Gold Coast Social is the BEST night club in the Chicago area, nonnegotiable!! 10/10 experience…read more10/10 service 10/10 memories! Not only do they offer alcohol & bottle service, they also offer hookah & food until late night!

Gold Coast Social is the kind of club you told yourself you're only stopping into for one drink,…read morebut next thing you know, you're there until close. The staff is amazing--welcoming, attentive, and full of energy that keeps the night alive. With great music, lively vibes, and unforgettable fun, it's the perfect late-night Gold Coast spot.

I'm only giving it 4 stars since my rating is based completely on the festival entertainment and…read morenot much else. However, it may be a sign that I've hit too many festivals this summer, but at quick glance there seem to be many of the same stands I've seen at others. As always the hideous outfits and odd people did not disappoint (senior citizen lady (who thought she was a lot younger) dressed in all hot pink and couple "waltzing to MJ tracks). Our group hung out at the center stage all night (kudos to the fest for having 3 stages to choose from). The fest served beer and Sangria. In my opinion the beer and sangria stands shouldn't have been so close to each other it got really packed with people trying to squeeze through the sangria line to the beer line! The port-a-pottie situation was a bit of a bummer, they could've used more stalls, a few friends went to the potties and then to grab a drink/snack and they were gone so long I began to think they left! We went to hear Who's Bad, a Michael Jackson cover band, who should not be missed. This was the second time I've seen them and they don't disappoint. They get the crowd going with all of your MJ faves. My favorite part about cover bands is you don't get stuck listening to newer, unknown tracks like you sometimes have to when you see the real deal - they just stick to the hits! I'm glad we decided to stick around for 16 Candles because they were awesome and Who's Bad was the perfect band to get us in the 80's classics mood. Everyone totally got into them, dancing and singing along. When they did Sunglasses at Night they had flashing, light-up sunglasses. The only negative was it seemed they ended rather abruptly, they finished a song, said goodnight and were done without any advance warning. Bottom line - great time and 16 Candles closes the show again on Sunday!

I feel like a proud papa watching this festival grow over the years. For you festival junkies,…read moreheading into 2011 this is clearly one of the Top 3 in the city. A decade ago this wasn't the case. Former giants such as Old St. Pat's (does this still exist?), Sheffield Garden Walk, and Taste of Randolph are now moving over for this All star extravaganza. All the big names play this gig: Hairbangers Mike & Joe Too White Crew Sixteen Candles Maggie Speaks Wedding Banned And with the vast layout, there is plenty of room for beer vendors and the lines are never long. For you non-junkies, if a few a Summer does the trick for you, make this one of them. Basically, anything in Lakeview is a can't-miss, that alone makes it worth the trip. Thanks Rock Around The Block, looking forward to 2011 already!

Logan Square is a continuously gentrifying area of Chicago. It's one of the "hip" neighborhoods in…read moretown. Lots of restaurants, some concert venues and the like. It's got several notable parks, such as Palmer Square Park, Unity Park, and Kosciuszko Park. What makes Logan Square special is that it's part of the boulevard system, and it has these beautiful wide boulevards which have large, park-like medians. I've seen people having gatherings, picnics, barbecues and the like here in the medians along Kedzie. I don't actually spend much time in Logan Square or its environs, but probably should. There's Emporium or Fireside Bowl if you're looking for fun (and I think Pink Squirrel is in the area, if you want to try duckpin bowling); more than one brewery, I think, though Revolution Brewing is the big one I think. Lots of great public art, from the Greetings from Chicago and Robin Williams murals to the most amazing mosaic commemorating L. Frank Baum and the land of Oz that you've ever seen (Oz Park can suck it). Worth a stroll, and get some Puerto Rican food.

Logan Square is an area on the northwest side of Chicago that is dear to my heart. Southeast of…read moreLogan Square is the gateway to downtown Chicago. Northwest of Logan Square is the gateway to the most Polish neighborhood in the United States - almost like a little Warsaw. East of Logan Square leads you into the old German part of Chicago, which once covered over a dozen square miles, had 6 German newspapers, and over 100 German stores, restaurants, bars, bakeries, dancehalls, & cultural centers. And west of Logan Square opens onto a seemingly endless stretch of ethnic neighborhoods and faceless buildings that were flung up in grids during the first half of the 20th century. Once, Logan Square was an affluent neighborhood, a rich area of the city one might say, like a late 19th century suburb on the outskirts of Chicago's center. Even today, one can find the occasional stretch of old stone mansions with carriage houses left standing, tucked in between the many 1930's three story brick apartment buildings where other even older mansions once stood, some stretching back to the Gilded Age. Logan Square offers a bittersweet memory of the glory days of Old Chicago, when Speakeasys dotted the city, Sicilian Gangsters drove the streets, and European Immigrants from Sweden, Saxony, and other cities far and wide were pouring into town daily, enriching our lives with their many cultures and their absolutely delicious cuisines. Now Logan Square is just another place among the many spots in Chicago where it's specific history has been lost. Logan Square has become a Subway Station and a Bus Depot. Today Logan Square is just a big Pillar in the middle of the street.

Ok, I'm not afraid to admit that on Friday's I'm usually a total lame-o. I like nothing more than…read morewatching TV and cozying up to my most recent issue of Us magazine. However, since summer was winding down, my Us never showed, and I had a long weekend ahead of me I decided to shake things up and check out the Gapers Block Party at the Metro. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, I had never heard of any of the acts, had never even read Gapers Block, but it was free before 9:30. You can't even say that about most street fests! My friend and I hoped to be pleasantly surprised and that we were. The Metro is a great venue for a show, originally built in 1927 as a Swedish community center, it still has some ornate touches most notable around the stage, and is a small, intimate place to see a show. The Block Party acts were Panda Riot, Blane Fonda, The Hood Internet, and Nikki Lynette; each act played for about 45 minutes it seemed. We arrived midway through Panda Riot's set; they did a great cover of M.I.A.'s Paper Planes. My favorite act, surprisingly, was The Hood Internet, a DJ. I'm not a club-goer so the art of DJ'ing is really lost on me, at least until now. This guy transformed a room of people tamely bopping along to the rhythm into a room full of sweaty, grooving people. To me, his transitions from song to song were not only creative, but seamless. He definitely, turned me not only into a fan, but someone that respects his art. Drinks were pricey ($6 for a Miller Light), but I expected as much from a music venue. The crowd was eclectic to say the least, there aren't too many places you'll see hipsters shoulder to shoulder with chads, clubbers (is that a word?), and a bunch of random others; it definitely made the people watching priceless. All in all it was a good time and I'd check out next year's party.

So much fun, but a limited run! You really have to catch it. We missed it yesterday by a hair. But…read moreif you use check the line it's on that day and go to the CTA train tracker, you can select the line and it'll appear as a green tree on the map view. It only passes through once a day I think. All the cars were decked out and Santa and his sleigh had their own car. His elves had buttons and candy canes inside. Make sure you get there early. Definitely recommend!

It was a fun thing to do but here are some tips:…read more - if you are a commuter and just want to ride it for a few stops, then feel free to jump on the train anytime. But if you are like us who wanted to let the little one to have this experience, start from the beginning. Otherwise you are met with a lot of crowds and will be hard to move around. - don't get off thinking you can hop on a different car. Holiday train has staff in every car and they will have to stop you if that car is full.

It has become a tradition to come, meet friends, drink a beer, eat a thuringer and enjoy…read more Crowds can be large on nice days but for the most part everyone is relaxed and happy. Sunday afternoon is a great time for families.

Maifest is one of my least favorite fests in Chicago, but it's close to home so I find myself here…read moreevery year. The problem with Maifest is it is so insanely crowded. There is a thin row of standing tabletops, and other than that, there's just lots of people congregating on the (closed off) street. There is only one food stand offering sausage, pretzels, sauerkraut, etc. There is also only one beer stand offering one type each of domestic or import, the latter being $2 more. Expect long lines as there is only one tent for each. Music is lively and gets the crowd pumped. I'm always surprised how many pregnant women and babies are there; I get nervous they will get pushed or trampled. And definitely expect at least a little beer to get spilled on you, as a lot of the songs call for lifting your beer in the air, and you're surrounded by drunk people... #gross Overall, come for a beer, explore the neighborhood, and don't expect too much, otherwise you're sure to be disappointed.

Another typical suburban festival -- carnival rides, mixed with music stages, and food tents, and…read moresometimes, business vendors. To be honest, I enjoy em, and this one, called Buffalo Grove Days, or what the cool kids call it -- "BG Days" is A-OK with me. I do like how this is well laid-out. There are shuttle buses to take/drop you to where you need to be. I didn't bother looking for parking and ended up parking at wherever the Buffalo Grove Days parking signs pointed to, which ended up being at the Buffalo Grove Metra station, which was free. I do have to say that the offering of carnival rides BG Days have, compared to the other copious amounts of suburban festivals, was less. It was actually hard to use up our 22-tickets (this year it was 22-tickets for $25) and I'm glad I didn't go with the unlimited rides for $25 each. The carnival games included pop-a-shot, lucky ducks, and other typical games. Food-wise, the food tent was actually pretty big. Lots to choose from, from pizza, to Mexican, to Dairy Queen. Food prices were A-OK and definitely not like the $40 for a piece of lettuce prices you'd find at the Taste of Chicago. BATHROOM REVIEW: The couple of port-a-potties we visited were actually pretty clean! Many to choose from and there was no line on the evening we went. Sit or squat? It's still a port-a-potty after all. Squat.

Free to enter. There are various shuttles (bona-fide school busses!) to bus you from parking lots…read moreto the fairgrounds and back. Tip: Make sure to note whether your bus says COOK CO or LAKE CO on the side window so you can get back on the right bus route. Bring chairs or blankets for the parade (starts at 1). The north side of Lake Cook has craft fairs and food, while the south has rides and games (and a few food options - mostly cotton candy, elephant ears, corndogs). Ride tickets amount to about $1.25, and kiddie rides are typically 2-3 tickets. There are two sections of rides: the kiddie ones and adult. Food vendors included a lot of pizza (Nancy's, Wapaghettis...), Jersey Mike's, JD's BBQ, Culvers..also mac and cheese, chicken tenders, burritos, pretzels, etc from various other vendors. There's a covered picnic area to chill and take a break from the sun and heat, as well as a misting tent. Prices weren't TERRIBLE. My steak burrito was $7 and my custard sundae was $3. Pop cans are $1.50 and water is about $2.50. You can bring your own beverages, water, coolers, whatever (non-alc), too. There's an abundance of portra johns, and we even saw some being cleaned! Clean sh!tters?! Score!

Well, after dissing the Pilsen "Chicago Arts District", and suggesting that those looking for an…read moreedgy, stimulating and diverse arts district with street action come up to Glenwood/Morse, I discovered that this IS a designated Arts district with its own summer arts festival. So, the cross which is formed by two blocks of this intersection is The Glenwood Ave. Arts District. Some of the destinations include art galleries, an outdoor sculpture park, The Heartland Cafe (gallery, store and cafe), Morseland (live music), a number of little pubs like Duke's Hideaway and No Exit Cafe, with the ghosts of beatniks still haunting them, The Ubique Theater and Lifeline Theater, and what appears to be a renovation of the old Morse Theater just east of the "el." And with just enough of that watch-your-back neighborhood street traffic to make it an authentic "edgy" arts district. Bring bongo drums and wear your dark glasses. This may be a destination in the making.Another little Chicago neighborhood enclave with a unique retro vibe.