Now that murder, arson, sexual assault, corruption, and poverty have been eliminated, the city can finally focus on real crime: foie gras hot dogs. The Chicago Tribune reports that the owner of Hot Doug's has been fined for serving a forbidden duck liver sausage . We feel safer already. But Trib restaurant critic Phil Vettel expects "pro-choice foodies" to help owner Doug Sohn (left) help pay his $250 fine . Where do you stand on the foie gras issue?

The Illinois legislature is considering a bill that would allow dogs to accompany their owners in outdoor cafes. According to the Associated Press, the bill is written in such a way that it would apply only to cities with populations in excess of one million. But after strolling around Lakeview last weekend, the Extrovert is surprised to learn that you can't already bring your four-legged pals with you. We spied plenty of pooches on the laps of diners in cafes along Broadway. In fact, Nabo's even offers bowls of water for thirsty critters.

What do you think? Should dogs be allowed where people are eating?

Rejoice, Chicago! New York no longer considers us a flyover city. At least, that's the late-to-the-party, "hey-kids-have-you-heard-about-Chicago?" message we get from the New York Sun's article claiming that the calming sounds of locals The Autumn Defense, The Sea and Cake and The Zincs are making our town "the capital of the budding New Mellow." It's not that we disagree. It's just that we could have cited those examples two years ago, back when The Autumn Defense already had two (now three) albums in stores, The Sea and Cake had six (soon to be seven), and The Zincs released their debut. (The band put out the follow-up, "Black Pompadour," last week on local label Thrill Jockey.) Are we "the capital of the budding New Mellow"? Maybe. Why didn't New York notice before? Who knows. While you ponder that, check out our interview with The Autumn Defense.

So The Police added a second show at Wrigley? Snore. There's only one 80s act we want to see reform--the Smiths. But since Morrissey has said that he'd rather "eat my own testicles" than do that, we're not holding our breath. (Yes, we know it's ironic: the Extrovert is a Morrissey fan.) Tickets for Moz's May15 Auditorium Theatre show officially go on sale Saturday. But true-to-you.net, the semi-official house organ for Mozzer, Inc., released a secret code to get in on today's 10 a.m. presale. As we desperately typed GREATESTHITS over and over into Ticketmaster's web site, our hopes for seats were repeatedly dashed. A few lucky souls, however, posted to Morrissey-Solo.com that they've managed to eke out a few tix--lousy as they may be. Hope remains, however: WXRT is sponsoring a presale at 10 a.m. tomorrow, with a new presale password; all you have to do is sign up for its VIP Lounge  to get it.

In the meantime, here is some footage we found on YouTube of Morrissey performing --appropriately enough -- "Disappointed" at the Aragon last Novemeber:

We just updated our New on the Scene column with spots that are scheduled to open in April. That list includes Alhambra in the West Loop, Hop Haus in River West, Fleur de Lis in South Shore, Anteprima in Andersonville, Crust in Wicker Park and Gage in the South Loop. What do these spots all have in common? All were scheduled to open in February or March. Of course, it always takes a looong time for restaurants in Chicago to get that those final inspections and licenses (particularly liquor licenses), but The Extrovert cannot remember seeing so many new spots standing on deck at the same time--and for so long. We wonder if the recent controversy regarding city building inspectors is adding to the delays. Whatever the reason, we can't wait until these places actually open their doors; we're hungry!

Trendy's not been so good for restaurants lately. Two weeks ago, tricked-out tapas spot Del Toro in Wicker Park closed not quite a year and a half after opening . The reason? Business was good, say owners, but just not quite good enough. The solution: Close. Reconcept. Reopen. (Sort of like what they did with the Mod space that last occupied the space). No word on when the new spot will open. Now we hear  Boystown's X/O Chicago is going to have a similar fate. Owner Mark Liberson is being vague about the details, but he did confirm to the Extrovert that he's planning to close this spring and reopen with a new look and new name. No word on the menu, but here's one juicy bit of gossip: Interior designer Nancy Warren will be working on the reformulated space. Liberson also hints that an entirely new spot is also in the offing.

Get ready to light up your nightlife at the end of April, when contemporary lounge Lumen opens on Fulton Market. The cutting-edge space created by longtime friends Jason Freiman, Peter Gogarty and Nick Podesta, was born of a concept to create a place where they would like to spend time, and one that allows them to alter the atmosphere to match a specific mood-in this case, by utilizing a low-voltage LED lighting and video system. Gogarty, who's responsible for Lumen's interior design, shed some light on the scene during a pre-opening tour: "The idea behind using the (LED) system on the ceiling was so that the space constantly changes.

Check out more new spots in my just updated New on the Scene column.

Ten dollars for three hours of food and drinks on a Friday night? Sounds too good to be true, so we stopped into Union Tavern's so-called After Work Party to get the scoop. Well, sure, the drinks they offered from 6-9 p.m. were well drinks or tiny plastic cups of Miller and Bud beers, and the quesadillas were pretty flimsy, and the pizza was stocked so infrequently we only enjoyed one round in nearly three hours. But, honestly, we weren't looking for Guinness and prime rib to go with our NCAA tournament watching, so we weren't sweating it too much. After all, you can't find a cheaper way to get your weekend off to a casual, semi-intoxicated start!

I was already convinced life often plays out like a "Seinfeld" episode--who's week doesn't revolve around non-stop cereal and coffee, chatty conversation and occasional societal faux pas? But I had never actually seen a "Seinfeld" plotline playing out right in front of me.That was until I walked out of Pizza Capri, a reliable if unexceptional spot for big pies and fresh ingredients at the corner of Belmont and Sheffield, and saw two people fighting for a hard-to-get metered parking space in almost the exact same situation George Costanza once found himself in: One person was waiting to back into the spot, and another tried to swoop in from the front. The discussion between the two drivers, needless to say, became heated very quickly. The valets at nearby Leona's said they see this happen all the time, and the real-life resolution was no simpler than that on "Seinfeld." Neither car wound up taking the spot.The lesson: If you're desperate for a spot in this often-congested Lakeview area, do as I did and take advantage of the $6 valet at Leona's, where they didn't mind that we weren't actually eating there. They asked, "Are you eating at the restaurant?" We replied: "We're eating at a restaurant." We'll keep an eye out for him the next time we're running late for a show at the Vic.

I've seen a lot during my barhopping, but I don't think I ever imagined I'd see-and I mean really see-vodka like this. While I was out at "The Show" nightclub and bar convetion in Las Vegas the other week, I chatted with Cindy McClure, president of Las Vegas Distilling Group which is behind the creation of ReactionOne.16 Vodka, a vodka that-are you ready for this?-glows in the dark!

Forget glowstick-wielding clubbers, this is meant for the fashionable, image-conscious crowd, she told me. I mean, that is what the nightlife scene is all about: image. But will today's trendsetters be willing to match their cocktail with their clothing?

Anyway, I saw the guy that came up with the formula, Chris Clements, a modern-day mad scientist, complete with tattoos and spiky hair. The vodka he created is essentially your regular, non-flavored premium spirit--except for its glow-in-the-dark neon colors: yellow, pink and violet. Oh, I should note that McClure mentioned overconsumption might mean your pee will glow, but otherwise she tells us it's your average alcochol. I think I'll wait a bit to have a flourescent fancy drink. And so will Chicago; it's not yet available in our city.

Bartending trends have turned back to the basics, but mixologist Jennifer Contraveos' thinking is spring fresh. Contraveos, an assistant manager at River North's Graze, just took home first prize in the Shake It Up Battle of the Mixologists March 6 at The Show in Las Vegas, an annual convention and trade show for the nightlife and hospitality industry. She scored a spot in this national competition -- battling 23 other bartenders -- by submitting her original drink recipe for the Citrine: English cucumber and tangerine segments muddled with hand-squeezed lime juice, a half ounce of Grand Marnier, and one ounce of Belvedere vodka shaken and served up with a candied orange zest garnish. "You really have to put your heart and soul into a drink and make it with fresh ingredients," she explains. In the finals, Contraveos had to think on her feet Iron Chef-style to create an original concoction using a mystery ingredient-the thick Banana Rum Pineapple Jam. "If I can use a jam, I can use anything," Contraveos says. While the Banana Rum Pineapple Jam cocktail's not on the menu, you can try the dynamic, complex flavors of the Citrine ($10) on the the newly launched spring cocktail menu at Graze.

Heads up, Roscoe Villagers: La  Mora, everyone's favorite neighborhood date place, has gotten a bit of a makeover. But owners assure us the romance hasn't gone: The old-school Italian look has just been replaced with stylish new drapes, fresh paint, and a new fireplace. The eclectic menu is about the same, but with a few upgrades: Look for a Black Angus filet ($29) and barbecue Mahi Mahi ($17)--with a "wild berry barbecue sauce". (OK, not sure what that is, but we'd like to give it a try.) Check it out on Wednesdays when you can get a glass of wine for a penny when you order an entree.

The Extrovert hit Art Smith's World Fest (read about it here) and mingled with all the Food Network stars. Yes, Giada De Laurentiis looks just as scrumptious in person as she does on TV, but it was The Boys that left us salivating. No, we're not talking about the cute waiters, but Chicago's very own Food Network stars, the Hearty Boys. Both Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith were looking tan, but not well-rested (they did just fly in from the Miami Food and Wine event, after all), and they gave us the hot-off-the-press new name of their new spot. It will no longer be called Frill, but a high-concept "kitchen karaoke" spot called -- for now at least -- HBTV. We love it! Here's the dealie: If you always thought we could do what Rachel Ray does, HBTV will give you the chance. The Boys give a recipe, guide you, and video you while you try your saute skills in their homegrown studio. Fun, fun, fun. Though the boys sold what was once called HB (now Home Bistro) to the longtime exec chef (Joncarl Lachman, who we also love) the Hearty Boys catering business, will remain in tact, and will be run from the back of the space. Way to go, you guys!