Centerstage - Chicago's Original City Guide

Articles Sections >> Arts + Words Bars + Clubs Dating Festivals Fitness Food Lifestyle Music Theater Travel + Tourism Who's Who > View All Ask Centerstage Cheap Thrills Green Thumb Weekend Warrior

Five things to do in Chicago, from the obvious to the absurd.

Thursday Apr 02, 2009.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Lifestyle Feed

1. Ramp Fest
7-9:30 p.m. Friday at Garfield Park Conservatory; $90
This fundraiser for The Land Connection features a tasting menu inspired by ramps, the first edible greens to appear in Midwestern forests each spring (they're kind of like onions). Chefs from Blackbird, mk, Spacca Napoli and others will make it well worth the hefty price tag.

2. B96 Street Mix
11 p.m. Friday at Crobar
Have you always wondered what your favorite B96 DJs looked like in real life? Now's your chance to find out, as the always popular hip-hop station has a live performance for the first time in 16 years at Crobar. DJ Flipside and Alex Peace will do their thing all night long. RSVP at crobar.com.

3. Cabrini Connections Art and Film Festival
5-10 p.m. Saturday at The Palette & Chisel
Works from both student and professional artists will be shown and auctioned at this fest to benefit Cabrini Connections, a non-profit tutoring and mentoring program for middle and high school students from the Cabrini Green community. There will be numerous raffle prizes being auctioned off throughout the night as well to raise additional funds.

4. True Flavors Celebrity Cook Off
6-9 p.m. Saturday at Chopping Block (Merchandise Mart); $150
Ever wanted to compete in a Top Chef-style challenge? Now's your chance. Season Five finalists Carla Hall and Stefan Richter will be participating in this fifth annual fundraiser for True Child, a national organization helping children break through stereotypes. The chefs (whom we'll dub the "lover" and the "fighter"), will be part of teams that will have 35 minutes to cook a three-course meal with secret ingredients revealed only moments before the contest begins. Here's the kicker (cue knife-slashing noise): bid enough in the preceding live auction, and you could be part of the action as a sous-chef.

5. Numero Group's Eccentric Soul Revue
7:30 p.m. Saturday at Park West; $22
Fans of the Numero Group, the Chicago-based label that’s become the number-one source for lost soul, funk and gospel classics from around the country, no longer have to sit at home waiting for the next treasure to be unearthed. Many of the legendary artists featured on Numero releases will take the stage for the label’s first-ever concert at the Park West, including Syl Johnson ("Different Strokes") and The Final Solution, whose previously unreleased blaxploitation soundtrack saw the light of day last year. JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound will serve as the backing band.