Fashionistas are freaking over patent leather this season, but local Chicago designer Shatira caught our eye with her shiny handbags made of…(drum roll please)…eel skin leather. The shiny stuff is supposedly stronger than cow leather and is in ample supply thanks to the Japanese food industry. “It’s a byproduct that would otherwise be trashed,” says Melissa Tierney, owner of Lincoln Park boutique Mint, which stocks the Shatira brand, ranging from $18 card holders to handbags in the hundreds. Snatch up a wallet ($48) for your sushi-loving friend, if for no other reason than relishing the irony when they whip it out to pay for their unagi.

 

The spot:  Family-owned and -operated for more than seven years, Caro Mio little Italian ristorante oozes romance, with dim candlelight pervading the small, cozy room with reddish walls and a jungle of live plants and flowers throughout. The menu features cuisine from all over Italy, from gnocchi gratinato in Bolognese sauce, baked with mozzarella cheese ($14.95), to the salmone Portofino, sauteed with balsamic vinegar and honey, and garnished with pine nuts and green onions ($17.95). The weekends get crowded, so come on a weeknight for a quieter scene.

The bottle: Lincoln Square’s Fine Wine Brokers (4621 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-989-8166) is a brisk half-mile walk from Caro Mio, and it’s well worth the trek. Owner Gary Rohr is knowledgeable and happy to offer wine suggestions not only to match with cuisine, but down to the specific dish. For the gnocchi gratinato, he suggests Gulfi Nerojbleo made from 100 percent Nero d’Avola grapes ($24). The red wine’s acidity and robust character work well with the heavy dish. Rohr likes the Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo ($23), an Italian white with lighter seafood entrees. “It has wonderful complexity, depth and rich tones but brightness underneath with nice lemon rind sort of accents in the finish,” he says. Caro Mio does not charge a corkage fee. --Emily Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor, metromix@tribune.com

Nominations were announced today for this year's Independent Spirit Awards, the annual celebration of Hollywood's best non-mainstream and semi-low budget to really low budget movies. ("Spider-Man 3" fans, you'll have to look elsewhere for representation.) The nominees are extremely well-chosen, with many that we support and few that we don't.

Read our take on some of the major categories, then check out the full list and let us know what you think. Awards season is officially upon us!

Best Feature
Haven't seen "Paranoid Park," but all of the other nominees ("Juno," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "I'm Not There," "A Mighty Heart") are worth celebrating, with our vote going to "The Diving Bell."

Best First Feature
Kudos to the nomination for "The Lookout," but did anyone else think "Rocket Science" was totally self-conscious and annoying?

Best Female Lead
We're happy to see Sienna Miller ("Interview") and Parker Posey ("Broken English") recognized, but this one looks like Ellen Page ("Juno") beating out Angelina Jolie ("A Mighty Heart") in a tight one. Fine by us.

Best Male Lead
We're happy to see Don Cheadle in there for his funky turn in "Talk to Me," but our vote goes to Frank Langella, so intelligent, dignified and mournful in "Starting Out in the Evening."

Best Supporting Female
Don't even bother with the ceremony. Just give it to Cate Blanchett ("I'm Not There")!

Best Supporting Male
We're rooting for Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Talk to Me"). Not sure how Marcus Carl Franklin snuck in there for "I'm Not There."

 

Looks like, according to this national AP story, that uber-chef Grant Achatz is still rockin' the kitchen at Alinea, despite his recent diagnosis with advanced mouth cancer.

http://chicago.metromix.com/restaurants/article/profile-alineas-grant-achatz/258277/content

How's this for a fairy tale beginning: "Enchanted" took in $35.3 million over the weekend (and $50.1 million since Wednesday) to top the box office. Still, it was far from besting the 1999 "Toy Story 2" $80.1-million Thanksgiving weekend record.

"This Christmas" came in at No. 2 with $18.6 million ($27.1 million since Wednesday), and video game adaptation "Hitman" landed at No. 4 with $13 million ($21 million since Wednesday). Other new releases saw even worse returns, with sappy "August Rush" coming in at No. 7 ($9.4 million; $13.3 million since Wednesday)and spooky "The Mist" landing at No. 9 ($9.1 million; $13 million since Wednesday).

What did you see over the long holiday weekend? Did "Enchanted" charm you? Are you surprised at the low numbers for "The Mist"?

It may be known for hot dogs, but U Lucky Dawg (formely Fluky's) is doing turkey for Thanksgiving. For the 8th year in a row, the classic wiener joint will offer a holiday meal for the disadvantaged families and kids at its Rogers Park location. It will serve more than 400 pounds of turkey (hope they started defrosting 'em), sweet potatoes, cranberries and veggies. And, oh OK, mini-Vienna dogs, too. They expect between 350-420 dinners to be served this year. The free dinner is by reservation only -- call the special hotline number 773-989-4488 to get a spot.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Shh ... just don't call it Bell's.
 
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=27171
 
Hey, we'll call it whatever you want, just as long as it means we don't have to drive to Northwest Indiana to get our hands on some.

Thanks to the CTA’s ongoing Slow Zone Elimination Project, Blue Line commuters have had a rough go of it this year. But Bucktown and Logan Square Blue Liners finally caught a break in May when Vella Cafe opened its doors. Trouble was, the commuter-friendly spot under the Western “L” stop only stayed open until 3 p.m.—a bit of a downer for folks looking for a pick-me-up on the way home from work. Well, we’ve got good news, weary commuters: Vella has expanded its hours, just in time for the most miserable travel months of the year. The cheery little spot is now open until 7 p.m. on weekdays.

When you hear OTB bar, you might conjure up images of dark, dingy places with old men hunched over tables, scribbling bets. Not so at the new Stretch Run Sporting Club & Grille. It’s slick and new, with lots of woodwork and loads of (count ’em: 217!) TV screens.

Could OTB become the new Texas Hold ’Em? Um, probably not. But with a plethora of flatscreens—from 32 inches to 10 feet—there will no doubt be folks drawn here to watch other sporting events, from football and basketball to boxing. Though based on last night’s preview party, we still expect to see plenty of older chaps checking out the ponies upstairs from individual betting and viewing carrels.

Consider us jealous: There was a new episode of "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend, but due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike the show is, ya know, not on TV, so we didn't get to see it. Instead, in a tiny Manhattan theater, an audience of about 150 people got to see the Michael Cera ("Superbad," the upcoming "Juno") host the show, with Yo La Tengo serving as the musical guest.

Normally, the show only consists of seven sketches, but Saturday night's "Saturday Night Live -- On Strike" at the Upright Citizens Bridge Theatre featured 15 and lasted about two hours -- and no commercials!

So did you watch the rerun this weekend? Do you even care about the writer's strike?

 

The legendary hero proved his strength this weekend, with "Beowulf" earning $28.1 million to top the box office. Robert Zemeckis' performance-capture animated epic is surprisingly entertaining, which can't be said for the Willy Wonka-ripoff "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," which came in at No. 5 with only $10 million. Producers of "Love in the Time of Cholera," a weak adaptation of Gabriel Garcia
Marquez's novel, are probably feeling ill after the movie made only $1.9 million to place tenth for the week. Did the story of "Beowulf" excite you, or did you just see it for the naked animated version of Angelina Jolie? Is Dustin Hoffman goofy or embarrassing as Mr. Magorium? And how come screen versions of beloved books never live up to their source?

 

 

Toilets in the dining room, a la The Modern Toilet in Taipei.

Feel like it's been a while since you've heard sad news about Amy Winehouse? (Translation: four days.) Well, the troubled, 24-year-old soul singer is back in the news after a disastrous performance Wednesday in Birmingham, England to kick off a 17-date tour. Winehouse reportedly arrived late, stumbled around, slurred her words, fell into the guitar stand, dropped the microphone, etc. etc. Fans weren't having it. The crowded booed and marched out and generally considered the show a "disgrace."

Winehouse's apparent issues with drug and alcohol abuse, and with her hard-partying and allegedly abusive husband Blake Fielder-Civil, suggest to us that maybe she isn't ready to return to the stage. Certainly fans would rather a show be canceled and their money refunded than show up for a concert as atrocious as Winehouse's. And the singer wasn't exactly gracious to the fans, either.

"First of all, if you're booing, you're a mug for buying a ticket," she told the audience. "Second, to all those booing, just wait till my husband gets out of incarceration -- and I mean that."

In other words, sounds like a pretty terrible night for everyone involved.

Do you think Winehouse should take a break to recover? Do you think she'll get it together, and if so, when? What's the worst concert you've ever been to?

Beware you drunk texters: Papa John's has just announced that is now letting customers text message orders to any of its 2,700 US restaurants. To use the option, you must set up an account at the Papa John's web site to register your favorite pizza toppings and your payment method. After that, you're ready to text your orders. The web site replies with a confirmation to the phone. Egad! What's next Thai food by AIM? Hey, that's a pretty good idea.

The spot: After the City of Chicago passed the restaurant smoking ban, Babylon Eatery (2023 N. Damen Ave.) stopped offering hookah smoking on the weekends, but there are still a couple of pipes on display at this casual Bucktown spot. Perhaps they’ll be used again someday—management says they hope to expand upstairs within the next year to open a separate hookah lounge. For now, the food is the main attraction. The shawarma sandwich with a choice of pressed chicken, beef or lamb ($5.50; lamb $6.50) is the biggest draw. The vegetarian sampler appetizer, composed of falafel, baba ghanouj, hummus, tabbouli and dolmeh ($8), is popular too.

The bottle: Within walking distance of Babylon, you’ve got your choice of a 7-Eleven or Polonia Liquors (1956 W. Armitage Ave. 773-782-1111). Although Polonia’s selection isn’t the greatest, you’ll be able to find a chilled bottle of Santa Margherita pinot grigio ($24.99). The crisp, dry white pairs nicely with the vegetarian appetizers. If you’re feeling adventuresome, snag a bottle of Bacardi Silver ($15 for 750 milliliters) to spike one of Babylon’s fresh fruit smoothies ($3.50), offered in mango, strawberry or blueberry. No corkage fee.  --By Emily Hiser Lobdell

[ Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor.] metromix@tribune.com

>> Whiskey Road recently moved into the former Darwin’s in Bucktown. It's owned by Matt Miller, the same guy who opened and ran Darwin's until selling it a couple of years ago. Look for burgers and Belgian ale-battered onion rings, beer, chalkboard walls for expressing yourself, and a back room with projection screen and Guitar Hero. Rock on.

>> Irish playwright Oscar Wilde is the inspiration for Lakeview’s just-opened Wilde Bar & Restaurant. Stained glass domes, cozy fireplaces and Victorian bars make for a cozy spot to meet your mates and nosh upscale pub grub.

>> We’re betting (pun intended) Stretch Run Sporting Club & Grill is on track for a Nov. 21 opening, judging by the new awnings and furniture we spotted inside. This sports bar with live race wagering features 217 TV screens (from 32 inches to 10 feet), a 165-seat restaurant and bar that serves American food, and plenty of private party rooms.
 

We talked to Debbie Sharpe today, who confirmed that her grab 'n' go breakfast joint, Half & Half, nestled under the Damen "L" stop in Bucktown, has closed after four and a half years. "The building was falling down around us," says Sharpe, who is more better known for opening restaurants (Feast, Goddess and the Grocer, Cru) than closing them. She says the capital improvements needed for the space were more than she was willing to take on these days. But good news: She's offering commuters coffee and pastry down the street at Goddess and Grocer.

This certainly isn't major news, but we couldn't resist commenting on a story with the headline, "Hilton Tries to Help Drunken Elephants." Not that it requires any explanation--OK, it probably does. Paris Hilton is receiving praise for casting light on the problem of, yes, binge-drinking elephants in northeastern India. Apparently, the pachyderms tend to rampage after drinking farmers' homemade rice beer. "The elephants get drunk all the time," she said. "It is becoming really dangerous. We need to stop making alcohol available to them."

Now, we in no way want to make light of a dangerous situation. (Last month, six elephants were electrocuted after getting drunk and knocking over an electricity pole.) But is it not a little curious that a globally known socialite like Hilton is taking on an alcohol-related cause like this? Or that when she was quoted as saying how sad the elephant situation was, she was in Tokyo to judge a beauty contest?

Well, you tell us. Are you glad to see Hilton giving something back to the world, now that she's trying to improve her image after her jail term earlier this year? Does it change your opinion of her? And does the expression "an elephant never forgets" only apply when they're sober?

 

You won’t often catch us daydreaming about frozen desserts in November, but we just can’t get our minds off the gelato we had last weekend at A Mano, the new River North Italian spot from the folks behind Bin 36. Chef John Caputo brought in a fancy gelato machine from Italy to make the sinful stuff, and boy, does it make a difference. The smooth, silky consistency is spot on, and the flavors are fresh and perfectly balanced. We were smitten with the pumpkin and the mascarpone, but the pistachio—easily the best we’ve ever had—really stole our hearts.

The nightclub has had its licenses revoked and will close on Dec. 3. Want to know what’s behind this decision? Check out LakeandHalsted.com, one neighbor’s chronicles of all the violence that went on outside of Chromium nightclub. The videos more than speak for themselves. Read the Chicago Tribune story on the club.

Holiday movies can be automatic box successes once people catch the Christmas spirit. Not this year, though, as Vince Vaughn's mediocre family comedy "Fred Claus" earned $19.2 million to place third at the box office. On top was Jerry Seinfeld's animated flick "Bee Movie," earning $26 million in its second week and leapfrogging last week's champ "American Gangster," which fell to No. 2 with $24.3 million. Despite the presence of Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, the political drama "Lions for Lambs" made just $6.7 million to place fourth. Thriller "P2" was eighth with only $2.2 million--an opening-week tally much scarier than anything in the movie. "No Country for Old Men," the Coen brothers' phenomenal thriller, took in $1.1 million despite playing in 2,000 fewer theaters than "P2." Are you surprised "Fred Claus" didn't make more? Did anyone see "Lions for Lambs" or "P2"? Just how great is "No Country"?

During his 140-minute, sold out "Question Jar" show at Schubas Thursday, singer-songwriter and former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty played fan favorites like "Grey Ghost," previewed songs from
his upcoming album, "Golden Delicious" and answered questions that concertgoers put into a pitcher. (The jar was left behind in Minnesota the night before.) Here are some things we learned throughout the evening:

--100 minutes or so of Mike Doughty solo (or with cello accompaniment, as provided periodically during the show) is tuneful and sincere. 140 minutes is a little much, even with goofy banter throughout

--Why Doughty doesn't like sports: "It's all one game to me. Called 'Get the Ball.'"

--What he wants for Christmas: "Hot lovin'"

--Opening tune "Busting Up a Starbucks" doesn't sound quite as good without the full instrumentation on Doughty's album, "Haughty Melodic."

--"Your Mistfortune," one of the highlights of "Haughty Melodic," is meaningful no matter how it's played

--He apparently receives a great deal of invitations to play weddings

--He does not currently have a girlfriend

--His worst recurring nightmare: That he forgot to quit Soul Coughing

--That Dave Matthews is the nicest man in the world and that he'd offer gummi bears and the shirt off his back to cheer you up

--Of the new tunes, "I Wrote a Song about Your Car" lingered longest in our memory as a combo of Doughty's traditional witty lyricism and stop-start melody

--He frequently listens to John Denver's greatest hits, and he doesn't feel guilty about it

--Fate has a wicked sense of humor for the man who, when we interviewed him two years ago, didn't want to talk about Soul Coughing at all. The first question in the Question Jar show: "How 'bout an old Soul Coughing song?"

Victory Gardens teams up with Teatro Vista for a staging of "A Park in Our House," a drama by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz ("Anna in the Tropics"), set against the rich--so to speak--backdrop of Castro's Cuba in the '70s.

At its heart, the drama is about family relationships. And the themes are accessible and moving, whether or not you know much about the setting and political context of the play. This is good news for history phoebes and theater buffs alike: The story is poetic, intelligent and comic without being sappy, preachy or corny. It's well acted and beautifully staged, to boot. The 199-seat theater is intimate and appealing; the actors simultaneously pierce us with their stories and draw us closer.

The strong, six-person cast showcases especially good performances from Charin Alvarez (Ofelina), Lance Baker (Dimitri), Joe Minoso (Fifo) and young Bubba Weiler (Camilo). Gustavo Mellado (Hilario) and Marcela Munoz (Pilar) round out the cast. The actors expose the dreams, hopes, fears and vulnerabilities of a struggling Cuban family faced with economic shortages and professional limitations. Baker portrays with delightful awkwardness the visiting Russian botanist who is trying to find his place in the world. The show is highly recommended. 
 

The spot: If you’re short on time but don’t want typical fast food dripping with fry grease, Fan Si Pan  is a tasty—and speedy—alternative. The whimsical storefront has charmed neighborhood patrons for two years with bright green decor peppered with big, colorful cartoon flowers. Named after a summit in Vietnam, Fan Si Pan has a steady lunch crowd from the City of Chicago offices across the street. Regulars from Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park and East Village stop in for a casual dinner, ordering favorites like the French fried green bean appetizer with wasabi sauce ($3.50). The fresh spring rolls are not to be missed—we like the Five Star Beef with Peanuts dipped in the house-made chili-lime and garlic sauce ($4.50).

The bottle: The most popular item is the honeydew limeade, made with lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime, and garnished with mint and chunky melon bits ($3.50). You might be inclined to spike it with vodka, but Fan Si Pan manager Cam Keitel suggests gin as an alternative. Grab a bottle at neighboring Loop Tavern where you’ll find 750 milliliters of Bombay Sapphire gin for $26.99, and 750 milliliters of Tanqueray gin for $22.99. We’ll drink to that! -- Emily Lobdell,Metromix special contributor

We never understood why some microcosms of Chicagoland don’t obey the Business 101 principle of supply and demand (the bazillion gritty furniture emporiums on Milwaukee between Ashland and Wolcott, for instance?). This anomaly has struck again in Oak Brook, where Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises opens new concept Reel Club this Thursday in the old Papagus space, serving -- drum roll please -- prime steaks and seafood.

Our initial thought: Why, oh, why does the Butterfield Road corridor in Lombard and Oak Brook – which has seen more than half a dozen restaurant openings in the past year – need yet another steak and seafood spot? Is there some voracious need that isn’t already being satiated by Capital Grille, McCormick & Schmick’s, Holy Mackerel, Braxton Seafood Grill, Clubhouse, Magnum’s or even LEYE’s own Wildfire? And with White Chocolate Grill and Grotto on State opening in the area soon and also touting steak and seafood concepts, we were dumbfounded.

So we asked LEYE chairman Rich Melman what the deal was. He tells us they’ve had the Reel Club concept in the works for several years now, and yes, it will focus on steaks and seafood -- but with a sexier vibe and higher price point than newish LEYE seafood concept Di Pescara in Northbrook (the two ventures share the same executive chef) and more whimsical plating and less frenetic atmosphere than nearby Wildfire. In the sea of steak and seafood spots here, it’ll be competing in the vein of higher-end Capital Grille. That said, we’re not sure we really buy that it’ll be that different, but stand to be proven wrong.

Though Greek taverna Papagus was one of the more divergent eateries in the area, it was still “sort of struggling,” says Melman. “It was a question of, what did we want to do with a restaurant that was just breaking even?” 

Fair enough, but we still can’t help lamenting the addition of more of the same. Here’s your chance to speak up, west suburbanites: Is steak and seafood really all you want?

Is anyone else yearning for a few more details about Shia LaBeouf's weekend arrest in Chicago? Here's what we know:

-- A security guard asked "Transformers" star to leave Walgreens at 757 N. Michigan Ave. early Sunday morning because LaBeouf, 21, appeared to be drunk. (Apparently in town to film "Eagle Eye," he was reportedly seen at The Underground earlier that night.)

-- When the actor refused, the security guard called police around 2:30 a.m. and LaBeouf was eventually charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing.

-- He was "very courteous and polite" after being arrested, police said, and posted bond (amount undisclosed) before 7 a.m.

Here's what we don't know:

-- What was LaBeouf going to buy in Walgreens? Was he just browsing the magazine rack for a mention of himself?

-- What happened to the actor's often-reported claim that he wasn't interested in going out and partying?

-- How could the guard tell that LaBeouf was drunk?

-- In what way was he polite after being arrested?

-- Did he put Rihanna off men?

-- And why is the title of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," so undeniably cheesy?

We want answers!

 

Act now: Moody indie pop band The Magnetic Fields is playing six just-announced shows at Old Town School of Folk Music March 14-16--with two sets each night--and tickets ($23-$25, all ages) went on sale at 10 a.m. You can purchase them by calling the Old Town School at (773) 728-6000 or at www.oldtownschool.org. The group hasn't released an album since 2004’s “i,” but the group recently announced that its new record, “Distortion,” comes out Jan. 15. Are you a Magnetic Fields fan, or do you prefer vocalists who sound a bit happier than Stephen Merritt? Anyone die-hard enough to head to all six shows?

 

Thanks to mostly positive reviews--though not from us--and stars Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, "American Gangster" earned $46.3 million to top the weekend box office. That was enough to take down Jerry Seinfeld's superior, but perhaps overexposed, animated comedy "Bee Movie," which came in at No. 2 with $39.1 million. But family movies aren't automatic successes, as John Cusack's pretty average drama "Martian Child" proved, earning only $3.65 million to place seventh. Did "American Gangster" live up to the hype? Would more people have seen "Bee Movie" if not for Seinfeld's annoying "TV Juniors"? Where's the support for Cusack, Chicago?

 

You may have read our story today about great places to host this year's office bash. Well, we've got another one for you: Le Lan, the elegant River North pan-Asian bistro, has upped the ante for your bash. If you book a private party at the restaurant between now and January 1, you will be entered into a drawing to have chef Bill Kim come to you house and cook for a private party of up to 12 people. As for the party space available, the entire second floor can seat up to 80, or a bit more for a standing reception. There's no room charge, but there's a $1,500 food and drink minimum during the week and $2,000 on Saturday night.