🫘 Week 78: Spilled Beans!
It's 4th of July Weekend!
Good morning, Cool Beans!
Are you ready for the long weekend? Temperatures are expected to climb this week with a bit of a heat wave, which honestly feels like the perfect excuse to be by the pool or in the lake all day. There are also plenty of outdoor and beach events happening around the city, so we picked a few of our favorites for you. Enjoy this week’s selection!
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: This week we're talking about a classic neighborhood bar we love, Bangers & Lace. Cozy in winter, fun in summer, with the perfect patio for people-watching on Division Street 😉 We're also big fans of their mezcal cocktail, the Wild Mohave. Highly recommend for an unplanned night when you want something chill but cool!
🕺🏻 If your feet can’t stop (won’t stop) moving like Michael Jackson: Spend your 4th of July at Beach RITUALS at Whispers at Oak Street Beach. From 4 to 10 pm, the beach turns into an open-air dance floor with house and Afro house music from Dabura, Tash, and a live saxophone performance by Saxxdoc. It's a great option if you'd rather celebrate with music, sand between your toes, and skyline views before heading to watch the fireworks. Click here for tickets!
🎤 If live music is your vibe: On Monday, July 13, Australian indie duo Royel Otis is coming to The Salt Shed. After breaking through with songs like Oysters In My Pocket and their viral cover of Murder on the Dancefloor, they've become one of the most exciting indie bands around. If you love catchy guitar riffs, laid-back indie rock, and summer concerts by the river, this one's worth checking out. Click here for tickets!
🛋️ If the couch (or the armchair) is calling your name: Instead of staying in, check out a screening of It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, but the Society in Which He Lives, a 1971 film by German director Rosa von Praunheim. The film follows a young man who moves to Berlin and explores gay life at a time when being openly queer came with major challenges. It's an important piece of LGBTQ+ cinema that still feels relevant more than 50 years later. Click here for more details!
🎭 If you feel artsy: On Friday, July 3, take a stroll through Wicker Park and Bucktown during the free First Fridays Art Walk. Galleries, artist studios, and creative spaces stay open late, so you can pop in, discover local artists, chat with gallery owners, and enjoy a few light bites along the way. It's a fun excuse to explore one of Chicago's most creative neighborhoods and makes for an easy date night or evening with friends. Click here for more info!
🤔 Still not feeling it? Check these others out:
Last Saturday we hosted our monthly yoga in the park + farmers market stroll… and what a day it was! Kiara was absolutely wonderful as always, leading a gentle flow that worked for every level. Then we wandered over to Green City Market to pick up lunch, and honestly… could it have been any more perfect? Thank you so much to everyone who came and shared this time with us. The pics say it all 🌿🧡
On Saturday July 11th, we are hosting again a trible birthday party! 💕 We will celebrate the birthday of Simona, our co-founder and of two community members, Ify and Matt. See the invite here to attend a pic-nic at Montrose beach. Last year we had a TON of fun! 🔥
Stay tuned for our July monthly events, coming out soon! 😎
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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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