Waterleaf Restaurant in Glen Ellyn to Host Woodward Canyon Wine Dinner, March 26

 

CHC Building 425 Fawell Blvd Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137 Phone     (630) 942-6881 Website   www.waterleafrestaurant.com                      Waterleaf Restaurant in Glen Ellyn to Host Woodward Canyon   Waterleaf Restaurant on the College of DuPage campus (425 Fawell Boulevard; telephone 630-942-6881) will host a very special wine dinner event on Wednesday, March 26 featuring the acclaimed wines of Woodward Canyon, Walla Walla Valley, Washington State. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a Champagne reception, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The price of the four-course, four-wine dinner is $75 per person plus tax and gratuity. Located in the Walla Walla Valley appellation of Washington State, Woodward Canyon Winery was started in 1981 by Rick Small and his wife, Darcey Fugman-Small. The wine makers' approach to both growing and making wine consistently puts them at the top of American wineries. Their passion and love of France are reflected in the style of both their red and whites. The winery has consistently produced premium, award-winning cabernet sauvignons, merlots, chardonnays and many other varietals. Waterleaf's lauded Executive Chef, Nadia Tilkian, has prepared a delicious seasonal menu for the event. The dinner begins with Butter Poached Lobster with Vanilla, Citrus Confit, paired with 2011 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay. The second course features Merlot-Poached Pear, Upland Cress, Spiced Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese Cream, Merlot Emulsion Vinaigrette, paired with 2010 Woodward Canyon Merlot, Columbia Valley. The third course presents Roasted Loin of Venison, Wild Mushrooms, Pea Puree, Black Pepper Jus, paired with 2010 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon. The fourth course is a Cheese Selection, Kumquat Chutney, Marcona Almonds, paired with 2009 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon. Completing the dinner is Chocolate Pavlova with Winter Fruits. About Woodward Canyon The Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard is located three miles north of the winery in Lowden, Washington. The vineyard was first planted in 1977 on third generation family land previously utilized for cattle and wheat production. It is planted predominantly to cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc. There are various experimental northern Italian and Provence varieties planted as well. The Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Estate Red are the three principal wines produced from the Estate Bordeaux plantings. The Washington State Chardonnay is typically a blend of fruit from the Woodward Canyon Estate and Celilo Vineyards and occasionally an Estate Chardonnay is produced as well. Very small amounts of Barbera, Dolcetto and a Provence-style blend (Erratic) are also produced from the Estate. All grapes are sustainably grown at Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard. Celilo Vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in the state, was planted in 1972 on Underwood Mountain in Skamania County, in the Columbia Gorge. Underwood Mountain, an extinct volcano high above the Columbia River near the town of White Salmon, lies straight north across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon. Soils can be as deep as 45 feet and retain moisture well, allowing Celilo Vineyards to survive without irrigation. The deep rooted vines bring a mineral characteristic to Celilo's wines along with higher acidity. With quality as the primary goal, Woodward Canyon has remained small, increasing its production from 1,200 cases in 1981 to its current production of about 15,000 cases. About 7,000 of this total production is Nelms Road, Woodward Canyon's second label. About Waterleaf Waterleaf restaurant is located at 425 Fawell Boulevard in Glen Ellyn, IL. The 150-seat restaurant led by General Manager Jean-Pierre Leroux and Executive Chef Nadia Tilkian is a hidden gem, nestled on the campus of College of DuPage. Featuring moderately priced brunch, lunch and dinner options, expect to find locally-sourced ingredients on its approachable menu. In addition to a seasonal a la carte menu, Waterleaf features specials events like wine dinners, a prix-fixe 3-course dinner for $35 and an annual food & wine festival every fall. The contemporary, light filled dining room is the understated counterpart to exciting eclectic cuisine. The main dining room has a modern décor and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows. Its walls display a collection of black-and-white lithographs by renowned American artist Richard Serra. There is a cozy bar area to enjoy libations and light snacks. Waterleaf restaurant has earned Diner's Choice Awards for Best Ambience, Best Overall, Best Service, Fit for Foodies and Special Occasion on OpenTable.com, where it maintains a 4.8/5.0 rating. Most recently, Waterleaf received its second consecutive 2013 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. This award, given annually to restaurants in the U.S. and 65 countries worldwide, acknowledges that Waterleaf's beverage program is consistent with its dining concept, style and price point. The restaurant is widely recognized as the dining destination of choice for foodies living and visiting Chicago's western suburbs. Waterleaf serves lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday; dinner hours are 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is served 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 630-942-6881 for information or reservations or visit www.waterleafrestaurant.com. # # #

Tickets are still available for our Vegan Wine Dinner at The Signature Room (Chicago,IL)

 

Click here for more information

LEONA’S PIZZERIA DEBUTS NEW, CLASSSIC HOMEMADE ITALIAN MENU! (Chicago,IL)

LEONA’S PIZZERIA DEBUTS NEW, CLASSSIC HOMEMADE ITALIAN MENU
New Owner, New Menu Help Invigorate Brand to Focus on Fresh, Homemade Italian


 A pizzeria staple in Chicago since 1950, Leona’s Pizzeria and new owner, Tania Mavrakis, announced today it is relaunching the Leona’s brand featuring a new, classic, homemade Italian menu made with fresh ingredients.

Under new ownership since September 2013, Mavrakis took the opportunity to revitalize the Leona’s brand including a new logo, new menu, new website and new online ordering portal. The new classic Italian menu features three kinds of lasagnas, three kinds of ravioli, Leona’s famous Romano chicken, nine signature sandwiches including meatball, Italian beef and Romano chicken, five salads, burgers galore, and of course, Leona’s famed, always made to order, pizza.

“It was important in reviewing the menu, that we emphasize Leona’s roots with traditional, homemade Italian recipes using fresh ingredients,” said Mavrakis. “We also evaluated the menu regarding price. It was paramount, in my mind, that the menu be wallet-friendly to our customers.”

The new menu is available for dine in, carry out and delivery and is available online at www.Leonas.com for digital ordering.

“The truly unique thing about Leona’s menu, is the entire dine-in menu, including beer and wine, is available for carry out,” said Mavrakis. “Our new website features an online ordering component making it easy for customers to order for pick up or delivery.”

Leona’s nine Chicagoland locations make it convenient for customers to eat in or order out their favorite pizza or menu item. Locations include Beverly, Des Plaines, Elston, Hyde Park, Oak Park, Rogers Park, Stony Island, Taylor and Wicker Park. Leona’s prides itself on its family-friendly dining.

Mavrakis, Leona’s new owner, cut her teeth in the Chicago pizza business, by working in family-run pizzerias and is eager to revitalize this cherished Chicago brand. “Leona’s is a Chicago treasure,” said Mavrakis. “When the opportunity came to buy Leona’s, I regarded it as an honor to carry on the tradition the Scemla-Toia family started more than 60 years ago.”

Hours of Operation:
All nine locations are open:
Monday – Thursday: 11 am – 11 pm
Friday – Saturday: 11 am – 12 midnight
Sunday: 12 noon – 11 pm
Founded in 1950, Leona’s is a family-friendly, traditional Italian pizzeria and restaurant. The restaurant features a classic Italian menu emphasizing homemade, fresh cuisine that is easy on the wallet. With nine Chicagoland locations including Beverly, Des Plaines, Elston, Hyde Park, Oak Park, Rogers Park, Stony Island, Taylor and Wicker Park, it’s always easy to eat at Leona’s. One of the first restaurants to do so, Leona’s helps customers feel like they are dining in, when they carry out or order delivery. The entire dine-in menu, including beer and wine, is available online for ordering at www.leonas.com.

Art, Music + More This Friday - Chicago Cultural Center Winter Open House (Chicago,IL)

Kickoff your weekend with a day of art, music and more at the Chicago Cultural Center Winter Open House. Live entertainment begins Friday, February 21 at 11am with a Juicebox performance for the whole family - and continues with a Wired Fridays mid-day DJ dance party at noon. The Open House concludes with opening receptions for two new exhibitions, Mecca Flat Blues and Thirty-Five Years of Public Art, and LiveWire Chicago's premiere of Assistance by Leslye Headland across the street at Storefront Theater. All events are FREE unless noted. Chicago Cultural Center Winter Open House - Schedule   Friday, February 21 11am - Juicebox: The Regulators, Preston Bradley Hall Noon - Wired Fridays: DJ Earl, Randolph Square 1:15pm - Chicago Cultural Center Tour, Randolph Lobby All Day - Food Trucks: Flirty Cupcakes + The Cheesie's Truck, Washington Street All Day - Wright Before the "Lloyd" Landmark Chicago Gallery All Day - Jan Tichy: aroundcenter, Chicago Rooms + building-wide 5:30-7:30pm - Mecca Flat Blues (opening reception), Sidney R. Yates Gallery 5:30-7:30pm - Thirty-Five Years of Public Art (opening reception), Exhibit Hall 7:30pm - LiveWire Chicago Theatre: Assistance by Leslye Headland ($15; Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St.)   Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.   For details, visit chicagoculturalcenter.org.

Chefs & Mixologists Take Spotlight at Redmoon Gala "Spectacle Lunatique" (Chicago,IL)

 

 

 

Chefs, Mixologists, Aerial Acrobatic Food Service, Spectacle Performance, Massages, Straight Razor Shaves and more…

 

Redmoon’s Annual SPECTACLE LUNATIQUE Gala Dazzles the Senses

 

2014 Theme: “At the Scale of the City”;
Gala Co-Chairs: Matt and Lucy Moog;

Digital Arts leader Howard Tullman to be honored with Galvanizer Award

At Redmoon – March 15 2014

 

  One of Chicago’s most anticipated galas, Redmoon’s annual Spectacle Lunatique is a decadent night of inspired performance, culinary delights and exclusive previews of Redmoon’s upcoming Great Chicago Fire Festival, summer programming and their first indoor Spring Spectacle in Pilsen, all in the industrial elegance of Redmoon’s sprawling warehouse performance and event space, 2120 S. Jefferson Street in Pilsen, Saturday, March 15, 2014.

 

This year, Lunatique’s theme of “Redmoon: At the Scale of the City” sets the tone for the evening’s offerings as top Chicago chefs and mixologists present unique tastings and expertly crafted cocktails in a setting filled with elegant whimsy and delicious decadence.  Matt Moog, founder and CEO of digital startup hub Built In Chicago, and his wife Lucy serve as Co-Chairs of the event.  Over 1,000 of Chicago’s civic, cultural and business leaders gather for Spectacle Lunatique each year, raising funds for Redmoon’s free public work that happens throughout the city, primarily in areas that are culturally underserved. 

 

Howard Tullman, past President and CEO of Flashpoint Academy, Chairman and CEO of Experiencia, Inc. and newly named CEO of Chicago tech hub 1871, will be honored with the 2014 Galvanizer Award.  Each year, Redmoon presents this award to an individual who galvanizes communities for a more vibrant Chicago.  Tullman receives the award this year for his work and steadfast dedication to creating future leaders in digital arts through Tribeca Flashpoint Academy, his inspiring work in education through the notable transformations of Kendall College and Experiencia, and his tenacity and leadership throughout Chicago’s tech community.

 

VIP Tasting Experience

The evening begins with an exclusive VIP tasting experience, 6:30 – 8 pm.  Several of Chicago’s top chefs, including head chefs of Embeya and Nightwood, will present tasting stations of culinary delights around Redmoon’s main 16,500-square foot space.  Many of the tasting stations will be accompanied by a craft cocktail from one of ten different leading mixologists, including Annamarie Sagoi of The Dawson.  Amplifying the imaginative splendor, Aerial Dance Chicago and Redmoon aerial artists perform overhead and aid the chefs in presenting their creations from the sky to the mouth.  Other chefs and mixologists featured include Steve Charrow from Brindille, Eric Mersch from Wirtz Beverage Group, Thomas Mooneyham from the Gage, Chris Neustadt from Cask & Courtesy and Paul Sauter from Mercadito/Double A.

 

8pm Galvanizer Entry

Individual and group package ticket holders are invited into the space, 8 – 10 pm.  Chef stations give way to passed tastings representing the culinary offerings of Flemmings, Frontier, La Sirena Clandestina, Pizano’s Pizzeria, Shaw’s Crab House, Sunda, Vera, Ill Forks, 90 Miles Cuban Café and The French Pastry School.  Three specialty cocktails from star mixologists will be available along with an open bar.

 

Late Night Admission

At 10 pm, doors open for late night ticket holders to enjoy drinks, late night bites including desserts from West Town Bakery and Spin Spun cotton candy, music and dancing.

 

Other Attractions

In addition to palate-pleasing hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, Redmoon will transform its event space into a wild and surreal dreamscape with spectacle devices, dozens of costumed performers and more.  

 

The Luna Lodge, a special “hotel” area of the event offering the best views of the party, will be available for exclusive VIP seating, in addition to massages, straight-razor shaves, haircut and other grooming/spa stations to pamper and rejuvenate guests.

 

A Chinese Tea Room will provide an oasis of serenity and additional service.

 

Performers and innovative devices will appear throughout the event space, including the premiere of several unique Redmoon creations.  Among them are the Cyclone Grill, an elevated, spinning “drum kit style” array of real working grills; The Kegway, a draft beer service Segway; a robotic whiskey service backpack; 12 bellboy characters with unique turn-of-the-century costumes who activate service performance; 30-foot-tall Hot Air Balloon truffle servers; a pair of massive oversized gongs; a Fire Flower Installation; a raucous Drum Cart performance moment featuring over 30 mobile percussionists, and more.  Over 25 visual artists, 90 performers and five engineers and designers will participate.

 

Tickets

Ticket Packages for the VIP Tasting Experience from 6:30 – 8 pm begin at $5,000.  Individual and group tickets, which include entrance beginning at 8 pm, are $450 or available for a group of 8 at $3,500.  Late night admission tickets are $100.  Tickets are available by calling the Redmoon Box Office at 312-850-8440 x123 or online at www.redmoon.org

.  Spectacle Lunatique is for patrons 21 years and older. 

 

The 2014 Spectacle Lunatique Planning Committee includes Lindsay Barnes, Katie Clark, Shawn Clark, Tara Cornell, David Lissner, Chris Neustadt, Maureen O’Brien, Kim Ohms, Ginna Ryan and Ralph Senst.

 

Redmoon is grateful for the support of its 2014 Spectacle Lunatique sponsors, including “At the Scale of the City” Sponsors: Clayco: The Art And Science of Building; “Youth Platform” Sponsors: Eileen and Bill Bush, Bob and Kim Eck, KC Nagle, Stella Artois, and Ralph Senst and Karen Zelden; “Spectacle” Sponsors: Digitas LBi, Goldman Sachs, Snaidero Kitchens + Design, PPG Industries, Inc., The Barnes Complex, Jim and Chris Corgel, Linda and Robert Levin, Janet Melk, Philip Cable and Jennifer Siegenthaler, Alicia and Tim Mullen, Kim Ohms and Joseph Novelli,  Maureen O’Brien, Paasche Airbrus Company, Karyn Pettigrew and Linda Weigl; Media Partners: Techweek, Splash and Built In Chicago; and additional supporters Al Zayed Photography, Andy’s Music Chicago, Cask & Courtesy, Hailo, Stella Artois, Mauge, Inc., Ohms Design, Photoboop, Uber and VIP Valet.

 

About Redmoon

Redmoon's mission is to transform the experience of our city through free large scale theatrical events that promote community, creativity and an empowered democracy.  Redmoon burst into Chicago’s cultural consciousness with its award-winning production of Moby Dick in 1995. Commended for its unique aesthetic, the production boasted a unique blend of puppetry, pageantry, gadgetry and robust physical performance that became Redmoon’s signature.  While the indoor productions continued to receive critical acclaim and popular support, Jim Lasko chose to focus the theater’s energy outdoors, where Redmoon sought to deploy spectacle to bridge difference and transform the ways that people see and understand public spaces.  Over the past 23 years, Redmoon has become a valued Chicago institution with its high-profile collaborations, vibrant outdoor performances and genuine community partnerships.  Site-specific performances opened in Millennium Park, animated the façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art and commemorated the groundbreaking for the Modern Wing for the Art Institute.  At the same time, Redmoon brought its work to the parks and streets of Chicago’s neighborhoods.  Redmoon has performed for more than 250,000 people in 30 different neighborhoods.  In 2009, Lasko joined forces with long-time collaborator Frank Maugeri to co-lead Redmoon as it garnered international attention for its unique productions, site-specific performances and participatory events.  Most recently, this included Redmoon’s Summer Park Series – a Mayor’s Night Out in the Parks event.  Under the design and directorial leadership of Maugeri and Artistic Associate Will Bishop, the series brought community celebrations to a lineup of 10 public parks on the South and West Sides of the city.  From July through September, Redmoon and its team of collaborators – Young Chicago Authors and The Bucket Boys – presented free drum and poetry workshops, community meals and open performances to over 10,000 community members.

 

For more information on Redmoon and its programs, visit www.redmoon.org

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