It's a "Pride Market Tasting" Kind of Weekend

There's tons of great events happening this weekend, but, more importantly, it's Pride weekend! The closest thing we have to Carnival, the entire Boystown neighborhood is THE place to be this Saturday and Sunday. Check out the calendar for a complete list of Pride happenings - my favorite is the annual Pride Shabbat beach service - but you NEED to make it out to the Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday. Absolutely the best parade you will see all year.

(I will say that the parade seems to get tamer every year. The city now puts up baracades and made it illegal to throw things into the crowd. When I moved to the neighborhood, people thought nothing of running topless along the parade route. Those were the days...)

The Taste of Chicago kicks off on Saturday. Be sure to read my Taste of Chicago Survival Guide before you go! I'm really excited for some of the new restaurants this year.

You know I don't usually recommend going out to the suburbs, but I do have to say that the annual Long Grove Strawberry Festival is adorable. Long Grove in itself is cute as a button, but when you toss in fresh strawberries hand-dipped in homemade chocolate, it's heaven. The festival starts today and runs all weekend.

The Randolph Street Market Festival will host its second installment this Saturday and Sunday.
A quick tip: don't be like me and completely miss the inside. Not sure how that happened, but I think I skipped half of the market that way. Here are a few photo highlights I took last month:

Happy Friday!!

S'mores Cookie Bars

I wanted to bake my dad something special for Father's Day, but he's extremely picky. He wanted to make my mom's special Dump Cake from our family camping day, and he was disappointed when I said I couldn't do that because I couldn't recreate a three-hour campfire in my apartment. But, going off of the idea of camping, I decided to try a S'mores Cookie Bar recipe I pinned last week from Cornflake Dreams.  
 

Image via Love in the Oven

Even though my final product wasn't nearly as pretty as Love in the Oven's, it was tasty. And this was not a difficult recipe. Even as I was making it I thought I was doing it wrong because it was so easy. The only thing I would do differently is to take it out of the oven a few minutes earlier. I have a hyperactive, old Chicago gas stove, so they were just a tad overcooked. Other than that, definitely a keeper!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown and regular sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

I miss Marshall Field's too, but...

When Macy's hacked away Chicago's beloved Marshall Field's in 2006, I was sad. I bought a button that said "I hate Macy's," and I voiced my opinion very loudly.

But I moved on.

I understand why Macy's did it, and despite the initial loss in sales I'm sure they're doing just fine. But there is an organization called FieldsFansChicago.org who is still pushing Macy's to bring back Marshall Field's.

The organization conducted a grassroots survey, asking participants three questions regarding their feelings about the Macy's takeover: Do you prefer Marshall Field's, Macy's or both about the same? Do you shop at the store more, less or about the same since the store became Macy's? Would you shop at the store more, less or about the same if the store was converted back to Marshall Field's from Macy's?

According to results explained in the organization's press release sent on Monday, 79 percent of people said they want Marshall Field's back. According to the release, they've presented these results to the Macy's CEO and Board of Directors.

I have to say that I want Marshall Field's back too, but I think this is called beating a dead horse. At least we still have Frango Mints!

It's an "END OF THE WORLD" Kind of Weekend

This weekend's impending end of the world might put a damper on your plans, but I say we should party!

Tomorrow sounds like the perfect day to check out Dirty Betty's, Cookie Bar's new pop-up doughnut shop. Doughnuts available all day! And after you grab a delicious baked good, head straight down Lincoln to:

National Tap Day @ Old Town School of Folk Music - Saturday, May 21 7:30 p.m.
I know I listed another National Tap Day Show last week, but even though the holiday is actually on the 25th, the tap community puts up shows all month. And you should definitely make it to this one because I'm in it! Tickets are $20 and include performances by tap greats from all over the country.

Chill & Grill @ Lincoln Park (Stockton & Clark) - Saturday, May 21 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. & Sunday, May 22 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.

I love my apartment, but I wish I had a balcony or terrace to grill out on. I haven't heard of this festival before this year, but I'm super excited for delicious grilled foods. Tickets to this event are set up a bit like the Taste of Chicago; tickets are sold on a punch card. Each punch card has 12 "punches," and food and drinks are a certain amount of punches. (A restaurant tasting is 3 punches, a full-sized grilled item is 5 punches, etc.) Tickets are available online for $12 or at the festival for $15. You can also take various grilling classes at the event.

And if you're one of the many people hoping that Saturday will actual mark the beginning of the zombie apocolypse, be sure the check out the CDC's Zombie Survival Guide. I'm loving the CDC's PR/social media stunt. You can even grab an awesome button for your blog or website. Amazing!!!

Dirty Betty's

I don't really understand the doughnut craze, but I have to say I'm very excited for a new popular baked good. (I'm definitely over cupcakes.) I read yesterday that a new gourmet doughnut shop is opening in my favorite cookie bakery, Cookie Bar.

Dirty Betty's (LOVE the name!) opens today as a pop-up doughnut shop within Cookie Bar. They'll sell doughnuts from 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. The current menu will include old fashioned cinnamon sugar, old fashioned powered sugar, banana with chocolate nutella glaze, pomegranate glazed, lemon blueberry, chocolate toffee, espresso glazed, ginger with key lime glaze and peanut butter cup. Vegan and gluten-free options coming soon.

AND since these doughnuts are baked instead of fried, grab two! (or three, or four...)

(Hopefully they won't make 5 doughnuts and let people wait in line for two hours while they sell out, claiming it's NOT a marketing strategy. All while tweeting about how awesome they are. I'm not bitter.)

And if you haven't been to Cookie Bar, I would definitely get over there. There's something about cookies where no matter how fancy the ingredients, it's still a comfort food. When I first went in there I thought for sure they'd close within the year - how many different cookies can you make? - but they're still going strong. And in addition to their regular day hours, Cookie Bar is open until 10:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, offering a build-your-own ice cream sandwich bar.

Windy City Sweets

You know the phrase "like a kid in a candy store"? Windy City Sweets is where the phrase was born. This gem has been nestled in the East Lakeview neighborhood for over 25 years, and I don't understand why more people don't know about it!

I dare you to think of a type of candy that you can't find here. I love taking out-of-towners here because they're always shocked at the sheer amount of candy packed into this cute little store. They even have candy cigarettes!!!

Wherease I love the occasional avant-garde dessert creation, sometimes it's nice to get a basic chocolate pretzel. Windy City Sweets bakes up a full array of old-fashioned gourmet confections on-site. There are dozens of truffles, chocolate-coated goodies and various candies to choose from. My personal favorite is a chocolate-cover s'more; a melty marshmallow between two graham crackers entirely dipped in milk chocolate.

If endless amounts of candy wasn't enough, the stores also has a full ice cream counter with all of your favorite flavors. Cup or cone?

Check out the website for super cute gift baskets and homemade candy treats. (I can't tell you how many times I've run in here for a hostess/birthday/holiday gift at the last minute.)

It's a "Violent Torpedo of Truth" Kind of Weekend

Okay, so my goal is to do all of these this weekend. Yes, that includes going to see Charlie Sheen. It may be wrong to encourage him, but how can I pass up tickets to the biggest train wreck on Earth?

Charlie Sheen @ The Chicago Theater - April 3, 8:00 p.m.
Will he make out with a hooker for an hour? Wrestle tigers? Pass out? Either way, the "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option" tour hits The Chicago Theatre this Sunday night. And if you need even MORE Charlie, head over to Enclave later that night for a celebrity appearance.

Bakesale for Japan @ A Perfect Event - April 2, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
This national bakesale will take place across the national benefitting Peace Winds Japan. Debbi Lilly of A Perfect Event will host an amazing bake sale featuring delicious creations from truffle truffle; flavors like sake & lime brownies, poundcake with orange blossom glade and Asian poached pear tart. Wash it down with sparkling teas infused with prosecco and chai and pomegranate green tea.

Midnight Showing of "The Shining" @ Music Box Theatre - April 1 & 2, 12:00 a.m.
No matter how many times you see it, "The Shining" never fails to scare. Intensify your horror experience with a midnight screening of the classic Kubrick film at the Music Box Theater this weekend.

National Pillow Fight Day @ Tribune Tower Plaza - April 2, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
It's pretty simple: bring pillow. Hit participants with said pillow. Get hit with said participants' pillows. You're not allowed to attack passers-by and/or children, and no intoxicated warriors allowed. Post battle refreshments at the Billy Goat. The Chicago event will take place in front of the Tribune building, but check out the website to locate your nearest battle.

P.S. If you're going out tonight, my advice is to stay away from Wrigleyville. Opening day turns into amateur night.

Iron Cupcake

The cupcake trend isn't going away anytime soon, but there always seems to be a new and wacky flavor combination. Well, here's another one: soft drinks.

Chicago bakery Beautiful Cakes is hosting another one of its Iron Cupcake Chicago events, challenging bakers to use carbonated beverages in their recipes. Cupcakes can be made from scratch or from a doctored up boxed mix. Entries will be judged on both flavor and presentation. (No word on what the grand prize is, though.) The event will take place on February 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Mrs. Murphy & Son’s Irish Bistro. If you would like to participate, e-mail ironcupcakechicago@sbcglobal.net by February 18.

And if you're more motivated to eat than bake (like me), you can sample these creations and vote on your favorite. Admission is $5.

Adorable cupcake magnet brought to you by Funky Recycling