Wine Phone: (773) 687-0784

Wednesday, February 22: Great Doings! SAVOR Tasting Series: Martinis and Select Cocktails @ Grotto on State

February 22, 2006

@6:30pm

SAVOR Tasting Series: Martinis and Select Cocktails

Grotto on State, 1030 N. State St. (next to Morton’s)

Tasting stations with education set up throughout.

Paired appetizers specially selected by Grotto on State’s chef.

Proceeds benefit Blue Sky Inn and Free Street Theater. 

Sponsored by Ciroc and Tanqueray No. 10.

Tickets are $30 in advance.  For more information or to purchase tickets:

http://www.greatdoings.com/savor

(312) 787-8121

To learn more about fundraisers, tastings and more, sign up for Chicago’s fastest growing events e-newsletter:

http://www.greatdoings.com/subscribe

Thursday, February 23: Thursday Night Club @ River Shannon

Friday, February 24: Bar1Events Parties @ Duffy's Durkin's & McGee's

Durkin's Annual Boobs, Beers and Beads party will be on Friday, February 24 this year! It's just $20 for a Mardi Gras meal package that includes a Cajun buffet, Miller drafts, well drinks and hurricanes from 9pm-midnight!

Celebrate Mardi Gras at McGee's next Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25! It'll be "McGee's Gone Wild" both nights from 8:30-11:30pm, and our $15 meal package will include a huge Cajun buffet, authentic Pat O'Brien's Hurricanes, domestic drafts, well drinks and tons of beads!

Everybody is a winner at our Olympic closing ceremonies party this Friday, February 24 at Duffy's! From 8:30-11:30pm it's just $15 for a gold-medal meal package that includes a huge buffet, domestic drafts, well drinks, wine and soda.

Saturday, February 25: Michelle's 8th Annual Retro Party @ Fizz

Cover= $5

$5 SKKY drinks and $3 Bud Light drafts

Sunday, February 26: 7th Annual Wingfest @ Baily Auditorium

February is nearly upon us and that means its time for "Chicago's Best Wing Fest" where Chicago's best chicken wing chefs compete for the coveted title of "Best of Fest" and bragging rights to having the #1 chicken wings in Chicago. Sunday, February 26th, 2006 marks the date for this popular Seventh Annual winter event. Held this year at The Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington in Chicago. To date "Chicago's Best Wing Fest" has raised over $50,000 over the years for various charities. Proceeds from this years Wing Fest will benefit Chicago Neighbors United, a group providing inner city youth witheducational scholarships.

Some twenty Restaurants are now registering to compete in this years "Best Wing Fest" and organizers are estimating that those attending will consume over 30,000 chicken wings during the festivities. Each restaurant is invited to enter two of the four categories for judging. The categories include Barbeque, Mild, Exotic, and Hottest wings. Judging is done by randomly selecting patrons to be jurists as they enter the day of the event. After all the votes are in, the winning restaurants will be announced as the day progresses. The overall "Best of Fest" winner will be announced at the end of the day, and will be awarded the Golden wing Trophy. Last years winner Gators Pub will be defending their title against this years participants.

WXRT'S Lin Brehmer will be making his annual appearance as master of Ceremonies and Lin loves to sit in as a judge. Just think, YOU could be sitting next to Lin judging some wings ! Doors will open at Noon and judging will begin at 12:30 PM. Cadillac Dave and The Chicago Red Hots will be there to turn their classic blues sound on hot! Also planned for the day will be various prize giveaways, ice cold specials courtesy of the sponsors, and a chance to sample as many wings as you can eat provided by The Best Wing Slingers in Chicagoland.

Returning this year will be the "Wing King" Wing Eating Contest. Interested wing fans can pre-register online to compete in this Famous Annual event. Wings from each restaurant will be provided to the competitors and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners that consume their wings in the fastest amount of time will be awarded prizes provided by event sponsors.

Despite the pressure and popularity, organizers have opted to keep tickets for "Chicago's Best Wing Fest 2006" at $24.00 (same price as last year). Tickets will become available in advance at Tickets.com or by calling 1-800-955-5566. For more detailed information check this website often. Remember, WingFest tickets make great Holiday gifts. As this event sells out each year, we recommend purchasing your tickets well in advance. Ticket price includes all the wings you can eat, an opportunity to be a judge, live entertainment, plus loads of surprises, and the warm fuzzy feeling of helping a worthwhile charity.

http://www.wingfest.net/

Sunday, February 26: Bowlarama @ Timber Lanes

BOWLING...

for a sustainable future for Cinquera, Chicago’s Sister City in El Salvador

Supporting:
• Youth Radio Project
• Cinquera Forest Conservation
• Sustainable Agriculture

Join the Chicago-Cinquera Committee

for an evening of bowling fun!

Timber Lanes - 1851 W. Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois - Sunday, February 26, 2006

7:00 – 9:30 p.m.

BOWLING...

Register as an individual for $25 or bring $50 in pledges to bowl

Bring a team for the event!

More info at 773-561-4208 or jimmyishere@hotmail.com

www.chicagocinquera.com

Tuesday, February 28: Kathy & Aarthi's Mardi Gras Party @ Dark Horse

Tuesday, February 28, 7:00pm
Dark Horse Tap & Grill
3443 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago

Celebrate Mardi Gras Kathy & Aarthi style!!

Evite Link: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/kathy.myers@gmail.com/mardigras2006

You can count on a festive Fat Tuesday with lots of beads, party favors, great drink specials, and Cajun food! Bring your Bling!! We welcome feather boas, masks, beads, hats, anything and everything! If you're not the bling type, come anyway! It's your last chance to kick up your heels before you have to start giving stuff up for Lent, so you better make it a good one!

The party starts at 7pm and ends when they kick us out! Of course, if you're smart like Kathy & take Wednesday off work... who knows when the party will end!

We know we’re dragging you out on a school night so we worked out some great deals to lure you out of the house! With all that we have planned, we can practically guarantee that you'll have a great time!

DETAILS:
$3 pints ALL DRAFT BEER (Miller Lite, Guinness, Smithwicks, Blue Moon, and more!)

$3 CALL DRINKS (Jack Daniels, Bacardi, Smirnoff, and more!)

Specials on Hurricane drinks!!

FREE Cajun Buffet! Jon from the Dark Horse was nice enough to throw in some free food and his chef is getting his test kitchen all fired up as we speak!

** The More, the Merrier! Feel free to add people to this Evite and forward it at will!! **

Come on out, have a drink, and do a little Zydeco dance! It's Mardi Gras!!

See you then!!

Kathy & Aarthi

Laissez le bon temp roulez!!!!
_______________________________________________________________________
TRANSPORTATION:
Red Line to Addison. One block South on Sheffield. It's on the left side of the street!

PARKING:
Parking is possible in Wrigleyville, but you might have to work for it.

Tuesday, February 28: Bar1Events Fat Tuesday Parties @ Duffy's & McGee's

Fat Tuesday Celebrations!

Our beloved New Orleans has had a rough year, but you can still celebrate Fat Tuesday in Chicago!

** Duffy's Masquerade Ball - What happens behind our masks on Fat Tuesday will remain our little secret, so feel free to come and sin your little hearts out! From 8pm-11pm, our Mardi Gras meal package includes a Cajun buffet, domestic drafts, well drinks and hurricanes, and it's only $15 IF you wear a mask ($20 without). We'll also have a DJ playing the zydeco tunes and beads, beads, beads!

** McGee's Fat Wing Tuesday - It's a Tuesday, so of course, we'll have our 10-cent wings, but we'll also have authentic Pat O'Brien Hurricanes, a DJ spinning some zydeco tunes and tons of beads. See you there!

**Durkin's Phat Tuesday - As a follow-up to our annual Mardi Gras party, we're having $3 Hurricanes and $3 bottles and drafts on Tuesday, February 28! It's going to be PHAT, so don't miss it!

Friday, March 3: Elevation @ The Bar1Events Friday Food/Drink Special @ McGee's

Next Friday, March 3, we are "elevating" our Irish early at McGee's! The awesome U2 tribute band ELEVATION is playing, and you can gear up for St. Pat's with a $15 Irish meal package that includes a huge buffet, Harp, Guinness, Smithwick's, mixed drinks and domestic drafts from 8-11pm!

Sunday, March 5, 2006: Academy Awards Party @ Park West

Academy Awards Party

Kara Baskett and The 42nd Chicago International Film Festival, RedEye, and Metromix

Park West
322 W. Armitage, Chicago

WHY SPEND AN ORDINARY EVENING AT HOME WATCHING THE OSCARS WHEN YOU CAN HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY ONE WITH US!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 42nd Chicago International Film Festival, RedEye and Metromix invite you to the city’s oldest, largest annual Academy Awards Party. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it back from Seattle or not, but highly recommend attending this celebration.

When: Sunday, March 5, 2006 6:00 PM until the last award.

Location: Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave.

The best place to watch the Academy Awards on 2 GIANT screens and 24 monitors.

Featuring: Fabulous hors d'oeuvres from Chicago restaurants (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM); complimentary wine and beer during the evening. Raffle drawings and special prizes awarded throughout the event!

General Admission: $34 per ticket ($45 after Feb 15)
Limited VIP reserved seating: $55 per ticket

No ticket will be issued for this event. All guests are to be admitted per their full names at the venue. For proof of purchase, retain copy of order confirmation.


Dress Code: Red Carpet Attire

Participating Restaurants Include:
The Melting Pot (Yum!! Remember the chocolate fountain from last year?)
Picate Grill
Stella's Diner

Please let me know immediately if you are interested in attending. Special price for individuals who RSVP and are able to send me their payment by February 15. Please email me with RSVPs and questions at k_baskett@hotmail.com.

Sunday, March 5: Jump in the Lake for Special Olympics - Chicago Polar Plunge

Wednesday, March 8: Expressdater Musical Chair Dinner @ Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Join us as we do this month's Musical Chair Dinner tapas style!  We're heading to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Lincoln Park where we'll enjoy Tapas (hot & cold appetizers of Spain), Paella, desserts & more! We will share everything - it's the Spanish way!

People can't get enough from this fabulous Spanish restaurant.  From their famous sangria, to their tasty tapas, we'll mix & mingle and enjoy one of Chicago's finest restaurants.

Fee includes a four-course meal and 1 complimentary glass of sangria, beer or soft drink. We'll begin the evening with two appetizers: a potato & onion omlet and goat cheese baked in tomato sauce. Next you'll enjoy a ceasar salad. For the main course you'll have BOTH chicken paella AND beef skewers with horseradish cream. That's not all because we'll finish off our meal with a fabulous desert.

Sign up now and join others for this fantastic evening.  Visit www.expressdater.com for more information and to sign up.

Paula- 773-477-8520

Saturday, March 11: Bar1Events St. Patrick's Day Parties @ Various Venues

St. Pat's is more than a one-day holiday in Chicago, not to mention that NCAA March Madness is going on at the same time! It's our favorite time of year, so check out all of the parties we are throwing!

**McGee's - On Saturday, March 11, we say "tap o' the morning" to ya with our $20 Irish meal package! It includes a buffet and green beer from 10am-2pm! Then, on Friday, March 17, it's just $15 for a meal package that includes a buffet, green beer (and basketball!) from 9am-noon!

**Duffy's - Tap o' the morning to ya at Duffy's on Saturday, March 11, with our $20 meal package which includes an Irish buffet and green beer from 10am-2pm!

**Durkin's - You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning at Durkin's! Saturday, March 11, it's just $25 for a meal package that includes a huge breakfast buffet, Finlandia screwdrivers, Bloody Marys and green Bud Light drafts from 9am-1pm! Guarantee entry by purchasing tickets at www.bashevents.com ! Then, on Friday, March 17, catch all your hoops action on St. Pat's day while enjoying a $20 meal package that includes a basketball buffet and Bud Light from 9am-1pm!

Sunday March 12: Bar1Events Bus Trip To The South Side Irish Parade

Simple Math: CTA $3.50 roundtrip to Loop and Metra $5.00 roundtrip plus five block walk. Total $8.50. For another buck and a half you can ride the bus and get beer. Add this to your list of things that make you go "hmmmm.......".

~~

You're either Irish or you want to be, so join us for a trip to Chicago's South Side, where the city's Irish really know how to party! The Annual South Side Irish Parade is one of the biggest events on the Chicago social calendar, and as we've done for more than 10 years, we promise to get you down there for all the action! It's only $10 for our bus ride to the South Side, but you need to make reservations in advance, so call us at 773.868.8073 now! Buses leave at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 12, from Duffy's, and at 11 a.m. from McGee's and Durkin's, and then they'll start heading back from the parade at 3:30 p.m.