I have a few out-of-state buddies coming into town in July for a bachelor party. The exact dates are: Friday, July 24th-Sunday, July 26th.

Does anyone know of specific things going on in Chicago around then that would be fun to do? The Cubs are at home so we might get tickets to a game (Reds? bleh). I also know the Taste of Lincoln Park will be going on so that's two things....

Any ideas are appreciated!

Wicker Park Fest going on too: http://chicago.metromix.com/events/p...363211/content

My roommate and I had been looking for an apartment for a couple of weeks and decided to use Apartments Savvy last weekend. I called them up the Wednesday-Thursday before to book an appointment. They asked some relevant questions (price range, pets, parking space, etc.) and told me to get there around 10.

We get there around 10 and basically fill out a sheet asking me the same questions I was asked on the phone. Then we met up with someone who was looking through apartment listings while we were at her desk. This was kind of irritating because we filled out all this info earlier (thought they would allready have apartments ready for us to see), but no big deal.

We ended up going to about 5-6 places and the lady was both very professional and nice. After we saw the places, they weren't too pushy about making an offer, which we appreciated.

We decided on a place in lincoln park on N Clark that we saw the week before apartments savvy. We handed in a couple of documents to the place on Tuesday, and went to Toro for dinner, a sushi restaurant across the street which one of my friends hyped up quite a bit. Best sushi I've ever eaten, but I'm definitely no sushi expert. The place was rather small, and had about 30-40 specialty rolls. Not too expensive, wit the rolls ranging for $8$15. I guess you have to get there early to get on the list because if you get there after 7-7:30 on a busy day, you're not getting a table for the rest of the night. Highly recommend and plan on becoming a regular there.

I just ate at Toro last week for the first time. It was pretty much my first time having real sushi too. I could not have enjoyed the food any more than I did. The prices were reasonable and the food itself was so worth the wait. I went there with another person around 7:15, put our name on the list (quoted us a 45 minute wait), walked around the area a bit (plenty of stuff to kill time, i.e. Borders), and returned around 8. We waited another 30 minutes for a table to open up which was fine. I'm patient enough to wait that long if the place is good. For decent prices, we got quality and quantity and I can't wait to go back. It's BYOB, just fyi.

late night VIPs

Not bachelor party related, but the new Whole Foods across the street is amazing

The Whole Foods is mind-blowing. ENORMOUS. It's ridiculous how much stuff is in there.

Where is this Whole Foods?

the new whole foods is on kingsbury..just slightly south of the old one at north and sheffield.

for those that posted about sushi toro: i love that place. very happy i live close enough that i can walk and put my name in and walk back to my apt and wait for the phone call for my table, hehe.

I really like Mirai (live similarly close).

Mirai is the shizzle. I'm at Hoyne and Division PartyGirl...Crazy. Never knew you were from Chicago, let alone lived so close to me.

I am v. v. v. near you. Prob < 1 min walk. I'm not *from* Chicago btw.

five guys is opening another location in the old ritz camera at clark and fullerton. so awesome, cause i hate going all the way over to webster/clybourn for it.

I went to the Brew and View for the first time a couple weeks ago. Really neat place. Movies are $5 per ticket (I thought it was $2.50 beforehand). Still worth checking out.

Brew and View is a fun time. I had to sit through the last 15 minutes of the Sex and the City movie when I went to it to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall, though....that was brutal. Many drinks were had in quick succession when I realized what was playing beforehand.

****, I'm only nine days from being back. So pumped.

Where u gonna live Mikey?

Rogers Park for a couple months than somewhere in the Lakeview/Lincoln Park area after that.

Are there any good mini golf courses in Chicago?

Edit: Nevermind. Pretty much found the most wonderful mini golf course in the world.

http://www.par-king.com/

par king is fun. it's like 3 minutes from my house so it's my go to and the design is really cool but as a fairly serious (yet pretty bad) golfer i'm disappointed at how weak the skill-reward ratio is

I hate doing this, but I'm getting desperate. If anyone can help me find a job, please PM me.

What industry, Mikey?

Any. I don't have a degree or much work experience (thanks poker). I spent this last year working in a bank, and I'm quick enough to pick up most any entry level sort of job. I'm on the verge of getting paid for my work at Bloody Elbow (blog), but I need something in the meantime.

Moving to chicago (lincoln park) from detroit as soon as I graduate this december. What is my best bet for live pokers? I play 2/5 at MGM in detroit. Are there generally some good private games in the area? Donkaments?

there are good private games, and a bunch of casinos, one or two pretty good ones, in nearby indiana (and wisconsin). i think that the harrahs runs a weekly $150 or something, and a monthly $1500. idk more about donkaments.

Horseshoe Casino is definitely your best for live poker.

Kevin Smith will be in town September 18th at the Chicago Theatre. Highly recommend if your a Jay and Silent Bob/Clerks/Mallrats fan. Basically audience members ask Smith questions about his life, and he goes on these rants/stories. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgYhLIThTvk (Kinda long, but funny).

I will be goin with some friends and hear these things can last 4-5 hours.