Friday, Dec. 27
Midnight
To prepare for our New Year’s countdown, stop at your local 24-hour store and pick up a calendar. Believe us, with all of the suggestions and reminders and planning tips for New Year’s Eve to follow, you revelers will need it. And for skeptics who think Dec. 31 is the most overrated holiday of the year and refuse to go out on the town, you’ll still want that calendar, because we will offer you New Year’s suggestions, too.
Saturday, Dec. 28
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1 A.M.
After calling every ticket agent in town about Metro’s Dec. 31 sold-out Flaming Lips show, move on to Plan B: Get tickets for Pharcyde at House of Blues. $60–pricey for a hip-hop show, but you gotta take New Year’s Eve inflation in stride. (10 p.m. Dec. 31. 329 N. Dearborn St. 312-923-2007)
2-3 A.M.
Wanting to sleep but can’t because you keep trying to remember what song topped the charts in 1982? “Open Arms”? “Jack and Diane”? “Abracadabra”? Count some sheep ’cause Nevin’s Live House Band will refresh your memory when they play all the Top 40 Hits of that year at Nevin’s New Year’s Eve bash. (9 p.m. Dec. 31. 1450 Sherman Ave., Evanston. $20. 847-869-0450)
3-9 A.M.
Sleep
9-11 A.M.
Good morning! It’s time for doughnuts. Make sure to buy only ring-shaped doughnuts (representing the circle of life) because the Dutch believe that eating these (called Olie Bollen) are good luck on New Year’s Eve and Day. And if you’re in northwest Indiana, your luck has just doubled: The first Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in that area opened yesterday at 320 U.S. Highway 41 in Schererville, Ind. (219-322-0800)
11 A.M.-2 P.M.
Think globally this new year and visit the Field Museum’s annual “Peaceable Kingdom” festi-val. The event features music from diverse cultures in Chicago-land and around the world. (1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. Free with museum admission. 312-665-7400)
2-5 P.M.
Plan on staying home and cozy-ing up in front of a warm fire? Let us nag you before your partner does: Better get the logs. At 2:30 p.m. today, the Morton Arboretum can help. Kicking off the arboretum’s two-month Cele-brate Winter! activities, partici-pants will be sent out to find the yule log. A bonfire, hot wassail and cocoa, and singing await. Dress for the weather and be prepared to hike up to 2 miles looking for that log. (4100 Ill. Highway 53, Lisle. $7 per car for non-members. 630-968-0074)
5 P.M.
Go out and buy some really long noodles, preferably at a Japanese place like the grocery in Mitsuwa Mall in Arlington Heights. Eating noodles is a midnight custom in Buddhist temples in Japan. (100 E. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights. 847-956-6699)
6 P.M.
If you plan on spending New Year’s Eve at the Zen Buddhist Temple, where the temple’s Kindling Light of Wisdom Mind service and meditation will usher out the year, take the time now to write down the year’s momentous events on tiny sheets of paper. The temple will burn those papers in order to clear the mind for the upcoming year. (8 p.m. Dec. 31. 1710 W. Cornelia. $10 donation. 773-528-8685)
7-9 P.M.
Before the New Year’s Eve
crowds descend on movie theaters, take in a flick. Both “The Hours” and “Chicago” opened yesterday, so boot up Fandango and go see some Golden Globe nominees.
9 P.M.-Midnight
If you plan to spend a romantic New Year’s Eve at fondue headquarters Geja’s Cafe (340 W. Armitage Ave. $55-$95. 773-281-9101), then sharpen your dipping skills tonight at the chocolate dipping fountain at The Greenhouse inside the Ritz-Carlton Chicago. The fountain dispenses warm chocolate, into which you can dip lemon pound cake, apricot biscotti, fresh fruits and more, all to the music of a jazz duo. No double-dipping. (9 p.m.-midnight. 160 E. Pearson St. $10-$20. 312-573-5154)
Sunday, Dec. 29
1 A.M.
Neighbors keeping you up? Well, now’s as good a time as any to search through your drawers for those old earplugs. You’ll need ’em for the Tuesday night fireworks whether you watch from Bucking-ham Fountain (11:40 p.m., 500 S. Lake Shore Drive), Century Park (7:30 p.m., Lakeview and Hawthorn Parkways, Vernon Hills) or Navy Pier (midnight, 600 E. Grand Ave.).
2-9 A.M.
Dream of actually keeping your New Year’s resolutions.
9-10 A.M.
Time to head to Moo & Oink to buy some black-eyed peas. Southerners believe these peas, cooked with a little smoked ham, bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. (7158 S. Stoney Island Ave. 773-473-4800)
10 A.M.-Noon
While most people turn their attention to New Year’s Eve the moment after Christmas ends,
you may want to linger a bit. Today at 10:30 a.m., Quest Theatre Ensemble presents “Blue Nativity,” featuring elegant, large-scale puppetry and narrator Rebecca Glass, who is also an operatic soprano. (Presbyterian Church of LaPorte, 307 Kingsbury Ave., LaPorte, Ind. Free. 219-362-6219).
Noon-1 P.M.
Stop off at Act 1 Bookstore (2540 N. Lincoln Ave.) and pick up a copy of Chicago musical theater diva Hollis Resnik’s first CD “Make Someone Happy” ($20.95) in preparation for her New Year’s Eve cabaret performance at Davenport’s. (6, 8, 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31. 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave. $25. 773-278-1830)
1-3 P.M.
Next stop: Chicago Costume Company (1120 W. Fullerton Ave. 773-528-1264). If you plan to send off 2002 at Marche’s Marche De Sade Part Quatre party, you’ll need to dress the part. Cosponsored by the Feitico Gallery and Mistress Marilyn, the dinner will be fetish themed, with erotic entertainment as dessert. (8 p.m. Dec. 31. 833 W. Randolph. $125. 312-226-8399)
3-5 p.m. Prepare for Hog Head McDunna’s Roaring ’20s New Year’s Eve Party (9 p.m. 1505 W. Fullerton Pkwy. $75. 773-929-0944) by catching Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe in a 3:15 p.m. screening of “Some Like it Hot”–set around the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago–at the Gene Siskel Film Center. (164 N. State St. $3-$8. 312-846-2600)
5-8 p.m. Between the opening weekend rush and the Dec. 31 one, it’s tough to get a ticket for this season’s biggest flicks. So sneak into your local movie theater tonight, between the rushes, and catch the latest “Lord of the Rings” or “Gangs of New York.” Both are playing at the comfy Century 12 Evanston and Century CineArts 6 (1715 Maple Ave., Evanston. 847-492-0123). And don’t forget about the theater’s bar and bistro, The Rhythm Room.
8 p.m.-midnight. Board a plane and fly to Nova Scotia. Become the first person in North America to see the new year.
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Monday, Dec. 30
1-3 a.m. Sleep soundly and dream of your boss letting you go early tomorrow.
3 a.m. Can’t stop watching that “Party of Five” marathon on TV? Relax. You’ll be able to hear the show’s BoDeans theme song live on Tuesday night at the Rock ‘n Roll Ball. The Violent Femmes (didn’t they write the theme song for “Silver Spoons?”) and Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra will also perform. (8 p.m. Dec. 31. Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. $93-$125. 312-836-4299)
3-10 a.m. Back to bed. Sleep in a bit, cause you really won’t much tomorrow night.
10 a.m.-noon. Head over to the Fish Guy Market (4423 N. Elston Ave. 773-283-7400) to buy a slab of cod. The Danes eat boiled cod on New Year’s Eve for good luck. If you’re not a cod fan, pick up some pickled herring. It also brings good luck, at least to Germans and Poles.
Noon. Still no plans for tomorrow night? Accept that you have procrastinated your way into a last-minute panic and choose to follow the ancient Augustinian calendar. New Year’s isn’t until the middle of March.
1-3 p.m. Pile your kids in the wagon and head over to the Chicago Army Navy Surplus Company in Downers Grove (605 W. Ogden Ave. 630-969-1786) or Belmont Army Surplus (945 W. Belmont Ave. 773-549-1038). Yep, it’s time for all you end-of-the-year fatalists to stock up on goods. And we’re sure you’re looking forward to “The Armageddon Radio Hour,” WNEP Theater’s New Year’s Eve spoof. (9:30 p.m. cocktails, 10:30 p.m. showtime. Dec. 31. 3209 N. Halsted St. $45. 773-755-1693)
3-5 p.m. Feeling a little strapped for cash this holiday season? Many cultures believe that eating green veggies on or near midnight will bring you money in the new year, so get to the Chicago Fruit Market and buy up their stock of kale, mustard greens, collard greens, cabbage and spinach. (3052 W. Montrose Ave. 773-463-1800)
5-8 p.m. Extend the green theme and dine at Spring tonight. Shawn McClain’s highly rated restaurant, which emphasizes seafood and vegetable dishes with pronounced Asian influences typically is closed Mondays, but will be open today. (Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. 2039 W. North Ave. 773-395-7100)
8-midnight. Feeling a little quirky? Step outside of the narrow New Year’s Eve box and celebrate a night early at “Eve of the Eve at Union Station” tonight. (210 S. Canal St. $100. 312-787-9824)
Tuesday Dec. 31
1-2 a.m. Zzzzz
3 a.m. Wake up in the middle of the night, disoriented and wondering which Bar Louie New Year’s Eve Bash you paid $50-$75 to attend. Naperville? Wheeling? Bucktown? Wrigleyville? (630-983-1600, 847-279-1199, 773-645-7500, 773-296-2500, respectively)
3-5 a.m. While you’re up, you might as well call up everyone you know and say, “See ya next year!” They’ll love it.
5-8 a.m. Zzzzz again
8-10 a.m. Take a trip to Stanley’s Fruit and Vegetable Market for the biggest and best-looking grapes you can find. Cubans have a custom of eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight for good luck. (1558 N. Elston Ave. 773-276-8050)
10 a.m. Planning to rent a movie tonight? Good luck. Starting this morning, and not before, you can reserve one at Facets (1517 W. Fullerton Ave. 773-281-9075). Blockbuster won’t take reservations, so prepare to throw some elbows in the aisles.
11 a.m.-noon. The Field Museum’s “Chocolate” exhibit ends today, so before you head to Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Shops at North Bridge, 520 N. Michigan Ave. 312-644-9450) to buy truffles for your gracious New Year’s Eve hosts, explore chocolate from its rain forest beginnings to its use in ancient cultures to its growth as a commodity in the world market. (1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. $6 plus price of museum admission. 312-922-9410).
Noon. Do what your wise elders do in nursing homes across the country: Celebrate at this 12 o’clock and then go to bed early.
1 p.m. If you’re going to Domaine’s European/South American “White Party” (8 p.m., 1045 N. Rush St. $25-$250. 312-397-1045), you better go pick up your white tux at Gingiss. Hope you ordered ahead, cause the last day to do so at the Old Town location (1201 N. Wells St. 312-787-6550) was Dec. 27 and those monkey suits get in today.
2 p.m. Get in your last bit of training before the big New Year’s Day races: The 18th annual New Year’s Day 5K Fun Run and Walk (11 a.m. Jan. 1. Stockton Drive at LaSalle Drive. $20-$25. 773-868-3010) or the New Year’s Day 15-mile “Weather Be Damned” ride (10 a.m. Jan. 1. Waveland Clock Tower, 3800 N. Lake Shore Drive. Free. 773-227-6776).
3 p.m. On your way home, return those Chaser pills (promising “freedom from hangovers”) and make a reservation at the 5th annual New Year’s Day Hangover Brunch at Kitsch’n on Roscoe. (11 a.m. Jan. 1. 2005 W. Roscoe St. 773-248-7372)
4 p.m. Get in the shower!!!
5 p.m. Wish the animals a “Happy Zoo Year” with the Lincoln Park Zoo’s family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration. The special laser-light-show countdown–sure to put the beasts at ease–begins at 9 p.m. and assures that you’ll beat the traffic home. (5:30-9:30 p.m. 2200 N. Cannon Drive. $6-$8. 312-742-2000)
6 p.m. What’s fun for the kids isn’t always fun for the parents, but at First Night Evanston (847-289-4248) or First Night Highland Park (847-432-0867), a bevy of entertainers, some for you and some for your pint-size companions, will satisfy the whole family. And if you’re south? Stroll on over to Neighbors’ Eve 2003 in the Hyde Park-Kenwood area (773-268-1356). With its ban on alcohol, drugs and smoking, it’s a great party for all ages. Stop at the Hyde Park co-op (1526 E. 55th St. 773-667-1444) first for some sparkling cider.
7 p.m. If your kids need more focused, enclosed entertainment, head over to the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn for Dale Salwak’s “Stars of Magic” show. (7:30 p.m. 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $39-$40. 630-942-4000)
8 p.m. Looking for a way to get your adrenaline up before the ball drops? Head on over to the Heartland Cafe for the annual Athletes United for Peace Last Run of the Year. It’s a 5Ker and post-run, they’ll be plenty of thirst quenchers on hand, like champagne. (8 p.m., 7000 N. Glenwood. $20-$25. 773-465-8005)
9 p.m. Since you never want to stop learning, ring in the New Year at The Chopping Block cooking school. An interactive six-course dinner with wine pairings and a demonstration of how each dish is prepared goes for $125. (9:30 p.m. 1324 W. Webster St. 773-472-6700)
10 p.m. Forget party pals: Meet with your accountant to plot last-minute tax deductions.
11 p.m. Tune in to “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Stare At Dick Clark. Become convinced that it’s all a sham–time really does stand still.
Midnight. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!