• The 30^th annual Chicago Jazz Festival is the city’s longest-running lakefront music festival and features local, national, and international performers on several stages. (Aug 28-31)

• Get your fill of pierogi, Polish sausage, and sauerkraut at the Taste of Polonia, where you can listen to live bands play everything from rock to polka. (Aug 29 – Sept 1)

• Dedicated to non-violence, the Peace on Earth Film Festival features documentaries about environmental issues, gang violence, Iraqi women’s rights, and more. (Aug 29-31)

• You’ve never had a train ride like this. An eight-car Orange Line train is transformed into a mobile art exhibit for Art on Track. View works by local artists as the train circles around the Loop. (Aug 30)

• The Bash on Wabash celebrates the Labor Day weekend with local artwork, live music, food from local restaurants, and kids’ activities. (Aug 30-31)

• The Chicago Cultural Center’s exhibit, Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe, features artworks of the blonde babe by several artists, including Andy Warhol, Peter Blake, Bert Stein, and more. (Ends Sept 21)

• It’s not easy being a Cubs fan. Wait ‘til Next Beer is a comedy sketch show that explores what gives Wrigley regulars their comfort: beer. And, in true Cubs fashion, the theater features beer vendors ($12 buckets of Bud, $8 buckets of PBR). (Ends Aug 30)

• Chicago hosts the Nike+ Human Race along with 24 other cities around the world. (Nike website best viewed in Internet Explorer.) The 10K race follows Lake Shore Drive and then heads back to Soldier Field. After the run, enjoy live music by Fall Out Boy. (Aug 31)

Photo credit: City of Chicago, (c/o Flickr) Kramchang, Jeremy Brooks

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

The buffet here is SO big, it takes up two rooms. No, really. To give you an idea, most buffet lines offer less than a handful of cold salads. Red Apple offers up to ten daily, including chicken salad, egg salad, cucumber vinaigrette, carrot and raisin, tuna salad, and more. Be sure to save room for the main entrées though. The buffet features as many as 25 dishes at a time, with an impressive array of dinner items. Baked chicken, pork cutlets, roast beef, chicken Kiev, fried fish, meatloaf, turkey breast, beef liver, schnitzel, Polish sausage… I’m getting full just thinking about it all.

But it doesn’t end! The buffet just keeps right on going. By now, your plate is probably full, so the station actually offers fresh plates along the way, so you won’t have to go all the way back to the beginning to get a new plate. Fill up your (second?) plate with pierogis, dumplings, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, and blintzes. And we haven’t even touched the dessert station yet. (Kolaczkis, anyone?)

So how much does this giant buffet cost? Probably less than you’d think: $9.99 on weekdays, $10.99 on weekends. Sure, there’s not much ambience to speak of. The room is full of fake plants and back-to-back booths. But this is a diner for people who don’t care about style, people who love comfort food and LOTS of it.

You’ve been forewarned though. Visit Red Apple too often, and you may find yourself as round as an apple.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) minvervah

Red Apple ($): 3121 N Milwaukee Ave; 773-588-5781
Sun – Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Fri – Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Street parking, free lot
Public trans: Bus # 56, 77
http://redapplebuffet.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

One of my favorite comedians, Margaret Cho, is in town with her new show, The Sensuous Woman. It’s a bit of a variety show, featuring several artists, including Kelly! (If you don’t know who Kelly is, shame on you! You must check out the Internet phenomenon that all started with Shoes. [foul language warning]) Don’t miss the impressive lineup of burlesque performances, stand-up comedy, and hilarious skits.

• Get your groove on, girl. Estrojam features plenty of exciting music, as well as poetry slams, workshops, and panel discussions. (Sept 18-22)
• Doctors Without Borders is holding an eye-opening event called A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City, exhibiting the troubles and work of refugees around the world. Learn how aid workers build shelter, provide health care and vaccines, and find food and water. (Sept 19-23)
• The UniverSoul Circus hits town this week, delighting audiences of all ages and backgrounds with a vibrant blend of traditional circus acts and urban-inspired music. (Sept 20-Oct 14)
• Celebrating their 100th anniversary, the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce presents Italian Style at Navy Pier, featuring fashion, music, wine, cars, tourism, food, and more. (Sept 21-23)
• There have been plenty of wine festivals this month… so what’s one more? Sample a variety of vintages along with cheeses, chocolates, and foods from neighborhood restaurants. Winefest Chicago will even send you home with a commemorative wine glass. (Sept 21-23)
• Celebrate the summer weather while it lasts by enjoying the Friday cookout at the Ravenswood Bank Fall Festival, featuring grilled food and apple pie. (Sept 21-23)
• The Chinatown Moon Festival is a traditional harvest celebration offering a lion dance competition, Japanese drums, lantern show, Chinese American Idol (no lie), and kung fu performances. Mmm… mooncakes! (Sept 22)

St. Helen Festival @ St. Helen Church/School (free!): 2300 W Augusta Blvd; 773-486-1055
Sept 20-21: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sept 22-23: 12 noon – 10:00 p.m.
Street parking available
Public trans: Bus # 49, X49
http://www.sthelenchicago.org/difference/festival.htm

Margaret Cho @ Lake Shore Theater ($40-$45): 3175 N Broadway St; 866-468-3401 (tickets), 773-472-3492 (box office)
Running through Sept 22
Street parking difficult, pay lot available
Public trans: Bus # 77, 156
http://www.margaretcho.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

It is definitely the place to be when it comes to summer in Chicago, and I try to go every year. Located right behind the Art Institute, admission is free, but you buy food and beverages with tickets you can purchase at the entrances of the event. A strip of 11 tickets costs $7. How much does the food cost? Well, that depends on what you get. Large portions (like a huge turkey leg) will probably go for about 10 tickets, but most other dishes range from 5-8 tickets. Your best value is probably the “taste portion” that every restaurant booth offers: a small sample of one of their specialties for only 2-3 tickets. Soft drinks, water, and alcoholic beverages are also all available at the Taste of Chicago.

Keep an eye out for a few favorites. You’ll find throngs of people waiting patiently for one of the giant barbecued, slowly-cooked turkey legs at Helen’s (Booth 30). For a sample of Chicago pizza, try the Home Run Inn (Booth 36), which also serves frozen grapes, great for the hot summer days. Of course, this is Chicago, so there are more than enough pizza places to sample, including Lou Malnati’s (33), Suparossa (13), Connie’s (47), and more. Vegetarians should check out A Natural Harvest (59), a strictly vegetarian restaurant at the Taste, offering tamales, roasted corn on the cob, and cheese nachos. And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with chocolate-dipped cheesecake from Eli’s (22). I can never go without the fried dough from Harry Carey’s (32) or a chocolate-dipped frozen banana from Aunt Diana’s Candy Makers (18).

The concerts that are held at the Petrillo Music Shell are free! The seating area opens up to the public a half hour before each concert. There are a limited number of seats however, and it’s a first-come-first-served basis, so check the schedules and be sure to get there early.

And then, there’s the incredible Independence Eve fireworks show. On July 3, the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m., and the fireworks are launched from Monroe Harbor at 9:30 p.m. The show draws a massive crowd, so claim your spot early.

The Taste of Chicago is a great place to sample foods you’ve always wondered about and discover restaurants you may not have known about before.

Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) Peter Fuchs

The Taste of Chicago: 200 S Columbus Dr; 312-744-3315
June 29 – July 8: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
*July 3: closes at 10:00 p.m., July 8: closes at 8:00 p.m.
Pay lots available in the area
Public trans: Bus # 1, 2, 3, 4, X4, 6, 7, 10, 14, 26, X28, 29, 36, 62, 126, 127, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 151
Orange/Purple/Pink/Green/Brown Line train (Adams)
Red/Blue Line train (Monroe, Jackson)
Metra (Van Buren)
http://www.tasteofchicago.us/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler

Andy’s Deli in Jefferson Park has about 150 different products (including bacons, hams, cheeses, pork loins, sausages, and more) and also has its own bakery, producing its own breads and pastries. While the family-based company does rely on a few vendors, nearly all the goods are the deli’s own. In fact, Andy’s is the largest producer of a variety of Polish sausages, sold throughout the United States.

In the Lakeview neighborhood, Pierogi Factory is much more than its name implies. Pierogi are semi-circular dumplings of unleavened dough, usually stuffed with mashed potatoes but can also contain fruit, cheese, meat, sauerkraut, onion, or cabbage. They are usually boiled and/or fried and served with sour cream. The Factory’s menu offers about 15 different kinds of pierogi, along with stuffed cabbage, borsch, blintzes, polish sausage, and potato pancakes.

You’ll feel like you stepped back in time at Szala’s Restaurant on the south side of the city. But stepping in isn’t as easy as walking in the front door. Instead, you must pull the rope and ring the bell to be let in. The unique décor (which includes a water wheel!) helps customers feel like they’re actually in Polish highlands. Of course, the food is what keeps folks ringing that bell, including creamed herring, thick potato pancakes, wild rabbit, roasted pheasant, and hunter stew (braised sauerkraut, grilled sausage, bacon, roast park, onion, and tomato sauce).

Photo credit: (c/o SXC) wojciech wolak

Andy’s Deli ($): 5442 N Milwaukee Ave; 773-632-7304
Mon – Wed: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Thurs – Sat: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sun: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Street parking available
Public Trans: Bus #56A, 68, 85
http://www.andysdeli.com/shop/

Pierogi Factory ($): 1034 W Belmont Ave; 773-325-1015
Mon – Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Sun: 12 noon – 9:00 p.m.
Street parking available
Public Trans: Bus #22, 77 or Red Line train (Belmont)
http://www.pierogifactory.com/

Szalas Restaurant ($$): 5214 S Archer Ave; 773-582-0300
Sun – Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Public Trans: Bus #62 or Orange Line train (Pulaski)
http://www.szalasrestaurant.com/

Post from: The Chicago Traveler