Beer lovers around the world are mourning the master beer critic Michael Jackson, who passed away at the end of August. The UIC branch of Lush Wine & Spirits will be honoring the great Beer Hunter with a free beer tasting this Sunday between 2 and 5pm on Sunday, Sept. 30. They'll also be participating in the worldwide toast at 9pm. Raise a glass.
Michael Jackson Tribute & Beer Tasting, Sept. 30
Lush Wine & Spirits
1306 S. Halsted St., Chicago | 312-738-1900
Most Chicagoans think that once Labor Day passes, that's it for the festivals in Grant Park. Not so: there's still Celtic Fest yet to go, this Saturday and Sunday. Dolores O'Riordan, formerly of the Cranberries, headlines at the Petrillo Music Shell along with Lúnasa and Jon Langford on Sept. 15, and Damien Dempsey, Searson and Salsa Celtica perform on Sept. 16 — and those are just the highlights of a festival featuring national and international musicians representing all Celtic nations on nine stages, all for free. Head on down and dance awhile!
Celtic Fest, Sept. 15-16
Grant Park, Columbus Drive and Monroe Street, Chicago
It's a little early for the trees to change color, but Fall is already on the mind at the Chicago Botanic Garden as they prepare for the annual Harvest Festival. The very family-friendly event includes music and cooking demonstrations, a hay-bale maze and other activities for the kids, and a marketplace for the parents offering fresh bread, honey, baked goods, jams and jellies, fresh flowers, taffy apples and more.
Harvest Festival, Sept. 15-16
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe | 847-835-5440
Chef Masaharu Morimoto, star of both the Japanese and American "Iron Chef," pays a visit to Fox & Obel to promote his new cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking. At 12:30pm, he'll do a quick cooking demo, then sign books for a couple hours. You'll want to RSVP right away for the demo, as seating is limited. More details here.
Morimoto Book Signing, Sept. 8
Fox & Obel
401 E. Illinois Ave., Chicago | 312-379-0139
The summer neighborhood festival season is winding down, but one of the last is one of the better ones: Lincoln Square celebrates the 87th annual German Day with bands, dancing, a parade and, of course, lots of good German beer from Friday through Sunday (one day obviously isn't enough to cover all that is German). Think of it as an early Octoberfest. Be sure to bring cash, though: the beer tent accepts nothing else.
German Day, Sept. 7-9
Lincoln Plaza, Leland and Lincoln Avenues, Chicago
The 18th annual African Festival of the Arts gives the Jazz Fest a run for its money this weekend, with more than 100 performances by jazz, funk, R&B, hip hop and world music acts — and takes it to another level with art exhibits, author readings, cultural and historical discussions, dance performances, films and children's activities. The whole of Washington Park will be abuzz with so much to do, you might want to pick up a full weekend pass to make sure you don't run out of time to do it all.
African Festival of the Arts, Aug. 31-Sept. 3
Washington Park
51st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago
Now in its 14th year, the Chicago Underground Film Festival showcases more than 30 independent, experimental and documentary films from around the world, many of which would never be shown in Chicago otherwise. If nothing else, you should go see the documentary on Chicago's own rock'n'roll poet, Thax Douglas, who has been entertaining or annoying concert audiences around town for years. The festival runs Wednesday through Sunday this week.
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Aug. 15-19
Chopin Theater
1543 W. Division St., Chicago | 773-278-1500
Elegant Mr. Gallery
1355 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Maybe you just got back from Hawaii and have a hankering for a taste of what you just left behind — or maybe you just want to pretend you just got back from Hawaii. Whatever the reason, you need to head to Aloha Grill, because nowhere else in the city will you be able to sate that desire for plate lunch, the 50th state's distinctive lunch dish featuring two scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and a protein of your choice (the chicken katsu and bbq beef come highly recommended). It's also the only place in town to get musubi — spam sushi.
Aloha Grill
2534 N Clark St., Chicago | 773-935-6828
Chocolate chip-raspberry swirl. Peanut butter and grape jelly. Avocado-lime. Whatever your heart's desire, you'll be able to make it yourself after this Thursday's "We All Scream for Ice Cream" class at Fox & Obel. Taught by executive baker Pamela Fitzpatrick, this quickie class teaches you how to create your very own frozen treats from scratch, and you'll go home not only with some of Chef Fitzpatrick's personal recipes, but a brand-new Donvier ice cream machine, which is included in the $75 class price! Plus, you'll get 10% off all your purchases the night of the class — which will be a big help as you load up on ingredients for your ice-cold masterpiece.
We All Scream For Ice Cream!, Aug. 9
Fox & Obel Food Market
401 E. Illinois St., Chicago | 312-410-7301
Clean and comfortable though not quite cozy, Lincoln Square's Cafeneo fills a perfect niche: a coffee shop for folks who don't want to go to Starbucks but wants a less disheveled environment than your typical indie place. Exposed brick walls, dark leather chairs and free wifi set the scene for laptop jockeys, while the Illy espresso and nice selection of crepes, quiches, sandwiches and other snacks satisfy nicely. As a bonus, there's a small outdoor patio, and a straight shot to the Western Brown Line stop.
Cafeneo
4655 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago | 773-878-2233
You'd never expect a place like Delilah's to be one of the best whiskey bars in the world, but that's what Whisky Magazine calls it. The clientele may not be your typical scotch aficionado — the rockabilly dolls and punk rock boys are more likely to go for one of the many beers on tap or in bottles — but if you've got a taste for a hard to find bourbon or a rare Highlands scotch, you're more likely to find it here than anywhere else. Owner Mike Miller is so serious about his whiskeys that he's even commissioned his own bourbon and scotch bottlings; you can pick up a bottle of Delilah's 13 only at the bar.
Delilah's
2771 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago | 773-472-2771