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.

Delve's Guide to Pitchfork

With a weekend forecast of 85 and sunny, there couldn't be a better time for Pitchfork. We're SO ready to be soaking up the sun and the jams in Union Park. Here are our top picks from the lineup and some recos for the afterparty:

Delve Dances:

We're excited to check out some of our current favorites and add some new bands to our repertoire. That said, we'll be swaying to the likes of Animal Collective, Das Racist, TVOTR, Sun Airway, Cut Copy and Fleet Foxes.

Delve Drinks:

• Vitamin Water Uncapped LIVE: Throughout the weekend, this outpost at the MCA Warehouse will feature free drinks, air conditioning, secret shows and most importantly, the Allsaints Pop Up Shop. Free but you must RSVP here.
  
• Beauty Bar: This official afterparty on Saturday night will feature DJ sets by Deerhunter, Ariel Pink and Twin Shadow along with $4 Three Floyds bottles and $5 Tito’s Vodka drinks. Grab tickets, if you can, at the door.
• Matchbox: About 6 blocks down Ogden, the patio at Chicago's smallest bar will undoubtedly be busting at the seams. Is there is a better place to enjoy a cocktail on a warm summer night? We vote no.
• Market: The rooftop at Market is an oldie but a goodie. The view is great and the mojitos are oh so refreshing.
  
• Empty Bottle, Subterranean, Reggie's and Schubas: And if you're looking for more music, head to any of these bars to catch aftershows with acts from the fest. Some of the shows are already sold out so go at your own risk.

SARCA Semi-Annual Summer Sale

Francophile For a Day

With one of the Delve girls fresh off a trip from Paris, we can’t get enough of the City of Lights over here. And with tomorrow being Bastille Day, we don’t have to let go of our obsession just yet. With cities like New York, San Fran and New Orleans hosting huge celebrations to honor the Parisian national holiday, what’s a Chicago girl to do? Fear not, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite ways to celebrate the most visited city in the world:

• Pop into one of the Chicago’s most adored French restaurants, Bistro Margot, for specials including: $10 coq au vin, $10 beef bourguignon, $30 wine blitz and complimentary amuse bouches.
  
• We hear it’s a tradition in France for the president to host a garden party on Bastille Day, so why not pretend you’re royalty and spend the afternoon sipping champagne at the NoMi Garden?
• Buy tickets to the biggest thing to come from France to Chicago in a long time…the Paris Opera Ballet. 2012 Harris Theater subscription “French Twist” tickets - three performances that celebrate Paris - just went on sale.
• Delve’s Bridgeport favorite, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar, is showing French film clips and serving French-inspired cocktail specials including The Situationist (Hennessy Black, Cointreau and lemon juice) and The Existentialist (gin, Luxardo Maraschino, Creme Yvette and lemon juice).
• Spend the day meandering through the Chicago French Market and pick up fixings to make your very own French-inspired dinner for two.

If nothing else, a glass of champagne should do.

À votre santé

Tomorrow Night: Pretty in Pilsen

Go ahead, get out of your neighborhood comfort zone and check out what local Pilsen shops, artists and designers have to offer from the up-and-coming hipster mecca. Perhaps make a night of it and stop by Nightwood for a little Rose after? Don't mind if we do.

Who:
Kate Boggiano, Objets d'Envy, Anna Hovet, Cole Haddon, Robbie Len Design, Think Pink Couture, elle-mirai, CitrusChic, Philamonjaro Studios, Jimmy Fishbein Photography Studio and Onyxology Nail Studio

Date & Time:
Thursday, July 14, 2011, 5:30pm-8:30pm

Location:
2150 S. Canalport Ave, between Halsted and Cermak, in the Pilsen neighborhood, Chicago

From Bad to Fab

Brandon Baltzley was set to open Tribute (officially opened last week) before a drug relapse took the opportunity away from him. Now 50 days sober and out of rehab, Baltzley is back in the food scene, questionably better than ever.

Baltzley is one of the three components of CRUX, a three man team including Emmanuel Cadengo of Longman & Eagle and Jaimee Vitolo of NYC’s 6th St. Kitchen and Cleveland’s Moxie. The dream team’s first undertaking: a pop-up charity dinner benefiting the Chicago Recovery Alliance.


What: 10-course, BYOB dinner benefiting the Chicago Recovery Alliance
Where: TBD; those lucky enough to score a seat at the table will receive location details the morning of the dinner
When: Friday, August 19th
Who: The only way to attend is to keep an eye on Baltzley’s Twitter (@brandonbaltzley) and watch for reservation details. According to today's tweets, there are few seats left
Cost: $100

Take a look at the eclectic menu that the CRUX team is working up. And for those of you that get a spot, we’ll see you there.

Must Do: Who What Wear Book Signing

Fashion femmes Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power of Who What Wear are coming to the Chi this Thursday to promote their newest book What to Wear, Where!

If you're like us, you can't live without your daily dose of WWWD. So in the name of all things fabulous, head down to the new Scoop NYC in the Gold Coast this Thursday from 6 p.m - 8 p.m. to meet the ladies of WWW and pick up the bible, umm, book.

This begs the question, what to wear?


Scoop NYC
1009 Rush St.
Thursday July 14th, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Fun with Fringe

Part western, part bo-ho, part flapper, part 80's revival, we're not sure where fringe fits into the fashion picture, but we're sure we like it. While people are rocking the trend via crop tops and skirts, the one place we can't get enough fringe is on our bags. Check our our picks for the best pieced purses below:
clockwise starting from top:
Jeffery Campbell ($268) our favorite shoe designer conquers bags; aztec print, bold red and rosegold hardware make knapsacks cool again
JJ Winters Mini Fringe ($165) small crossbody bag perfect for festivals
Marni Oversized Fringed Leather Clutch ($715) fringe goes luxe
TENOVERSIX Fringe Clutch ($260) gives any night out instant cool

Week Nights, Late Night

The Chicago City Council has approved a trial to allow downtown rooftops and patios to stay open until midnight seven days a week. While this doesn't affect your weekends, where closing time was always 12 AM, your weeknights just got an hour more of outdoor fun.

Where will you spend your extra hour of al fresco cocktail’ing?