Have you been dying to see the new Modern Wing at The Art Institute of Chicago but don’t have the funds to pay the normal entry fee? No more excuses! For the entire month of February, it will be free to visit the Art Institute of Chicago!  For the entire list of events going on during February at The Art Institute be sure to check out their website at: http://www.artic.edu/aic/visitor_info/feb_free_days.html

Cinnamon is the perfectly warming spice for dark winter nights when staying in for a meal is much more appealing than braving the sub-zero temperatures.  This one time class as part of the World Kitchen series, focuses on everyone’s favorite dessert spice, and teaches you to use it in savory meals as well.  Comfortable cooking attire is recommended, as well as non-skid shoes and an apron.  Pre-registration is required at https://secure.ticketsage.net/SelectPerformance.aspx?pid=86062.  Classes focus on the art of food preparation and properly nourishing our hungry bodies.

January 28 6pm to 8:30pm
Gallery 37 Center for the Arts
66 East Randolph Street [google map]
(312) 744-8925

StoryStudio Chicago is a creative writing studio on the city’s north side. They offer creative writing classes and events in all areas of writing from fiction to memoir to poetry to screenwriting. This Saturday, the 23rd, they are holding the first of 3 Write-A-Thons. What’s a Write-A-Thon? Imagine a place with free coffee and snacks, free Wifi, unlimited electricity for your laptop and a quiet and comfortable environment to type all day without interruption.

From their website:

Devote a full day to your writing and come to one of our weekend Write-a-Thons. These writing marathons are scheduled on days when you can map out four or six or the full 12 hours to focus on your stories.

We open the doors from 9am to 9pm and you may come and go as you like through the day and evening. Bring your laptop and settle in at one of the classroom tables. Or relax with a yellow pad and sink into the sofa.

For a meager admission fee, you’ll get access to the space, free wireless, snacks and beverages, plus a big ole Pick-a-Prompt bowl to choose some writing exercises if you get stuck.

In addition to lots of time and space to concentrate, we’ll have a food, caffeine, and lots of encouragement.

Write-a-Thons take place at our studios, 4043 N. Ravenswood, #222.

Date/Time:
Mark Your Calendars for all three:
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010

Price: Non-Member:$12.00 / StoryStudio Member: $7 (includes unlimited coffee, tea, soft drinks, snacks, hourly exercises,writerly conversation and lots of encouragement!)
Register for Write-a-Thons. Pre-registration is not required, but please let us know if you’re planning on attending.

Sounds like a great place to get you’re writing on! More information can be found at http://www.storystudiochicago.com/courses/writeathons.php and folks can follow them on twitter: @StoryStudio or @StoryStudioChi.

Tap into your artistic side and spice up your wardrobe at the Chicago Urban Art Society’s screen-printing workshop.  Here you will learn the art of screen printing; creating stencils to transfer images onto clothing.  $75 gets your two consecutive Saturday classes, which includes all materials, and goes towards supporting this DIY based organization.  It’s a unique way to add your own personal flare to otherwise drab wardrobe pieces. Workshops vary in level and duration. Choose between a 2, 3, or 4-week workshop with a qualified instructor. Visit their website or call (773) 318-9407.

Snow Days Chicago is offering a plethora of reasons why it’s better to brave the windy city weather this time of year versus those boring warmer climates.

The events during Snow Days Chicago on Friday and Saturday the 29th and 30th include a national snow sculpting competition, an activities igloo (don’t tell me you’ve never wanted to go in an igloo), dogsled racing demonstration, “snowboard rail jam”, and plenty more.

Grant Park will be filled with over 27 unique snow sculptures this weekend, and … (best part)… it’s FREE. So if you’ll be downtown at all during the festival, you have no reason not to swing by the Michigan Ave. local to catch some winter wonder.

The fest kicks off Fri. January 29th at 4 pm and ends 8 pm. Snow Days will be open Sat. Januray 30th from 11 am to 8pm. And, again, absolutely no cost (no, not even for an igloo tour).

Grant Park, S. Balbo & Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60603

Flyer for Glam Live's Fame Monster Fashion Show

It’s hard to separate Lady Gaga from her already infamous style choices. This Saturday’s Fame Monster fashion show at the Victor Hotel is fully embracing Gaga’s taste for the eccentric and sending looks inspired by the Lady straight down the runway.

This Saturday’s show will feature bodypainting by Mario Ink, airbrush makeup by Airbrush Academy, a live photo shoot by Fearman Photo, and all the eclectic couture will be designed and sewn by Rosina~Mae.

The 10 pm-3 am show is 21+, unfortunately for all of us underagers. But for the eligible, the show will be a spectacle second only to Gaga herself strutting around a stage wearing lacey booty shorts, Frankensteinesque shoulder pads and enough glitter to instantly and permanently damage your eyesight.

The show starts Saturday January 9th, 2010 at 10 pm and rocks until 3 am at Victor Hotel and is 21+

311 N. Sangamon St. Chicago

There aren’t many more holiday shopping events to take advantage of this season, but this Friday presents a big one: Fashion Frost, an evening of holiday fashion.  On Friday the 18th from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Chicago Center For The Performing Arts, this high end fashion show will take place featuring models strutting the runway in looks from incredible Chicago designers  (including the inspired looks of Rosina~Mae, Soledad Designs, Elda De La Rosa, Stiletto Squad, Horacio Nieto Jr., Yana Collection, Melanie Saldivar, Cobar, and Duvall).

There will also be live entertainment at this event from Chicago artists. It’s also offering gift bags (which are currentl valued at $300 each–and rising), raffles, complimentary cocktails and appetizers, and a silent auction. Oh, and you know it has awesome holiday deals on unique and innovative items from our talented local designgers.

The price for a ticket to the most likely last holiday fashion event of the year is $25. All proceeds to towards the Chicago Toy Drive.

The event will happen at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts at 777 N. Green Street

Buy tickets here or call 1-800-838-3006 to experience to gift-buying, gift-giving (to the Chicago Toy Drive) fashion show-viewing and muuuuuch more. Get all the holiday cheer while you still can!

Get a behind the scenes look at the curatorial approach of Barbara Crane’s photography retrospective at the Chicago Cultural Center.  This gallery talk will be led by curator Whitney Bradshaw, and will explore the sixty years worth of Chicago photography by Crane, who recently turned 81 and is finally being honored with her own show! The mix of black and white and colored pictures offer an intriguing look at Chicago’s past; the people and the city that inspired Barbara Crane.

Location:
Chicago Cultural Center
Exhibit Hall
78 E. Washington St
Chicago, IL 60602

Admission:
FREE

The city of Chicago is making damn sure that no one misses a good shopping outing before the holidays hit. Here is yet another weekend dedicated to browsing and spending.

This Saturday December 12th from noon to 3 p.m., Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies on Jackson is sponsoring and hosting a holiday shopping event. Admission is FREE, so why not stop in and peek around?

Like so many other city shopping extravaganzas, this shopping soiree offers tons of unique gifts from our talented local designers from clothes to jewelry to hand bags, and so much more. It’s even got free demos and “beauty treats.”

Just beware guys, this one looks like it is mainly an afternoon for the ladies (although most likely will be a great spot to find a present for your sister, girlfriend and/or momma!).

This event goes down this Saturday, December 12th from noon-3 p.m. at Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies

850 W. Jackson, Chicago, IL 60607

Questions? Need more info? E-mail info@creneaume.com or call 312-520-3017

The holiday season should officially be renamed the shopping season. Another day, another sale. This weekend’s shopping belongs to the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale.

So why this sale over any other? Well, for one, the flyer and website are really cute. And secondly, the fair is showcasing over 150 of “today’s finest indie-craft and contemporary design talents.” In other words, everything is handmade by the craftiest people in the biz.  That being said, all the gifts you buy this weekend are guaranteed to be one of a kind.

Check out the online store to get a sense of what will be sold before you make the trip to the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse. But more than likely, you’ll find something for almost everyone on your list, whether you’re browsing for jewelry, clothing, ceramics, stationary, bath products, housewares, posters, comics or plush objects.

It is located at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse in West Town

1419 W. Blackhawk Street
Chicago, IL 60622
Event phone number: 773-227-2707