Retail Round-up

It's been an exciting week for Chicago shopping and it's only Wednesday. See below for all the juice:

Topshop scaffolding has been removed to unveil some pretty sweet window coverings featuring men's and women's fall Topshop lines

Racked is reporting what is on Ikram's menu in their new store opening tomorrow, falling right into fashion cliche's, salad will be a main feature on the menu

The Michigan Avenue Burberry is moving to a temporary space next to the Shops of Northbridge while their current space gets revamped into a mega five-story flasgship store

Randolph Street Market is back this weekend with vintage finds for all

This Just In...

Good news from the Tribune this afternoon: the National Restaurant Association's Chicago show is here to stay. Speculations were swirling about moving the show to another city because of the NATO/G8 meetings creating conflict with the show's usual May 19-22 date. But the show has confirmed it will move to May 5-8, keeping Chicago as host.

The International Wine, Spirits & Beer event will be held on the 6th and 7th.

See full article here.

photo via NRA

Christmas (Cocktail'ing) in July

Before the beloved Chicago month of July ends (seriously, where is Summer going?), we wanted to pay homage to one of our fave times of year: Christmas in July. To celebrate, we’re mixing up a batch of some of our favorite holiday cocktails. Skip the egg nog and the heavy cream, these Christmakkuh concoctions are warm weather approved:

Jingle Juice
5 cups orange juice, 1 cup vodka, 1/3 cup Triple Sec, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup maraschino cherry juice. Shake and serve over ice.

Limoncello Libations
1 ½ oz. limoncello, ¾ oz. orange-flavored vodka and the juice of three lime wedges. Shake and serve over ice.

Cranberry Cosmos
½ cup cranberry vodka, ¼ cup Cointreau, 2 Tbsps lime juice. Shake and serve over ice. Note: the recipe actually calls for ½ cup cranberry liqueur, but we opt for the vodka, for obvious reasons. To each his/her own.

Champagne Cocktails
½ oz. Campari, ½ oz. fresh lemon juice, ½ oz. Triple Sec, 4 oz. prosecco.

White Cranberry Cocktail
Shake 2 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus, 1 oz. Triple Sec and 1 oz. white cranberry juice over ice. Add a dash of Sprite. Serve over ice.

Gypsy: July 29-31

Art. Craft Beers. Risotto Balls. Sounds to us like a nice little Saturday...

Weren’t able to snag a reservation at Glimpse, the last pop-up restaurant that took over Logan Square Kitchen? Good news: Gypsy, the new concept coming to the LSK space, is modeled to be a quick, grab-and-go concept, giving more Milwaukee Ave. Arts Fest goers the chance to experience the three day takeover.

The chefs behind Le Bouchon and La Sardine have put together a menu boasting international tastes, all inspired by the quickness and travel-ease of the food truck phenomenon. So what’s on the menu? Think fried risotto balls in romesco sauce, duck tacos and cilantro-citrus vegetable crepes. All topped off with a selection of craft beers and wines.

Gypsy will be open for tasting all weekend – the 29th – 31st. Heads up that the pop-up spot is cash only.

Delve's Weekend Recos

Now that the storm has cleared, it's time to focus on the task at hand: weekend plans. See below for Delve's top weekend recos:

Chicago’s Favorite Festival – For the 43rd time, Sheffield Garden Walk is bringing entertainment and garden/architectural tours to Sheffield Ave. We can taste the sangria already.

‘Bon’a Fide Good Time – If you were lucky enough to snag a ticket, head to the Chicago Theater on Sunday for Bon Iver’s Chicago tour stop.

Vive le Cinema – Make your way to The Music Box on Southport for three days of the best films in recent French cinema.

Now Walk It Out – Head West for the first-ever West Town Art Walk. Starting at 7 p.m., pop in and out of Chicago Ave. shops and restaurants to check out local art. Participants include: Dovetail Chicago, Seek Vintage, Branch27, Fivestar, Leopold, Very Best Vintage, Flo, and Swim Café (among others).

The Line Up – Wicker Park Fest boasts one of the largest line ups in all of Chicago street fests. Not to discredit the retailer and food lineup.

Politically Incorrect – Missed a workout this week? Get an ab workout in at the Bill Maher show, Saturday night, 8 p.m. at the Chicago Theater.

Mark Your Calendar: Fashion Night Out Comes to Chicago

While we aren't sure what Ms. Wintour and her all-star team have cooked up for the 3rd annual Fashion Night Out celebration, we can tell you that the nationwide festivities will be taking place on September 8. Last year's Chicago participants included Water Tower, Macy's, Neiman's, Nordstroms and Saks and that was all in the inaugural year for Chi-Town. Now with a year of FNO under the city's belt, we are clearing our calendar in anticipation for a bigger, better, blow-out event.

Gotta Have It: Net-A-Porter Neons

Cruising through our favorite e-commerce site, we couldn't help but notice all of the vibrant accessories that were shouting loud and clear "summer is not over yet!" With temperatures getting awfully steamy around this city, see below for some neon picks that are equally as hot.

Clockwise starting at top:
1.Christopher Kane Laser-Cut Clutch $530/Tom Binns Crystal Drop Earrings $225/Comme Des Garcons Leather Wallet $365/Alexander McQueen Suede Ankle Boots $1,075

Wine. To Your Door.

Whether you’re at an organized wine tasting, a client dinner or on a not-so-good first date, we’ve all been asked what we think of the wine in hand. In turn, we’ve likely all muttered the following:

“It’s great…(sip)…so complex…(sip)…yet balanced…(gulp).”

Sound all too (uncomfortably) familiar? Read on.

Enter Lettuce Wine Cellars (LWC), the brainchild of Alpana Singh, Master Sommelier and Director of Wine & Spirits for Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants. Based on LWC’s notion that creating a common link between wines is the easiest and most efficient way to learn, they’re establishing a theme each month, with July featuring Wines of Italy (August will feature al fresco dining options and September will focus on tastes of France).

Alpana and team not only send LWC-approved wines straight to your door, they also provide easy-to-follow background information (all included on the Wine Kozy), taste and smell instructions, pronunciation guides and even food and mood pairings. We’re not just talking “Cabernet goes great with red meat.” We’re talking detailed recommendations on what to pair each wine with, what temperature and in what glass to serve it in, and even a “drink by” date for those of you that don’t crack open bottles the second the enter your door (which we can talk about later…).

Here’s the gist:

• Head to the LWC Wine Shop to select one of three packages: Discovery includes two bottles, Explorer includes four bottles and the Enthusiast (hint hint) includes six.
• Choose how you would like to purchase: The ‘Wine Subscription’ option signs you up for months and months to come (no sign up fee, no cancellation fee, just the wine fee each month). The ‘This Month’s Wines’ options makes a purchase only for the wines featured that month. There is also an option to ‘Give a Gift’ which is, well, pretty self-explanatory.
• Open your door upon delivery.
• Drink.

Like what you taste? July’s featured wines are available by the glass (and nowhere else) at the following Chicago restaurants: Antico Posto, Scoozi, Osteria Via Stato, Pizzeria Via Stato & Di Pescara.

Want to learn even more? Alpana will also host regular pop up wine tastings featuring LWC selections. The first tasting will be at Foodlife (835 N. Michigan) on July 28th from 6-7:30. Cost is $25 per person and tickets are available here.

Cut Copy Pop-Up Show

While you were sitting at home doing laundry this Sunday, Cut Copy made a suprise, post-Pitchfork appearance at The Bedford. A favorite band of the Bedford owners, the Austrialian, Electric duo stopped by the Wicker Park bar around 11pm after announcing their performance via Twitter. The band went on to play a two hour set, ending with a mash-up of "Stuck in the Middle with You." For those of you who missed it, check out the photos below.We suggest you start following all of your favorite Lolla artists on Twitter now, something tells us the weekend will be full of surprises.

Tonight!

It’s mid-summer, also known as the time when workouts start to become mundane. Looking for a way to spice up your every day routine? From beginners to trained experts, Wanderlust Yoga In The City (created by smartwater) is calling all yoga enthusiasts to Grant Park tonight to join Rich Logan, one of the city's top instructors as part of the seven-city national tour. In preparation for tonight’s workout, Delve chatted with Rich to get the skinny on all things zen:

Delve: What are the top health benefits associated with Yoga?
Rich: You can certainly build strength, flexibility, increase metabolism, calm the nervous system, strengthen bones, etc, but in the end it's about our intention. Yoga is about directing our focus on an intense level and seeing what occurs without clinging to the outcome. It depends a lot on how we employ the techniques of yoga whether it be Physical (asana-the postures) or energetic(pranayama-think breath energy). So a calmer mind is at the end of the yogic rainbow in one sense.

Delve: Being that we have exercise A.D.D., what are your favorite places to do yoga outside of a studio in Chicago?
Rich: When I am not studying with my teacher at the Yoga Circle or running to and from the three studios I teach at (Moksha, Nature and Yoga Now) you’ll find me practicing in my home. Years ago I used to practice in an art gallery which was a wonderful way to interact with the creative objects. I have also been known to go out into the woods and do some practice. I’m really looking forward to teaching in Grant Park, being outdoors and near the earth.

Delve: What classes do you recommend for those who are just getting started with yoga?
Rich: Start out simple. Beginning classes are a great way to familiarize yourself with the physical aspects of practice and basic breathing techniques. Most serious yoga studios will offer up beginning or intro to yoga classes like Moksha. Get together with a teacher that has some advanced training to show you the ropes. Take private lessons if it feels the class is leaving you behind. It will speed up your knowledge base. And remember it is much more than just a physical practice so don't let the poses over shadow your heart.

Tonight's Grant Park session starts at 5 p.m. - more information available here.

Street Style, Chicago Style

The Satorialist, Jak and Jil, Face Hunter - street-style blogs are insanely addicting and a great source of fashion inspiration. For those of us who aren't loitering around the East Village waiting to get snapped, not to fear, Chicago's street-fashion star is rising. Enter Amy Creyer of ChicagoStreetStyle.com who is snapping chi-town trendsetters from the Gold Coast to Bucktown. Get to know Amy...

Delve: How do Chicago fashionistas increase their chances of getting snapped on your site?
Amy: To embrace their personality. That's the trick to getting spotted by me. To make it onto my site, you have to be willing to put yourself out there a little. I don't like "safe" looks, I search for risk-takers and rule-breakers. Everyone on ChicagoStreetStyle.com is there because they differentiated themselves in some way from the masses.

Delve: How do you think Chicago street style differs from NYC's vibrant scene?
Amy: I think that in Chicago we are a city of individuals. We're more insulated from the "establishment" decrees of what's in and what's out, which leads to more diverse street-style. That's not to say there isn't high fashion here, there is, but it tends to be more personal than just wearing that Celine shirt everyone else - including Kanye - has been photographed in. People celebrate their own personal style here because there's less of a rigid hierarchy about what's cool. In Chicago, being yourself is cool.

Delve: With music festivals galore coming up, we need to be prepared, what items would you recommend for sartorial success at summer concerts?
Amy: To remain fashionable but cool at music festivals you must remember to be comfortable! There is nothing more absurd than wearing 4 inch heels to walk around a field. Cute flat ankle boots and fashion-forward sneakers (like my Margielas) keep you mobile as you walk from show to show. I tend towards loose-fitting dresses and tops for airflow. Sheer and transparent layers are super-on trend and allow skin to breathe under the hot summer sun.

We also asked Amy to post her favorite looks of all time, see below for the winners and why:
From left to right (click on image to enlarge):

• Meagan from LATTERSTYLE - She is an enigma and hard to define. I like that she's different and she unapologetically puts herself out there. Meagan is a refreshing change of pace from the typical fashion blogger.
• Christian - This was the photo that changed everything. About 5 months into my blog I snapped this photo of Christian in Lincoln Park. The lighting, the post, the composition - this was the image where everything fell into place. I finally understood photography on an intuitive level.
• Linsey - This is my most popular image of all time. I received several emails asking about everything from her scarf to her shoes. I love the composition of this image as well. And of course, Linsey is strikingly beautiful and well-dressed.
• Saree -shows that is it possible to to remain classic yet effortlessly chic. Small details, like the way her scarf is tied and how her pants are a tad short, reveal a very clear sense of personal style. You don't have to dress in a costume to land yourself on ChicagoStreetStyle.com, you just have to understand how to communicate a sense of style. Often times, it's the small details that catch my eye.
• Rachel and her boyfriend Ralphy'L - This photos is another one of my favorites. I love how often times a photo can capture the invisible. Here, the chemistry between this couple saturates the image with only a furtive glance and hands clasped. Plus they're dressed to kill!

The Melman's Are At It Again

We've all heard about the coming-soon September closing of Ben Pao, but new word on the street is that the unstoppable Melman brothers have a new plan for the restaurant already in the works. While they have not yet commented on what the restaurant concept will be, R.J. Melman promised the Tribune that it will "be fun."

R.J., while we believe you whole-heatedly, we need more deets!

We'll keep you posted as we hear more, but until then, let your imaginations run wild.


Photo via TimeOut Chicago

5 at 5: Our Weekend Recos

So close, yet so far away. To help get you through that last 15 minutes at the office, we've included our top happenings for the weekend. For those of you already at Pitchfork, we'll see you soon.

Pitchfork – We already downloaded you on our Pitchfork itinerary, but in case you forgot, check it out here. Topped off with an All Saints pop-up, we can’t wait to get over there.

Boozey Day Trip – Need a little time outside the city limits? Head to the newly opened Greenbush Brewing Company (just 90 miles outside of Chicago) for a brewery tour. Get to know them now, there are collaborations in the works with the likes of Chicago’s favorite chefs including Stephanie Izard and Danny Grant.

Best of the Best – Pop into Bar Deville for cocktails by co-owner Brad Bolt who was just named the “Most Inspired Bartender” by GQ and Bombay Sapphire.

Taste of River North – Eat. Drink. Repeat. This year’s River North is boasting tastes from restaurants including Italiasa, Fleming’s, Moe’s Cantina and Sullivan’s Steakhouse.

Semi-Annual Steals - Visit Perchance until July 17th for their Semi-Annual Sale featuring reduced items from both established favorites and lesser-known (but equally fab) designers

What to Wear: Weddings Edition

If you're like us, you have about 1,000 weddings between now and then end of the year. If you are lucky enough to choose your own garb, the shopping experience can can be time-consuming, expensive and almost make you wish you were wearing a seafoam green taffeta bridesmaid dress.

Never fear, to help you out with your wardrobe distress, we have brought in expert Chicago stylist Eric Himel to help alleviate some stress. The stylist, who dresses Chicago's premiere clientele, celebrities and is the man behind many a fashion shoots, gave us his picks on what to wear no matter the nuptials setting. Whether it's a formal function or a casual destination, we've got you covered from head to toe.

Formal Functions:
Stand out in a crowd with a sequin shift and statement accessories in the color that never goes out of style (black).
Dress: Aidan by Aidan Mattox Sequin Sheath Dress ($188)
Bracelet: Kate Spade Bow Bridge Wide Bangle ($178)
Bag: Sondra Roberts ($120)
Shoes: Caparros Regina ($58)
















Casual/Destination
Whether you are in the Caribbean or headed to a backyard barbeque, say "I Do" to bold and bright frocks with tribal-inspired and metallic accessories.

Dress: Tibi Washed Habutai One Shoulder, Citron ($330)
Earrings: Chain Wrapped Earrings ($4)
Bag: Aldo Tinsman Bag ($45)
Shoes: Steve Madden 'Naadine' Sandal ($90)

Happy Shopping!
For more on Eric and his services, check out his website

Limited Time: Chinglish at The Goodman

With a China trip on the books, we Delve girls are doing our best to soak up all things Chinese in Chicago. Looking past The Three Chili Chicken at Lao Sze Chaun, we found Chinglish at The Goodman Theatre. This Broadway bound play from award-winning author M. Butterfly tells the story of the challenges of doing business in a culture whose language and ways of communicating are worlds apart.

If you're looking for some laughs (The Tribune calls it "hilarious"), we definitely recommend it. Get tickets soon as Chinglish will be no more after July 31.

Ahoy Matey

Oysters, mussels and surf & turf sliders. Oh, and champagne. All while sitting waterside on a 2,000 foot patio. Ahh, the Coast.

But wait, it’s not the Coast. It’s your very own nautical summer in Chicago.

With our first-ever Chicago-sailing trip merely two weeks away, Delve is becoming enamored with the boating scene in the Windy City. Taking that love a little further, we just caught wind of the new inhabitant of the former DeLaCosta space. Introducing Quay: The new drive-up waterfront restaurant and lounge that’s dropping anchor along the Ogden Slip by Navy Pier. From what we hear (still in the soft-opening stages), the set up is a trio of a sports lounge, a dining room and an atrium (on the water). Did we mention the lounge is equipped with 45 plasmas? Well, it is. So no need to try to come up with creative ways to convince the boy to join you.

What we’re loving most (other than the waterfront and people watching, of course) is that Leanne Strickler, known for her masteries at Mercadito and Nana, is behind the cocktail menu, promising seasonally-driven cocktails.

Don’t have a boat? There’s an entrance on Illinois.

Here's to setting sail.

Bryce Caron Heads Back to Blackbird

After a few years serving as the Executive Pastry Chef at Custom House Tavern, Bryce Caron is returning to Blackbird (this time as Executive Pastry Chef), the place he called home as Pastry Sous Chef in 2007.

One thing we know for sure, Paul Kahan (the man, the myth, the legend behind Blackbird, avec and The Publican) knows what he’s doing. Known for his innovative take on the modern culinary world, he’s the mastermind behind the restaurant’s new dream team chef duo of Caron and Chef de Cuisine David Posey. Kahan promises that the result of the duo will be “clean focused seasonal flavors, a high level of creativity and execution. All hallmarks of Blackbird."

Timing of Caron’s entirely new pastry menu is still TBD. In the meantime, we’ll be pacing outside of Blackbird.