All good things must come to an end, and that includes summer in Chicago. But while fall means cooler temps, shorter days and the end of beach season, there’s also a lot to look forward to. If you find yourself feeling a little blue as you’re pulling your sweaters out of storage this week, cheer up thinking about these five fall delights.
Lupe’s ‘Cool’ Halloween show
Can’t wait for West Side native Lupe Fiasco’s follow-up to his debut, “Food and Liquor”? Neither can we. The rapper’s sophomore disc, “The Cool,” drops in November, but you can get a sneak preview of the hometown hero’s new tracks when he slides into House of Blues (329 N. Dearborn St. 312-923-2000) on Halloween (8 p.m.; $35-$37.50). Don’t be afraid; the only thing scary about the 25-year-old rapper is wisdom beyond his years.
Film fest’s 43rd year
The annual Chicago International Film Festival (Oct. 4-17) is special this year — it’s dedicated to Roger Ebert, the film critic who helped put our city on the movie map. The full schedule won’t be released until Wednesday, but of the flicks that have been announced, we’re psyched to see “Chicago 10,” (pictured above) the documentary about the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention that opened this year’s Sundance Film Festival; and “Lars and the Real Girl,” a strange tale of a man (Ryan Gosling) and his relationship with a mail-order doll. Check metromix.com on Wednesday for full a schedule.
Le Passage’s le makeover
Once a go-to nightspot with a star-studded guest list and celeb DJs, Le Passage (937 N. Rush St. 312-255-0022) had started to lose its luster in the last year — about the time owners Billy Dec and crew switched their focus to hot new club The Underground. But this summer, Three-Headed Productions (the group behind Cans, Junior’s, Salud and Evil Olive) purchased the flagging Gold Coast club and announced plans to revamp for an October/November re-opening. Chef Shawn McClain (Custom House, Green Zebra, Spring) is consulting on the menu; master bartenders will shake drinks tableside, working from a cocktail cart; and a new Rush Street entrance will allow you to avoid that annoying alleyway entrance. This fall, Le Nightlife might be all about the new Le Passage.
Brasserie Ruhlmann’s Chicago sib
New York’s Art Deco-inspired Brasserie Ruhlmann hasn’t exactly set critics agog, but what do they know? Not long ago, they also dissed a certain Chicago transplant — a little spot called Japonais — from some of the same owners. We’ll see if Chicago is kinder to the team’s latest bit of cross-city culinary pollination when Brasserie Ruhlmann SteakHouse (500 W. Superior St. 312-494-1900) opens in the former Montgomery Ward building (across the street from the original Japonais) in mid-October. Expect a lush space with enough room for 500 guests, pricey entrees ($22-$38) — and the promise to become the new Japonais.
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The Cubs’ home stretch
With just one new bar opening (The Yard, 3441 N. Sheffield Ave.), it was a fairly quiet summer in Wrigleyville — save for the occasional outburst from Carlos Zambrano, that is. But the Cubs slowly have been gaining momentum, and now they’re neck in neck with Milwaukee with just 12 games left in the regular season — half of them on home turf. We’re holding our breath for some postseason action on the North Side. Could this be the year?
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