Destinations: Things You Should Do In Chicago This Month

On Friday, 3/24 from 6:00pm – 12:00pm, Fulton Market Kitchen will launch Yo, Complete Me, a brand new live art series held on-site at the restaurant. The first ever Yo, Complete Me brings together two of Chicago's most recognized street artists – Lefty and Tubs – to paint two large canvases side by side in Fulton Market Kitchen’s main dining room. After each artist has painted for two hours, they will switch canvases and complete what the other has started, creating the embodiment of artistic collaboration and support. Yo, Complete Me will be an ongoing regular series, with future artists to be announced at a later date.

This live experience offers an innovative form of entertainment for Fulton Market Kitchen’s guests as they dine on Executive Chef Chris Curren’s menu and enjoy cocktails from newly-appointed Beverage Director Liz Pearce. The Yo, Complete Me collaborations not only add a “wow factor” to the guests’ dining experience, but further Fulton Market Kitchen and owner Daniel Alonso’s commitment to supporting Chicago’s art community and providing a platform for our city’s artists.

During each Yo, Complete Me live painting session, the works will be available for purchase through silent auction and in an effort to support the arts and culture programs in Chicago, a portion of the highest bid will be donated by the artist and matched by FMK to a local charity.

Fulton Market Kitchen is located at 311 North Sangamon in Chicago.

Chatham’s resident first-run movie theater Studio Movie Grill (“SMG”), the leading full-service, in-theater dining concept, is celebrating the completion of its nearly $3 million recent remodel with a six-week lineup of special screenings and events. Residents of Chatham and communities across the city are invited to experience nearly two months of special community activities at Studio Movie Grill Chatham, 210 W. 87th Street. The robust community and grass-roots event series for its SMG Chatham theater includes:

• Real Men Charities will screen Che Rhymefest’s film “In My Father’s House” which includes a Q&A and will take place on March 21. Visit www.realmencook.com for tickets.
• Senior Talk with Clara Hubbard offers free health checks from 10:00am-2:00pm. as well as a free screening of “The Shack” on March 21. Call 312.428.6919 to RSVP.
• Tuskegee Airmen Day is March 22 and SMG will help celebrate the Chicago Chapter of The Tuskegee Airmen with a cocktail reception on March 23. For tickets, contact www.taichicago.org.
• SMG is extraordinarily excited to launch a screen dedicated year-round to Black World Cinema on March 17 with a weeklong showing of “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,” also in honor of Women’s History Month, followed by a week-long showing of “Chapter and Verse” starting on March 24.
• On March 25, the SMG Chatham team will donate an adaptive bike to a local special needs child, alongside non-profit partner Variety, the Children’s Charity of Illinois, which has supported the Neil School in Chatham and Beacon Theraputic. SMG will launch its Special Needs Screening program with a screening of “Beauty & The Beast” at 11:00am.  These screenings are a pillar of SMG’s outreach and are offered free for children with special needs and their siblings to encourage families to attend together. In addition, SMG’s Chefs for Children initiative donates 5 percent of the proceeds of popular menu items to non-profits serving special needs children.
• Chance the Rapper will return to SMG Chatham, where he so generously donated all the tickets for “Get Out” on every screen in February, to announce the winners of the Bud Billiken Royal Court after a private movie screening on March 25.
• On March 27, SMG Chatham will host Maranatha Church for a screening of “Hope Concert Film” starring Grammy-nominated singer Candy LaFlora. Visit www. 2017hopeconcertmovie.eventbrite.com for details and on March 29 there will be a  Black Star Project film screening and discussion.
• Watch for live events on the SMG Live stage in the lobby for performances by local musicians, spoken word artists during cocktail hour at the bar, DJ appearances and the King of Poetry Blaq ICE and The P.O.E.T. Movement on April 2 from 5:00-7:00pm.
• During Spring Break, help young Jahkil Jackson create Blessing Bags on April 10 starting at 9:00am and see a screening of “The Boss Baby.” Participants must RSVP to info@iamnaeem.com.
• On April 8, there will be a Special Needs Screening of “The Boss Baby” at 11:00am.

For up-to-the-minute information and schedules visit www.studiomoviegrill.com.

Raised, An Urban Rooftop Bar, will host the 2017 Tin on Tin Cocktail Classic Mixology Competition on March 27, 2017 from 4pm-9pm. 

Six Chicago bartenders will go head to head before judges Liz Pearce (Winner of Chicago Speed Rack), Brian Jaymont (Marriott Global Beverage Manager), Matt Schnieder (Certified Sommelier) and two elite judges to be announced March 1. The winner will receive a trip to the 2017 Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

The competitors in this “back to the basics” cocktail competition will make one cocktail from a variety of categories, including: The Unforgetables, Long & Refreshing, Stirred & Boozy and Punch. Products used will be from a selected list of Diageo products as a main spirit and Breakthrough spirits as a secondary.

Those who attend the event will be treated to cocktail samples, demonstrations and can partake in the judging process for the “Popular Vote” category. Tickets are $20 per person on www.eventbrite.com and $25 at the door. For more information, visit www.tinontinchicago.com.

Tickets are on sale now for the 9th Annual Baconfest held on March 31 and April 1 at the UIC Forum located at 725 West Roosevelt. VIP Tickets ($200) include: an additional hour at the fest with early access to the session selected, unlimited bacon dishes, up to seven drink tickets, Baconfest tote bag, program, and LYFT credit up to $10. General Admission ($100) include: three hours at Baconfest, unlimited bacon dishes, up to seven drink tickets, Baconfest tote bag, program, and LYFT credit up to $10. For more information or to purchase tickets visit baconfestchicago.com/ticket.