Quartino is the newest jewel in the Gibson's/Hugo/Lux Bar crown. Or should I say lots of little jewels, since they're part of the "small plate" craze. Just don't say tapas. According to Fred, the fabulously informative bartender, their offerings are bigger than tapas but smaller than entrees. Located in the old Napa Valley Grille space, Quartino has a completely different feel. About the only thing that's the same is the fact that there's an open kitchen, but even that is brighter. The tables have mismatched chairs and there are the requisite loaves of bread and meats hanging in nets. Fred told my friend and I that the wall tiles were imported from train stations in New York and Italy. Quartino is named for the carafes the wine is served in. Each quarter liter is about 2 glasses, and the price ranges from $4 to $15. All but 6 of the selections are exclusive to Quartino. The wine by the bottle list is a little confusing. It looks like it's organized by varietal, but it's actually set up by varietal style. That means a valpolicella is under Merlot and the gewurztraminer is listed under Chardonnay. Normally I'm a red wine drinker in the winter, but my friend's bleaching her teeth so we had white. We tried the Orvieto Ruffina, which was an easy-drinking Sauvignon Blanc style. We next tried the Est! Est!! Est!!!, of the same style. Fred told us it got the name when priests would travel from the Vatican in advance of either the Cardinal or the Pope (I can't remember which). When they found a good winery, they would mark it with Est. They enjoyed this particular one so much that they marked it Est! Est!! Est!!! We didn't order any food, but the chef sent out a Margherita pizza. Fred told us (see why I said fabulously informative?) that the flour is double-zero, imported from Italy. The chef also sent out fried polenta. It was good, but I would have preferred a creamy garlic sauce instead of the red bell pepper salsa that was provided. I'll definitely be back, and plan on trying several of the other small plates.

According to a recent article in Crain's, Macy's may, just may, keep the Marshall Field's name on the State Street flagship store. This isn't due to the protests that Field's is a Chicago icon. Macy's was impressed by the sales increase over the holiday shopping season. Consumers flocked to the store for their "last" visit to Marshall Field's, waited for hours to have lunch in the Walnut Room, and wasted no time buying clock ornaments. Many Chicagoans vowed to boycott the store if it changed to Macy's. This threat and the tangible increase in sales just may save the name.

World of Wheels is at McCormick Place this weekend. Check out over 700 hot rods and cool cars. I visited yesterday and here are some of the highlights: Million-dollar roadster - absolutely stunning BeLair Stretch Limo A man looking strangely similar to Lurch standing behind a hearse Airbrushed skeletons and dragons and ladies, oh my! Cars from 2 Fast 2 Furious Big pipes and bigger tires Word of advice - pace yourself. We started looking in depth at every car, but quickly started speeding through the aisles and stopped only if something really caught our eyes. The show can seem a bit overwhelming. World of Wheels isin the Lakeside center of McCormick Place. We took the #3 bus from Michigan Avenue and it drops you off right in front. Then you have to walk, and walk, and walk. Once inside the show there are food and drink booths, but there's no place to sit. If you need to take a break, get your hand stamped (or they won't let you back in) and head back to the main entrance. About halfway there you can get either McDonald's or Connie's Pizza. Oh - and don't follow the signs that say "Restaurants". There aren't any!

According to the Chinese zodiac, this is my year! Celebrate the Year of the Dog by taking the Red Line to Chinatown on Sunday for the parade. Saturday Fox & Obel (401 E Illinois St, 312-379-0134) offers free dim sum, traditional lion dances, and Chinese cooking demonstrations. You can also visit Ben Pao and Big Bowl as they ring in the new year. This weekend is your last chance to see Buddy Guy at his club until next January! Sunday's a smoke-free show. Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S Wabash Ave, (312)427-0333 Restaurant Closing: Porter's Steak House in Hotel 71 is closing February 1. The hotel itself will become Solis Hotel Chicago this spring. Restaurant Opening: The Loop is slated to get an all-night diner April 1. The Plymouth Restaurant will be at 327 S. Plymouth Ct., just south of Jackson.

Instead of doing the speed dating or game show thing to get a date this Valentine's Day, I've decided to auction myself off to the highest bidder... It's not what it sounds like (OK, maybe it is, but it's for a good cause). Ta-Da! International is hosting Red Shoe Rendezvous next Thursday at Gibsons to raise money for this great charity. I and the other bachelors and bachelorettes will strut our stuff on stage as we try to get the highest bid for our date packages. Married or in a relationship? You don't have to take us - you can go on the date with your significant other. The evening will be hosted by CBS2 Anchor Sylvia Gomez. Besides the Bachelors and Bachelorettes, you'll also have the opportunity to bid on a signed Rolling Stones guitar and a week in Hawaii. Nosh on Gibson's fabulous appetizers while listening to Jazz Conspiracy and the Take 2 Quartet. And you also get 2 drinks! This is my second year as a bachelorette (and I'm on the board of Ta-Da!), so I can vouch for the evening and the charity. I hope you'll join us. Tickets in advance are only $60, and they're $70 at the door. Visit the site for a preview of my fellow auctionees and our date packages.

Lonie Walker’s Underground Wonder Bar celebrates Bob Marley’s 61st birthday Monday, February 6th, 2006. The live tribute show is dedicated to the music and memory of Bob Marley. The tribute showcases the Marley inspired musical stylings of smokin’ Joe Thomas and the Hotel Tramps, their rockin’ reggae fusion honors the memory of a great musical inspiration. The birthday celebration begins at 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m., but the party carries on into the wee hours of the morning (4:00am to be precise). Tickets can be purchased for $7 in advance by calling 312.266.7761. Reservations are accepted to insure you a seat

When it's snowing, get a complimentary bowl of soup at Viand Bar & Kitchen. Purchase of salad, sandwich, or entree required. Monday - Chicago Firehouse Chili Tuesday - Roasted Chicken Tortilla Wednesday - Beefsteak Vegetable & Pearled Barley Thursday - Curried Rice & Pulled Chicken Friday - Roasted Corn, Jalapeño & Crab Bisque Saturday - Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese & Goose Island Ale Sunday - Chicago Firehouse Chili Valid between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. January 23, 2006 through March 31, 2006. 155 East Ontario St. 312.255.8505 www.viandchicago.com

Ahoy, mateys! Dig out that eye patch and wooden leg: Navy Pier's annual Pirate Festival is this weekend. You and the kids can get pirating lessons (I don't think they include rum-swilling instructions), and there are contests and live entertainment. And you won't feel like you've been robbed since admission is free. Navy Pier 600 E Grand

Even though the smoking ban took effect on Monday, for the next two years there are still several places you can light up. Cigar smokers will lament that stogies (or smoking of any kind) are no longer allowed at the Drake or the Ritz, but The Four Seasons (with its excellent ventilation system), Sullivan's Steakhouse, and others welcome you. Click here for complete listing.

Regardless of whether or not you think Wrigley should be tampered with, it's gonna happen. After much speculation and hush-hushedness, the Cubs finally revealed their plans for the Friendly Confines. Quicker than Lou Brock could steal second, here are the stats:

• 253 Stadium seats w/ backs in far right-field will be built, to be called "bleacher box seats." These will be sold on a reserve basis and are meant to protect older people's backs and ears (from language). Seriously. That's what McGuire said.
• The no-beer section (egads! There is such a thing???) will be moved to Section 101.
• More bathrooms and wheelchair sections in right field
• Restaurant for 75 to 100 people added by Opening Day
• "Super Suite" for up to 100 people added
• View of field will be blocked from cross aisles, but McGuire said there will be plenty of TVs
• No more 2:20pm start times on Fridays because the neighbors can't find parking. (I live around there so I'm allowed to make fun. And I can relate!)

Click here for pictures of the renovations.

Today Chicago semi-officially becomes non-smoking. You can't smoke in stores, stadiums, lobbies, within 15 feet of non-smoking establishments, and in restaurants. Well, here's where the "semi" comes in. For the next two years you can smoke in restaurants that have bars. Fortunately non-smokers don't have to wait two years to go out to eat. Several downtown restaurants have elected to go completely smoke-free immediately, even though they don't have to. Here's the list: Avec, 615 W Randolph St., (312)377-2002 Blackbird, 619 W Randolph St., (312)715)0708 Buca de Beppo, 521 N Rush St., (312)396-0001 Coco Pazzo, 300 W Hubbard St., (312)836-0900 Coco Pazzo Cafe, 636 N St. Clair St., (312)664-2777 Custom House, 500 S Dearborn St., (312)523-0200 Jazz Showcase, 59 W Grand Ave., (312)670-2473 (already non-smoking) Keefer's Restaurant, 20 W Kinzie St., (312)467-9525 Kiki's Bistro, 900 N Franklin St., (312)335-5454 Lawry's The Prime Rib, 100 E Ontario St., (312)787-5000 Naha, 500 N Clark St, (312)321-6242 P.F. Chang, 530 N Wabash Ave., (312)828-9977 Russian Tea Time, 77 E Adams St., (312)360-0000 (already non-smoking) Spiaggia, 980 N Michigan Ave., (312)280-2750 Trattoria No.10, 10 N Dearborn St, (312)984-1718 Vivere, 71 W Monroe St (312)332-4040 You can also check out our Smoke-Free page to find restaurants that have been certified by the City of Chicago as 100% smoke free.

The Chicago Boat, RV & Outdoors Show is in town this weekend. It opened up yesterday and runs through Sunday. Besides oohing and aahing over boats bigger than your apartment or condo, you can:

• learn how to waterboard and waterski
• test ATV's on a demo course
• take a canoe, kayak or electric boat down the indoor river
• hear speakers talk about fishing, outdoor photography, etc.
• take your kids fishing for trout

McCormick Place Thurs & Fri 11am to 9pm Sat 10am to 9pm Sun 10am to 5pm (312)946-6272

I went to The Melting Pot last Saturday and they have what may be one of the best culinary inventions of all time: a chocolate shot machine. Yep - you get a shot glass full of chocolate goodness for $3.50. Add a liquer and it's only $5. I added Chambord. Yumm... I may have to go back tonight! 609 N Dearborn, (312)573-0011 (Try their banana split martini also.)

How could one fire destroy so much? Yesterday afternoon the Pilgrim Baptist Church was decimated by fire. Located in Bronzeville, it was much more than just a place of worship. Here are the significant facts about what went up in flames yesterday:

• Historic Landmark, designated 1981
• Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler building, originally Jewish synagogue, became Baptist Church in 1922
• Murals by William E. Scott
• And last but not least, Pilgrim Baptist Church was the birthplace of gospel. Thomas A. Dorsey infused religious music with jazz and blues overtones

A few years ago it became one of the nation's 10 most endangered buildings, and the congregation was only about 200 people. But, they had begun restoration efforts, including adding a new roof. Ironically, first rumors about the cause of the fire pinpoint the roof as the likely suspect. More information and photos can be found at the Chicago Tribune's and the Sun-Times' websites. Other news outlets can be found on the media page on The Local Tourist.

Did you know that you can get $25 restaurant certificates for $10? There's a site called Restaurant.com, and somehow they've gotten some of the top restaurants to offer certificates for up to 60% off. I first heard of them through a friend of mine who likes to frequent 1492 Tapas. Other restaurants include Hugo's Frog Bar, Kizoku (home of the naked sushi), China Grill, Chilpancino, and Caliterra! Of course, there are restrictions (like having to spend a certain amount and not available on certain days), but it's still a great deal.

Restaurant.com Dining Certificates

Hmmm - maybe that's why Chicago was named America's fattest city by Men's Fitness...

Christmas is over. You've finally put all the ornaments away, nursed the stab wounds from those dry, wretched needles, and avoided strangling yourself with the lights rather than try to get them back in the box. But you've still got that blasted tree to deal with. You could leave it by the dumpster, or in the alley, or even in the common area if you're really fed up with it. Or you could still feel the Christmas spirit and get one more gift from the season. If you bring your tree to a participating location on Saturday between 9am and 2pm you'll get a year's worth of blue recycling bags. If you recycle in Chicago you know you have to pay for those. If you don't, one reason may be the idea that you have to pay for those. Either way, the city will give you a whole bunch of 'em in exchange for your tree. If you take the less sentimental and more practical route and have a fake tree ("artificial" if I'm to be politically correct), you can still get your recyclying kudos by bringing in a bag of recyclable material. Locations can be found on the City of Chicago's website. If you're downtown, you can bring it to Grant Park at 900 S. Columbus Drive. (Tip for getting rid of those needles: I wrapped tape around my shoes and walked around like a human Swifter. I think I actually heard my vacuum cleaner wheeze "thank you....")

Even though the Drake is well known for it's afternoon tea, and rightly so, there are other spots where you can enjoy this English ritual. A recent thread on a local foodie board mentioned that tea fans will most likely be disappointed with the tea itself. The water should be boiled, and that is simply not possible in many restaurants. However, the beverage is ancillary. The enjoyment comes from the atmosphere, the ritual, the little tiny sandwiches, scones, strawberries, and clotted cream. Highly recommended spots include the Peninsula, the Four Seasons, and Atwood Cafe. Check our tea page for other locations.

Bears Playoff tickets go on sale today at 10am. They are only available to residents of Illinois and northwestern Indiana to limit purchases by ticket brokers. Ticketmaster: (312)559-1212 or www.ticketmaster.com $85 - $365 Limit of 4 tickets per name, address and credit card number.

Yesterday rates to take public tranportation in Chicago increased for those using cash. Here are the specifics: Cash: Bus: $2.00 Train: $2.00 No transfers Magnetic Stripe Cards Bus: $1.75 (no increase) Train: $2.00 $0.25 Transfer Chicago Card (cash refills)/ Chicago Card Plus (credit card refills) No change $5 fee waived until March 31