CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS – LOOP, NORWOOD PARK, LINCOLN PARK, OLD TOWN, NAPERVILLE
LOOP
The Thai
Festival is wrapping up on Friday, June 21st at 219 S Dearborn
in the Federal Plaza Square. It starts at 11am and is free. Hosted by the Royal
Thai Consulate General in Chicago, this is an event where you can discover a
glimpse of Thailand in the heart of Chicago. Once a year, you can indulge
yourself with mouth-watering hot and spicy authentic Thai food, Thai
traditional dance and classical music, exciting Muay Thai, a pampering Thai
traditional massage, the soothing fragrance of Thai orchids, refreshing Thai
coconut juice, and a Thai fashion show.
NORWOOD
PARK
Six parks
on the Northwest area are scheduled to receive new play equipment this year or
next as part of the "Chicago Plays" program, while improvements to the dog area
and fountains at Portage Park, (4100 N Long Ave), are under way. The parks
scheduled to get new play equipment in 2013 are Kolmar (4143 N Kolmar Ave),
Norwood (5801 N Natoma Ave), and North Mayfair (4533 W. Carmen Ave), while the
parks getting equipment the following year are Roberts Square (5200 W Argyle
St), Thuis (4759 N Lavergne Ave), and Oriole (5430 N Olcott Ave).
Friends
of the Parks said that the program pays only for new play
equipment and that the footprint of the playgrounds will not change. Residents
will have input on the type of equipment that is installed, and in some
instances popular structures in the playlot may remain and be refurbished if
requested by residents.
LINCOLN
PARK
Run out of
some alcoholic refreshments at your event or party? Say hello to InstaBooze,
a Chicago start-up that will deliver supplies directly to your door. The
process is easy: log on to the website, place your order, and approximately 45
minutes later the delivery driver arrives with more drinks. They'll take a
quick photo of your ID and hand over your order.
The initial delivery area is centered on Lincoln Park, including delivery via
boat to Belmont and Diversey Harbor's waters. To start, they are only covering
the basics of vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, and Miller Lite. Depending on their
success, one can only imagine the options will grow over time.
OLD
TOWN
Opening
soon in Old Town, The Refinery takes a new approach to old favorites,
literally taking something well-known and refining it. Located at 1209 N Wells
St, the restaurant is lead by Lawrence
Letrero of Untitled. As an example of what to expect, the
restaurant's burger uses short ribs, emulsified butter, and a house-made
brioche bun. Another example, the surf and turf combines seared scallop and
braised oxtail, alongside a green papaya salad and roasted peanuts.
For a little extra star power, they have brought in pastry chef Hetty Arts, an
alumna of Four Seasons Chicago and New York's Eleven Madison Park,
for the dessert menu. The beverage selection is concocted by Cody Modeer of Ward
Eight and Enoch Cruz of the W Hotel.
NAPERVILLE
Another
installment of the monthly Beer Dinners comes to Heaven on Seven,
located at 224 S Main St in Naperville, on Tuesday, June 25th at
7pm. Featuring Dogfish Head "off-centered ales" with a Wild Mushroom Dinner,
the menu includes such items as Maple Leaf Farms Duck and Lobster Mushroom
Etouffee, Baby Beet and Hen of the Woods Mushroom Escabeche over Crispy Grit
Cakes, and Wild Boar Bacon, Chanterelle Mushroom and Onion Tart with 60 Minute
IPA Crème Fraiche.
The cost
is $50 per person and includes seven courses, paired and prepared with eight of
the off-centered ales. There is a no-beer option for $40. Tax and gratuity are
additional. Reservations are required at (630) 717-0777. Don't miss out!
CATHY MALLERS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
