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:

Happy National Caramel Popcorn Day! Yes, it's another stupid publicity holiday, but I don't care because they're giving away free Garret Popcorn.

From 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. today Garrett Popcorn Shops around the city are giving away free snack sized bags of Caramel Crisp. For every bag the stores give away, the company will donate $1 towards Save the Children's Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund.

Here's where you can find your free popcorn:
4 East Madison St.
2 West Jackson Blvd.
625 N. Michigan Avenue
26 West Randolph St.
600 East Grand Ave. (Navy Pier)
Merchandise Mart 2nd Level Food Court
500 W Madison St – CitiCorp Center – 2nd Flr
Chicago O’Hare Airport

(Did you know that April is National Fresh Celery Month, National Pecan Month and National Soft Pretzel Month?)

Weekend Guide*

Chicago is starting to come out of hybernation, and pretty soon the weekends will be packed with more happenings for one blogger to handle. So, every Friday I'm going to put together a little weekend round-up of some of the most interesting and atypical events around the city. Ch-ch-check it out:

International Tom Hanks Day @ Fizz Bar & Grill - March 26 from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Who doesn't love Tom Hanks?! Fizz will host the the annual International Tom Hanks Day, an event featuring screening of the Hanks classics, music and a raffle of the actor's memorabilia. Founded by Chicagoan Kevin Turk, the day originally began as a Tom Hanks movie marathon at his house. The event grew each year, and Turk decided to create a charity event, donating proceeds to Lifeline Energy, one of the actor's favorite charities.

National Paella Day @ La Taberna Tapas on Halsted - March 25 - 27
Get your paella on with two events at La Taberna: $18 paella flights and a Sunday afternoon paella cooking class that includes sangria and recipes card. Call for a spot in the cooking class.

Maple Syrup Festival @ The North Park Village Nature Center - March 26 - 27

Enjoy a quaint afternoon of tree tapping demonstrations, fresh maple syrup samples, storytelling and more.

International Vintage Post Fair - March 25 - 27
Time to chuck that Led Zeppelin poster and check out a selection of over 10,000 originals from the 1890s through 1980s. This year's featured exhibit: "Sex Sells!"

And don't forget to turn off your lights!

*I realize that this is a terribly uncreative title, but I have really bad cramps right now. I'll do better next week.

Free Pancake Day!

With all of the trendy new brunch items dominating the menu, the old-fashioned pancake is being forgotten. Stand up for our childhood breakfest friend during National Pancake Day!

Tomorrow, from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., you can gorge yourself on a free short stack of pancakes at IHOP locations around the country. What's the catch? All you have to do is consider making a donation to your local children's hospital through Children's Miracle Network.

Don't think you can wake up early enough to make it in before work? IHOP will give you a "celebrity" wake-up call. (And by "celebrity" they mean NFL player Steve Young, 2011 Miss America Teresa Scanlan, entertainer and Children's Miracle Network co-founder Marie Osmond, Dukes of Hazzard and Smallville star John Schneider, American Idol star David Archuleta or his band One Call.)

Fun Fact: Believe it or not, this isn't a completely made-up holiday. It's based on a centuries-old English tradition of using the last of the dairy supply to make pancakes before Lent, as it would all go bad during the 40 days of Lent. Dairy was prohibited during this time year. Thus, the day was known as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day.

Yummy

Happy Quirky Valentine's Day: Last Minute Gifts

I've always wanted to be one of those crafy people who can create an HDTV-worthy room with dollar store merchandise. Unfortunately, I wasn't gifted with DIY abilities, but I think even I could undertake this fun project.

Today's Daily Candy Chicago had the coolest personalized Valentine, courtesy of Chicago designer and Suitor owner Jessica Murnane.

You’ll Need:
Matchbook
Favorite photo printed on printer paper
Scissors
Glue stick or double-sided tape
Ruler or a tape measure (or just wing it)

Step 1: Find a matchbook, ideally one that is blank on the inside flap (you will be writing your note here).

Step 2: Open the matchbook so it lays flat. Eyeball or measure its width and height, making sure to leave the striker pad uncovered.

Step 3: Choose your favorite photo (vertical works best) from a trip, night out, or special occasion. Reduce it to the size of the matchbook and print it on thin printer paper.

Step 4: Cut out the photo and swipe the blank side with a glue stick or cover it with double-sided tape.

Step 5: Place the photo over your matchbook and smooth down. Cut any excess paper from the edges.

Step 6: Fold matchbook flap over, making sure the photo is pressed securely on the creases at the top.

Step 7: Write a cheeky message on the inside flap. (Some ideas: C’mon, baby, light my fire; burning up with your love; you’re my perfect match; my eternal flame.)

Countdown to a Quirky Valentine's Day: Pay What You Can Thai Food

Diva Thai and Sushi Bar is doing cash-strapped Valentine's Day revelers a solid by offering a pay-what-you-can special on Monday night from 4:00 - 10:00 p.m. This includes anything on the menu! When you get your bill, just pay whatever amount you can. (Cash only.) You also have the option to pay more than the menu price for your meal, and the difference will be donated to charity.

Mmmmmm, Pad Thai....

Countdown to a Quirky Valentine's Day: All Need Love Festival

You may not like the Hallmark-ified version of Valentine's Day that we celebrate today, but I think everyone can agree that we could use a few more days out of the year dedicated to celebrating love.

The Field Museum has created an evening of love, art and culture called the All Need Love Festival. This one-night event features five stages worth of performers and speakers, including musicians from around the world, percussionists, DJs, distinguished mentalists and even the Second City cast. Event attendees can wander through the various rooms and activities and even take in the museum exhibits.

If you're a single guy or gal, be sure to make it over to the Zodiac Room for a mix and mingle event where you can actually use the pick-up line "so what's your sign?". With the help of a few lively MCs, hopefully you'll find your steller match. (You have to pre-register for this event, and cost is included in the admission fee.)

This event is a bit pricy, but I definitely think it's worth it for all that you get:
General Admission: $115 - Entrance to 12 museum exhibits, unlimited martinis from the 7 martini bars located throughout the event, admission to all five performance stages and a raffle ticket.
VIP Admission: $175 - Entrance to 15 museum exhibits, unlimited martinis, access to the VIP open bar area, priority seating for all performances, dedicated coat check, access to two hors d’oeuvres/dessert stations, raffle ticket and a $55 gift voucher from Lester Lampert.
Gold VIP Admission: Unless you already bought tickets, this option is no longer available. (Which sucks because it included a really yummy looking candlelit dinner.)

Tickets will NOT be sold at the door, so be sure to purchase your tickets ASAP!

I love fancy museum events!

Celebrate World Nutella Day!

I think we can all agree that Nutella is heaven in a jar. I purposely don't buy it for fear of developing a very real addiction...and thunder thighs.

But I'll make an exception for World Nutella Day on Saturday, February 5. Head over to Chicago's very own celebration at Multilingual Chicago from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. for an array of Nutella pastries, crepes and even hot cocoa. Admission is free but the pastries are not, so be sure to hit the ATM hard before you go. If you want to attend, just RSVP to nutella@multilingualchicago.com so they have an idea of how much food they need.

And while you're there, learn some Italian at the free classes for adults and kids. Why Italian? Because Nutella was created in Italy. I don't know why, but I thought it came from Austrailian. Don't judge me.

Countdown to a Quirky Valentine's Day: Casablanca Sweetheart Sing Along

Long before "The Notebook" (excuse me, I just threw up a little) there was "Casablanca," one of the greatest film romances of all time. Sure, you could watch the collector's edition DVD at home in your heart-speckled underwear, but why not get the full viewing experience at the delightfully retro Music Box Theatre. On Sunday, February 13 at 2:00 p.m. the theater will host the Second Annual "Casablanca" Sweetheart Sing Along in celebration of Valentine's Day.

Before the film screening, you'll get the opportunity to serenade your sweetheart with classic love songs like "You are My Sunshine" and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," while the Music Box organ plays accompaniment and song lyrics are projected on the screen. After you've gotten it out of your system, sit back and watch the movie. Individual tickets are $11 or two for $20.

And here's a little YouTube treat to help you practice for the sing-along:

Countdown to a Quirky Valentine's Day: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

We could argue all day about the cultural/commercial/romantic significance (or irrelevance) of Valentine's Day, but, in the end, it's here to stay. So skip the cliché candlelit dinner and let the Chicago Quirk show you how to celebrate in style with a countdown to Valentine's Day happenings around Chicago.

And since nothing says love like mass murder, I'll start with the Tommy Gun's Garage re-enaction of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre!

On February 14, 1929 seven members of the Bugs Moran gang were brutally murdered in an event that made the country realize just how bad the Prohibition Era Chicago gang wars had gotten. Being that Tommy Gun's Garage is Prohibition Era speakeasy/dinner theater restaurant, they have reenacted this event every year for over 20 years.

After you experience the classic Tommy Gun's revue – skits, singing and dancing hosted by Vitto, “da gangsters” and “da flappers” – sit back and watch this display of Chicago history. One by one, actors portraying the unlucky men walk on to the scene, set to resemble the SMC Cartage Company where the tragic event occurred. (The garage has long since been torn down, but you can still visit the site at 2122 N Clark St.) As the narrator tells each man's story, actors portraying Al Capone's men dressed as "coppers" on a mock raid begin arresting the gangsters. But instead of cuffing them, they line them up and let the bullets fly. Whereas is was never proven that Al Capone was behind the massacre, it has always been assumed that this was a message from Capone to his long-time rival, Bugs Moran.

The show itself is great for families with older children (10-years old and up) but the re-enactment is extremely realistic, so leave the kids at home. It's so realistic, in fact, that it's been filmed for numerous St. Valentine's Day Massacre documentary films and television shows, including the History Channel.

The show runs throughout Valentine's Day weekend, and seating is limited so make a reservation. Ticket pricing is $60 - $75 and includes a multi-course dinner and the show.