The Time Out Chicago blog

Fun things to do during a CTA delay

CTA "El" riders experienced their first major delay of the new year Monday morning when an interlocking problem in the Loop caused a backup that lasted for hours. While delays always suck, especially major ones, there are still ways for passengers to make the experience more pleasant and even fun for themselves in the confines of their train. Here are some fun things for you to do during a CTA delay. 

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6 places to get monkey bread right now

Monkey bread can be found on brunch and dessert menus or even as savory appetizers all over town. Here are a few of great choices. 

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Solve this riddle to get an early look at Half Acre's new brewery

Half Acre has announced the latest round of its scavenger hunt and it isn't easy. The North Side brewery is offering an early tour of its new Bowmanville brewery for the first person to solve this riddle.

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Victory Gardens swaps Marcus Gardley premiere for April

Victory Gardens Theater will swap out a previously announced Marcus Gardley world premiere for this spring, A Wonder in My Soul, for a newer Gardley play written in response to recent racial unease. An Issue of Blood ventures back to 17th-century America and a woman known as Negro Mary in order to address current events.

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Penny, the F*ckable Dolphin: based on a truthy story

You probably wouldn't guess that the Annoyance Theatre's wonderfully silly current show Penny, the F*ckable Dolphin: A Love Story, which I saw Wednesday night, was based on a true story. And, well, it's not quite. Officially, Penny is "inspired by the novel Wet Goddess by Malcom Brenner." Of course, you also have to know that Brenner maintains his novel is autobiographical, and based on his own consensual sexual relationship with a dolphin as a young man in Florida.

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8 downtown places to get Wi-Fi for free

Maybe you're tired of smelling like you've been steeped in coffee. Maybe you're broke. Or maybe you want an alternative to the café and coworking scenes. Chicago is full of free options to get your Wi-Fi on without paying for it. Here are eight great options.

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Chicago had a masked 'supervillain' in the 19th century

In 1892, the North Side was terrorized by the exploits of a costumed supervillain—in a way. In November of that year, several people on the North Side were accosted by a mustached man in a bowler hat riding a dark horse with a blazing red saddle.

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Rick Bayless revamps and renames Xoco in Wicker Park

When the Wicker Park offshoot of Xoco opened last year, it was basically the same as the original River North outpost, with a couple key differences: a bar, a brunch menu and tableside service. Now, he's changing things up. It's henceforth called Xoco Bistro, and the menu expands beyond tortas and caldos to include what Bayless is calling "classic plates."

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Andersonville ranked one of the nation's hottest neighborhoods of 2015

Last year, Redfin predicted that Humboldt Park would have a big year in terms of real estate. It proved to be accurate, as the neighborhood's median sale price rose by 62 percent. This year, the real estate website is at it again, naming Andersonville as one of its "Hottest Neighborhoods of 2015." 

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Word on the Street: 10 crazy things we overheard in Chicago this week

Here is what we heard this week:

"America is the Bill Cosby of history."

"I'm pretty much a meat and potatoes guy when it comes to jerking off."

And much more!

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