Monarch Theater, with the mansion’s first floor and bars open before and after. On Oct. 31—marking the centennial of Houdini’s passing—the mansion will transform for its first-ever Halloween celebration: The Midway of Wonders.
—The haunt for red October: It’s that spook-tacular time of the year as Rough House Puppet Arts’ House of the Exquisite Corpse returns through Nov. 1 at The Merle at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted St.
New this year, the company is introducing an All-Inclusive Experience that includes the show, a drink ticket, a giveaway at entry—and a backstage tour. Rough House is offering All-Inclusive Experiences Thursdays and Sundays, Oct. 8-25, last entry time only. Tickets are on sale now at roughhousetheater.com/tickets. Admission is sliding-scale and pay what you can, with suggested prices of $22 to $47. Note: This production is recommended for attendees 13 and older.
And now, on to culinary items…
SPOTLIGHT
: Here are more Fast Foodie Facts, courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer and yours truly:
- The most popular dish at the now-shuttered Chicago restaurant Everest—roasted Maine lobster in Alsace Gewürztraminer (a white wine), butter and ginger—was on the menu for more than 25 years.
- The Lake House Hotel opened in 1836 along the Chicago River, where the Wrigley Building currently stands. According to The Encyclopedia of Chicago, the three-story brick structure had Chicago’s first upscale restaurant complete with “menu cards, napkins and toothpicks.” (Chicago Public Library)
- There is no exact total, but it’s estimated that there are thousands of pumpkin-spice products on the market at this time of year—and not all of them are edible.
- Candy corn was originally sold in the 1880s to rural consumers as “Chicken Feed.”
- Illinois grows more pumpkins commercially than does any other state, with more than 500 million of the big orange fruits coming from the Land of Lincoln. Yes, pumpkins are botanically fruits, since they grow from the flowering plants’ ovaries.
—Pie hopes: Pizzeria Gabbo—a neighborhood pizzeria/bar from Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants—opened its doors in Fulton Market at 834 W. Fulton Market St. on Oct. 22.
Created by Executive Partner/Divisional President Marc Jacobs and Chef Partner Andrew Ashmore (Antico Posto; Beatrix; L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge), Pizzeria Gabbo will feature two styles of pizza—Chicago Thin & Crispy as well as New York Crispy, chef’s take on a traditional New York-style with a crispier finish—antipasti, salads and pastas. The beverage program features spritzes, classic cocktails and a wine list that showcases family-owned, sustainable producers.
Pizzeria Gabbo’s menu extends beyond pizza with antipasti including slow-baked pepperoni chips served with house marinara; and butternut squash croccanti with Calabrian chili aioli and housemade giardiniera. Housemade pasta offerings include a light lemon fettuccine alfredo and slow-cooked chicken bolognese rigatoni. For dessert, housemade soft-serve gelato flavors include roasted pistachio and milk chocolate; gelato is also available in a swirl or the Gabbo-style sundae, which is topped with candied orange honey and pistachio praline. A street-facing soft serve window will open soon, offering gelato to go.
“Tanta”-lizing: Read a review of the Peruvian restaurant Tanta Cocina Peruanaat SAVOR with Andrew.
—Southport shuttering: Lake View’s Southport Grocery and Café, 3352 N. Southport Ave., will close at the end of the year, according to CBS News.
Dollop Cafe will open in that space afterward. In an Instagram video, Santos said she is often asked about past menu items, and some such items will return before Southport Grocery and Café closes. The apple-stuffed French toast and Grown-up Pop Tart are already back on the menu, and the Ding Dong cake is back at checkout.
—Gruvi, man: For anyone taking on Sober October, FELIX Modern American Dining offers ways to keep the drink in your dinner plans.
FELIX’s Zero-Proof lineup proves that taking out the alcohol doesn’t have to take away the personality. Items include the Windy City Sunset(strawberry purée, lime, agave, and orange and pineapple juices, with sparkling water); the Lakeshore Mule takes (ginger beer with house-made blackberry syrup, fresh lime juice and sparkling water); and the Blueberry Collins (house-made blueberry syrup and lemon juice with sparkling water). There are also Mionetto Alcohol-Removed Sparkling Wine, Gruvi alcohol-free sangria or Red Blend; beer drinkers can opt for Athletic Brewing Company’s Run Wild IPA, an alcohol-free take on the classic IPA.
—Spellbinding: Get cozy on The Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel’s outdoor terrace for a screening of the cult-favorite film Practical Magic on Wed., Oct. 28, 6-8 p.m.
Guests can settle into lounge furniture around the fire pits for a movie night under the Chicago night sky, complete with complimentary tarot readings and witchy seasonal drinks. Specialty cocktails will include Midnight Margarita ($20; 400 conejos mezcal, ouzo, rosemary syrup, lime, blackberries and chili tincture while smoked with peach wood), The Fool ($20; Captain Morgan rum, ouzo, butterscotch liqueur and Dr. Brown’s cream soda) and The Green Witch ($21; Hendricks gin, Midori, lime, pineapple, basil syrup, saline and Owen’s cucumber-mint soda).
Then, on Saturday, Oct. 31, noon-2:30 p.m., The Gwen is putting a spirited seasonal spin on its Tipsy Tea. The experience includes a curated tower of sweet and savory bites and Rishi loose-leaf teas, with tea-infused cocktails, spirit-free drinks and additional food available à la carte.
—The pet and the pendulum: Cody’s Public House invites guests and their four-legged friends to its Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest celebration on Oct. 31, featuring costume contests, festive drink specials and raffles benefiting ALIVE Rescue.
The event will kick off at 2 p.m. with charity raffles, followed by the Doggy Costume Contest at 4 p.m. Guests can compete for a $100 prize for Best Doggy Costume or a $200 prize for Best Doggy & Human Combo Costume. Pups will enjoy complimentary Pup Cups and free dog swag, while people sip on $5 Lagunitas pints and $7 Tito’s cocktails. A special Pup-Tail menu will also be available, with half of the proceeds benefiting ALIVE Rescue.
—Crawl flowers: Halloween festivities return to Rosemont’sParkway Bank Parkentertainment district (5501 Park Pl.) with the annual “Crawl-O-Ween” bar crawl taking place Friday, Oct. 30, 6-10 p.m.
Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their best Halloween costumes and make their way through five participating Rosemont bars, each offering themed food and drink specials throughout the evening. Guests who visit all five participating bars will be entered for a chance to win a mystery Rosemont prize.
Tickets to “Crawl-O-Ween” are now available for $10 at ParkwayBankPark.com and include admission to the bar crawl, access to drink specials and two ticket vouchers for Zanies Comedy Club. Tickets will also be sold on-site at Parkway Bank Park during the bar crawl for $15.
—A spirited event: On Saturday, Oct. 31, LondonHouse Chicago will host Nightmare on Wacker Drive: Día de los Muertos, a 21-and-older Halloween party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The celebration will span LH Rooftop and the indoor LH on 21 lounge, with immersive décor, live DJs and a premium hosted bar throughout the evening.
At midnight, guests can compete in a costume contest, with an overnight LondonHouse stay and two New Year’s Eve party tickets awarded to the first-place winner and two New Year’s Eve party tickets awarded to the runner-up. Tickets are available online. Guests can view more here.
—Fame night: Also on Halloween, at 8 p.m., The Alston will celebrate Halloween with its Dead Famous Party—an evening of cocktails, decadent bites, music and elevated revelry co-hosted by Matt Rodrigues, Bridget Daley and Janet Mandell. Guests are encouraged to dress as the artist or icon who inspires them.
Tickets are $200 per guest, with $50 from every ticket benefiting The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Tickets are available via OpenTable.
—”Hour” town: In addition, on Oct. 31, 7-10 p.m., the Loop’s Raised, An Urban Rooftop Bar is hosting The Witching Hour—a three-hour immersive evening blending panoramic skyline views, dynamic craft cocktail punch reveals, haunted eat, and high-energy nightlife.
Highlights are slated to include the Rotating Spirits Punch Experience(with a new handcrafted, themed punch bowl being unveiled every 30 minutes); a haunted buffet and candy station; and a costume contest and live DJ. Pricing is $85/person; RSVP on OpenTable.
—Children of the morn: Also, Levain Lincoln Park, 849 W. Armitage Ave., is celebrating its first birthday with a free neighborhood Halloween party on Oct. 31 at 8-11 a.m.
Kids can get their faces painted, pick up spooky stickers, snap a photo with a Halloween backdrop and enjoy a free kids’ Cookie Milk. Parents can hang out over a warm cookie and get caffeinated for the day ahead. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Compass to Care, a nonprofit that covers transportation costs so children with cancer can get to critical treatment, no matter the distance.
Until next time, be sure to check out more news (as well as interviews and reviews) at SAVOR with Andrew.