Weekly Planner: Sip & Paint Party, White Truffle Season, Half Acre Tap Takeover and More

Sip & Paint Party at Shaw’s Schaumburg

’Tis the season for festive activities and booze aplenty, and no single event captures both of those sentiments quite like the upcoming Sip & Paint Party at Shaw's Crab House in Schaumburg. In partnership with SIP Parties, the restaurant is hosting a very special, very merry event on Monday, December 4, at 4:30 p.m., wherein guests get to sip cocktails, savor appetizers and get creative on their very own easel. The event starts with a variety of appetizers, holiday-inspired desserts and two beverages of choice from the “Naughty or Nice” list of drinks. Then it moves on to interactive art instruction, which will guide painters on how to illustrate the “Winter Snowman.” Added bonus: any guest who arrives in an ugly sweater gets a chance to win $200 in Shaw’s gift certificates for ugliest sweater of the night, and the runner-up gets $50 to Tokio Pub and $50 to Seaside’s. The event costs $65 per person, all inclusive. 

Half Acre Tap Takeover at Pub Royale

In other boozy news (like we said: ’tis the season!), Pub Royale is welcoming Half Acre for a special tap takeover on December 6. Starting at 6:00 p.m., all 12 taps at the Wicker Park bar will feature different varieties from the local brewery, including the Grip Brett Fermented Ale, Aquafur Wet Hop Pilsner, and Leadfeather Black Ale Nitro. The most exciting part, however, is the tapping of three different Big Hugs varieties, which are Half Acre’s annual winter-release Imperial Stouts that people wait all year for. This will occur every 30 minutes starting at 6:00 p.m., and beers are available while supplies last. 

 

Spiaggia
Spiaggia; photo by Haas and Haas Photography

White Truffle Season at Spiaggia

In addition to booze and merriment, this is also the season for white truffles, one of the most coveted and opulent ingredients of the year. No better place to celebrate the mighty truffle than at Spiaggia, where chef/partner Tony Mantuano and executive chef Joe Flamm have upped the ante on their new fall menu with a bevy of truffle-infused creations. Truffles can be tasted as accents to a la carte dishes like pappardelle with squash, foie gras, amaretti and Parmigiano-Reggiano; risotto with frico and eight-year balsamic; and suckling goat with fregola Sarda, broccolini and apricot. There’s also tasting menu options, which has dishes like Wagyu carpaccio with housemade grissini, egg yolk jam and seven-year Parmigiano; and caramelle in brodo stuffed with rabbit mortadella, smoked rabbit and chicken brodo. 

Veuve Clicquot Holiday Dinner at Mon Ami Gabi

As the holiday season moves full steam ahead, cravings for sparkling wine are amping up. Which is why you should head to Mon Ami Gabi for their highly seasonally appropriate Veuve Clicquot dinner on December 5. Taking place from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., the event features a four-course lineup of French dishes and fine Champagne, including Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. The event is $75 per person and reservations can be made by calling Mon Ami Gabi’s Lincoln Park location. 

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