THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO - IT’S THE YEAR OF THE OX!
Legend has
it that a rat tricked the oxen into taking him to the other side across a very
treacherous river. The rat jumped from
the oxen's back, at the last possible moment, and landed at the Jade Emperor's
feet, who thought this was such a bold display of bravery that he decreed the
rat the first symbol of the Chinese zodiac, thus leaving the ox to represent
the second spot. Which, by the way, was
cool with him!
January 26,
2009 is the official start of the Year of the Ox, or 4707 in lunar
years. However, we in Chicago, true to tradition, will begin
celebrating this fifteen day festival before then! As we say here in Chicago, why wait?
Celebrate
the Chinese
New Year this weekend at any one of these spots, or all of them, if you
wish -
Chen's Chinese and Sushi located in the Wrigleyville
neighborhood at 3506 N. Clark St. They have prepared a special "good luck" menu
for the Year of the Ox, which will run daily from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
January 23rd through February 1st. There also will be a traditional lion dance
at 9:00 p.m. this Saturday. Click here
for more information.
Big Bowl.
Besides their special menu of various oxtail dishes, many festivities
will run throughout the week as well at either one of these Chicago locations - 60 E. Ohio St. in the River North
neighborhood, or 6 E. Cedar St.
on the Near North Side. Click here
for dates, times & their list of festivities.
Maeve will be celebrating the Year of the
Ox this Sunday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with an assortment of cheeses and
wine. Cost is $15. Click here for directions.
Before
dinner, you might want to take the family to the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier this Saturday for their Chinese
New Year Celebration. Click here
for more details.
Another event
that is in town this weekend is the 47th
Annual World of Wheels at McCormick
Place (2301
S. Lake Shore Dr.). This is an awesome event of more than 400
souped-up hot rods, race cars and street machines, with celebrity appearances,
that I highly recommend! Word has it
that Helio Castroneves, the winner from Dancing With The Stars, will be on
hand. Be still my beating heart!! Click here for dates, times, prices and more
details.
By the way,
for you theater buffs, Monty Python's
Spamalot is the new kid in town at the Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Pkwy.)
starring Richard Chamberlain as King Arthur.
I heard from a good source that this was fabulous and hilarious. Who couldn't use a good laugh these days? Click here for show times as well as ticket
information.
This
weekend surely will keep my plate full and I hope it keeps yours as well!
SUE MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
