Our weekend to-do list will keep you happily full.
1. Drink, dine and shop in Pilsen
Free coffee, drink discounts and more are on offer at Pilsen spots, including Bow Truss, Harbee Liquors and Dusek’s this weekend, thanks to a neighborhood crawl organized by Timberland and Brooklyn Brewery. Stop by the duo’s bar-meets-shoe-store pop-up to shop and drink, then pick up a book of coupons luring you to other deals, discounts and classes throughout the neighborhood. $25. Starts at noon Sunday, Aug. 14, at 643 W. 18th St., www.brooklynbrewerymash.com
2. Attend a dinner pop-up so secret that we don’t even know where you’re going
Traveling pop-up Place Invaders returns to Chicago to partner with the team behind Ravenswood restaurant and brewery Band of Bohemia. The result: a series of brunches and dinners at a secret location in Wicker Park. All we know is that diners are headed to a private residence that used to be a Prohibition-era distillery. Band of Bohemia chef Matt DuBois will steer the five-course ship, while beverage gurus Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar will curate the beer, wine and cocktail pairings. Tickets for Friday are already sold out, but Saturday and Sunday are available as of this writing. $85 brunch, $130 dinner. Noon and 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13; noon and 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14. www.placeinvaders.co
3. Clink glasses at a wine festival
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Sample more than 300 wines at the 14th annual Naperville Wine Festival, where the likes of Wente Family Estates, Cream Wine Co. and Pasternak Wine Imports will pour selections hailing from California, Italy, France and more. Food by Empanadus, Windy City Paella and more will be served. Admission nets you 12 tastings, a souvenir wine glass, a pint of beer and discounts on wine purchases. $32 in advance, $40 at the door. 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 2155 City Gate Lane, Naperville, 847-382-3270, www.napervillewinefestival.com
4. Explore the many tastes of Japan
A cultural fest borrowing its name from the popular district in Japan, the Ginza Holiday Festival — hosted by Old Town’s Midwest Buddhist Temple — celebrates its 61st year with colorful crafts from 100 different artisans, lively taiko drumming performances, kendo (Japanese fencing) and martial arts, and, of course, an abundance of Japanese food. While you tour the temple or browse bonsai exhibits, snack on treats like spam musubi, chicken teriyaki and kintoki, a snow cone topped with sweet azuki beans. $7 donation ($6 for seniors and students). 5:30-9 p.m Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m Sunday at 435 W. Menomonee St., www.ginzaholiday.com
5. Sharpen your knife skills
Reading a recipe is one thing, but keeping your fingers is another. Brunoise, batonnet, julienne — these terms and more are part of the everyday language of the kitchen, and after Sur La Table’s Knife Skills 101 class, you’ll know what they are and, more importantly, how to execute them. This small-format fundamentals course will serve as a strong foundation for beginner and amateur home cooks alike. $59. 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at 900 N. Michigan Ave., 312-204-6012, www.surlatable.com
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