As much as you’d love to catch a Blackhawks game at the United Center or on the road, you might not be able to get a coveted ticket. Don’t worry! Official Blackhawks Bars all over the city are ready to show you a good time and make it seem like you’re actually at the game.

The Blackhawks organization teamed up with almost 100 bars to provide Chicagoland fans with the ultimate viewing experience outside the stadium. Each “official bar” has been given customized decorations, Hawks apparel for its staff, a personalized jersey for display, and the best feature of all… DVDs of the Blackhawks game presentation. You know, the cool videos shown before the Hawks take the ice?

And don’t forget, each time the Hawks hit the road, the City Roadwatch will be going on at one of the official bars. You can meet the Ice Crew and announcer Gene Honda, and you can also play some games to win prizes like tickets to a future game or signed memorabilia.

To see the complete list of Official Blackhawks Bars, click here.

Hosting quality live music is a difficult task, and a big adventure along the way. The folks behind All Tomorrow’s Parties are no strangers to this world, since they’ve been hosting a plethora of concerts around the world for the past 10 years, including the Don’t Look Back series they hosted at Pitchfork Festival here in Chicago in 2007.

Tonight Pitchfork will be hosting the Chicago premier of the new documentary about the festival series, including live footage from Sonic Youth, Iggy & The Stooges, Animal Collective, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and many more. The film features footage shot by both fans and professionals, so you’ll get a personal POV into the performances that ATP have been cranking out over the years.

Head over to Facets Cinematheque tonight for the showing at 11:30pm. Tickets are just $9.

In celebration of its new store opening on Michigan Avenue this past October, Victoria’s Secret is asking you to name the sexiest features of the Windy City.

LADIES – vote in the What’s Sexy Now Chicago? poll from now until November 30, and you’ll get a coupon for some free underwear when you buy a bra at the new chic shop on the Magnificent Mile. The offer is only valid until the 30th so get voting for the sexiest:

Bar/Club
Happy Hour
Blues/Jazz Joint
Restaurant
Spa
Designer Label
Sports Team
Neighborhood
Architecture
Beach
City View
Hotel
Band/Musician
Male Celebrity
Female Celebrity
Athlete
Place to Kiss

One of the closest competitions so far is between Chicago Bull Derrick Rose and Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Sharp for Sexiest Athlete. They are only separated by about 50 votes, and the two’s current tallies are well in to the 7000s as of today. However, when it comes to Sexiest Sports Team, the Blackhawks are blowing everyone out of the water by a good 1700-1800 votes!

Time is running out, so vote for your favorite sexy Chicago features today!

The folks behind Myopenbar are teaming up with some quality bands at one of the best venue around and with my favorite rum to host a midweek show that will help you make it through until the weekend gets here.

Myopenbar is a national site that sends out weekly e-mail listings to let fans know of events with drink specials and open bars, helping to keep cash in your wallets while still heading out during these tight economic times. And tonight they are teaming up with three bands to host a night of cheap drinks and good music, all for under $10.

The event kicks off at 9:30 tonight at The Empty Bottle. There are a limited amount of tickets that are $5, and it’s only $10 after those tickets are gone. If you want to get $2 off your admission, head over here and RSVP. Sailor Jerry, my favorite rum around, will be hosting an open bar from 10:30-11:30, while my favorite band on the bill, Raise High The Roof Beam, rock it out. Raise High The Roof Beam make bright and jangly indie pop music that is sugary sweet and warm and inviting, music that feels like a hug from a friend that you haven’t seen for a long time (as corny as that description sounds, it’s totally true). Also on the bill is Thrillage, which feature former members of Spitalfield, and art-punk rockers Team Band.

It might be the typical cold and dreary Chicago outside, but head over to The Empty Bottle tonight and warm up with some complimentary rum and good music thanks to your friends over at Myopenbar Chicago.

Have you ever wondered what Christmas celebrations were like in other parts of the world? Take a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry to get an idea!

The museum is celebrating its 60th year of Christmas Around the World. This commemoration was originally created by the United Nations as a salute to the American allies during World War II. One tree was redecorated each day by a different cultural community in an effort to promote unity and peace. Now, over 50 trees at the Museum of Science and Industry are decorated by different ethnic communities in Chicago to represent a “global living room” of Christmas cheer.

The exhibit is on the Main Level and is included with the General Admission price.**

Holiday Hours
Weekdays: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Weekends 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Open everyday except Dec. 25

Friday, Nov 23; Wednesday Dec. 26 through Tuesday, January 1: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

** Adults $13, Seniors $12 and Children 3-11 $9

Mucca Pazza picture from www.cakein15.com

If you’ve never witnessed the mayhem and general fun that is guaranteed at Chicago punk rock marching band Mucca Pazza’s live show, then you are missing out on one of the gems of the local music scene! And the band just alerted fans that this weekend will be the last time to catch their infectiously fun live show in 2009!

The band will bring their fusion of gypsy Eastern European marching band meets punk rock to Lincoln Hall this Saturday with Bird Names and Killer Whales. Doors open at 9:30pm, and tickets are just $12. The show is 21+ and make sure to come ready to dance along with the massive band (30 members make up the group) as they snake through the audience, a typical move at their live show.

Remember Chicago’s Skate on State? Well, about nine years ago, the rink was moved to a bigger location at Millennium Park. And each year, the rink opens in mid-November.

The rink is open every day from November 18 to March 14 (weather permitting, of course). You can even lace up those skates on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day! While times vary, the rink generally opens at noon Monday through Friday and at 10 a.m. on weekends. Skating is FREE, but there is a $10 fee to rent skates.

The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink is located at 55 N. Michigan Avenue. For more information, visit this website or call 312-742-5222.

A little over a week ago, we were passing out candy and dressing up for Halloween. Once November arrives, most corporations completely overlook Thanksgiving and move right on to Christmas… and Macy’s on State Street is one of those companies.

Last night, Macy’s held its annual lighting of the Great Tree in the Walnut Room and unveiled its holiday-themed windows. Michelle Williams, former member of Destiny’s Child and a Rockford, IL native, sang at the event. The tree, filled with thousands of silver lights and ornaments, stands 45 feet tall, and the windows tell the story of how children’s letters reach the North Pole.

Many Chicagoans have expressed their disgust for the Macy’s brand ever since it took over for Marshall Fields in 2005. And one of their biggest complaints were about the holiday windows. As each year passed, the displays just got worse. Tough times forced Macy’s to cut costs and eventually fire their lead designer. Last year, there wasn’t even a storyline… just a theme called “Believe.”

This year, Macy’s has tried to redeem itself with a cute story about how the kiddes’ letters get to Santa at the North Pole. And, of course, one of these ways includes dropping the letter off at your local Macy’s. Now, for every letter sent, Macy’s will donate $1 to charity. However, are most parents simply going to drive their kid to the store just to drop off a letter? Probably not. They’ll most likely do some shopping.

It seems as though Macy’s has taken a beloved Chicago tradition from Marshall Fields and eventually twisted it to incorporate a marketing campaign. Nowadays, the holiday windows don’t even stretch the entire length of the store’s position on State Street. Perhaps the company should spend less money paying celebrities like Martha Stuart, Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson to appear in their commercials (and sell their perfumes, colognes, clothing and other items) and put a little more thought (and money) into its holiday windows.

Before the era of mp3, iPod, jump drives, and even CDs, there existed the world of cassettes, and the cult love of making mixtapes. Sure, you can still make a mix and burn it to a CD or even host it online, but nothing captures the innocence and flirtatious notions of a real mixtape. The fact that someone took the time to sit there and press record and stop, mixing in songs, and making sure the tape didn’t run out before a song was over, was a long and dedicated process, showing just how much the person giving the mixtape truly cared.

If you wistfully remember the era of the cassette mixtapes, and long to share your nostalgia, then head over to The Hideout next week on Monday November 9th for the Cassette from My Ex Chicago release party. Come celebrate the release of this new book, which compiles the lust and heartache of love through the medium of mixtapes in reflective stories written by a stellar list of various authors. At the Chicago event, editor Jason Bitner will be joined by The AV Club’s Kyle Ryan and more special guest to host an expert panel that will “shed light on the power of the mixtape.”

The event is just $5, and is at 8:00pm at The Hideout, located at 1354 W. Wabansia.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s for real!

One winner will receive two FREE tickets to see Flyleaf, courtesy of TotalAssault.com!

When? Tuesday, November 10
Where? The Bottom Lounge
What time? 8 p.m.

All you have to do is leave a comment below showing some love for Flyleaf. One lucky winner will be chosen by a random number generator. We will announce the winner on Saturday, November 7, so get your entry in fast!

Only one entry per person.
Any person with more than one entry will be disqualified.