River North OctoberFeast Strolls October 5

Eat. Drink. Stroll. Repeat.

River North will showcase some of the best restaurants and bars in the area. 5:30 pm to 10 pm, Oct. 5 at the second annual OctoberFeast presented by the River North Business Association.

Participating venues will provide their specialty food items, along with a specialty drink, with the evening topped off with an After Party at Hard Rock Cafe - all included in the $65 ticket price.

Participating venues include Ai Japanese Restaurant and Lounge, Blue Frog 22, Buca di Beppo, Bull and Bear, District Bar, Elate, English Bar and Restaurant, Hub 51, Italiasia, Kinzie Chop House, LaMadia, Maxwell's at the Club, Mercadito, NAHA, Prosecco, The Redhead Piano Bar, Rockit Bar & Grill, Scoozi!, Sullivan's, Sunda, Sushisamba Rio, Theory, and Watershed.

For information and tickets, visit www.RiverNorthAssociation.com/octoberfest.

Got Buzz Readers: Here's a tip ...Get JunoWallet
Kurman Communications is now representing JunoWallet. Download their app on your iPhone or Android mobile phone and received promotional mobile gift cards and gift certificates from restaurants, bars, and so much more! Earn points by checking in to FourSquare at your favorite haunts - nationwide! It's simple to register. Download JunoWallet and start saving.

Restaurants, bars, businesses...if you're interested offering gift cards and certificates through JunoWallet, call Cindy Kurman at 312-651-9000 or send an email to cindy@junowallet.com. Follow on Twitter @JunoWallet

JunoWallet "Get Gifts, Give Gifts, Earn Gifts, Go Shop..."

The 2008 James Beard Awards

Congratulations to Alinea's Grant Achatz for winning the 2008 James Beard Foundation awards for Outstanding Chef and to Naha's Carrie Nahabedian for winning the Best Chef: Great Lakes award. The three-hour awards ceremony held on Sunday, June 8, at NYC's Lincoln Center, is often referred to as the Academy Awards of the restaurant industry. More than 1000 people attend the posh affair that rewards and highlights the best of the best in the culinary world. The three-hour awards ceremony was followed by a walk-around tasting with an "artisanal America" theme and featured several Chicago chefs including JBF winner Sarah Stegner, her partner at Prairie Grass Cafe, George Bumbaris; North Pond's Bruce Sherman;


The American Classic Award went to Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap, 1073 Vernon Park Place, Chicago, owner Joseph DiBuono. One of the few remnants of Chicago’s Little Italy, Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap has been owned and operated by the same family since it opened as a bar in the early 1930s. The small table in the bar’s kitchen has since expanded to include two dining rooms that are regularly packed with businessmen, police officers, families, and pre-game sports fans. The restaurant’s chalkboard menu offers diners Italian-American classics like lemon chicken, eggplant Parmesan, and fettuccini Alfredo at prices that make just about everyone a regular.

Wish you were there? Visit the various coverage on YouTube.

Green City Market opens May 14

In case you missed it, Green City Market and Nichols Farm are featured in the May issue of Real Simple magazine. Kurman Communications secured the placement last August. Just goes to show you how long in advance the magazines work! Kurman's leader Cindy has been on the GCM board for nine years!

Now in its 10th year, Green City Market reopens on Wednesday, May 14th in Lincoln Park, with a lineup of ways to explore spring's fresh produce. At 9:30 AM, two "Savor the Seasons" events – one with chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris (Prairie Grass Cafe), the other with North Pond's Bruce Sherman – showcase salad-tastings. And at 10:30 AM, Carrie Nahabedian (Naha) gives a cooking demo. Also opening for the season is Edible Gardens, the market's farm-at-the-zoo educational project for kids (10 AM–1 PM). Green City Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays (7 AM–1:30 PM; Lincoln Park between 1750 N. Clark St. and Stockton Dr.).

On Saturday, May 17th, the market will hold a rally for local sustainable farming featuring GCM board members Bill Kurtis is Master of Ceremonies and celeb chef Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Topolobampo) will be joined by other board members and Mayor Daley. Other like organizations are invited to participate! Activities include live entertainment, a kids' parade and the ceremonial cutting of the world's largest organic carrot cake (9 AM–noon at Green City Market in Lincoln Park just north of North avenue between Clark and Stockton, www.chicagogreencitymarket.org).

If you're up for joining in the rally, the celebration is geared to all who support the Market's mission; Chicago organizations are invited to host tables with their information and encourage their members to attend. Don't miss this great exciting expression of sustainable community to support a cause we so fervently support!