Spa at the Four Seasons: Bourbon Treatments

Looking for new ways to show your guy how much you adore him? Might we suggest adding a little bourbon to the mix? See below for two new spring offerings at the Spa at the Four Seasons that you're not going to want your guy to miss.

Vintage Bourbon Massage
Brown sugar + Kentucky bourbon = the Bourbon Bubbler Scrub. Follow that up with a 55 minute (or if you really want to wow him, an 80 minute) hot stone massage. Cost: 55 minutes $160, 80 minutes $210

Bourbon Retreat
A hand and foot therapy session with a molten bourbon-spiked soak, followed up with a hand/foot massage. Cost: $45 for the mani session, $75 for the pedi. We know guys, it’s “maintenance”, not a mani/pedi. Call it what you wish, it’s amazing.

Post-massage, meet him at the new Four Season’s Allium Bar for a taste of their signature single barrel bourbon.

Image: The making of Allium's rye whiskey at Few Distillery (via Four Season's Chicago)

4/3: Wine & Dine at Paris Club

As if we need more temptation to indulge at Paris Club, let us introduce you to their latest offering: wine dinners. Tuesday, April 3rd, Paris Club will host their first (of hopefully many!) wine dinners featuring a four-course meal paired with wines of Groth Vineyards.

On the menu:
1st up: Charcuterie Board of pâtés/terrines and fine meats
2nd course: Maine Diver Scallop with Spring Pea Ragout and Carrot Butter
Round 3: Cabernet Braised Short Rib with Roasted Fingerling Potato and Haricot Vert
Last but not least: Groth Reserve Sorbet with Sauvignon Blanc Poached Pears

Cost of the event is $75, all inclusive. Reservations can be made at 312-595-0800 or www.parisclubchicago.com.


Want even more wine? Check out today’s Gilt City offer for 33% off a ticket to Austria Uncorked, featuring more than 80 Austrian vineyards. For only $50 (regularly $75), you can sip your way through the vineyards and enjoy tastes from Vivo, N9NE and more, all while benefiting Chicago nonprofit Common Threads.

*photo via Paris Club

Trending: Printed Denim

Steamy spring temps are leaving us itching to start our summer shopping now. First trend of the season to conquer? Printed denim. For months we have been lusting after playful prints that spice up the boring blue jean. With temps nearing the 80s, it's finally time to get this party started. Our top three patterns (from left to right):

1. Current/Elliot Floral Stilletto Jean - $214

2. Rag and Bone Biba Shorts - $154

3. Seven for All Mankind Cropped Ikat - $189

Shamrock Shakin'

Oh draft green beer. Such a love/hate relationship we have with you. In an attempt to nix the Sunday hangover brought on by said brews, we’re spending tomorrow mixing up some Chi-rish-inspired concoctions sure to be a crowd pleaser for guys and girls alike.

The Shamrock-tini (pictured)
2oz. Baileys with a hint of Mint Chocolate
1/2oz. Vanilla Vodka
Prep:
1. Add Baileys with a hint of Mint and vodka to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Black and Bubbles
5 oz chilled Guinness
1 1/2 oz. chilled Champagne
Prep:
Pour Guinness into champagne flute. Add champagne carefully, so it does not mix with Guinness, and serve.

Sláinte!

Unnecessary, but Awesome: Sprinkles ATM

When we heard about the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM popping up in LA, we thought it was totally ridiculous, however now that we hear one is coming to Chicago this summer, we think it is totally awesome.

The manager of Sprinkles Chicago revealed to Chicago Reader that not only will the cupcake giant be expanding this summer, but it will also be rolling out at least one cupcake ATM as well. The new machinery will hold 600 cupcakes at a time and charge $4 a piece (a 50 cent convenience fee for dodging that never-ending line on Walton). What you will get in return is a prepackaged, fresh cupcake that is available to satisfy your cravings 24 hours a day.

Move over food trucks, Food ATMs are about to be the next big thing...

Old Town Pour House Opening Tuesday

The newest addition to Old Town’s Wells St., Old Town Pour House, opens its doors tomorrow in the former 33 Club space. The guys behind Chicago’s Bottleneck establishments (Sweetwater, Trace, Boundary) are promising seating for 180 and a modern take on Chicago sports bars. What are we most excited about? See below.

1. The draft menu includes 90 beers on tap (the most in Chicago!) and will feature a solid lineup of local and seasonal brews.
2. In addition to a menu developed by Delve fave Chef Paul Katz, the bar food menu will include fried cheese curds. It’s like they read our mind…
3. The front windows are retractable, opening up to the hustle and bustle of Wells St.

Tomorrow, the restaurant bar is opening up with special hours – 11a.m. – 2a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10a.m. – 2a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and 10a.m. – 3a.m. on Saturday. Considerate it an early St. Patrick’s Day present.

*photos via Old Town Pour House

Chef's Week 2012

Still suffering from post-Restaurant Week depression? Turn that frown upside down. Just when you finally fit back into those skinny jeans, the 4th annual Chicago’s Chef Week is launching March 18-23. From the folks behind the Boka Restaurant Group (Balena, Girl & The Goat, GT Fish & Oyster, etc.), area top chefs will be bringing their A-game to wow Chicagoans with their best take on three-course meals. The menus are prix-fixe but with these chefs, you won’t be picky.

Check out the full lineup of participating restaurants (and their featured menus, yum!) here. Also, see below for a few that Delve are most excited about:

• Hot Chocolate – praying that those pretzels are on the menu
• Nightwood – no matter what the menu entails, the lineup of French rosés is enough convincing for us.
• Blackbird - offering a $65, 5 course dinner menu (most restaurants feature a 3-course menu)
• Piccolo Sogno – please please please open the patio by March 18th

Chicago Gets Real

While we are still desperately waiting for a "Real Housewives of Chicago," the recent influx of Chicago reality shows will have to fill the void for now. Not only are Bravo's "Most Eligible Chicago" and VH1's "Mob Wives Chicago" headed for the Windy City, but on March 21st, Chicago's very own Corri McFadden will be hitting (cable) prime-time. Titled, "House of Consignment," the VH1 show will follow Corri and her crew of fashionistas around as they clean out high-profile closets and auction designer goods off E-bay.

We're excited that the show will put a spotlight on Chicago's burgeoning fashion scene and hope to see some drama along the way (it is reality TV after all). Check out the trailer below and let us know if you'll be tuning in!

House of Consignment premieres on Wednesday, March 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Get More: House of Consignment, House of Consignment Corri McFadden , House of Consignment

Treat Yo' Self: Aziz Ansari @ Chicago Theater

Aziz Ansari is coming to the Chicago Theater on June 15 as part of the annual TBS Just For Laugh's festival (more acts to be announced soon). Tickets went on pre-sale this week and due to overwhelming popularity, they added another show that night (woo hoo!). Translation: get your tickets now (buy here) or forever wish you had. Cold Stone anyone?

Alinea Goes to E-Ticketing

Not that our bank accounts can support regular visits to Alinea, but, we would like to think we at least have the option.

Today, Grant Achatz announced that Alinea is doing away with reservations and moving to prepaid e-tickets, just like the hard-to-snag tickets to Next. And his reasoning for why: it eliminates the money lost when people don't show up for their reservations. Apparently the extreme prices don't make up for that...

More details here.

*photo via Alinea

Nicole Miller Artelier Launch

Not doing anything this Saturday? Well now you are. Nicole Miller (the name behind some of our go-to cocktail/evening wear) is launching The Artelier collection this spring. The collection boasts a youthful collection of ready-to-wear pieces with an edgy attitude (we've gotten a chance to view the lookbook, trust us, it's amazing).

While the collection will eventually be sold at Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales, you can get a sneak peek of the new line Saturday, March 3, 10 AM - 6PM. The event will be held at Nicole Miller Chicago (1419 N. Wells) and is part of Shop Wells (a one day shopping event on Wells Street - see more info here) if you want to make a day of it!

March Must-Do's

We're loving the latest must-do lineup by our friends at Refinery29. Click here for 31 days of non-stop fun to last you through the month of March.

Tired of the same old routine? The calendar is packed with everything from chef's tasting tables to live band karaoke, beer fests to flower shows.

Bye, bye mundane March. Hello, March madness for girls.

Trending: 2012 Cocktails

Back by popular demand, Delve recently caught up with the man behind the cocktail magic at Underground, operating partner Benjamin Newby. From trending liquors to 2.0 twists on classic cocktails, Benjamin dishes on what we can expect in the 2012 world of imbibing.

Added bonus: Benjamin shares one of his favorite recipes for entertaining, helping cocktail enthusiasts everywhere pretend we know what we're doing behind the bar.

• Cocktail’ing 2.0: Be on the lookout for a new twist on classic favorites. Kegged cocktails are slowly making their way to Chicago – aging standard cocktails like negronis and manhattans to enhance flavors. No more 15-20 minute wait for that delicious cocktail. Yes please!
• All about the experience: Bartenders and mixologists alike are focused on providing cocktail’ing experiences for their patrons. Cocktails that tell a story, encourage questions and start a conversation. Have you seen the cocktail offerings at Next? Story-telling extraordinaire.
• Trending liquors: After a year of all-things gin and/or bourbon, Benjamin is looking to craft whiskeys and moonshine (yes, moonshine) to take over as the go-to for bartenders. Also on his list: flavored whiskeys/bourbons, like Jim Beam’s Red Stag (in black cherry, honey tea and spiced).

One of Benjamin’s secret weapons still remains batch cocktails. See below for his recommended punch of the moment. Note: the recipe calls for 3-days of infusing ingredients, so set aside some prep time before entertaining.

Sweet and Spicy Tequila Punch
MAKE AHEAD
750 ml Corzo
1 Orange cut into wedges
2 Lemons cut into wedges
2 limes cut into wedges
A cup of mint leaves
Muddle
1 ½ Cups of chopped Strawberries
12 chunks of fresh Pineapple
1/8 cup of crushed Red Pepper
Infuse for 3 days

THE NIGHT OF
Combine organic lemon and lime soda, pureed pineapple, lime sour, infused mixture and ice in punch bowl
Add 10 dashes of mint bitters
2 cans of Tangerine and Lime Organic Sod
1 bottle of Prosecco

*photo via Rockit Ranch