It’s Thursday, Chicago.
Did you feel it? That whisper of autumn, before another spell of oppressive heat arrives to end the summer.
If you’re looking for something to sip while enjoying the false fall weather, we’ve got wine recommendations from local experts at Rootstock and Esmé. Or check out a new popcorn beer collaboration between Revolution Brewing and Garrett Popcorn.
This week, theater news abounds, with looks at “Dreamgirls,” “Wicked,” “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” and “Murder on the Orient Express.”
Plus we’ve got the must-see bands and all the entry details for Riot Fest this weekend, and another set of fall arts and entertainment guides, with a look at what’s coming for books, museums and classical music.
See you next week.
— Kayla Samoy, deputy senior editor
Review: Kim’s Uncle Pizza is everything you want in a neighborhood pizza joint
The folks behind the Bridgeport neighborhood’s Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream and Marz Brewing have taken their acclaimed pizzas north to suburban Westmont, where Kim’s Uncle Pizza delighted Tribune food critic Louisa Chu.
“The revival of a small suburban pizzeria goes beyond reclaiming the craft of tavern pizza; it is a holistic destination experience,” Chu said. Read her full review here.
Food & Wine’s best new chefs list includes 3 Chicagoans
“See How They Run” simultaneously pokes fun at the murder mystery form while also paying homage to it, writes Tribune critic Nina Metz. If only it were actually funny! Read her full review here.
Kathryn ‘WandaVision’ Hahn, ‘Empire of Light’ and others at Chicago International Film Festival
If you’re just not sure what book to read next, Christopher Borrelli’s guide to new releases this fall has something that will interest everyone. His selections range from Alan Rickman’s posthumous memoir “Madly, Deeply” to “I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki” by Baek Sehee. Read his full list here.
Garrett Popcorn brown ale: Here’s how the popcorn-packed Revolution Brewing collab tastes.
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Revolution Brewing and Garrett Popcorn have come together to create CaramelCrisp, a brown ale made with Garrett’s legendary caramel corn. Josh Noel writes that the new beer is “surprisingly dry and nuanced.” Read the full story here.
From pub to can: The Northman cider bar becomes Northman Cider Co.
Riot Fest is back this weekend, with major headliners including The Original Misfits and Yellowcard, which are among the bands that will play through one of their full albums. Get ready to mark the 40th anniversary of “Walk Among Us” or rock out to “Ocean Avenue.” Read the full guide here.
10 spicy, lush and intensely fruity wines to fall in love with this autumn from Chicago sommeliers
If you’re looking to get cozy this fall with a nice glass of wine, Anna Lee Iijima spoke with a couple of Chicago sommeliers to get their recommendations, from weightier white wines to voluptuous and warm reds. Read the full story here.
Potempa: Geja’s Café proves fondue isn’t just ‘cheesy retro’; it’s deliciously classic
This 90-minute play imagines the ailing Martha Washington having a fever dream, akin to Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.” Tribune critic Chris Jones writes that the show “roars along in the most assured way.” Read his full review here.
Review: Paramount Theatre’s new ‘Dreamgirls’ is a gutsy, spectacular show
‘Wicked’ is back in the Loop for the fall, with witches who know what this show means to Chicago
Review: An ambitious ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ has Larry Yando as a soul-searching Poirot
It seems we can’t get enough this week of murder mysteries and Agatha Christie (no complaints here). In this Drury Lane Theatre production, Larry Yando shines as Hercule Poirot, turning him into an everyman figure. Read the full review here.
Review: The walls close in on passion in Verdi’s ‘Ernani’ at Lyric Opera
Vancouver: A northern wellness escape perfect for nature buffs and Epicureans
Vancouver is a place full of outdoor adventures, pristine local produce and delicious seafood, writes Amber Gibson. She’s got recommendations for where to go and what to do in the city, like visiting Published on Main, a globally inspired and hyperlocal ingredient-driven restaurant. Read the full story here.
The new season means new exhibits and events at Chicago’s museums. Writer Hannah Edgar has selected some standout options, including Nick Cave’s exhibit at DuSable with his brother Jack and “The Changing Face of Science” at the Field Museum, which honors Lynika Strozier, a Black neurodivergent Field scientist. Read their full list here.
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