What we’re about
Welcome to our fun and active group!
Whether you're new to Chicago or have lived here for a while, becoming a member of this group allows you to explore the Chicago area in ways that most residents may never experience. It’s like being a tourist in your own city as we uncover hidden gems and unique experiences.
This group is a sister to the original, "1001 Things to See in Chicago Before You Die," and we will be hosting many joint events together.
Our goal is to create a club filled with enjoyable events, giving you the chance to meet new people while participating in unique and diverse outings throughout Chicagoland. This is a year-round group, and winter won't slow us down!
The annual dues are $12 per member, but you get a 90-day free trial to see if you enjoy the group! If you choose to host an event, your annual dues will be waived. We are a highly active and social group with a wide range of activities throughout Chicago.
Most of our events take place in Chicago or nearby suburbs like Evanston, Oak Park, and Park Ridge. All events are accessible via public transportation, which is why we primarily focus on Chicago.
Please note that we have a firm "three strikes" policy regarding no-shows. If you don't attend an event without updating your RSVP, you will receive a strike. After accumulating three strikes, you will be suspended from the group for three months. We aim to maintain fairness and fun for all our members.
If you have any questions about the group, suggestions for events, or would like to lead an outing, please let me know. Hosting an event allows you to waive your annual dues!
Please also check out & join our Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1571684466442303
We also have an Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/1001thingstoseeinchicago/
Giovina Romandine
Organizer for Windy City Wanderers!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- *RESCHEDULED!* Paper Machete @the Historic Green Mill Jazz ClubThe Green Mill, Chicago, IL
**EVENT RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY 4/19/25 DUE TO PET ILLNESS!**
Let’s spend an afternoon at the historic Green Mill Cocktail Lounge and Jazz Club. We can check out some local entertainment (The Paper Machete) before the big evening crowds and for free! No cover charge before 6 pm. Afterward, we can grab an early dinner at nearby at Imm Rice. Please note that each week it's a new show so it will be different than the ones we saw before. VENUE IS CASH ONLY! VERY ENTERTAINING SHOW & ALWAYS A GOOD TIME! We go early to get good seats as the place gets packed for this show!
Tentative Itinerary:
• 1-3 pm - meet inside Green Mill and grab some tables to sit together
• 3-5 pm - watch the Paper Machete perform (BAR IS CASH ONLY)
• 5:15-7 pm – grab dinner nearby at Carmela's Taqueria, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, Lao Sze Chuan or Fat Cats (optional)CASH ONLY for the bar! The Green Mill DOES NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS! IT IS CASH ONLY. However they do have an ATM inside the bar & several nearby banks.
GET HERE EARLY AS IT FILLS UP FAST AS THIS IS A VERY POPULAR SHOW! DEFINITELY COME BEFORE 2:15 pm YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN AFTER 2 PM IF THEY ARE AT CAPACITY. WE have had people turned away or wait in line outside because they came after 2 pm!
After the show, some of us will get lunch at one of the many nearby places:
Carmela's Taqueria 1206 Lawrence www.carmelastaqueria.com
Demera Ethiopian Restaurant 4801 N. Broadway www.demerachicago.com
Lao Sze Chuan 4832 N. Broadway laouptown.com
Fat Cats 4840 N. Broadway www.fatcatbar.comAll are welcome to join! BRING CASH IF JOINING FOR DINNER, AS SOME VENUES Don't accept separate checks!
This is a joint event with the 1001 Things to See in Chicago group, so it is multi-group event!
The Paper Machete is a weekly “live magazine” that takes place every Saturday afternoon at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge in Uptown. Put on free of charge to its audience, the show features comedic essays and character monologues based on the current headlines, written and performed by artists from the worlds of stand-up, sketch comedy, improv, theater, live lit, and journalism in addition to music and variety acts.
The Machete is inspired largely by the “Living Newspaper” plays produced by the WPA’s Federal Theater of the 1930s, with visible shades of vaudeville, the Chautauqua public lecture circuit, Since its inception, it has served as a creative incubator for a broad and eclectic group of artists and voices from a wide variety of disciplines. Scores of the show’s alums work in television, film, theater, radio, journalism and other professional media forms. With a popular following fueled by word-of-mouth, the Machete regularly plays to packed houses of all ages. Every week is a brand new show so even if you seen it before, it will be totally different! SOME OF THE PERFORMERS SWEAR A LOT SO BE PREPARED! It is all very funny!!
https://thepapermachete.org/
https://thepapermachete.org/aboutThe Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is an entertainment venue on Broadway in Uptown, Chicago. It is known for its jazz and poetry performances, along with its connections to Chicago mob history. Originally named Pop Morse's Roadhouse, the business opened in 1907. It was renamed Green Mill Gardens a few years later, a nod to the famous Moulin Rouge ("Red Mill") of Paris. During the Prohibition era, Jack McGurn of Al Capone's Chicago Outfit became a part-owner. Al Capone's favorite booth is still in the establishment located directly west of the short end of the bar. After the end of Prohibition, the Green Mill became a more reputable establishment, attracting many popular jazz acts.
http://greenmilljazz.comParking can be tricky in this area so I would suggest using a parking app like SpotHero or Parking Whiz. There is metered street parking but some of the side streets are permit only. Also accessible by public transportation, #36 Broadway bus or the Lawrence stop on the RED line.
PLEASE NOTE OUR CURRENT NO-SHOW POLICY:
- 3 no-shows without updating your rsvp and you will not be able to sign up for future events for 3 months
- cut-off time to update your rsvp is the start time of the event. If you miss the start time, then message the event host directly
- not checking in with the event host to notify them you have arrived (for walks, tours or festival-type of events)
- continual no-shows will result in removal from the group!
- Easter Brunch @Honey Bear Cafe in Rogers ParkHoneybear Cafe, Chicago, IL
Let's do a casual brunch in Rogers Park to celebrate Easter, Orthodox Easter, Passover, or whatever you wish to celebrate! Honey Bear Cafe is a Rogers Park Tradition! Nestled in Rogers Park, Honeybear Cafe is a modern American diner with a history steeped in community and flavor~
PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF YOU ARE 95% SURE TO ATTEND! I HAVE TO KEEP BRUNCH EVENTS SMALL AS SEATING IS LIMITED! BRING CASH!!
If you are joining us for brunch, then PLEASE BRING CASH AS THEY CANNOT DO SEPARATE CHECKS FOR GROUPS. I kindly ask that everyone take what you ordered (the total dollar amount) & add 32% to that amount, which includes 12% for Chicago taxes and 20% for tip. A bunch of credit cards will not work, since we are a large group. CASH is easier & quicker!
We will sit at 4 tables of 4 people each so we may not be near each other but the venue is small so we should not be too far away!
https://honeybearrp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thehoneybearcafe/
MENU: https://honeybearrp.com/menuNestled in Rogers Park, Honeybear Cafe is a modern American diner with a history steeped in community and flavor. Originally known as the The Captain's Table and then the A&T Grill, this beloved establishment served the neighborhood for five decades under its original owners, a husband and wife team. In 2020, George and Prudence, bringing their family to the neighborhood that George grew up in, took over, bringing fresh life to the space while honoring its past.
Today, Honeybear Cafe embodies the enduring power of love and dedication. The legacy of the A&T Grill lives on, woven with the vision and passion of George and Prudence. It's a place where history and modernity find perfect harmony. Join us in savoring the flavors of Rogers Park, and celebrate the remarkable journey that brought them here.
Honeybear Cafe is a local, family-owned restaurant in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Their mission is simple: to provide high-quality food and offer a friendly and welcoming space to our community. They specialize in many classics such as egg dishes, skillets, specialty pancakes & French toast as well as unique dishes such as their famous Cajun shrimp and grits and Avocado Toast!
If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/ - easily accessible by bus and train
If you drive, there is metered street parking on Clark plus some free spots on side streets like Lunt & Greenleaf. Watch for no parking and permit-only signs.
PLEASE NOTE OUR CURRENT NO SHOW POLICY:
- 3 no-shows without updating your rsvp and you will not be able to sign up for future events for 3 months
- cut-off time to update your rsvp is the start time of the event. If you miss the start time, then message the event host directly
- not checking in with the event host to notify them you have arrived (for walks, tours or festival-type of events)
- continual no-shows will result in removal from the group!
- Colvin Concerts: Steve Knight Quartet @Colvin House Mansion in EdgewaterColvin House, Chicago, IL
Let's go BACK to the Colvin House for some live music outside. Weather permitting, this will be a courtyard concert. MORE THAN LIKELY THIS WILL BE INDOORS INSIDE THE MANSION! It is a historic mansion in the Edgewater area and a lovely backdrop for listening to great music! During intermission, they give a tour of this lovely mansion. We will check out Steve Knight Quartet!
RIGHT NOW the Concerts are free, but you need to register to attend. Donation is strongly encouraged! REGISTER FOR ONLY 1 OR 2 TICKETS! DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 2 PER PERSON! Click on the link below. Pick TUESDAY 4/22/25 @6;30 pm featuring the band; Steve Knight Quartet: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colvin-concerts-steve-knight-quartet-tickets-1260030558319?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
REGISTER NOW, AS THEY TEND TO SELL OUT FOR INDOOR SHOWS, AS THERE IS LESS SPACE THAN THE COURTYARD. NOTE THEY DO ALLOW WALK-INS SO YOU CAN STILL COME IF UNABLE TO REGISTER, BUT BEST TO REGISTER AHEAD
Colvin Concerts on Tuesday Evenings • For These Intimate Concerts, A Variety Of Chicago's Own Musical Talent Perform In The Parlor Of This Historic Home. As Soon As The Weather Is Favorable, Hopefully Sometime In May, Colvin Concerts Becomes The Courtyard Series Once Again As they Move Performances Outdoors To their Beautiful, Lush Courtyard. https://colvinhouseevents.com/colvin_concerts/
Weather permitting, this concert will be held outdoors in the lush Courtyard! If the weather is bad they move the concert inside. (THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD INDOORS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED!)
Please note that starting in May, Colvin House will require a $20 cover charge per concert for the outdoor season. This April show is FREE so we will go one more time before they start charging! Donations are always highly encouraged, and they prefer cash donations if possible.
Tuesday 4/22/25 will feature Steve Knight Quartet!
Steve Knight Quartet - instrumental jazz in the soul and blues tradition that isn't afraid to mix in Cee Lo Green, Tom Petty, and other crowd-pleasers with the standard fare of bebop, standards, and beyond.
Steve traded his skateboard for a Synsonics/JCPenney guitar (with built-in, 9 volt-powered speaker) in the early 90s, much to the delight of his mother. At Emporia State University, he split his time between the theatre department and the music department, playing in pit orchestras, the big band, and the faculty combo, all the while teaching guitar at ESU Academy and Flint Hills Music.
Steve’s first step into the professional jazz world came in the living room of noted jazz pedagogue, author, and guitarist Dr. Wayne Goins at Kansas State University. Wayne’s unique approach as a professional first, academic second, inspired Steve to pursue the music further by moving to New York where he was lucky to study with luminaries in the field like Jack Wilkins, Mark Whitfield, Peter Bernstein, Mark Sherman, and Jim Ridl.
Steve moved to Chicago in the spring of 2016 and began teaching and playing full time, further refining his craft with the help of local jazz heavies Scott Hesse, Jim Trompeter, Ernie Adams, and Henry Johnson. His debut album, Persistence, released in 2022 to rave reviews, including 4 Stars in Downbeat and inclusion on their ‘Albums of the Year’ list. His new recording, For Years Gone, will be released late in 2024.
Steve plays Benedetto guitars, Raezer’s Edge amps, Dogal strings, and Duneland Labs pickups. https://steveknight.net/
COLVIN HOUSE IS now serving food & drinks onsite! Guests can order from a limited menu of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. They NOW sell alcohol onsite. They do offer a selection of non-alcoholic beverages for sale. No outside liquor is allowed!!
**Starting Spring 2025, Colvin will no longer allow outside food or beverages!**
Built in 1909, Colvin House sits on 1/3 of an acre of land and the house itself has over 6,000 sq. ft. of space. It was designated as a Chicago landmark in 1994, which protects its exterior from any alterations and prohibits its demolition. The house was built in the Prairie Style, by architect George Maher. A contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, Maher designed many other grand homes in the area, as the lead architect during the original development of the Edgewater neighborhood at the turn of the 19th century.
The home was named after its second owner, Edwin M. Colvin, vice president of the W.F. Hall Printing company, the largest catalog and magazine printing company of all time. At the time, Colvin House was one of many single-family homes along Sheridan Road.
https://www.facebook.com/ColvinHouse
https://colvinhouseevents.com/Helpful Info: Colvin House cannot provide parking onsite for this event. The first 15 cars can park free at George B. Swift Elementary School, just a block west of Colvin House. Please pull up to Colvin House's driveway gate (Thorndale Ave) first to receive a parking permit, which will provide further instructions.
They also recommend the Malibu Condominiums (6007 N Sheridan) public garage, just across the street, north of Colvin House. This parking can be validated by Colvin House for $2.00 off.
Those valet rates are as follows:
· 1 Hour: $6
· 2 Hours: $10
· 3 Hours: $11
· 4 Hours: $13They recommend arriving early if you need to park. SpotHero & ParkWhiz are also good options
If you are taking public transportation, please check Google Maps for directions or use the CTA trip planner. https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
PLEASE KEEP RSVP UP TO DATE AND DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!
