The Time Out Chicago blog

41 exciting things opening in Chicago in February

The shorter-than-usual month is packed with interesting events and openings. Hit the convention circuit and get your fill of new car smell at the Chicago Auto Show or mingle with Walking Dead fans at Walker Stalker Con. Catch the return of Fleetwood Mac at Allstate Arena or laugh your ass off when The Book of Mormon begins an encore 12-week run at the Bank of America Theatre. Here are the best things to do in Chicago in February.

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Kickstarter campaign looks to bring an emission-free food truck to Chicago

A new Kickstarter campaign wants to bring the country's first street-legal, emission-free food truck to Chicago. Unsurprisingly, they're aiming to sell organic cold-pressed juice. Even less surprisingly, it looks like they'll come in mason jars. 

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5 things to know about Chicago's stand-up comedy scene

The stand-up comedy scene in Chicago is on fire. There are scores of comedy clubs, independent shows and open mics. If you live here, chances are that you're aware that comedy is happening around you—sketch, improv, Second City. Chicagoans take pride in farming comedic talent to late night television. Of late, our stand-up scene, traditionally improv's step sibling, has been getting national acclaim in its own right.

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Charlie Chaplin made a movie here 100 years ago this month then quickly left

In January, 1915, Chaplin made his one Chicago film, His New Job. His stay here lasted only a few weeks. So what made him leave? Spoiler alert: It was probably the weather.

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Whole Foods Streeterville opens with a ramen bar and Begyle beer

It seems like you can hardly open a restaurant in Chicago without ramen or a craft beer brewed just for the restaurant—and now grocery stores are getting into the game. Whole Foods, which is opening seven stores in former Dominick's locations this year, will have both ramen and a signature beer at its Streeterville location, which opens tomorrow at 9am at 255 E Grand Avenue. Here's a peek inside.

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A piece of parenting advice for Jay Cutler

Kristin Cavallari, the wife of apathetic Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, posted a screenshot of a text conversation between her and her husband to Instagram yesterday that shows Jay at wit's end with his children who refuse to eat and behave. 

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The most lucrative red light cameras in Chicago

There are 174 red light cameras in the city, and Chicagoans hate all of them. These photo-enforced intersections are a hot topic in this year's mayoral debates. According to a new dataset from the city's data portal, there were more than 267,000 red light camera violations during the second half of 2014. The data shows that the 10 intersections with most red light camera violations during the last half of 2014 are…

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Takeaways from the first Chicago mayoral debate

This morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Alderman Robert Fioretti, Willie Wilson and William “Dock” Walls sat down with the Chicago Tribune editorial board for the first of five debates between the mayoral candidates. The conversation was, for the most part, civil, as the incumbent and his challengers outlined their platforms ahead of the election on February 24. We watched the first debate and tried to determine where each candidate stands on the city's most pressing issues.

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Chicago among 3 cities in U.S. where public transit to the airport is faster than driving

Chicagoans are used to being able to ride the CTA to and from the airport without much trouble. In fact, the Blue and Orange Lines are more reliable routes to O'Hare and Midway than the expressways—a trait that Chicago shares with only two other cities in the country. 

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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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