Chicago

3700 N Clark St, at Waveland; Wrigleyville; 773.645.4400

On the heels of their upscale Asian spot Sunda, the Rockit Ranchers are bringing a bi-level sibling of their River North flagship to the Cubs' backyard, serving up original favorites like the ballyhooed Brie-slathered Kobe “Rockit Burger” along with new comestibles like five styles of flatbread pizza (chorizo & pepper, bacon cheeseburger, caramelized onion & goat cheese, etc) and ballpark-appropriate mini hot dogs, an unfortunate side effect leftover from the steroid era.

Made by a self-taught Oak Park woman, these Kiln-fired fused glass buckles are decked out with silkscreened images recalling a simpler time: Antique cameras, ‘20s-style Underwood typewriters, old-timey bicycles, and even Sputnik, ironically, the ultimate international pantsing.

Started by a couple of Midwestern dudes, TFLN is a repository to semi-anonymously (area-code only) post your most intimate texting action for all the interweb to see, ranging from the self-reflective (“I need to shower the guilt off of my thighs”) and useful (“Dont touch anything! You just got rid of your crabs!”), to the hopelessly romantic (“Where did you get a picture of my penis?”).

1718 N Clybourn Ave, between Concord and Willow; Sheffield/DePaul; 312.787.3237

The former Walton St stalwart has moved up north to the Clybourn corridor, where floating shelves adorn a sleek white-walled space showcasing their handcrafted Italian footwear, like a cheetah print number made from calf hair, and several styles of boot (cowboy, motorcycle, and Beatle) made from other members of the animal kingdom -- alligator, ostrich, lizard, and even sting ray, taking vigilante vengeance the way Steve Irwin would have wanted it, with fashion!!!

11am-7pm Sat at El Zocalo plaza: 18th St and Paulina St, Pilsen

Celebrate the most Mexican of holidays with a street fete highlighting that most Mexican of sauces, which you can snag from eight different vendors (Fogata Village, Lalo's, Nuevo Leon) in full and $1 to $3 tasting portions, whilst enjoying mariachis, lucha libre (Mexican wrestling), $3 Miller Lites, $5 Sauza margaritas and Mexican Bloody Marys called Micheladas -- because so much is riding on your (spare) tire.