Francesca’s at the Promenade appreciates teachers

Calling all teachers and educators!  Visit Francesca’s at the Promenade (641 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; 630-739-6300) during the month of May receive 20% off (up to $20) off your bill. Just bring proof of your educator status to come and enjoy!

Two Brothers Beer Dinner at Francesca's at the Promenade

March 22, 7 p.m.  – Francesca’s at the Promenade (641 E. Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL 60440; 630-739-6300)

Francesca’s at the Promenade’s Winter Beer Dinner features beers from Two Brothers Brewing Company, located just west of Chicago in Warrenville. This four-course meal is $35 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

The meal starts with Polpo Grigliato, grilled octopus with fagioli gigantic, marinated sundried tomatoes and lemon vinaigrette, which is paired with Two Brother’s Ebel’s Weiss, a German Hefeweizen. This is followed by Polpetti Agnello, lamb meatballs with spicy San Marzano tomato sauce, arugula and lemon. This makes an excellent partner for the Cane & Ebel red rye ale. The third course features Gnocchi con Pancetta, sweet potato gnocchi with cipollini onions, pancetta and brown-butter sage. This is paired with Resistance, an India Pale Ale. The final course features Brasato di Bue, beer-braised beef ribs with parsnip puree paired with Two Brother’s Northwind beer.

Buglioni Wine Dinner at Francesca's Restaurants

This month, several Francesca’s restaurants present wine dinners featuring the Italian wines of Buglioni Vineyards. Tickets are $65 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations are required.

March 1, 7 p.m. – Francesca’s at the Promenade (641 E. Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL 60440; 630-739-6300)

March 7, 7 p.m. – Francesca’s by the River (200 S. Second St., St. Charles, IL 60174; 630-587-8221)

March 8, 7 p.m. – Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60660; 773-506-9261)

The evening begins with a cocktail hour featuring Crostini con Fegatini di Pollo  con Ricotta e Pomodorini, crostini with chicken liver pate or with ricotta and sweet tomatoes. This is paired with “Il Vigliacco” Brut Rose. Following this is the first course, Gamberoni con Cannellini al Rosmarino, jumbo shrimp with cannellini beans and rosemary topped with arugula, paired with “Il Intruso” Bianco Veronese. The next course features Pappardelle con Funghi Selvatici e Polletto, handmade pappardelle with wild mushrooms ragu and charred chicken breast with Parmigiano. The Valpolicella Classico wine pairs perfectly with this course. Next is Costine di Bue Agli Aromi con Polenta Bianca, braised short ribs with herbs, au jus and creamy white corn polenta paired with “Il Bugiardo” Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso DOC. The dinner ends with Degustazione di Formaggi con Frutta, a cheese tasting with fruit, nuts, sweet gorgonzola and pecorino grand cru. “L’Amarone” Amarone della Valpolicella is paired with this course.

Moveable Feasts at Francesca's Restaurants Starting Tonight

Francesca’s Restaurants are hosting Moveable Feasts throughout February. The term Moveable Feast is used to describe an elaborate meal capable of being moved, often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment. Francesca’s Moveable Feast is an interactive dining experience and wine tasting.  Guests will receive three food and wine pairings. The Moveable Feast is $30 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Reservations are required.

Times and dates for Moveable Feasts in February are:

February 3, 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. - Francesca’s Forno (1576 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622; 773-770-0184

February 9, 7 p.m.  – Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60660; 773-506-9261)

February 21, 7 p.m.  – Francesca’s by the River (200 S. Second St., St. Charles, IL 60174; 630-587-8221)

February 24, 7 p.m.  – Francesca’s at the Promenade (641 E. Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL 60440; 630-739-6300)

The Feast starts out with Gamberi con Salsa Romesco, grilled prawns with romesco and citrus paired with Caymus Conundrum. Following this is Fileto di Maiale con Fagioli, grilled pork tenderloin with gigantic beans and sweet roasted tomato. This is paired with Belle Glos Meomi Pinot Noir. The celebration ends with Pesce con Cipolline e Finocchio, caramelized cipollini onion, roasted fennel, forest mushrooms and halibut with Belle Glos Clarke & Telephone. The Moveable Feast at Francesca's Forno will also feature the artwork of local artist Gregory A. Page.

Hall of Famer and former Chicago Cub Andre Dawson draws crowds at Bass Pro Shops Bolingbook

WFN: World Fishing Network, that nation’s only 24-hour fishing lifestyle TV channel, celebrated the launch of its Web site dedicated to finding Chicago’s Best Angler, www.wfnchicago.com, with the help of former Chicago Cub and avid fisherman—and soon to be Hall of Fame inductee—Andre Dawson last night with an autograph signing event at Bass Pro Shops (709 Janes Ave., Bolingbrook; 630-296-2700). More than 200 Chicago area fans and anglers attended the event, where Dawson autographed official WFN photos.

Dawson, an avid fisherman who played six years with the Cubs and won the NL MVP with the club in 1987, will pick the lucky angler for the contest, who will win the “fishing trip of a lifetime” with Dawson to a fishing hole to be determined. The winner and Dawson will have their fishing adventure covered by a WFN crew, and it will air on the network, giving the lucky winner a rare chance to appear on national television. The grand prize also includes $1,000 in cash and WFN merchandise.

Anglers and fans who visited the store during the event met their baseball hero, received a special autographed Dawson photo, and had the opportunity to sign up for the contest, which runs through April 15. Attendees also used laptops at the store to send e-mails to area cable providers Comcast and DirecTV to demand WFN.

Chicago and area fans are encouraged to go to www.wfnchicago.com to enter for their chance to win. To bolster their chances of winning, entrants are encouraged to make sure their friends and family “rate” their entry on the site. Entrants are also encouraged to promote their entry on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, to help garner support. To enter, fans must tell the network and Dawson in 200 words or less what they love about fishing in the Chicago area and why they are Chicago’s best angler. Entrants are also encouraged to include a photo with entry. Dawson will select the winner, to be announced in late April.

The site also includes blogs from local anglers, photos and video content, all relevant to anglers in the area.

“We’d like to thank Bass Pro Shops and of course Andre Dawson for helping WFN celebrate our Chicago Web site launch and our search for Chicago’s Best Angler,” said WFN CEO Mark Rubinstein at the event. “This has been an incredible turnout, and we thank the anglers and fans in the Chicago area for demanding WFN from their providers.”

Fishing in Illinois is big business, and massive participation. More than 873,000 people fish in Illinois each year, spending more than 16 million days fishing total related expenditures at more than $774 million.*

WFN already has become a popular channel in other surrounding fishing markets, launching on Charter in Wisconsin, a popular fishing destination for many Chicagoans, Xfinity (Comcast) has added WFN to its lineup in Michigan markets such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Flint.

WFN’s high definition channel, WFN HD, is available in the Chicago area on DISH Network (channel 394) and AT&T U-verse (channel 1679).

WFN is also available nationally on satellite TV provider DISH Network, AT&T U-verse, Charter Communications, Verizon Fios among other distributors.

Photo: World Fishing Network CEO Mark Rubinstein, former Chicago Cub Andre Dawson, and Chris Doyle, vice president of WFN marketing. Photos taken at Bass Pro Shops Bolingbrook store March 19 during a promotion to support the launch of WFN in the Chicago market.
Photo credit: Ernest J. Schweit, Kurman Communications, Inc.
 












Denaer's children from Naperville with baseball great, former Chicago Cub, Hall of Famer and avid angler Andre Dawson at Bass Pro Shops in Bolingbrook for the World Fishing Network.


Photo by: Ernest J. Schweit, Kurman Communications, Inc.

Denaer children of Naperville proudly display their personally signed Andre Dawson photo.
Photo by: Ernest J. Schweit, Kurman Communications, Inc.

WFN: World Fishing Network team with Kurman Communications staff and baseball great Andre Dawson after a full day of media activities and autograph signing at Bass Pro Shops in Bolingbrook, IL yesterday.
Photo by: Ernest J. Schweit, Kurman Communications, Inc.

Here's your chance to meet Andre Dawson thanks to World Fishing Network

WFN: World Fishing Network

and Hall of Famer Andre Dawson

Team Up To Find “Chicago’s Best Angler”

Fans will have a chance to meet Dawson March 19 at Bolingbrook Bass Pro Shops® and to win a fishing trip with the former Cub and Hall of Famer

WFN: World Fishing Network, the nation’s only 24-hour fishing lifestyle TV channel, celebrates the launch of its Web site dedicated to finding Chicago’s Best Angler, www.wfnchicago.com, with the help of former Chicago Cub and avid fisherman—and soon to be Hall of Fame inductee—Andre Dawson.

Dawson, an avid fisherman who played six years with the Cubs and won the NL MVP with the club in 1987, will pick the lucky angler, who will win the “fishing trip of a lifetime” with Dawson to a fishing hole to be determined. The winner and Dawson will have their fishing adventure covered by a WFN crew, and it will air on the network, giving the lucky winner a rare chance to appear on national television. The grand prize also includes $1,000 in cash and WFN merchandise.

WFN has also partnered with Bass Pro Shops to give fans and anglers in the Chicago area a chance to meet Dawson and get an autograph at 7 p.m. Friday, March 19 at the Bass Pro Shops location at 709 Janes Ave., Bolingbrook; (630) 296-2700.

Anglers and fans who visit the store during the event will meet their baseball hero, receive a special autographed Dawson photo, and have the opportunity to sign up for the contest.

Chicago and area fans are encouraged to go to www.wfnchicago.com to enter for their chance to win. To bolster their chances of winning, entrants are encouraged to make sure their friends and family “rate” their entry on the site. Entrants are also encouraged to promote their entry on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, to help garner support. To enter, fans must tell the network and Dawson in 200 words or less what they love about fishing in the Chicago area and why they are Chicago’s best angler. Entrants are also encouraged to include a photo with entry. Dawson will select the winner, to be announced in late April.

The site also includes blogs from local anglers, photos and video content, all relevant to anglers in the area.

“We are excited to partner with Andre Dawson and Bass Pro Shops to celebrate the launch of our Chicago presence online, since the Chicagoland area is one of the nation's top fishing markets and the demand for the network is huge,” said Mark Rubinstein, President & CEO of WFN. “We have been thrilled to bring WFN to the more than 60 million people across the nation who love to fish, and we look forward to launching this initiative specifically for the Chicago market.”

Fishing in Illinois is big business, and massive participation. More than 873,000 people fish in Illinois each year, spending more than 16 million days fishing with total related expenditures at more than $774 million.*

WFN already has become a popular channel in other surrounding fishing markets, launching on Charter in Wisconsin, a popular fishing destination for many Chicagoans. Xfinity (Comcast) has added WFN to its lineup in Michigan markets such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Flint.

WFN’s high definition channel, WFN HD, is available in the Chicago area on DISH Network (channel 394) and AT&T U-verse (channel 1679).

WFN is also available nationally on satellite TV provider DISH Network, AT&T U-verse, Charter Communications, Verizon Fios among other distributors.

About WFN: World Fishing Network
WFN: World Fishing Network is the only 24/7 television network dedicated to all segments of fishing with programming that covers instruction, tips, tournaments, travel, food, boating, outdoor lifestyle and more. WFN’s wide-ranging programming lineup includes primetime theme nights, regional bureaus from across the nation, a selection of the best international series and the most diverse species coverage of any TV channel. Featuring popular programs hosted by the world’s top anglers, the network also delivers a weekly news program, WFN News, and the schedule includes a variety of exclusive lifestyle shows including Hookin’ Up with Mariko Izumi and WFN’s Reel Road Trip. WFN also delivers the beauty of fishing in stunning High Definition with WFN HD, a separate network that delivers 100 percent High Definition programming 24/7.

Originally launched in December 2005, today WFN and WFN HD are available in more than 20 million households through North American cable, satellite and telecommunications distributors. In the U.S., distributors include AT&T U-verse, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH Network and Verizon FiOS. For more information, visit www.WFN.TV.

Chicago's Best Angler Contest & WFN featured in today's Sun-Times

Just in case you haven't heard, the World Fishing Network (WFN) is looking for "Chicago's Best Angler" and Lewis Lazare did an awesome interview with WFN 's president and CEO Mark Rubinstein. The story ran in today's Chicago Sun-Times Here's the link: http://bit.ly/9fSYRI. 
Anglers are encouraged to go to WFN's new Chicago website: www.wfnchicago.com and tell them why you  deserve to be named the "best" here. The winner will get to enjoy a day of fishing with former Chicago Cub and Hall of Famer Andre Dawson, $1,000 and other goodies.

Hawk fans, mark your calendar.  He will be doing an autograph signing at the Bass Pro Shops in Bolingbrook on March 19 in conjunction with this promotion!

Are you familiar with WFN?  It's the only 24 hour television network dedicated to fishing.  WFN’s high definition channel, WFN HD, is available in the Chicago area on DISH Network (channel 394) and AT&T U-verse (channel 1679).  It isn't yet available here on Comcast or DirecTV.

Comcast and DirecTV subscribers, you may want to go to the WFN site as there's a place where you can urge your cable carrier to carry it.

Anglers who like to write and blog?  WFN is also looking for ambassadors to provide content to the website. For more info, check out the website or read today's Sun-Times. 

A big shoutout to Lewis Lazare who wrote an excellent story. Thanks again Lewis!