It's a 'reptiles and bacon with cheese' Kind of Weekend

Okay, so I failed at my goal last week of doing at least half of the activities of my weekend list. I'm already expecting failure this weekend as well, but you should go forth and have fun!

National Cheese Fondue Day @ Geja's Cafe - Sunday, April 10 12:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Technically National Cheese Fondue Day is on Monday, 4/11, but I think the über official cheese fondue people will look the other way on this one. Geja's is offering complimentary samples of their amazing Swiss Gruyere cheese fondue from 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. on the patio. I LOVE Geja's, and I can tell you that you should definitely try to make it. If you can't, though, the restaurant will offer complimentary cheese fondue appetizers from April 11 - 17 to anyone who mentions National Cheese Fondue Week. You can also get cheese fondue samples at the bar throughout the week.

Take the Gorilla Challenge - Saturday, April 9 10:00 a.m.
It's a scavenger hunt on crack! For $60 you can race around the city with your team of friends, solving clues and performing tasks for the opportunity to win the grand prize and/or smaller prizes along the way. Extra prizes for costume creativity. They've opened up an additional 250 slots today to register for the event, so hurry!

ReptileFest @ UIC Physical Education Building - Saturday, April 9 10:00 a.m.
Probably one for the kiddies, but I'd totally be that creeper petting the iguana in the back. Check out the Chicago Herpetological Society for the nation's largest educational reptile and amphibian show. Climb into a tortoise pen, get your photo taken with some huge lizards and learn about the reptiles living in our neighborhoods.

CHIRP Record Fair @ Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union  - April 9 - 10, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Time for the annual Chicago Independent Radio Project Record Fair & Other Delights. Enjoy a robust selection of vinyl, CDs, posters, artwork, 'zines and crafts. DJs and live bands will entertain all day and various vendors will offer every type of music you can think of. Admission is $7, but if you bring in any ad that mentions the record fair then admission is $5. And for those hardcore record collectors, there's a special pre-admission on Saturday from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. for $25. That includes reentry all weekend.

And don't forget that it's BaconFest on Saturday!!!!!!!! In honor of this delicious celebration, feast your eyes on the hottest trend in men's cologne:

Need BaconFest Tickets?

BaconFest 2011 sold out in mere minutes, leaving hundreds of bacon lovers crying into their blood pressure meds. Denny's to the rescue! The (I can't think of a positive adjective) restaurant is celebrating Baconalia, their annual bacon celebration, by hosting a sweepstakes with the grand prize of two VIP tickets to Chicago's Baconfest. Visit www.facebook.com/Denny's to enter.

Unfortunately, if you win second prize, you're stuck with a $100 Denny's gift card. I'm sure you can find someone you don't like to give it to....

I, however, won't be entering the contest because I GOTS ME A TICKET! I signed up early and hit the 'refresh' button a hundred times at 8:59 a.m. the day the tickets went on sale. On April 9 I will don the fat pants for a day o' bacon. Stay tuned for photos.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on this recipe for Bacon Cups. AMAZING!

Early Warning: Bacon Fest 2011!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, bacon. I love you. And I couldn't be more excited for the bacon explosion that is Bacon Fest. On April 9, the UIC Pavilion will be packed with over 50 of the city's greatest chefs serving up their own bacon concoctions. We're not talking a bunch of divey breakfast places; they're bringing you places like The Girl & the Goat, MOTO Restaurant, Perennial and David Burke's Primehouse. For a mere $65 you can stuff yourself with innumerable bacon delights. Tickets go on sale sometime at the end of February, although the actual date hasn't been announced yet. Check out the website and sign up for newsletter to be notified.

To celebrate the upcoming Bacon Fest, here are a few of my favorite bacon products:

Bacon-Flavored Envelopes

Licking envelopes will never be gross and boring again! Just grab a few of these envelopes with bacon-flavored adhesive, and enjoy with a side of eggs.

(Disclaimer: This isn't the actual site that sells the envelopes, but since the company is called Eat Me Daily, it keeps getting blocked on my work computer as pornography.)


Bacon Bandages

 Your wounds never looked so good.








Maple and Bacon Lollipops

I literally just ordered this.