A Festival of Flavors at Carnivale

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  Over the past few years I have heard wonderful things about Carnivale, located in Chicago's Fulton Market District. Driving northbound toward I-90 W, I'd always catch a glimpse of the restaurant's exterior with it's bold and colorful vertical lines. After reading a few mixed reviews about the restaurant, I decided to experience Carnivale for myself.  
• Carnivale cuisine is greatly influenced by Brazil, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Spain and Colombia.  Their menu offerings include south american favorites such as shrimp ceviche made with house-smoked chipotle, Peruvian half-chicken, Puerto Rican rice, fried plantains and other specialties.    
  My dinner guest met me on a Thursday night for dinner. As you enter the main dining room, you'll immediately notice the over-the-top decor...a 35,000 square foot space that doesn't disappoint.  Other features include 25-high red velvet drapes, seven-foot high light fixtures, a jewel-colored skylight and a second-story wine wall with colorful backlighting and latin music serving as the backdrop. I requested seating on the upper level, away from the surprising high noise level in the main dining room.  
  

  The evening started with a Carnival Martini - a smooth blend of Espolón Reposado Tequila, Cointreau, pomegranate juice and fresh lime juice.  I decided to pick a few appetizers and share them with my guest. Appetizers included,  Ropa Vieja, Tacos de Pescado, Cured Meats & Olives and Carmelized Sweet Plantains.  The appetizers were all very tasty, but nothing outstanding.  For my entree, I chose the Truffle Cheese Arepa, which I really enjoyed.  However, the Ceviche was worth the trip alone...no kidding!  
  The waitstaff was friendly and greeted us with a warm smile.  However, we experience long wait times between bar, appetizer and entree service.  Overall, the dining experience was hit and miss, the table service was good.  I plan to go back to try the Paella.  
  
  
  VISIT WEBSITE 
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A Taste of Germany in Lincoln Square

Siblings Maurice and Madeleine Apel grew up in Germany in the early 1900s. The Apels lived next door to my family for as long as I could remember and this wonderful pair were very special to us. One of my best childhood memories was of Miss Madeleine's baked breads, delivered fresh to our door on any given day. The aroma of her baked goods was heavenly and the taste was even better. Mr. and Ms. Apel have been deceased for a long time now, but stories of their homeland have always stayed with me. It wasn't until my son was given the assignment of completing a research report about German culture that memories of the Apels began to surface.   

While my son could have researched information on Google or Wikipedia, I didn't think a simple web search would do the project justice. Therefore, I decided to take my son on a day trip to German Village in Lincoln Square. 

Our first stop was the Dank Haus German Cultural Center located at 4740 N. Western.   Since we happen to visit early in the week and there were very few visitors, the curator was kind enough to give us a personal tour of the museum.  Every part of the museum is filled with German-American history, traditions and artifacts, which spoke to the German immigrant experience. We also learned about the German settlement in Chicago and the influx of German refugees after World War II.  The curator also shared information about the contributions of notable German Americans, including Frederick Sulzer, Carl Schurz, John Peter Altgeld, August Spies, Leonard Wells Volk and Oscar Mayer, to name a few.

In addition to the historical aspects of the museum, there are also five ballrooms which are great for hosting private events. The Dank Haus offers classes to learn German, you can listen to orchestral performances and visitors can also take a cooking class. For a nominal fee, you can learn how to make authentic German dishes with a very hands-on chef, complete with dinner and a wine or beer pairing.  Although the menu rotates, you will typically learn how to make some type of sausage or pate like weinerschnitzel, brunschweiger and a few side dishes.

After our tour, we were pretty hungry and decided to head to the Chicago Brau Haus located at 4732 N. Lincoln Avenue.  While I do not claim to be an expert of German cuisine, the food was pretty good.  My son and I ordered the chicken weinerschnitzels, potato pancakes and cabbage.  As a special treat, the server allowed me to sample several beer selections, including Stiegl, Bitburger and Hofbra.  Although I'm not a big ale fan, the samples were great...full-bodied, slightly bitter with fruity notes.   

After dining, we stayed a while longer to listen to the Brau Haus' polka entertainment.  The music and band members were very entertaining.  We also had an opportunity to meet the owner, Harry Kempf (pictured above, center), who took time out of his busy schedule to share his German-American experiences.

The highlight of our trip was something quite unexpected.  The Dank Haus' curator told us there was a remnant of the Berlin Wall permanently displayed in the nearby Brown Line CTA 'L' Station.  We left the Brau Haus and headed to the Western Street Station, between Eastwood & Leland Avenues. When you walk into the station, the first thing you notice is a portion of the Berlin wall and a dedication plaque.  On January 19, 2008, over 120 local residents and members of the German American community joined Chicago officials in celebrating the installation of a portion of the wall.  To be able to see and touch a moment in history was truly something memorable.

We could have spent another full day in the area just to visit all of the shops and eateries, but we decided we had enough information for the research project.  If you're ever in the Lincoln Square area, I encourage you to visit German Village and experience this historical community for yourself.  

Other Details: Free Admission to Dank Haus, Live Entertainment at Chicago Brau Haus, Free & Metered Street Parking, Public Transportation via CTA 'L' Brown Line

VISIT DANK HAUS, CHIAGO BRAU HAUS, CTA 'L' STOP/BERLIN WALL PORTION

TGIF! Here's What's Happening Around Town This Weekend!

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
White Sox Hosts the Atlanta Braves at Cellular Field.  Still time to purchase tickets..starting at $26.
VISIT CHICAGO WHITE SOX WEBSITE.

BEN FEST
BenFest is an annual north side family-friendly event that has newly expanded into three days, and highlights a large menu of great food and refreshments, beer selections, live music for adults and children, and quality family entertainment! The festival has also expanded out onto the street, and the all new market-place on Leavitt includes local vendors and merchants of art, jewelry, clothing, gifts, crafts and games. The renowned children's area features live music and dance for various ages, games, water slide, costumed characters, inflatables, face-painting, arts and craft area, train rides and more.

Hours:

Friday: 4 - 11 p.m.
Saturday: 1 - 11 p.m.
Sunday: 1 - 7 p.m.

 

VISIT BENFEST

HARRY CONNICK, JR.

See Harry Connick, Jr. live July 19-20 at the Symphony Center! These performances with his band will be in support of his new album release Every Man Should Know.

Hours: 7:30 p.m.

 

A limited number of tickets are available for purchase for a post-concert meet and greet and reception with Harry Connick, Jr.  Tickets for this meet and greet can only be purchased by calling 312-294-3000.

 

VISIT JAM AND SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS HARRY CONNICK, JR. WEBSITE

For more events this weekend...

VIEW CHOOSE CHICAGO EVENTS CALENDAR
 

Trendsetting Fashions Hits River West

Larry James has been in the fashion business for just about 20 years now and has made quite a name for himself in Chicago.  Although we attended the same high school, I wasn't formally introduced to Larry until the mid 90's, when he launched Ground Effects, housed in a converted brick bungalow in Broadview, Illinois, which specialized in upscale men's footwear and accessories.  During that time, I had just started my catering business and I was fortunate to have provided services for some of Larry's private events. 

Larry has outfitted some of the most celebrated A-listers, including Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, Common, Terrance Howard, to name a few. 

Mr. James is no ordinary merchant of men's shoes...he KNOWS shoes.  In fact he is a footwear designer's designer, with a keen eye for high quality, craftsmanship and detail.  Fast forward a decade or so, Larry wanted to expand his line to include men's fashions, which lead to the opening of Trends for Men (Chicago).  Ultimately, he took his vision a step further to include women's fashions, thus House of Trend was born. 

House of Trend is quite an urbanesque space  - a contemporary, high ceiling, white-walled open floor plan with industrial fixtures and furnishings placed throughout. I have always enjoyed shopping at HOT for three reasons - the space is inviting, you rarely see the same items twice and you never know who you will run into.  I think I should mention the guest sitting area which I call the "Communion Sofa", because I've had the most interesting conversations, interactions and networking experiences while parked there.


In addition to the many hats Mr. James already wears, he is also the founder of Forecast for the Arts, a non-profits which supports artistic and cultural programs.

 

House of Trend's signature boutique style is urban-chic, but you will find many classic pieces and unique garments with a slightly architectural design.  HOT also offers designer footwear, neckwear and a variety of accessories.

Their mantra, "it's not just retail...it's a lifestyle" is very fitting for this River West boutique.  It's not unusual to see HOT featured in many of Chicago's most notable media sources, including Chicago Magazine, CS Magazine and Michigan Avenue Magazine.

If you're looking for a unique style boutique with great retail and custom fashions and excellent customer service, I invite you to visit House of Trend.

Other Details: Style Consultant & Tailor On Site, Custom-Fit Apparel, Free Street Parking, Customer Events.

VISIT HOUSE OF TREND / VIEW PHOTO GALLERY ON FACEBOOK
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iShop Chicago, a New Social Experience!

WHAT'S iSHOP CHICAGO ALL ABOUT? 

iShop Chicago was launched two years ago as a way to bring information about the best of the city to the Chicagoland community.  Our focus is three-fold:

First, iShop Chicago is dedicated to shining a spotlight on the best hot spots in Chicago, including restaurants, bars, retailers and event venues.  We believe Chicagoans will have a much better appreciation for their city if they simply knew where to go and what to do. 

Second, we have an ever-expanding community of loyal followers, shoppers and event attendees, many of which have supported our  POP! Events & Entertainment social events. iShop Chicago hosts various events throughout the year at many of the businesses we spotlight on our blog. Our private events offers iShop Chicago followers shopping, socializing and networking opportunities at Chicago area retailers and event venues.  All private events are designed by iShop Chicago event planners to offer exclusive 1-day only shopping deals, food & beverage specials and entertainment discounts.

 [iSHOP CHICAGO PROMO]

Third, our iShop Chicago private events are a huge hit!  Our events provide an additional marketing resource for Chicago area businesses.  Many businesses have experienced increased foot traffic by tapping into iShop Chicago's resources and customer base.  Not only are events attended by iShop Chicago's social community, they are also attended by tourists looking for interesting things to do while visiting Chicago.  Our events are also a fantastic platform to spotlight some of Chicago's smaller, independent and sometimes obscure businesses. 

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHICH BUSINESSES ARE SPOTLIGHTED?
We scour the city's north, south and west sides looking for interesting places to dine, shop and visit. We visit each venue and provide our followers feedback from a personal viewpoint. From time to time, we will spotlight businesses in neighboring Chicago communities, but our primary focus is within the city of Chicago.

[VIDEO: TAKARA BOUTIQUE]

Additionally, we often ask you, our iShop Chicago community, for future review suggestions. If you have a favorite Chicago hot spot and would like us to review it, please send us the name, address, website, phone number of the business to ishopchicago@gmail.com. We'll be sure to mention your name in our review.  

 

 

WHEN ARE PRIVATE EVENTS HELD?
You simply never know when we will advertise a private event.  So, follow our blog to stay in the loop!  We suggest you register for events as soon as they are posted, as our events tend to fill up quickly.

MERCHANTS, RETAILS & VENUES
Consider hosting an iShop Chicago private event at your business.  Benefits:

• Increased foot traffic
• Promote new products and services
• Reduce excess overstocks and inventory
• Reach new local audience
• Use iShop Chicago's customer base to target new customers
• Benefit from iShop Chicago's social medial marketing tools and resources
• Past event partners: -  Neiman Marcus, Chicago South Loop Hotel, L26 Restaurant, Fabbri Furs, Beef & Brandy Restaurant, MySpa Chicago, Les Tableaux Fine China, SoNo Woodfired Pizza, CapitalOne 360, Steppenwolf Theatre and more!

For inquiries or to request a marketing kit, contact Regina Dillard - ishopchicago@gmail.com
 

Chicago's Architecture...A River's Viewpoint

This past Sunday, a friend and I visited an outdoor art show on North Michigan Avenue.  Afterward, we stopped for lunch and pondered what to do for the rest of the afternoon.  My boyfriend suggested we take the Chicago Architecture Foundation Tour, which I though was a fantastic idea.

We purchased tickets and arrived just in time for the 2:00 p.m. boat tour.  The tour was approximately 90-minutes in length, taking us up and down the north and south branches of the Chicago river. 

For me, the highlight of the tour was our very enthusiastic and entertaining tour guide.  To say our guide was knowledgeable about Chicago's architectural community would be an extreme understatement.  Our guide not only provided an overview of Chicago's rich architectural history, but detailed information about the structures along the river and the world-famous architects which designed them. I've since discovered all tours are given by Chicago Architecture Foundation-certified docents.  All docents receive hundreds of hours of training about Chicago architecture and history, which was evident during the tour.

The tour included Chicago's most famous historic and modern landmarks, including Willis Tower, Navy Pier, Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Merchandise Mart, Lyric Opera, 333 W. Wacker, Marina City and many, many more. Over 50 buildings are discussed on the tour. We were also able to see riverfront homes with very interesting and unique designs, many of which I consider repurposed structures, rehabbed from old factories and warehouses. Since I am a resident of Oak Park, I was particularly excited to see various motifs woven into at least three architectural designs, paying tribute to our own Frank Lloyd Wright.

Because of my fascination for Roman, Egyptian and Greek mythology, I was intrigued by the three-story art deco statue of the mythical ancient Roman goddess, Ceres (goddess of Agriculture, particularly grain), which caps the Chicago Board of Trade structure.  Interestingly enough, until this past weekend, I had never really paid much  attention to her.  Nevertheless, learning the history of the stature and how it became a fixture of the Chicago Board of Trade building, I was inspired to learn more about other statues overlooking the city.  I find it interesting that I've been in and out of many of these buildings my entire life and have never given thought about the architects responsible for their design. At the conclusion of the tour, I knew I would never view Chicago the same way again.

The tour started at the dock near Lower Michigan and Wacker Drive.  We cruised west, turning north going as far as Goose Island.  The boat takes a 180 degree turn and heads southward toward the Roosevelt Road bridge, turning again and eventually heads eastbound to Navy Pier.  The boat makes a final turn and heads west, returning to its point of origin.

Tickets can be purchased in person either in advance or on the day of the tour.  Although we were very fortunate to have purchased same day tickets, I highly recommend advance purchases, as the tour sells out very quickly.  The Chicago Foundation Box Office is located at 224 South Michigan (Railway Exchange building) or at Chicago's First Lady boat dock, southeast corner of the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Wacker Drive. Look for the blue awning marking the stairway entrance.  It is also recommended that guests arrive at least 20-30 minutes prior to departure of the cruise.

One suggestion - If you plan to sit on the upper deck, be sure to bring sunglasses and a hat for those warm and sunny days.  It will make the tour much more enjoyable. However, the boat also has a shaded lower deck, equipped with round tables, ample seating and a wet bar.  Over all, I found the Chicago Architectural Foundation Tour a wonderful and brilliant tour which exceeded my expectations!  Definitely, two thumbs up!

Other Details: Family-Friendly Tour, Upper (Exposed) & Lower (Sheltered) Decks, Credit Cards Accepted, Complimentary Tour Maps

VISIT CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION

Twitter: @chiarchitecture #chicagoriver

A Total Spa Experience at MySpa Chicago!

I first visited MySpa Chicago a few years ago while attending a networking event.  During the event, each guest was treated to mini spa services and pampering.  After my mini massage, I knew I had to come back for the full spa experience. I immediately scheduled an appointment to receive a Swedish massage and enzyme facial.

Upon arrival, the attendant showed me to the changing lounge and handed me a lush spa robe and slippers. After changing, my therapist was ready and waiting when I entered the service area.  The ambience of the spa really set the tone for my experience. MySpa Chicago has a Zen-like appeal, with its uber-chic design, soft lighting in the entryways and amber-glow lighting in the service areas. To get things off on the right foot, I was greeted by warm and friendly MySpa staff members...I truly felt welcome.    

There was never any lag time between services, as each attendant waited and escorted me to each service room.  Over the years, I've had some great and not-so-great experiences when it comes to massages.  However, my personal litmus test for a great massage is me falling asleep on the table.  Yes, after only 20 minutes into my 60-minute service, I was sleeping like a baby.  I embarrassingly awakened to the sound of my own snoring. (smile)  What I enjoyed most was the slow, rhythmic, not overly intense movements up and down my back and problem areas.  I left the table feeling extremely relaxed and rejuvenated.

While MySpa is known for their award-winning customer service, each staff members goes to great lengths to make sure your personal spa experience is a memorable and pleasurable one.  What also impressed me was the hands-on approach taken by the general manager, who was readily available to answer questions with regard to individual and group services.  Side Note: If you're interested in hosting a special event, MySpa Chicago will create the ultimate spa experience for you and your guests.  Additionally, MySpa will assist you with any catering needs, which can be coordinated at the time of service booking.

At the conclusion of my service, I was treated to mimosas and small plates of sushi, phyllo shrimp purses, spanakopita, chocolate-dipped fruit and other tasty bite-sized treats. I should mention, all catering is provided by Aria Restaurant, located on the hotel's main level.  Aria is another favorite of mine, but I will share details in a separate blog post.

I am eager to return for my birthday to try the aromatherapy massage.  I was told the therapist  massages various essential oil into body, followed by warm and soothing body towel wraps.  How divine!  Did I mention MySpa's Couples Suite Soaks, which includes heavenly His & Hers massage tables and luxurious soaking tubs?  MySpa has created a relaxing and inviting environment just for couples. I often recommend this service to friends who are celebrating an anniversary or special event.

MySpa Chicago is located in the loop at 200 N. Columbus Drive, (between Lower South Wacker & Water Street), inside the Fairmont Hotel.  The hotel is accessible by car, taxi or public transportation.  However, if you decide to drive into the city, I suggest taking advantage of metered street parking on the lower concourse level, near the hotel's service entrance. 

MySpa Chicago receives two thumbs up!

Other Details: Nearest Transit Station Randolph/Wabash, Online Booking, Valet/Street/Garage Parking, Services by Appointment Only.

VISIT MYSPA CHICAGO

We're always looking for new places to visit!  Tell us about your favorite Chicago hot spot....we'll visit and blog all about our experience.  Email: ishopchicago@gmail.com.