Still talking about last summer's performance by The Decemberists in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion? Well, another band is following in their footsteps (though not with a symphony orchestra behind them). Promoters announced today that indie faves Death Cab for Cutie will play at Millennium Park's outdoor theater June 3, with tickets ($10-$45, all ages) on sale 11 a.m. April 19. The band's new album, "Narrow Stairs," comes out May 13.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, let us inform you that today is the Cubs home opener. It also marks the official grand opening of the new Harry Caray’s Tavern, just steps away from Wrigley Field.

We went down to check it out before the first pitch and found Harry Caray’s crowded with fans of both the team and the late announcer. And the man’s biggest fan, widow Dutchie Caray, was even at the bar before the game. “I know Harry would be so excited to have it, and it’s just a beautiful place,” Caray told Metromix as she hung out in the second-floor Skybox VIP area.

Like at the original Harry Caray’s, the length of the bar is 60 feet and 6 inches, the same distance as home plate is to the pitcher’s mound. The curved portion in the front of house denotes the mound; look for the home plate built into the mosaic tile floor at the other end.

While the tavern has many highlights (including a new bust of Harry Caray made by the artist who did the sculpture at the corner of Sheffield and Addison), what stands out the most is the overall transformation of the space. Hi-Tops was a pre- or post-game stop for fans for years, but now the space has gone from run-down college bar to upscale sports bar in a matter of months.

How did it all happen? Owner Mike O’Malley, owner of Hi-Tops for the past few years, said that when he decided to renovate the space it was a no-brainer to bring a Harry Caray’s to Wrigleyville. “It just made sense,” O’Malley said.

Where you one of the few thousand shoppers who stormed Shop Chicago at Union Station this weekend for deals? We sure were -- and in addition to spotting the local standouts we covered last week, we met some lesser-known creators who trucked into town to get in front of Chi-town shoppers. From Milwaukee, Heather Hambrecht showed dozens of her artsy, one-of-a-kind leather handbags (pictured here and carried year-round at City Soles/Niche in Wicker Park), while the mother-and-son team behind Wounded Line proffered their edgy jewelry and T-shirts. New biz owner Angela Nudo drove in from Springfield to debut her line of elegant, silk-covered boxes to get your closet and drawers in order. 

While it's great to see familar faces like gem guru Erin Gallagher, who runs a successful West Loop boutique, we also loved the chance to browse creations of fledgling designers who aren't yet selling in local boutiques, but instead are working the events circuit to get their name out there. Bright retro-styled aprons by brand-new brand Kitchen Kuties and jewelry designer Michelle Rubin's delicate name charms (definitely Mother's Day gift-worthy) were two of our favorites. Shoppers also got a rare chance to see online-only goodies in person, like the racks of local labels that Erin Sheehan Creany sells on Studio-808.com, her online boutique dedicated solely to Chicago designers.

Hopefully you were one of the lucky ones to snag some great deals, like Abigail Glaum Lathbury's $200-plus pants for $50, or usually-more-pricey threads from local designer (and Bucktown shop owner) Michelle Tan and for $50 and under.

Now it's your turn to spill: What did you bring home?
 

As Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess, pictured above) of "21" would say: "Winner, winner, chicken dinner." If that line makes any sense to you, it's probably because you were one of the weekend moviegoers who helped the disappointing blackjack flick "21" top the box office with a better-than-expected $23.7 million haul. It was enough to take down "Horton Hears a Who," which placed second with $17.4 million as it became the year's first movie to top $100 million. (The animated film has earned $117.3 million to date.) The comic book spoof "Superhero Movie" placed third with only $9.5 million, and "Stop-Loss" added itself to the list of Iraq-related financial flops, earning $4.5 million to land at No. 8. David Schwimmer's directorial debut, "Run, Fat Boy, Run," didn't even crack the top 10.

Did you make it out to any of the week's terribly average new movies? Are you excited for George Clooney's upcoming football movie "Leatherheads," or does it seem too coated in Clooney's trademark smarm?

Fans of Yak-zies tasty wings rejoice: The Lakeview location on Diversey Parkway is planning to reopen! We just talked to Joe Spagnoli who said he's in the process of getting a new license so he can spruce up the spot and reopen this summer. The original liquor license was in his father's name only, so it died when his father passed away and the bar then closed on Aug. 1, 2007. "My goal is to keep family tradition alive," Spagnoli said. Cheers to that!
 

Remember when upscale movie theater Muvico moved into town with its larger-than-life location in Rosemont, boasting its wider seats, 21-and-up sections and an on-site restaurant? 

Well, an Australian company is upping the upscale ante with its first of 50 or so U.S. locations in…(drum roll, please) northwest suburban Barrington! The name -- Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas – doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily as say, AMC, the major theater serving this area. But it is affiliated with Village Roadshow Pictures, the company that played a role in producing a couple little flicks you may have heard of—maybe Matrix, Ocean’s 11 or I am Legend might ring a bell? (The company's Jam Factory theater in Melbourne, Aus. is pictured above.)

With Barrington’s spendy demo, there’s no question that there are locals looking for the most luxe treatment they can buy. But with tickets to the tune of $25-$30, we wanted to know what kind of royal treatment to expect. Here’s how it works: You reserve your seat ahead of time online, then show up early for a cocktail in the lounge, or skip the previews and show up 10 minutes late if that’s your style. The on-site valet will park your Range Rover/BMW/Lexus while the concierge escort you into one of eight theaters, inspired by private screening rooms and bearing only 40 seats—make that cushy leather recliners—per theater. Ring the service bell on your chair to order chi-chi snacks like ceviche or crostini, cheese and wine or chocolate and a cappuccino, or even full entrees running $10-$25. Then, soak in the digital projection and Dolby digital sound. And hope your neighbor keeps it down with the crostini.

The theater aims to open in October in The Arboretum of South Barrington complex at Route 59 and Higgins Road.

In the meanwhile, we wanna know: Would you shell out $30 for a movie on a Saturday night?

 

While we've been in love with Ronnie Kroell from the time he was just the charming cocktail server at Minibar, it now seems the entire country is smitten by him! The Chicago native has repeatedly survived the elimination round to become a finalist on Bravo's "Make Me A Supermodel."

So while Ronnie is still sequestered away in some secure Manhattan location, we were able to communicate with him over the transom (well, via email) before tonight's reunion special airs at 9 p.m.

We talk to him about his life at Minibar and the future of the diversity-education production company he started last year, 4+1 productions, and his favorite places to hangout when he's in town.

When you were at Minibar, you worked with a lot of part-time models/bartenders. Did you get any advice from them before going on the show?

Not really. We didn’t talk that much about modeling, but we certainly did commiserate about how difficult the life of a model/artist can be. Most of us live paycheck to paycheck in jobs that allow us flexible schedules to go on “look-sees.” It seems as if the age of the Supermodel has come and gone, but hopefully it will emerge again. Personally, I think it’s time to put the spotlight and focus on male models and men’s fashion. Is that bias?

Do you think after your experience on the show that you could go back to serving drinks?

Honestly, I do not feel that anything is beneath me. Some of my most enjoyable memories and best friends were made while serving drinks at Minibar! I would happily serve drinks at Minibar in the future, but after Make Me a Supermodel, have to focus on getting modeling work and building my resume.

Have you heard from any of your former Minibar co-workers? Did you know that bar’s holding viewing parties for "Make Me A Supermodel"?

We have been out of contact from anyone from the “real world” for three months, so I had no clue that Minibar was hosting viewing parties! [Owners] John [Dalton], Stu [Zirin], and the entire staff have supported me in all that I do and I love them all very much. I’m honored that they have been watching the show.

What’s the current status of 4+1 Productions? Will you have time to devote to that organization if you get a modeling contract?

It was hard to leave 4+1 Productions for three months. Next to modeling, diversity education has been my main focus for the past three years. I work with an incredible team of individuals that share in the passion [for] “Bridging Diversity through the Arts”, and the organization has been in great hands while I have been away. I will always make time for 4+1 Productions, even after receiving a modeling contract. In fact, I hope that working in the modeling industry will give me the flexibility and financial means to help fund the continued growth and development of 4+1’s vision and the work we hope to do in the community.

What are some of your favorite bars and clubs in Chicago?

Minibar
Hamburger Mary’s
Circuit
Roscoe’s
Sidetrack
Simon’s Tavern
Signature Room
House of Blues
Elbow Room
Excalibur
Moody’s Pub

Want more? RedEye's Show Patrol blog has the scoop in on Ronnie's bro-mance (or is it bro-momance?) with Ben.

Stephanie said it best: “Yippee!” Our hometown gal is two for three in elimination challenges this season, and that’s the best start we can remember for any “Top Chef” contestant. Tom even said her dessert at tonight’s Ravenswood Manor block party probably won the challenge for her entire team—that’s gotta feel good.

Erik, on the other hand, didn’t fare so well—and we don’t have a lot of sympathy for him. He repeated two sins we’ve seen over and over again on “Top Chef,” one as recently as last week. Here’s what did him in ...

1. Inability to follow directions: Listening and following directions are a couple of those kindergarten skills that some people never really pick up on. Erik might be one of them. The quickfire challenge was pretty clear: Create an upscale version of a taco. It was not, “Tell us if you think Mexican and fine dining go together.” Yet Erik created a traditional taco, then told us, “I don’t think fine dining and Mexican go together … so he can screw himself …” We won’t even dwell on the fact that “he” in this case is Rick Bayless, who has pretty much made a career of making Mexican and fine dining “go together.” Erik didn’t follow directions, and that’s why he lost the quickfire.

2. Not accounting for transportation: If you even have a hunch that your dish is going to get dry/soggy/gloopy in transit, it is. This was Valerie’s downfall last week, when her blinis went awry. Did anyone learn from her mistake? Not Erik, apparently. His corn dogs were doomed to be soggy from the start, and that’s why he had to pack his knives and go.

Other highlights and lowlights:

Best inadvertently (we assume) kinky comment of the night, courtesy of Zoi: “Jenn and I know each other’s palates better than, obviously, anyone else.” Uh, obviously.

Best segue of the night, courtesy of Ted Allen: “Speaking of Middle America, which I think is where Waldorf salad comes from …”

New annoying habit: Andrew’s tendency to bust out his Borat impersonation at every available turn.

Biggest sequencing error: The drive to Ravenswood Manor, which puts the chefs in their Highlanders heading toward a Korean neighborhood (says Dale) then passing by the Hard Rock Cafe, then “taking a left” to magically arrive in … Ravenswood Manor! The jump from what’s presumably Lawrence Avenue to River North is a stretch, to say the least, and we’re pretty sure that taking a left just after you pass the Hard Rock won’t get you to Richmond Avenue, block party or not.

Geography errors aside, Chicago got some good screen time this episode. There was a nice, Midwestern “what’s mine is yours” element to the pantry-raiding elimination challenge, and Bayless represented well in his role as judge.

Our only complaint? When Spike, referencing a hot dog, said matter-of-factly, “That’s what they like here.” Oh, really? I mean, Chicago loves a hot dog, but isn’t it a little insulting to the good people of Ravenswood Manor to imply that they are so into hot dogs that they wouldn’t appreciate anything else?

OK, maybe we’re a little defensive. In fact, we were almost over it—but then Zoi got us all fired up again with her comment at the judge’s table that began, “We just decided that it was Middle America …”

Hi, Zoi, welcome to Chicago. We’re thrilled to have you. But we are located in neither the geographic nor the culinary “middle” of America. 

Just ask Stephanie.

For a detailed play-by-play and even more commentary, check out The Stew.

 The spot: Andersonville’s Turkish Cuisine & Bakery (click for details) is getting ready for a makeover. The 7-year-old, family-run operation faces a gradual remodeling project —during which the restaurant will stay open—over the next three months. The already extensive menu also will be slightly expanded, says owner Engin Cardak. Not to fear—favorites like lahmacun, a Turkish pizza with ground meat, green and red bell peppers, onions and tomatoes ($3.50 per piece; $9 for three pieces) and chicken, lamb and beef kebabs ($8.95-$11) will remain, as will the traditional vegetarian hummus ($4.50) and baba ghanoush ($4.75) appetizers. Turkish Cuisine & Bakery is busiest on weekends, when a family-style dinner sampler of about 20 items is available ($30 per person, minimum four people) and belly dancers perform (Saturdays and some Fridays) in the bright red dining room decked out in colorful Turkish and Georgian tapestries and folk art.

The bottle: Every neighborhood needs a good wine shop, and In Fine Spirits (click for details) is Andersonville’s. It’s within walking distance from several BYOBs, so employees are accustomed to offering pairing recommendations for various types of cuisine, including Turkish. To go with the heavier lamb and beef options, one helpful employee suggests the earthy, peppery Chono, a biodynamic, organic cabernet sauvignon from Chile ($11.99). Find it on one of the store’s two “under $12 tables.” To go with vegetarian appetizers, try the fruity yet acidic Maryhill Winemakers White Blend from Washington State ($11.99). -- Emily Hiser Lobdell is a metrmoix special contributor.

Clearly, the reason it's taken Axl Rose 17 years to complete the new Guns n' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" is that he's been waiting on a soft drink to support him. Nope, doesn't make sense to us either. But Dr. Pepper claims that everyone in America will receive a free can if the record comes out this year. We can't say we're that excited about saving $1 on pop, but we would love to "Chinese Democracy" once and for all. Go here to encourage Axl to finally get his album in stores: www.chinesedemocracywhen.blogspot.com

When The Berghoff announced it was closing in 2006 after a mere 107 years, lines of folks hungry for a final schnitzel snaked around the block. The historic German restaurant's space was reconfigured for private parties, while 17 West at the Berghoff (and Berghoff Café downstairs), as it was re-named, would continue to accommodate diners with some of the traditional dishes of its predecessor, as well as more contemporary fare.

Well, as of March 7, the restaurant is now called simply Berghoff (note the missing "the" in addition to the 17 West). The change is a result of owner Carlyn Berghoff squeezing her catering and restaurant businesses under one umbrella name, Berghoff Catering & Restaurant Group. She says two names were too confusing for customers -- not to mention a real mouthful for staff answering the phone. But the menu and everything else is staying the same.

If you haven’t heard yet, Chicagoans are being asked to turn out the lights from 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday (click for details) as part of the World Wildlife Fund’s global movement shining the light on (pun intended) climate change. Since many of us will likely be out for the night, here are a few local spots where you can still feel like you’re doing your part.

Where: The lobby bar at Inn of Chicago 
What: Drink Eco-tinis ($14) made with Rain organic vodka, muddle raspberries and raspberry liqueur. Acoustic entertainment—and candlelight, natch—rounds out the night. As a bonus, guests get glow sticks. (Note: Save for your next rave.)

Where: Bluprint 
What: Lights are off: Sip Mother Earth on a Buzz cocktails ($5) made with Square One organic vodka, organic wildflower honey, lemon, mint leaves and lemongrass water

Where: Seasons restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
What: Dine by candlelight from 8 to 11 p.m. Four Seasons restaurants around the world will be taking part too, from Sydney to Chicago.

Where: Cityscape  
What:  Sip themed cocktails by candelight. Check out The Energizer ($8) made with caffeinie- and taurin-infused V2 Vodka and cranberry and grapefruit juices.

Where: Cyrano's
What: It's a veritable festival of candles, promises Chef Didier. He'll offer dishes a la carte ($19.95 to $24.95) from braised beef Bourguignon, cassoulet, roasted goose, Bergerac coq au vin, rabbit fricasse with olives, lamb navarin with braised parsnips and more. Plus, he's running the promotion starting Thursday.

Where: Le Bar
What: Sofitel turns off the exterior lighting, but turns you on to a complimentary appetizer from 8-9 p.m.

Right now only two bands are confirmed--Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails--but starting at 10 a.m. tomorrow you can snag early bird tickets to Lollapalooza (Aug. 1-3) for $175. That's pretty steep, especially considering these tickets are limited and prices will increase later on. But if the overall fest lineup (to be announced April 7) is as exciting as Radiohead and NIN, it's worth it.

Click here for more info:

http://chicago.metromix.com/music/rock/lollapalooza-2008-grant-park-museums/329471/content

The nominees of the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards were announced this morning, and Chicago earns its rep as a world-class place to get some grub -- provided you like mostly three- and four-star grub.

Alinea's Grant Achatz (pictured above) is again in the running for Outstanding Chef, while Graham Elliot Bowles (for Avenues, though he has recently announced his departure), Carrie Nahabedian (Naha) and Bruce Sherman (North Pond) make up three-fifths of the nominees for Best Chef: Great Lakes, a region that includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Spiaggia is nominated for the Outstanding Service Award. Brain Duncan, wine director at Bin 36 is nominated for the Outstanding Wine Service Award. Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate) is nominated as Outstanding Pastry Chef. Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain you Enterprises is up for the Outstanding Restaurateur Award. The Santa Monica, Calif. design group Robert Louey Design is nominated for Outstanding Restaurant Graphics for its work with Sepia.

In Chicago media, Vince Gerasole from CBS2 Chicago work for Table for Two is nominated for Television Food Segment. WTTW's Geoffry Baer is nominated for "Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History" in the Television Food Special category.

Our question: Who's missing? If you were on the James Beard Foundation awards committee, who would you have nominated from Chicago?

When we heard Abt Electronics had added a full-service cafe and wine bar to their Glenview campus, we had one initial thought: Are they hoping people will go drink a bottle of wine and by a bigger TV? So we asked company president Mike Abt that very question.

“Yes,” he said, not missing a beat. Though Mike insists their reason for opening the restaurant stems from his father, CEO Bob Abt’s, long-standing desire to own an eatery, he admits they’ve seen good results by mixing electronics and booze in the past. “Sometimes we’d host charity parties in the store, and they’d cater the event and serve liquor, and we’d keep our store open an extra hour for these sorta-drunk people. It was easy sales. Our salesmen loved it; they all wanted to work that extra hour.”

Abt’s new eatery is called Jolane’s Cafe and Wine Bar. Read more about it in our round-up of off-the-radar spots around the suburbs.

 

Aside from never forgetting, an elephant also apparently never loses a fight, as “Horton Hears a Who!” topped the box office for the second straight week with $25.1 million. The Dr. Seuss adaptation held off a strong charge by “Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns,” (pictured above) which placed second with a solid $20 million. Not so solid were debuts for Joshua Jackson’s lame horror remake, “Shutter,” which was No. 3 with $10.7 million, and Owen Wilson “Drillbit Taylor,” which landed at No. 4 with $10.2 million.

Do these results mean Perry can do no wrong? Did you see any movies over the weekend, or were you too busy with the NCAA tournament?

The wait is over. On hiatus since moving out of its South Loop space in July 2007, the world music/arts/dance venue HotHouse is back, thanks to a partnership with the Viaduct Theater. Starting in April, the space will be divided between HotHouse-programmed music events and Viaduct-programmed theater events, switching back and forth several times throughout the year with a total of about six months for each. The 2008 schedule has not been finalized, but it's clear that April will be all music, back to theater in May, and back to music some time in late August/early September. The first show will be Seneke Ensemble, 10 p.m. April 5. $12-$15 and free for HotHouse members.

 

Looking for a last-minute Easter dessert? We couldn't resist snapping these pictures of Swirlz's (click for details) spring offerings at Common Threads World Festival on Monday. Pastry chef Jeremy Sher seems to have outdone himself. Place your order by today for pickup tomorrow--or stop in to see what's in the case. Look for the ones with the little Easter baskets. Adorable!

Have you done your Easter shopping yet? We just stopped by Walgreens to discover that buying a bag of jellybeans these days is about as complex as buying new car. So many flavors! How to choose?

We ran a little blind taste test in the office to help you decide. 

Metromix staffers rated each brand on a scale to 1 to 5 (1 is yucky, 5 is yummy). We also wanted to see if they could matched some of the flavors listed on the packaging.

Here are the results. You may want to hold on to your Easter bonnets!

BRAND: JELLY BEANS (Generic from Walgreens)
Purported flavors: strawberry, lime, lemon, grape, orange, licorice, cherry, vanilla

LISA ARNETT
Favorite flavor:  Hands down, the pink. Totally tastes like cotton candy to me.
Tasting notes: These look like the classic, old-school jelly beans that always seem to have twice as many licorice beans as other flavors. And I hate licorice. 

KAREN BUDELL
Favorite flavor: pink, green
Tasting notes: Waxy and chewy, I’m thinking this is what crayons would taste like if they were spiced up with a hint of fruit and made edible. Avoid the black (licorice…you either love it or hate it. I hated this.)

REBECCA PALMORE
Favorite flavor: licorice
Tasting notes: This is the cookie-cutter/everyman's jelly bean, nothing remarkable, too squishy.

M. KATHLEEN PRATT
Favorite flavor: cherry
Tasting notes: Plump, but not packing a lot of flavor. The pink one tasted like feet and the purple one had no discernable flavor at all. The good news: Black is mild too, so it's actually not bad.

FINAL RATING: 2.2

BRAND: LIFE SAVERS: ASSORTED
Purported flavors: cherry, lemon, green apple, orange, strawberry, peach, grape, pineapple 

LISA
Favorite flavor:  Love the yellow -- it's super lemony.
Tasting notes: The purple tastes distinctly like grape Kool-aid. Or grape Dimetapp. The white/transparent one was kind of lemon-lime/cream soda-tasting. 

REBECCA
Favorite flavor: tangerine
Tasting notes: Distinct and tangy; the small shape is cuter than its traditional pudgy cousin

KAREN
Favorite flavor: tangerine and cherry
Tasting notes: The flavors are faily spot-on: green apple, coconut, cherry, and even a distinct difference between tangerine and orange.

MATT
Favorite flavor: pink lemonade
Tasting notes: Remember when Cinnaburst gum used to advertise having flavor crystals? I can taste flavor crystals. 

 FINAL RATING: 4.4 (WINNER!!!)

BRAND: LIFE SAVERS: PASTELS
Purported flavors: Red raspberry, mango medley, cotton candy, watermelon, blueberry, pina colada

LISA
Favorite flavor:  green
Tasting notes: Jelly beans should not taste like coconut. I did not see that coming with the white ones. This pastel orange one started out OK with the first bite, until I realized it tasted like cantaloupe, which I can't stand. 

KAREN
Favorite flavor: blue
Tasting notes: Most have more of a melon flavoring, but the green sort of tasted like grass clippings.

REBECCA
Favorite flavor: coconut
Tasting notes: Love Easter pastels, but they don't taste as nice as they look; peach-colored one has a frighteningly soapy aftertaste; after a handful, my mouth is fuzzy. Weird.

KATHLEEN
Favorite flavor: coconut
Tasting notes: These look like Easter. But I can't tell what some of the flavors are ... there are three or four I'd just call "fruit punch." I miss the black ones.

MATT
Favorite flavor: A light orange bean that gave off a late hint of mango. I think.
Tasting notes: The flavors are the most subtle, so I'm not sure I can taste anything specific.

FINAL RATING: 3 

BRAND: WONKA NERDS: BUMPY JELLY BEANS
Purported flavors: None specified 

LISA
Favorite flavor: Orange. It reminds me of the watery orange drink stuff they used to serve at McDonald's.
Tasting notes: The bumpy texture on these makes them look like rabbit turds. But in technicolor.

REBECCA
Favorite flavor: grape
Tasting notes: This is what happens when jelly beans and nerds procreate.

KATHLEEN
Favorite flavor:  pink
Tasting notes: Little alien jelly bean, covered in bumps, but I love the sour flavor. These remind me of something from my childhood. Pop rocks? I can't put my finger on it.

MATT
Favorite flavor: A very grape soda-esque grape. Oddly refreshing.
Tasting notes: The fruit emerges from the weird outer shell like someone pouring juice into your mouth from underneath your tongue.

FINAL RATING: 3.8 

BRAND: WONKA GUMMY SWEETART BUNNIES
Purported Flavors: None specified

LISA
Favorite flavor:  Tie between the pink and green. I have no clue what flavor the pink is, but I love the apple-y green one.
Tasting notes: Hey, these aren't jelly beans at all! How'd these make the cut? I am obsessed with gummi candy, so these are my favorite, hands down.

KAREN
Favorite flavor: orange
Tasting notes: Not much to say except these squishy, sugar-coated bunny gummies have a slight SweeTart flavor.

REBECCA
Favorite flavor: grape
Tasting notes: Soft gummy texture gets a nice finish with sugar coating; tangy but not tart; these are some chewy bunnies!

KATHLEEN
Favorite flavor:  orange
Tasting notes: These are not beans unless they hatched into gummy bunnies. They all kind of taste the same.

MATT
Favorite flavor: NONE
Tasting notes: Not even the shape and sourness of Sour Patch Kids can counteract the sensation of a sponge in your mouth. Tastes like flavored rubber.

FINAL RATING: 3.2

BRAND: BRACH'S CLASSIC JELLY BIRD EGGS
Purported flavors: cherry, grape, raspberry Pineapple, orange, lemon, lime, licorice 

LISA

Favorite flavor: none 
Tasting notes: I thought these were the same as No. 1, until I bit into one. There's little flavor in any of these.

KAREN
Favorite flavor: red
Tasting notes: They’re trying to capture specific fruit flavors but falling flat and processed.

REBECCA
Favorite flavor: licorice
Tasting notes: These are the kind of old-school, discount beans every kid laments during Easter, but the licorice flavor leaves a great ouzo aftertaste.

KATHLEEN
Favorite flavor: none 
Tasting notes: These have an almost medicinal taste. I ate a black one and now I can't get the taste to go away. 

FINAL RATING: Rating: 1.4  

There’s no way you could shop at the Green City Market and not have loved the first 15 minutes of tonight’s episode of “Top Chef.” I mean, doesn’t that guy from Liberty Family Farm always dig reeeaally slow through that disorganized cooler to see if he has any of whatever it is you’re looking for left? Don’t you inevitably trip over some 4-year-old who’s wandered off while Mom and Dad are off looking for leeks? And don’t you always wonder who buys the eucalyptus? (It’s guys like Richard, apparently.)

But apart from a fun trip to the market and some nice air time for Lincoln Park Zoo staffers, it was a tough night for Chicago. Stephanie and Valerie were both on the chopping block, and Valerie had to pack her knives and go. We hated to see it end so soon for her, but honestly, we kinda saw this one coming. She just seemed a bit too laid-back (this is, after all, a woman who recently told us the Chipp Inn was one of her favorite bars) for a competition this intense.

We’ll break the rest of the field down for you, but first, some takeaways from tonight’s episode.

Notable “Top Chef” first: Team Penguin serves a glacier.

Best line of the evening: “It looked like something a bear would produce, not eat.” (Gail, in reference to Team Bear’s mushrooms.)

Meanest line of the evening: Surprisingly, this honor doesn’t go to Gail. Instead, it goes to the guy from the zoo who said Valerie’s blini “tasted a little bit like dirt.”

Odd repeat ingredient: Ras el hanout. If we were in Morocco, we wouldn’t have batted an eye. But Cafe Brauer is a long way from Marrakech, so Richard’s decision to feature ras el hanout prominently in back-to-back episodes had us scratching our heads. As did the fact that none of the judges commented on it.

Weirdest promo during a commercial break: Padma in a cocktail dress dancing, wild-eyed, with knives. Huh?

Most exciting tease to Episode 3: Half-second shot of Rick Bayless. Finally, a local chef at the judge’s table!

Now, about those cheftestants …

THE GOOD

Andrew: Won this challenge handily with his squid dish. But also came up with the idea to make a glacier, which charmed Wylie Dufresne as only an edible glacier can charm Wylie Dufresne.

Mark: Recovered from an airheaded mistake to win the Quickfire Challenge, then wowed the judges with … anchovies? And we didn’t think anyone could top his marmite miracle from Episode 1.

Stephanie: Good showing in Episode 1, shaky performance in Episode 2. At this point, it’s nothing more than a feeling—but with Valerie gone, she’s our only hope for a hometown win, so we’ve gotta stay positive.

THE BAD

Erik: His food is ugly. Really ugly. This is food only a mother could love.

Spike: He confessed to “molesting” the produce early on in this episode. We’re still uncomfortable.

Nikki: Do we really have to talk about those mushrooms again?

Possible sleepers:

Antonia: Sure, we just noticed her for the first time about 20 minutes into tonight’s show. But now we’re intrigued.

Ryan: His Sam-from-Season-2 good looks caught our attention early on, and tonight he proved he could hang.

What do you think? Are we totally off base? Is it too early to call?

This we know for sure: 62% of viewers who texted in to tonight’s Bravo text poll thinks the animal Tom most resembles is a bear.

 

The spot: The owners of Edgewater’s Summer Noodle & Rice (click for details) knew winter-weary Chicagoans would appreciate a breath of fresh air year-round, which is how the place got its name. Located next to the Granville “L” stop on the CTA Red Line, this modern, five-month-old pan-Asian eatery is decorated in sunny orange and white hues. Merry Buddha statues greet you at the register, while hip beats give the place a clubby feel. The menu features unique specials such as spicy mango shrimp ($12), stir-fried in mango sauce with red and green bell peppers and white onions, served with rice; and Red Duck ($14), a spicy rice dish of seared duck breast, tomato, pineapple and bok choy in a red curry sauce. The classic pad Thai ($6.95) here is perfectly moist and fresh, while the Spicy Basil ($6.95), stir-fried with fresh basil, green beans, bell peppers and onion in a chili garlic sauce, has just the right kick (meat optional for both entrees).

The bottle: The Sovereign is a bar around the corner that’s been open for 51 years. Locals love it for its laid-back atmosphere, as well as for its license to sell six-packs to-go. While domestic six-packs ($6) (cold, when available --CQ) such as Old Style and Budweiser are available, South-of-the-border beers like Negro Modelo or Corona ($8.50 each) are better choices to put you in a sunny state of mind. If you’re hankering for a crisp white wine to temper the heat of Summer’s cuisine, there’s Dominick’s (6009 N. Broadway 773-769-2300) just a bit south. We like the reliable Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc (currently $8.98 with a Dominick’s Fresh Values card; regularly $12.99). Summer Noodle & Rice does not charge a corkage fee. --Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor.

 

Debonair Social Club's so-called Official Justice After Party isn't so official after all: The hipster hang in Wicker Park is backing off any guarantee that the dance duo from France (a.k.a. Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspart Auge) will stop by after Thursday's sold-out show at the Riv.

We’re confused. And that’s official.

Debonair PR blames scheduling issues with band managers for the snafu. But as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Debonair's web site still displayed a flyer for the "official" Justice after party. DJ Diplo, who appears on the Justice bill at the Riv, is supposed to hit Debonair’s decks, but not the French pair.

OK, so where can fans get a little, um, Justice? Another local PR promoter who represents Justice says they will spin at Sonotheque after the concert. How can they be so sure? The promoter plans to driving the duo there. Now that sounds official to us.

We did our best to pry "Top Chef" secrets from Padma Lakshmi last night at the Common Threads benefit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, but she remained tight-lipped. "Top Chef" contestant (and first week's winner) Stephanie Izard was there too, helping Rocco DiSpirito prepare his panzanella salad with roast beef. She wasn't talking, either. Nor was the other Chicago-based "TC" contestant Valerie Bolon, who was helping various chefs prepare their dishes for the evening. Tom Colicchio was so busy serving his smoky pork lettuce wraps, we didn't bother to ask.  Gail Simmons was there, but we never got the chance to chat. But we did manage one scoop, courtesy of Lakshmi, who told the audience to look for Art Smith's Common Threads organization to make an appearance this season. But, I guess we could have kind of figured that out by the end of the night.

 

Tickets are sold out for Chicago pop quartet The Hush Sound's show tonight at Beat Kitchen, but you can still catch them during an in-store performance and signing at 5:30 p.m. at Best Buy in Bucktown (2100 N. Elston Ave.). The event ties in with today's release of "Goodbye Blues," which unfortunately represents a step backwards from their catchy last album "Like Vines." But it never hurts to see a free mini-concert from a local act trying to make it big.

Click here for details: http://chicago.metromix.com/music/cd_review/the-hush-sound-goodbye/344337/content

 

What's left for a rabid Project Runway fan to do after drooling over those candy dresses at Hershey's Chicago, re-watching TiVoed episodes and thumbing through our photo gallery of gleeful winner Christian Siriano? Well, meet Nina Garcia, of course. The venerable P.R. judge and Elle magazine fashion director is in town to dish style tips after an Anne Klein fashion show at Macy's State Street this Thursday. There's sure to be a crowd, so we suggest you jet out of work a bit early if you want a primo view of both the show and Ms. Garcia herself. More info here: http://chicago.metromix.com/style/shopping_event/ak-anne-klein-presents-loop/324510/content

Let this video is from CNN.com be a lesson to all you would-be ham stealers out there:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2008/03/17/dnt.ma.meat.thief.whdh

 

 

 

 

The nearly $36 million debut for "10,000 BC" doesn't look so mammoth anymore. "Horton Hears a Who!" took in $45.1 million over the weekend to top the box office and reign as the biggest opening so far this year. ("Cloverfield was the previous champ, opening with $40.1 million.) It's not surprising that audiences showed up for the just-OK Dr. Seuss adaptation, but its competition wasn't exactly fierce. "10,000" fell to second with $16.4 million, the surprisingly solid martial arts flick "Never Back Down" debuted at No. 3 with only $8.61 million and "Doomsday" landed at seventh with just $4.7 million. Did voice work by Jim Carrey, Steve Carell and Seth Rogen draw you to "Horton," or does it still seem like kids' stuff? Did you check out "Never Back Down" or just stay home and watch "Fight Club"?

Want to turn a regular night out into a do-good event? Think you can toss a bottle better than Tom Cruise in "Cocktail"? Then you'll definitely want to know that Bridie McKenna's (click for details), an Irish bar in Highwood that opened in January, recently introduced a charity bartending promotion. They don't actually advocate tossing bottles of liquor around, but if you're willing to donate your time, the staff will welcome you behind the bar to pull Guiness and shake up drinks for your friends. It sounds pretty simple to us: Call Bridie's to set up a timeslot, invite your friends, and then donate your tips to your charity of choice (the most recent was American Cancer Society). Clearly, it'll also help this North Shore newbie get bodies in the door, but we've gotta admit it's cool to have the chance to indulge your secret aspirations to bartend -- and for a worthy cause, too.

Heading into tonight’s premiere, all we could think about was how excited we were that the world was finally going to learn that Chicago cuisine is about more than deep dish pizza and beer. And then “Top Chef” promptly gave the world … deep dish pizza and beer.

 

Not only that, they let a bunch of out-of-towners make a mess of the pizza.

 

OK, it wasn’t all bad. Vegemite and all, Kiwi contestant Mark did a bang-up job recreating a Chicago-style pizza—he even got it right with the sauce on top. And to be fair, it wasn’t just the out-of-town crowd that stumbled. Our local gals, Valerie and Stephanie, didn’t do so well either.

 

Fortunately, Stephanie redeemed herself in the Elimination Challenge. And while Valerie didn’t shine in the elimination round, she did cook well enough to edge out her competitor in the head-to-head and avoid the judge’s table.

 

We’ll wait a week or two before we start making predictions about who’s going and who’s staying; instead, some observations:

 

Bombshell of the night: Jennifer and Zoi are dating. What? This is a first for “Top Chef.” Everyone plays it cool when they drop the news over deep dish at Pizzeria Uno, but you’ve gotta wonder if someone won’t flip out and cry “foul” if one (or both) of them becomes a serious contender.

 

Haircut of the night: Same as Season 3, it’s the faux hawk. What is it with chefs and faux hawks, anyway?

 

Most gratuitous product placement of the night: Not a big surprise, but this honor goes to Glad. Seriously, why are there racks and racks of Glad products in the holding room where the chefs hang out while the judges deliberate? What could they possibly need to bag, wrap or otherwise store while they’re sitting in there sweating it out?

 

Cheftestant with the most villain potential: Richard. Episode 1 and you’re already hogging pizza pans and hoarding mayonnaise? We give you two more weeks before everyone starts calling you Marcel. (The mad scientist clips from your audition tape don’t help your case.)

 

Cheftestant most likely to talk a big game and go home early: Andrew. And if tonight is any indication, he’ll go down cursing and, well, mostly just cursing.

 

Worst plating of the night: Erik’s pepper jack cheese souffle. We kinda like Erik, based on initial impressions, and we definitely felt for him and Zoi for drawing last and ending up with souffles for this challenge. But the black bean sauce smeared across his plate was, um, let’s just say it wasn’t very appetizing and leave it at that.

 

Dish of the night: Hands-down, Stephanie’s duck a l'orange with an Asian twist. (Yeah, we’re biased. So what?) The seared duck breast on maitake mushrooms and bok choy looked good enough, but the braised duck leg spring roll with shitake mushrooms and bok choy was a brilliant addition because it allowed her to use the whole duck and truly update a classic without messing with the fundamentals too much. It put the dish over the edge. Everything looked great, and she wasn’t the least bit cocky about it—in fact, she seemed genuinely surprised and grateful that the judges loved it. She could go far.

 

We'll be back next week for more. Until then, check out our interviews with Stephanie, Valerie and Season 3 finalist Dale Levitski.

The spot: Your neighbor asked you to collect his mail while he’s in Cancun. Your obnoxious coworker can’t stop talking about her upcoming trip to Cozumel. Instead of moping about your own (nonexistent) spring break plans, create the tropical feeling right here at home with dinner at La Cazuela (Click here for info). The bright, casual Rogers Park spot takes its influences from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Exposed brick walls are decked out with whimsically ocean-themed decorations entwined in a net. And though the enchiladas, burritos and fajitas are all tried-and-true options, it’s the extensive seafood lineup that’s kept neighborhood fans coming back to this family-run business for the past 18 years. The coctel a la campechana grande appetizer, a shrimp, crab meat and octopus cocktail ($14) is a crowd pleaser, as is the big-enough-for-two Seven Seas Soup ($13.99), a hearty melange of  seafood and shellfish. Tilapia or shrimp tacos are $2 each; a meal, which includes three tacos, rice, beans and a salad, is $8.50.

The bottle: The neighborhood has a handful of liquor stores and mini-super markets, but the Super Mercado Roman has everything you need to complete the spring break vibe—including cheap, cold beer. Snag a six-pack of Tecate cans ($5.99) or upgrade to a six-pack of bottled Dos Equis or Sol ($7.99). If you need a fruity drink to feel like you’re really on the beach, grab a bottle of Jose Cuervo Especial tequila ($19) or Bacardi Superior rum ($14.50) to mix with La Cazuela’s non-alcoholic pina coladas, margaritas or daiquiris (all $3.99). La Cazuela charges no corkage fee for the first bottle or six-pack; there’s a $5 charge for any additional bottles or six-packs. --Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. metromix@tribune.com

This just in: This year's Pitchfork Music Festival will take place July 18-20 in Union Park, with tickets ($30 for single day; $50 for Sat.-Sun pass; $65 for 3-day pass) on sale noon Wednesday. The current list of acts includes Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend, Spiritualized, !!! and M. Ward, plus a Friday-night set during which Public Enemy will perform "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" in its entirety.

Will we see you there? Who are you hoping gets added to the lineup?

http://www.pitchforkmusicfestival.com/

 

History buffs are not going to like this: The absurdly inaccurate—and unintentionally hilarious—action epic "10,000 BC" raked it in over the weekend, topping the box office with $35.7 million. It was a much more impressive debut than the equally terrible but less funny "College Road Trip," which placed second with a below-expectations $14 million. (Just a thought: Does anyone else think Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone starring in a movie together may be a sign of the apocalypse?) The dull heist movie, "The Bank Job," didn't do much either, placing fifth with $5.71 million.

Does it bother you if movies about history have no actual facts? Or do you just want to see a lot of mammoths, saber-tooth tigers and prehistoric heroes battle it out?

It was a big day for Lolla lovers, and the festival's nearly five months away. That's because the super-early, $60 pre-sale tickets were snapped up in about 20 minutes this morning, and later Greg Kot reported on his blog that the event (Aug. 1-3) would be headlined by none other than Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails. Excited yet? If so, stay tuned; the next block of tickets goes on sale March 25.

 

During our recent visit to Sixteen, the new restaurant in the Trump International Hotel and Tower, we were offered the choice between tap or bottled water. No surprise there: couture water is becoming de rigeur even at places that don't have Swarovski crystal chandeliers shimmering overhead. Out of curiosity, I asked for the price of the bottle. It was $12. I'll stick to tap, thank you very much. When water costs $12, it better be soda and have some vodka in it.

But even cheapies people like me may want to kick in a buck for that normally gratis glass of Chicago's finest at more than 150 restaurants March 16-22. Why? That $1 goes to UNICEF's Tap Project. The charitable organization says $1 can supply a child clean, safe drinking water for 40 days.

We'll drink to that.

MORE INFO HERE: http://www.tapproject.org/cities/chicago.

A Metromix reader wrote to us this week with what we thought was a pretty good question: When you don't want to  finish that whole bottle of wine at a restaurant (or simply can't), doesn’t that restaurant have to -- by law -- provide you with a way to carry it home.

Turns out, not really.

Here's the deal: In January 2007, a so-called "cork and carry" law went to effect for all of Illinois. The law says that if a restaurant recorks your wine for you to bring home, then it must put it in special one-time use, see-through, sealable and tamper-proof  bags -- not your ordinary Ziplock. Putting the half-consumed bag in a brown paper bag and stapling the top just isn't going to cut it -- and could put the restaurant afoul of its liquor license. Restaurants must also provide a dated receipt just in case the cops pull you over on your way home. 

But this law basically just spells out how that doggy bag must be handled -- it doesn't require that a restaurant must provide the doggy bag in the first place.

We spoke to one restaurant GM who said that the only reason they wouldn't provide the bag is that they're difficult to obtain -- and the request itself is pretty rare.

The good news: According to a Chicago Tribune story last year, however, you can bring your own specially approved bags with you. The bad news: good luck finding those bags.

We called Sam's Wine and Spirits in Lincoln Park and South Loop and Binny's in Lakeview and none stocked these special bags.

However, this web site Winedoggybag.com sells the special bags direct to the public: Smallest pack available online is 25 bags for $18.75, but if you call directly they have smaller amounts available to the public, according to the rep we spoke to.

 

The spot: To call Umaiya Cafe (click for details) “tiny” is an understatement. The mod little Ravenswood pan-Asian eatery seats fewer than 20 people. But as if to make up for such a small space, the Thai and Japanese cuisine packs enormous flavor. All of the expected nigiri, sashimi and maki are there, but you’ll also find creative maki such as the Winter Roll, a mix of white tuna, salmon, scallions, wasabi mayo, radish sprouts and black tobiko ($8). The ham maki is a not-before-seen combo of crab stick, bean sprouts, smoked ham and creamy mayo sauce ($8). Sushi-phobes might prefer the Thai noodle and rice dishes. The Umai Noodle ($7), a flat rice noodle served with tomato, bell pepper, onion, carrot and your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu, is a colorful option.

The bottle: Rayan’s Discount Liquors (1532 W. Montrose Ave. 773-728-7765) is a friend to the several BYOB restaurants in this Ravenswood pocket, carrying a variety of beers and wines suitable for the different types of cuisine. Keep it real and casual with a six-pack of Japanese Kirin beer ($7.99). If you’re ordering from the Thai side of Umaiya’s menu, consider a bottle of San Giuseppe pinot grigio ($9.99). The light, crisp white pairs well with entrees such as Spicy Basil, a vermicelli noodle dish with onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and sweet basil ($7). Umaiya Cafe does not charge a corkage fee. -- Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor

Earlier on in this season of Project Runway, the designers faced the "Hershey's Challenge," or what we'll refer to as the most blatantly undisguised instance of commercial product placement throughout the entire season. Their task: Rush into the Hershey's store in New York City, grab as much loot as they could carry, and -- of course -- create an outfit out of it. It was totally absurd, yet somehow completely engrossing to watch.

Starting this week, you can check out five of the dresses up close while they're on display at the Hershey's Store here in Chicago (click here for store hours and maps) until March 18--including Christian's halter dress made out of about a zillion Reese's peanut butter cup wrappers, Elisa's dress fashioned out of brown velvet Hershey's pillows (which got her Auf Wiedersehen-ed), and Ricky's super-silvery number (pictured here).

 

We were crushed to find out that Jillian's bustier-style dress fashioned out of actual Twizzlers isn't included in the exhibiting bunch (too fragile to make the trip, maybe?), though you can bid on it (and the rest of the Hershey's creations) in an online auction benefiting the Young Survival Coalition, an organization supporting breast cancer survivors, through March 18. The Twizzler-rific frock started at $10 and, as of our last look, was up to $200.
 
In other Project Runway-centric news, we're on pins and needles (pun totally intended) for the finale tonight. Who are you rooting for?
 


 

Summer's still a long way off, so may this big-ass brat inspire you until it's backyard cookout time. Click for details on the Giant Brat Drop.

 

Streeterville's glitzy ceviche specialist DeLaCosta (click for address) apparently really, really wants you to come in for lunch.  Yeah, I know what you're saying: All the way down by Navy Pier? Too far. No thanks.

Not so fast: The Streeterville spot will pay for your cab ride to the restaurant. Present a cab receipt of up to $10 that they'll deduct from the bill (two-person minimum).

It's not a bad deal, but a couple of things strike us: When was the last time a cabbie filled out a receipt for you?

And who's paying for the ride back to the office?

Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

As they have the past two years, Lollapalooza organizers will again offer a limited amount of three-day passes for only $60. We just received an email saying those tickets will go on sale some time this week. Keep your eyes on lollapalooza.com and you may be one of the lucky ones to score the dynamite deal (full-price passes for the event eventually will cost you around $150). The only catch: The fest lineup hasn't been announced yet, so cross your fingers. (Last year, the lineup was announced in April.)

While shopping in downtown LaGrange this weekend, we stumbled upon Fox TV crew filming at Cafe 36 for Fox TV's Kitchen Nightmares. On this Hell's Kitchen spinoff, the indomitable Chef Gordon Ramsay sweeps into a struggling restaurant and spends a few days ripping the kitchen apart from top to bottom and whipping staffers into shape. Trailers and vans filled up nearly half of the Calendar Court parking lot near the restaurant, and both local police and Fox TV production staffers made sure passersby were steered clear -- a whole lot of hype for this quaint and usually quiet suburban downtown. Staffers at the Fey & Company jewelry store across the street reported that they'd caught glimpses of Ramsey throughout the weekend, never without a bodyguard by his side. We when called Cafe 36 this morning to check in, their voicemail box was -- surprise -- full. We finally did catch an audibly frantic Carol Gilmer (she's ran the restaurant since 2005 with her husband Terry) this afternoon. "I just got done going through 100 messages," she said. Restaurant owners can nominate their own eateries on the Kitchen Nightmares website, but when we asked how Cafe 36 was chosen for the show, we received the expected Fox-TV-has-sworn-us-to-secrecy response. Gilmer did confirm that they're hoping to reopen with regular lunch and dinner service tomorrow. Stay tuned to The Extrovert for details on when the show will be airing.

 

 

 

 

I never thought I'd be disappointed when "only" 11 people on a took the Double Door stage.

Bryn Bennett and Alex Necochea--the founders of heavy metal choir Bang Camaro--told us the band usually performs with 12 to 20 singers (read our interview here), so I was hoping to see at least a dozen dudes on stage Friday.

To my surprise, there were only, like, six or seven singers, plus a couple guitarists and a whole lot of fist-pumping. No matter: This serious-yet-silly metal act totally, fully rocked, despite playing for only about 52 minutes and cranking out a roster of songs that pretty much all sounded the same.

Driven by chugging hooks and vocals done completely in unison, their performance was full of "Yeah!"s and "Hey!"s and, more importantly, just plain fun. The hard-rocking took people back to the late '80s without motivating anyone to start a mosh pit. (Yes, that's harder to do than it sounds.)

Plus, the two-thirds-full crowd was only about 65 percent men, lower than the predicted, uh, 90 percent. For anyone who doesn't feel like shelling out the cash to see washed-up versions of actual '80s metal bands like Motley Crue churn out their hits, Bang Camaro makes something old look new again. And it's certainly the rockin'-est 10 bucks I've spent in weeks.

 

Yes, Will Ferrell's latest sports comedy, "Semi-Pro," topped the box office this weekend. But only $15.3 million? That's pretty weak for a movie with one of the biggest stars in comedy, and just barely enough to hold off last week's champ, "Vantage Point," which brought in another $13 million. The ridiculous piece of historical fiction "The Other Boleyn Girl"--with an emphasis on the fiction part--placed fourth with $8.3 million, and Christina Ricci's effective fairy tale "Penelope" landed at No. 8 with $4 million.

Does this mean people have had enough Will Ferrell sports movies? How huge will numbers be for this weekend's mammoth-sized, mammoth-starring "10,000 BC"?