DeBat joins a roster of young and emerging talent showcased by the property in an homage to the city’s rich arts scene; over 1,600 original works, most of them by Chicago artists, are on permanent display throughout the hotel. And if you’re looking to take a little bit of DeBat’s work home with you, we’ve got you covered: prints and t-shirts are available for purchase in the hotel’s Guilt Shop.
If you think Restaurant Week is reserved for hoity-toity joints you’ll never be able to afford, think again. The twice-yearly event is going on right now (or, in some cases, will be taking place soon) in a plethora of cities, so grab your wallet and favorite foodie friend for a night of chowing down.
Click to see the list of cities where the gastronomic celebration is rolling through next:
To describe Bar Novo’s Strawberry Rhubarb Collins, she writes: “Absolutely one of the best cocktails I’ve had in Chicago!!” She had an equally glowing review of the made-in-house chips and ‘Truffalo’ wings: “The food was absolutely superb. I will have to make many visits back to try all other tasty items on the menu!”
We think Rai enjoyed her night with us. And we can’t blame her. It’s an ideal Downtown Chicago hangout spot. Now just think about that Rhubarb Cocktail between now and your next Chicago trip, and we’ll see you at Bar Novo.
Legend has it that the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago is a still-standing bed of gangster history. In 1931, Charles “Lucky” Luciano is said to have gathered a group of gangsters for the first-ever Crime Convention. The intention of the convention was to divide power among the different mob bosses.
And the shady business doesn’t stop there. The godfather of crime, Al Capone, was a regular in the hotel’s barbershop. He was such a regular, in fact, that a part of The Untouchables, a movie about his rise to power, was filmed within the Blackstone’s walls.
To honor the gang-related stories surrounding the Blackstone, the hotel is offering a Good to Be A Gangster package—fit for a mafia king. The deal is complete with an official Untouchables Tour, deluxe accommodations, a copy of the new book Get Capone (signed by author Jonathan Eig), a copy of The Untouchables on DVD, and an Outlaw Graffiti Cocktail in the hotel’s Mercat a la Planxa restaurant.
Manchester-based photographer, Matthew Comer, put together an impressive video documenting his stay at the Renaissance Blackstone in Chicago not all that long ago. It caught our eye and we had to learn more about this guy.
It didn’t take us long to realize that Matthew is a pretty well-known photographer with images displayed in Urban Outfitters, among other places. On top of that, he was a part of a recent competition centered around Route 66. We couldn’t help but pin him down to find out more about what he does, how he wound up at Blackstone, and what he thought.
While staying at a Renaissance in Chicago, whether it’s the Blackstone, O’Hare Suites or Downtown, you might not want to leave the plush bed in your room. But we encourage you to do just that. Leave the hotel. Explore the city.
If you’re at a loss for how to spend your spare time in this comfy urban sprawl, we have some ideas for you. Check out the options after the jump, and start planning your perfect day in Chicago.
If you’re in the Chicago area, we may have an event for you tonight. It all depends on one thing: whether you like wine and food. We’re guessing you like at least one of the two.
Renaissance Schaumburg will be hosting a special dinner for wine lovers tonight from 6pm-9pm. Sam & Harry’s, located inside the hotel, will be showcasing Terlato Family Vineyards wine with the dinner, which will be held inside the convention center at Renaissance Schaumburg. Beginning with a Champagne reception, the evening will consist of five courses—each course paired with the perfect Terlato wine. Check out the menu. If it makes you hungry (or thirsty), make a reservation while you still can.
The marriage between Renaissance and Maxwell is getting steamier. Between Maxwell’s hotel appearances and killer shows on this tour, we’re pretty psyched to be joining forces with him. Check out this video clip below of Maxwell meeting fans at the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago.
Want to get in on our summer fling with the soulful singer? Enter the Renaissance of Cool Sweepstakes before the contest comes to a close in a few days.
Maxwell’s tour is keeping the singer busy traveling. As proud sponsors of his tour, we’re offering something special to guests who are staying at select Renaissance hotels when the Maxwell show strolls through. Guests staying at the Renaissance in Chicago, DC, or New York will gain access to intimate gatherings with the star, select VIP ticket package, and a chance to win a trip to the Boston show through the Facebook “The Renaissance of Cool Sweepstakes” social media contest. This is all a long way of saying “Hey Maxwell fans! He totally might take a picture with you if you rub shoulders at a Renaissance.”
Did you know…Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel was the onetime hangout of gangsters such as Al Capone? Thursday, February 18th, this hotel will become the hangout for the underground art scene with work by celebrated street artist Kaves – the original street artist from Brooklyn whose work has been immortalized in multiple books, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and even the MTV Real World: Brooklyn loft. Also presenting his work will be the hotel’s own multi-talented General Manager Rob Cartwright, accompanied by surprise local Chicago artist to be revealed at the event.
The hotel’s Guilt Shop will be converted into an Outlaw pop-up shop, featuring sneakers and graffiti art book Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers, by Sacha Jenkins and David “Chino” Villorente, both of whom will be at the press event for interviews.
Music will be provided by DJ Adm, brother of Kaves and member of hip-hop group Lordz of Brooklyn, as well as being the music curator for Madison Square Garden. Guests can also sneak a specialty cocktail and food from Mercat a la Planxa, restaurant of the new Iron Chef Jose Garces, when the grand opening reception starts at 6 p.m.
R Life is about your life. It's about bold style. Authentic experience. Real travel (even if it's right near your home). And inspired discussion, peppered with wit and joie de vivre. It's about looking to see what's around the corner, and savoring what's new and different once you're there. Learn More
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