Eat. Watch. Do. — Finding McDonald’s Halloween pails and National Scenic Trails
It’s Thursday, Chicago.
Have you picked out your Halloween costume yet? If not, we have a list of 22 suggestions that are Chicago-themed and easy to put together yourself. One that seems pretty simple to re-create (and is also my favorite) is the Blues Brothers.
And who could forget the most important accessory of all — something to hold your candy! For nostalgia lovers out there, McDonald’s is bringing back its classic Halloween buckets, as well as Happy Meals catering to adults. We have the details on how to get your hands on both.
We also have reviews for movies “Tár,” in theaters this weekend, and Netflix’s new drama “Luckiest Girl Alive.” If you’re in the mood to try something new, we have a review for Thai comfort food restaurant Habraé in Forest Park.
Enjoy the weekend, and we’ll see you back here next week.
— Lauryn Azu, deputy senior editor
Last call for late night? Customers are back, but bars and restaurants closing earlier as demand dwindles.
Late-night eats aren’t exactly back, even 2 ½ years into the pandemic, according to Tribune reporter Josh Noel. Bars and restaurants that were once open until the wee hours of 3 and 4 a.m. are now closing earlier — and, in some cases, opening earlier to sate customers’ midday-leaning preferences. Read his full story on the many reasons why pre-pandemic opening hours may be gone for good.
Review: In ‘Tár,’ Cate Blanchett wields a mean baton in one of the year’s best movies
Writer-director Todd Field’s “Tár,” Tribune film critic Michael Phillips writes, “is about more than one thing. But among those other things, it’s about how an artist learns, if not humility, then at least the price of hubris.” “Tár” stars Cate Blanchett as a fictional conductor and composer and premieres in theaters this weekend. Read his review here.
22 Chicago-themed DIY Halloween costumes that will do the Windy City proud
This city is home to everything you could possibly need, including plenty of Halloween ideas sure to win any costume contest. No need to raid the aisles for your ensemble — quite a few options on our list only need clothes you probably already own. Check out our list of DIY costumes here.
Review: Habraé offers beautiful, hard-to-find Thai comfort food near Chicago
This newish Forest Park restaurant was initially a Thai dessert cafe. “But the delicate sweets offered a glimpse of something more,” writes Tribune food critic Louisa Chu. Standouts on the menu include tuna sticky rice, a “rarely seen cousin” to mango sticky rice, and Chive Crispy, an appetizer served with sweet and sour soy dipping sauce. Read her full review here.
Review: ‘The Notebook’ will bring real romance back to Broadway
Tribune critic Chris Jones praises “The Notebook,” a musical playing through Oct. 30 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for its score and its sensitive view of middle age and mortality. Read his full review here.
Adult Happy Meals at McDonald’s are pricey, shame-inducing boxes of nostalgia — with a creepy toy to boot
The Tribune’s Chris Borrelli delivers his singular perspective on buying McDonald’s newest Happy Meals designed for adults. He describes the meals, a partnership between the Chicago-based fast-food giant and the streetwear brand Cactus Plant Flea Market, as “a cardboard box of recycled nostalgia,” “intended to be an unnecessary splurge of self-love.” Read his take here.
‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ review: A woman’s trauma becomes a Netflix revenge saga starring Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis stars in Netflix’s thriller “Luckiest Girl Alive,” playing the role of TifAni FaNelli, a New York writer confronted with her harrowing past at the cusp of a potential career move and marriage..
“Luckiest Girl Alive” is based on author and screenwriter Jessica Knoll’s book of the same name, which in turn parallels some of her own life experiences. “Knoll’s thriller is a sleek but pretty crude example of processing PTSD for Netflix and chilling, and a shot at the hallowed trending Top 10,” Tribune critic Michael Phillips writes in his review.
Review: ‘Rosaline’ is ‘Romeo & Juliet’ from teenage point of view
My worst moment: John Roberts aka Linda Belcher and the Pink performance
‘The epitome of elegance’: West Loop bar with intimate Japanese cocktails named among best in the world
“There is no need to purchase a plane ticket to sip in one of the best bars in the world; look no further than Chicago’s West Loop,” writes Food reporter Tatyana Turner. Kumiko, a Japanese American bar helmed by creative director Julia Momosé, was named one of The World’s 50 Best Bars last week. It’s the first time a Chicago bar has appeared on the list since 2018.
Old Irving Brewing set to expand with new brewery in former Finch space
Old Irving Brewing is moving into a West Town facility that Finch Beer Co. is leaving, a move that “underscores the tenuous moment in the craft beer industry,” writes Tribune reporter Josh Noel. The new space will allow Old Irving to bring all its craft beer production in-house, and build a taproom where it can sell its beer on-site. Read Noel’s story here.
National Scenic Trails are an elite category of 11 hiking paths — and the Midwest has 2 of them
The Midwest has 5,000 miles of hiking paths designated by Congress as National Scenic Trails. Check out a couple of the trails close to home, such as Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine State Forest, only about two hours away from Chicago.
