Sip With Me Sip With Me

It’s a Blue Man’s World and we’re just living in it! This week, we’re thrilled to be featuring the iconic Blue Man Group! This immersive and transportive show has been around since 1987, but it’s gone through many changes and of course, several Blue Men! You can also see the show in numerous cities around the world, including right here in Chicago!

After seeing the show, we sat down with a real life Blue Man, Callum Grant, to chat about all things blue.

Hear how an actual Blue Man would describe what a show is a like and, of course, our favorite part of any interview, Callum tells us about some of the history behind the famous production.

Learn about several of their iconic sets like “Drumbone” and “Paint Drums”, and Callum shares why the show has had staying power for so many decades.

Of course, we end with a blue themed round of rapid fire, discovering Callum’s favorite prop to use, how long it takes to turn blue, and THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION- WHY BLUE? AND WHAT IS THAT FABULOUS SHADE!

Blue Man Tickets & Cities: https://www.blueman.com

Follow BMG: @bluemangroup

Callum’s Show: https://brokenplanetshow.com

Ioanna and I love to leave a meal feeling satisfied. What we often forget to take into account though are the elements of dining at a restaurant that extend beyond the meal itself- the environment, the energy, and even the education you receive on the food you're eating. If you want to feel elevated after a night out, look no further than Loews Chicago O’Hare’s Sip & Savor Dinner Series at The Ashburn, An American Gastropub.

Hotel Executive Chef Chuck Gillis takes everything he’s learned in his 30+ years of experience and puts it into a specially curated dining experience that is only available to the public once in a lifetime. That’s right- once it's gone, it's gone! In their Sip & Savor Dinner Series, Chef Chuck partners with a beverage partner to create an intimate meal that is inspired by Chicagoland’s rich food & drink culture.

We sat down in the kitchen with Chef Chuck to discuss what a Sip & Savor Dinner night looks like and why he takes such care to create a crafted dining experience for his guests that’s available one night only! Hear about his culinary influences and how he finds inspiration to bring The Ashburn menu to life season by season, including the May 2024 “Farm-to-Table” dining experience we are attending, with beverage partner Daou Vineyards.

Chef Chuck also talks about their upcoming Sip & Savor dinners, which this year take place in May, July, August, and November! It’s the perfect outing if you want to try something new & exciting, experience food in a new way, or spice up your date night with a more intimate and engaging culinary show.

Everyone wants to feel elevated- and we think sipping your drink & savoring your meal at Loews Chicago O’Hare is the way to do so!

SIP & SAVOR SERIES INFO: https://www.loewshotels.com/chicago-ohare/dining/dinner-series

DINING INFO & RESERVATIONS: https://www.loewshotels.com/chicago-ohare/dining/restaurant

HOTEL INFO & BOOKING: https://www.loewshotels.com/chicago-ohare

INSTAGRAM:
@loewsohare

Soldier Field is one of the most recognized and iconic Chicago landmarks. And many of you have likely been to a Bears game there, or perhaps a Taylor Swift concert! What you might not think about when you visit is that the stadium has hosted numerous historic figures like MLK Jr. and NATO, and has had a far reaching impact on the Chicagoland economy for decades.

We sat down with Luca Serra, Director of Marketing & PR for Soldier Field, to discuss what it takes to run a 63,500 seat stadium!

He shares some of the rich 100+ year history of the stadium and discusses its designation as a National Historic Landmark. Learn about the “it takes a village” mentality he and his team need when it comes to pulling off a wide array of highly visible events, and learn about some of the economic impacts the stadium has on Chicago. Plus, hear about some of the current and future trends they see in the event, sport, and concert industries. 

We end with rapid fire and learn about the time Luca met Obama, what concert he’s looking forward to this summer, and what his go-to food and beverage order are at the stadium! 

UPCOMING EVENTS & TICKETS: https://www.soldierfield.com/events/all

MORE STADIUM HISTORY: https://www.soldierfield.com/stadium-info/about

BOOK A PRIVATE EXPERIENCE: https://www.soldierfield.com/private-events
Follow them on Instagram (@soldierfield):
https://www.instagram.com/soldierfield/?hl=en

Take a Shot of Art with us!

We all remember the creative days of our childhood when we could color outside the lines and make mud soup in the back yard.

Now, there is a super unique experience that will remedy the creative void in anyone’s life and give you a boost of art therapy!

This week, we ventured to “Shot of Art” in West Town to try out their wildly unique art experiences. Perfect for date nights, birthdays, or bestie bonding (aka us!), you’ll leave your experience with both a happy mind and a beautiful painted masterpiece.

From shooting balloons filled with paint to painting on the ceiling, there’s an experience here for folks of all ages and no experience is needed!

We sat down with Anastasia to discuss the founding story and why the owner felt inspired to create such a unique experience. Learn about the several art experiences you can try and find out how you can cover both the canvas and your bestie with paint (I’m looking at you Ioanna)!! Plus, we play rapid fire and learn what kind of painting Ioanna and I are!

Chicago Info & Tickets: https://chi.shotofart.com

Follow them: @shot_of_art

Visit their studios in Chicago, New York, LA, Houston, and more cities to come soon!

See website or descriptions below for some of the options available!

SHOOTING & SPINNING

Using an airsoft gun, you will shoot down balloons filled with paint. Then, we will spin your paint-splashed canvas to get an amazing abstract work of art.

FLUID ART

Fantastic patterns obtained using acrylic paints, silicone and torch  burner will not leave you indifferent.

ART ROOM

Let your fantasies fly! You can book a room and to paint it how you want - draw on walls, furniture and even on the ceiling! Bloggers love making fresh and eye-catching content in our Art room.

To celebrate Pi-Day, we’re taking a deep dive into pizza pie history with Chicago’s famous Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta! (look how many pi’s we got into that sentence alone)

A Chicago classic, deep dish was created to make a meal out of pizza, which historically had just been seen as a snack. Opened in 1991 by Rudy Malnati Jr., Pizano’s has become a staple deep disher, and their equally amazing thin crust is even Oprah’s favorite!

We chat with Holly Malnati about the brand and family history. Hear how the original recipe and their famous crust came to be. and Plus, what goes into making a deep dish pizza.

Learn about their secret weapon and discover behind the scenes tales from decades of culinary perfection!

Find a location near you and order pizza: https://www.pizanoschicago.com

Follow Pizano’s on Instagram: @pizzanospizzachi

Read more deep dish history: https://www.pizanoschicago.com/deep-dish-history/

Grab some Pizano’s because they put the “pi” in Pizano’s and Pizza!

We’re SUPERdawg delighted to have Chicago’s famous Superdawg family on the show! At 75 years old, the family owned drive-in located at Devon, Nagle, and Milwaukee, remains a quality classic on the Chicago food scene. With its iconic blue tower and signature Superdawg recipe, there’s something to love for everyone. Not to mention, they just made the cover of bon appétit magazine!

We talk about foodie history and what you can expect during a visit to one of their two locations in Chicagoland! It’s not a hotdog – it’s a Superdawg! Learn about how their original recipe was crafted, and why the family has stuck to their roots over so many decades. Also voted best hotdog by Chicago Reader!

We also discuss their old-school carhop and counter service! Plus, Aaron‘s favorite french fries in all of the land!

Plus, we find out what their favorite Superdawg topping is, one thing people don’t know about Superdawg, and their favorite memories!

Follow Superdawg Drive-in on Instagram: @superdawgdrivein
Read more about the history: https://superdawg.com/