Quick! Think of something interesting to say at dinner Friday night. If nothing’s coming to you, here are your conversation starters for the weekend.
The digit: 0
That’s how many NHL players will be at the Winter Olympics in a few weeks, barring any last-minute surprises. The professional hockey league decided last year it wouldn’t let its players participate in the games, citing injuries during the 2014 Olympics, among other factors. Perennial all-star Alex Ovechkin threatened to flout the league and play for his native Russia anyway, but decided against it last fall.
Planting a steakburger
Steak ’n Shake, the late Roger Ebert’s favorite burger chain, is finally planning a location in Chicago. Its griddled patties and array of fresh-mixed shakes are coming to a former Jamba Juice location near UIC, according to Eater Chicago. The chain’s had locations in Skokie, Rosemont and further-flung suburbs for years, but this’ll be the first time you’ll be able to scratch the itch in the city limits.
Next Lolla leaders?
Lollapalooza’s lineup is likely a long ways away, but the first wave of 2018 music festival rosters is already out, providing a look at who could land locally. Eminem could be a strong possibility — he’s headlining California’s Coachella, Tennessee’s Bonnaroo, New York’s Governor’s Ball and Delaware’s Firefly. The Killers (who played Lolla last year) are headlining both Bonnaroo and Firefly, but that’s where the top-line similarities end. Beyonce and The Weeknd round out the headlining spots at Coachella; Jack White, Travis Scott and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs lead the Governor’s Ball; Kendrick Lamar and the Arctic Monkeys top Firefly; and Muse is Bonnaroo’s third headliner.
Jack White goes electr(on)ic
The former White Stripe dropped a couple new songs from his album planned for this year, and he’s gone almost as deep into electronic music as your 14-year-old cousin did in 2012. In fact, his signature guitar is almost nowhere to be found on the lead track, “Connected by Love” — it’s only detectable on a brief, heavily distorted solo toward the end of the tune. He hasn’t abandoned his analog roots, though — both songs are available as a 7-inch vinyl single from his Third Man Records label.
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Backward thinking
The latest Instagram/Pinterest idea gone wrong: Putting books on shelves backward. A viral article on culture blog Flavorwire described the trend as being “for neutral and minimalist book lovers,” linking to a post on Instagram featuring a long shelf of books stacked and packed neatly with their spines out of view. It’s the perfect look for your apartment if you like paying for books, but don’t want your guests to have the illusion you’ve ever read a single one of them.
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