Food/Drink:Par Lounge 1415 N Milwaukee Ave, at Wood St; Wicker Park; 773.252.6410 Owned by two UIC grads, this laid-back, musically eclectic spot (funk/hip hop/rock/soul/disco) just exited its perpetual soft opening and brought in an ex-Alhambra Palace/Souk chef to punch up the menu. Starting Friday, small plates like braised lamb rib w/ pomegranate & date molasses and fried calamari w/ 7-spice blend & preserved lemon aioli draw influence from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and North Africa -- close your eyes for a Pepsi Challenge of countries you've never visited.
Buy:Froman Sausage Co. Celebrate youthful guile and snooty maitre d' comeuppance with Froman Sausage Co. gear, available in t-shirts, hoodies, baseball jerseys, boxers, and even thongs (though if wearing even an unmarked thong doesn't suggest Sausage, perhaps you're not a King at all). Buy Froman Sausage Co. gear at CafePress.com
Go:St. Joseph's Day Party March 19 6-9 pm at A Mano: 335 N Dearborn St, between W Kinzie and W Wacker; River North; 312.629.3500 This post-St. Patrick's bash invites you to honor Jesus' foster father by buffeting on over 15 Italian classics (wood-fired oven pizzas, spaghetti w/ tomatoes & sardines, roasted striped bass), glugging vino, and engaging in spirited rounds of "Italian games" (Whoever lives with Mamma the longest gets a moped?) More details at AMano.com
Service:Guise|Chic Goes to Jail 2128 N Halsted St, between W Dickens and W Webster; Lincoln Park; 773.929.6101 Just relocated to a cavernous former jail that reputedly once held Al Capone, this men's salon and gear emporium's giving Thrillist readers haircuts for 25%-off. Don't let the discount make you stingy, or you'll be incarcerated for tip evasion. Discount good through March; more info at GuiseStyle.com
Click:Chicago Burger Project CBP aims to sample, rate, and lovingly photograph each of Time Out's "best burgers" from 2007, a monster task, considering the magazine highlighted 55 restaurants. The blog's just entering its second year, but is only around halfway done -- but that's okay, because who would possibly open another burger place before 2009? Chow down at ChicagoBurgerProject.Blogspot.com
