🫘 Week 69: Spilled Beans!
Our Spring playlist is OUT!
Good morning, Cool Beans!
Our Spring Playlist is out, and we hope it brings a little warmth, light, and inspiration for the first outdoor moments of the season. Even if Chicago weather isn’t fully cooperating just yet, it’s a reminder that sunnier days are on their way. In the meantime, we’ve put together a selection of indoor activities to get you through the week—perfect for those in-between spring days when you still want to stay inspired, discover something new, and make the most of the city from the inside out.
Find Simona’s coolest picks for Chicago, this week:
Tag us on Instagram if you try any of the recommendations below!
🤤 If you are craving something new: A couple of weeks ago we took a half day off to go see the cherry blossoms and stopped for a quick bite at Medici on the 57th in Hyde Park. Medici has been a neighborhood staple for decades, known for its laid-back, welcoming atmosphere and comforting, no-fuss menu. It’s the kind of place where students, locals, and visitors all blend together over oversized sandwiches, pizzas, and fresh baked goods, making it feel both timeless and effortlessly alive. Definitely worth trying if you are in the neighborhood.
🕺🏻 If your feet can’t stop (won’t stop) moving like Michael Jackson: This Thursday at Row 24, Jazz Gumbo is bringing a Brazilian twist to the city’s vinyl scene. Expect a warm mix of samba, bossa nova, and Brazilian jazz classics, all spun the way they’re meant to be heard—on vinyl. Click here to buy tickets.
🎤 If live music is your vibe: If you’re in the mood for something more intimate, Keli Holiday is playing at on May 3rd. It’s a small venue, so the whole thing feels close and easy—no big production, just good music and a crowd that’s actually there to listen. Click here for tickets!
🛋️ If the couch (or the armchair) is calling your name: I should say “if you want to laugh non-stop”, Matteo Lane is taking over The Chicago Theatre. His mix of sharp jokes, personal stories, and a bit of chaos makes the whole thing feel easy and real. He jumps from impressions to random operatic moments without missing a beat, and somehow it all works. It’s one of those shows where you go in for a comedy set and end up laughing the entire way through. Click here for tickets!
🎭 If you feel artsy: WITHOUT PERMISSION is opening Friday, May 1st at Chicago Grand Gallery. The group show brings together works by Paul Sierra, Kevin C. Lawler, and David Hauptschein, each exploring identity, authorship, and transformation through very different lenses. The exhibition sits in that in-between space where nothing feels fixed. It’s less about clear answers and more about tension, contradiction, and letting meaning stay unsettled. Click here for more info!
🤔 Still not feeling it? Check these others out:
Friday it’s winter again and we are going to watch Michael. We’ll report back!
Stay tuned for the announcement of our May event…COMING SOON!! 🍝💕
Our Spring playlist is out! 🌼 As always, 15 songs to make you feel like you are blooming like a flower..or a Daisy 😏 Check it out here!
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🎵 Curated Spotify playlists
✉️ E-mail: coolbeansexpatclub@gmail.com
All typos are intentional, we are expats ;)
We wrote 3 articles in collaboration with 3 great expats around the world. Read them below!
The story of Cool Beans and our take on Community with Emanuela
We registered a podcast (in Italian) with Americanate on the wedding culture in the US from an Italian point of view. Listen here!
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