Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

NBC Chicago’s About Last Night crew usually hits the town on Thursdays, but this week we switch it up, checking out the hump day scene.

After hitting the hottest parties and trying not to over-indulge in tiny cheeses, we’ll publish the evidence Thursday — but catch up with us tonight to be included in the video and photo spread. From stimulus to stimulation, log on to NBCChicago.com to check out our plan.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

The people behind most new bars and restaurants will do whatever they can to build excitement about their new venture.

Which is why it’s so curious that we haven’t heard many details about a new bar in Old Town, until we learned that they’ve been purposely trying to keep it under the radar — which of course, only managed to increase the buzz even more.

Well, the intrigue is over. The new spot is called Old Town Social, and it will have its “soft opening” on Saturday.

Get the deets at NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

What you missed: a new destination for frugal female fashion, networking flirty-girl style and a new Wrigleyville spot to drown your sorrows after another Cubs loss.

Thursday turned out to be rainy and cold, but that didn’t mean things weren’t getting hot behind closed doors. It takes much more than temperamental weather to make Chicagoans even think about hibernating, as evidenced by the healthy crowds at all three spots we hit.

Click here to view the pics and video on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

The About Last Night crew will be out and about the city Thursday night, grabbing video, taking pics and engaging in occasional bouts of raucousness and general tomfoolery. Don’t wait until Friday morning’s online segment to see what you missed. If you want our cameras to catch you and your crew in action, here’s our plan:

6 p.m.: A’Gaci Grand Opening, Palmer House Hilton
The city’s female fashion followers have been getting excited about A’Gaci, a new clothing and accessories store that won’t break the bank. AnnaLynne McCord of 90210 is supposed to be in the house tonight. Now I know we said to come meet us out, but unfortunately, the invite list on this bad boy has already closed, so how about catching up with us at the next stop?

7 p.m.: Jazzin’ at the Shedd
Seems like all week we’ve been posting stories about how it’s your last chance to do this or that before the summer’s out, and this event falls into that category. We haven’t made it out to the Shedd Aquarium all season, so tonight’s the night. Detour JazFunk and The Tim Fitzgerald Trio are performing, so let’s all pray for good weather. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., 5 – 10 p.m., $12

8 p.m.: Rockwood Place Grand Opening
Just what Wrigleyville needs, another bar, right? Well, this one looks kind of interesting — a dive bar without the stuff you typically hate about dive bars, meaning you’ll feel safe actually eating the food. Rockwood opened earlier this week and tonight, they celebrate. Rockwood Place, 3466 N. Clark

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Thousands of people will flock to Oak Street Beach this weekend to see some of the best sand volleyball players in the world compete in the AVP’s Chicago Open, but more than a few eyes will be on a certain duo who are posing with little more than sand in the September issue of Playboy.

They’re known as Team Gorgeous — Michelle More and Suzanne Stonebarger — and they’re taking their newfound notoriety in stride.

Click here for pics and video. You know you want to.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

If you want to catch Jay-Z at the House of Blues next month it’s going to take a bit of luck — and a lot of persistence.

Hova’s Sept. 8 show is free, but you have to win the tickets. The Samsung Summer Krush concert series has already hit several cities already, with a different artist at every stop (sorry about your luck with that Darius Rucker show, Nashville).

Only a certain amount of tickets will be released each day at random times on the Summer Krush Web site, so it looks like you have to continually check back.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Nobody would argue that Wrigleyville “needs” another bar/restaurant the concept, but the minds behind the new Rockwood Place — opening Tuesday night — believe they’re bringing something new to the scene.

Rockwood Place (3466 N. Clark) is the latest project from the Eat Well, Drink Better group, also responsible for LaSalle Power Company, Angels & Mariachis, English and the Grand Central.

It features “dive cuisine, easy to spell drinks and occasional roadhouse” — you know the kind of place where a mechanical bull might fight right in.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

It’s been a few months since Kris beat out Adam in the American Idol finale, and despite the drama involving Paula’s contract, fans of the show are likely knee-deep in Idol withdrawal. Unfortunately “Dancing Your Ass Off” hasn’t been the distraction you thought it would be.

Perhaps a Chicago Idol-like competition will do the trick. “Bar1’s Big Break: Discovering Chicago’s Best, A Vocal Competition” (a snappy title if we ever saw one), will crown a winner at Duffy’s Tavern and Grille (420½ Diversey Ave.) tonight.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Like a devoted girlfriend who won’t ditch you no matter how steadfastly boorish/reluctant to do your own dishes you are, summer’s still here. So live it up while you can, and check out what you missed last night in the city.

What did you miss? Stewardesses serving fembot vodka, hot chicks sipping Cuervo and good-lookin’ party people rockin’ the ROOF.

Click here to see the video and still photo evidence on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Slip on your favorite jelly sandals, grab the ringer and mix a White Russian before checking out “A Big Lebowski Burlesque.”

“The Big Lebowski” was far from a commercial success when it was first released 11 years ago, but it’s evolved into a cult hit, spawning its own festival in several cities and now — strangely enough — a burlesque show.

The hotties with Vaudezilla Productions are set to unleash “Rollin’ Outta Here Naked: A Big Lebowski Burlesque” in early September.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Ever since teenagers started donning tight t-shirts and even tighter jeans in order to emulate their favorite rockers, fashion and rock and roll have been linked.

It’s that spirit driving this weekend’s first annual Rockaholic Fashion Fest & Fashion Show at Wicker Park’s Moonshine (1824 West Division Street).

Click here to read the entire article on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

There’s two types of people in the world — those who salivate at the sight of a whole pig roasted to its succulent juicy goodness — and those who don’t. Then there’s a sub-group — those who don’t mind digging into Porky, but would rather not see him propped up on a stick with an apple in his mouth.

Those folks will be glad to hear about Smoke Daddy Rhythm and BarBQue’ss latest deal, the “Pig in a Box” party to go.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Didn’t make it out last night? Don’t worry, I hit the town for you and hugged it out with Piven, got a little cheeky and found the most interesting party in the world.

Thursday night is arguably the best night to hit the town. The fact that the weekend is so close that you can smell it, adds that extra bit of celebratory joie de vivre to the festivities. And last night was no exception.

Click here for the video and pictures of what we found.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

In the competitive nightlife scene — not to mention a crappy economy — it’s difficult for any bar and club to stay on its feet and in the black during its first year of operation.

But we’d be lying if we said we were surprised that
Angels & Kings (710 N Clark St) is surviving and thriving a year after opening. After all, how many places can boast an association with Fall Out Boy celeb rocker Pete Wentz? That alone is enough to lure the groupies and other star-watchers to see who else might show up on any given night.

Click here to read the rest of this post on NBCChicago.com.

Marcus Riley, NBC Chicago Street Team

Another year, another Lollapalooza gone by. Whether you’re into the bands that Lolla brings in every year or not, or have an aversion to large crowds, you have to give due to the massive spectacle that this festival has become. It’s amazing that we can host such a huge event with nary a hitch. Us Chicagoans take stuff like this for granted, but you get a different perspective when you realize how many people literally make the pilgrimage from all over the world for this festival. On Saturday, I made it a point to ask everyone I met where they came from, and I didn’t run into a single Chicagoan. It has truly become a worldwide event.

Here’s some of the highlights from the weekend, in pictures:

• Day By Day Highlights

• Express Yourself: Lolla Fashion

• After the Lolla It’s the After Parties

• Video: One-On-One With Perry Farrell

• Video: Graham Elliott Bowles Cooks For Jane’s Addiction

• Playboy’s Rock Star Brunch