Good afternoon, Chicago.
It’s a beautiful day for the workweek to be over. This weekend, we’re celebrating Mother’s Day with brunch (takeout or homemade), mimosas, movies and more. We’re also thinking of everyone for whom the holiday might be a sad one.
Meanwhile, the city is making plans to reopen all over the place, with a ton of reopening announcements dropping this week. Two local beer favorites — one a legend, one a rising star — also had big news to share, and we had the exclusive.
We’ve also got a profile of a rising country music star from Glenview, plus kids clothes that grow with the kids. Not lying! Cheers to the weekend.
— Adam Lukach
What to watch: Catch up on ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ or start the new Star Wars series ‘The Bad Batch’
Plus, “A Black Lady Sketch Show” is back, and so is Aidy Bryant’s “Shrill,” so we’ve got plenty of good options this week.
Tune into our complete list of critics’ picks for more weekend streaming suggestions.
Mother’s Day means mom — or whomever you’re celebrating for the holiday — gets to pick the movie. But, hey, we all know how long it takes to finally choose something on Netflix.
For this Mother’s Day, critic Michael Phillips offers 10 streaming options, either about or selected by mothers — including his own.
Last-second Mother’s Day gifts for 2021
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Watch this. Eat that: Need a Mother’s Day treat? Pair ‘An American in Paris’ with tasty crepes
Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in a scene from the movie ‘An American In Paris, 1951.
Brunch is another time-honored Mother’s Day tradition, so to pair with his streaming options above, we had to suggest some appropriate fare for Michael’s mother to enjoy with her movie — and crepes are never a bad choice.
The most popular Mother’s Day brunch recipes, according to Google search
Mother’s Day calls for something special: A recipe for rosemary pear mimosas
40 Mother’s Day specials at Chicago restaurants, from fresh bouquets to free mimosas
At 17, Glenview’s Queeva McDonagh is a rising star in the country world with something to say
During a time when most young people are trying to find a way to fit in with the teens around them, McDonagh aims to stand out. Which is great; one can’t become a successful, long-lasting musician by simply conforming to the norm.
Music critic Britt Julious has more on the Glenview native who could become one of country music’s next big stars.
After almost 13 years at its first home on Lincoln Avenue, Half Acre is moving all operations to its Balmoral outpost. But taking its place will be another local favorite: the ascendant Hop Butcher for the World.
Get the lowdown on how the monumental move came together in reporter Josh Noel’s exclusive story.
Kids clothes that grow with them. OMG, did you see this?
It sounds like a scam, but the secret is in the pleats. Aeronautical engineer Ryan Yasin set out to address “outgrowth” problem and created Petit Pli, a cool line of clothes for kids featuring pleats that expand and contract to grow as your child does.
Fashion editor David Syrek has more about the amazing expanding outfits from the material technology company.
CineYouth Festival: New Chicago filmmakers featured in worldwide showcase
This year’s virtual CineYouth festival is comprised of 102 shorts made by directors between the ages of 5 and 22 from 25 countries.
Free to the public, the festival continues through May 13. Critic Michael Phillips checks out the Chicago entries into the international showcase.
What it’s like to see live music in Chicago during the limbo period
As live music slowly but surely makes its return throughout the city, reporter Chris Borrelli ventures out into the “limbo period.”
Come on in, if the capacity will hold you. The lines are long, and the dancing is sporadic — but the vibe is weird, uncertain, thankful and fun.
Chicago reopening list: Ravinia festival 2021, Summerfest, Art on theMart, more
The run on reopening announcements continues this week, and if you blinked, you might have missed one. We’ve got a running roundup of who’s making plans to come back, plus the details on individual events below:
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Chicago announces ‘Open Culture’ banner over a summer of arts — including SummerDance and ‘Chicago In Tune’
Art on theMart will project ‘Obama Portraits’ and ‘Frida Kahlo’ this summer
Buckingham Fountain will be turned on before Memorial Day after 2020 absence, officials say
Ravinia’s 2021 pop concerts return, with Judy Collins, Willie Nelson and Gladys Knight
Ravinia’s 2021 classical and jazz lineup led by CSO, Pinchas Zukerman, Wynton Marsalis, Midori and more
Milwaukee’s Summerfest announces 2021 lineup, with Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus and more
Column: Chicago’s great cultural comeback is coming much faster than we thought. Here’s why.
Speaking of said comeback, the pace of all these recent return announcements has seen a sudden spike. Critic Chris Jones digs in to the reasons for the change of pace.