In this week’s issue—which is on newsstands today—the bulk of the Eat Out section is turned over to a longer-form profile of Shawn McClain that I’ve been piecing together over the past two months.

In that time, I interviewed McClain, his partners and others in the industry, and I also had dinner (anonymously) at Spring (McClain’s nine-year-old Wicker Park restaurant) and drinks and appetizers (un-anonymously) at Sage (McClain’s nine-month-old Las Vegas restaurant). (The Vegas trip was a bit incidental—I was headed to Los Angeles on a road trip in mid-August and stopped by to check out Sage and talk more with Shawn.)

When I first set up an interview with the chef at Buzz Killer Espresso in July, I was doubtful I would end up writing anything about it. But there was something about McClain’s honesty and seriousness that made me want to know more about his life—and that led to me to hope that readers might share that interest, too. Even while commuting between two cities and keeping tabs on three restaurants (not to mention dealing with everything that the article is about), McClain replied to my emails and phone calls and in-person questions—no matter how banal, and no matter how much he probably would have preferred if I didn’t write this story at all—with a graciousness and thoughtfulness that is rare (and not just for a chef, although that qualifier is certainly true). Sometimes I feared that McClain’s and his partners’ (Peter Drohomyrecky and Sue Kim-Drohomyrecky, whose names I can now type without spell-checking) restraint and self-editing when talking to me would result in a lack of story; ultimately, it didn’t, and I’m now able to admire their ability to keep some things—likely very difficult things—private.

One last footnote that didn’t make its way into the story: Pork-belly steamed buns and scallion-crab pancakes at Spring. Stop into the bar and order these and a glass of wine before it’s too late.

“Letting go”: Shawn McClain prepares to put a decade-long partnership and signature restaurant behind him.

Your where-to-go, what-to-eat daily.

Visit a pop-up farmer’s market at Sixteen this morning featuring some of chef Frank Brunacci’s favorite local purveyors and farmers. Attendees will receive recyclable Trump International canvas shopping totes and can also enjoy a breakfast buffet in the dining room during the market, featuring produce taken directly from farmers’ stands.  FREE admission, $35 for breakfast buffet.  7–11am. 401 N Wabash Ave (312-588-8030).

Potter’s Lounge continues its beverage series tonight with Abita Brewing Company. The Palmer House’s Patrick Coyne takes guests on a tasting journey and explains the brewing process, and a specialty menu including truffled potato chips is available to order. $20. 6–7:30pm. 17 E Monroe St (312-917-4933). RSVP by phone or online.

If Wish-Bone thousand island is your favorite salad dressing, it’s time to expand your repertoire. Learn to make salad dressing at home (it’s really not that hard, we promise) from writer and food blogger Dana Joy Altman at Provenance. FREE. 6–8pm. 2312 N Leland Ave (773-784-2314).

Futurama	Thursdays 10pm / 9c
Preview - The Devo-lution Revolution
www.comedycentral.com
Futurama New Episodes Big Lake A New Comedy from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay

NFL Preseason Football 7-10pm, FOX. The Bears head to Cleveland to face the Browns.

Futurama 9-9:30pm, COM. Leela gets her warrior woman on when she leads an army of mutants out of the underground to take on the folks on the surface.

GAY & LESBIAN/MUSIC - Scissor Sisters
Labor Day weekend is quiet around these parts, but that will all change when gay, glam band the Scissor Sisters come stomping through town to perform their fabulous new album Night Work. Riviera Theatre, 4746 N Racine Ave (773-275-6800). El: Red to Lawrence. Bus: 36, 81. 7:30pm. $34.

AROUND TOWN - Chicago Fringe Festival
This inaugural festival in eight Pilsen locations offers edgy spectacles from both local and national performance groups. With 46 productions and 198 total performances in 120 hours, there should be something available for the most discerning bohemian. Various locations throughout Pilsen (chicagofringe.org). Suggested donation $10 plus $5 festival button, festival pass $175.

COMEDY - Improv(e) Humanity
This American Cancer Society benefit features three comedy gems, improv troupe Fart City, Ken Barnard and host Cameron Esposito. Gorilla Tango Theatre, 1919 N Milwaukee Ave (773-598-4549). El: Blue to Western. Bus: 49, 56, 77. 9:30pm. $12.

DANCE - Megan Rhyme and Miriam Sach: Inner Cartography
Sach, Ph.D., is a California scientist whose research about neural connections and movement inspired choreographer Megan Rhyme to create a piece about body mapping, mental plasticity and how we learn. Rhyme’s dancers represent molecules and neurons and the stage the brain. Chicago Arts District, Adelaide Stage (1832 S Halsted St, 866-811-4111, chicagofringe.org). 8:30pm, $10 suggested donation.

ART & DESIGN - Rebecca Zorach: Other Idleness
U. of Chicago art historian Zorach’s lecture delves into the fascinating history of Art & Soul, an experimental West Side art center that the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Illinois Sesquicentennial cofounded with the (Conservative) Vice Lords in 1968. Mess Hall, 6932 N Glenwood Ave. 7–9:30pm. FREE!

Plus: 250+ other FREE things to do today!

Card players, cocktail enthusiasts and anyone who likes a good deal are bound to eat up Drink Deck. The deck of 52 actual playing cards doubles as a pack of $10 gift certificates (with a purchase a $30 purchase) for local bars and lounges, each featured on a card face. Creator Will Glass says he came up with the idea by combining two of his interests: Drinking and playing Euchre.

Recently, I attended a Drink Deck event and had a swell time playing Blackjack for a chance at winning the card coupons. I didn’t. Hope your luck is better than mine: Next Wednesday, September 8, Glass is holding a Drink Deck Launch Party. Patrons can enter raffles to win decks and purchase their own. But the sweet deal comes in the form of  complimentary Absolut Vodka cocktails, Pacifico beer and hors d’ouevres. Drink Deck Launch Party at Motel Bar, 600 W Chicago Ave (312-929-3730, thedrinkdeck.com). Wed 8 at 6-8pm. Free. R.S.V.P. required.

Graphic designers tend to be a wild bunch, but Chicago’s Society of Typographic Arts (STA) has a particularly checkered past. According to Bob Zeni, chair of the organization’s Archive10 competition, after an “out-of-control Lake Michigan boat party in 1927 led the AIGA to de-certify its Chicago chapter,” the disgraced creatives reorganized as the STA.

While the AIGA is better known nationally as a graphic designers’ professional association, STA’s a crucial player in Chicago, hosting its own events and supporting hometown design initiatives such as the Show ‘n Tell Show. Plus, it knows how to party. Zeni sent us photos, above, from Archive10’s August 26 Judges’ Meet & Greet at the Landmark Grill. Archive10’s judges—Renata Graw (Plural), Maria Grillo, Jessica Hische (Daily Drop Cap) from New York, Seattle-based Terry Marks and Steve Hartman of St. Louis—just chose recent examples of local design for permanent inclusion in the Chicago Design Archive; those winners will be announced at STA’s October 21 gala.

In the meantime, see which local design celebs you can spot in our slide show, which includes pics of DesignChat’s Ryan McGovern and Threadless’s Mig Reyes as well as guests from Quite Strong, Thirst and Grip Design.

Today, Ina Pinkney, the chef-owner of Ina’s, announced that she is running for U.S. Senator. The announcement. which came via her restaurant’s monthly newsletter, started like so:

Today I declare my candidacy for U.S. Senate.

In a bizarre legal twist that surely will go down in history, Illinois voters will choose two U.S. senators for the same seat. One will serve a six-year term starting January 3, 2011, and one will serve an eight-week term beginning right after the election and running through January 2, 2011.  This term will fill the seat vacated by President Obama that is temporarily occupied by Senator Roland Burris.

For you, citizens of Illinois, I have cleared my schedule beginning on November 3, 2010.

Anybody who follows Chicago politics (or Ina) may be experiencing a little dejavu: In 2007 Pinkney ran for mayor, and received 2,302 votes.

Her run for mayor wasn’t without incident: She got calls from a couple aldermen encouraging her not to run. She also got a call from Mayor Daley’s chief of staff at the time, the hunky Ron Huberman.

“It’s not a good idea,” he told Pinkney.

“Doesn’t anybody downtown have a sense of humor?” she asked.

“No,” Huberman said.

That election day, Ina’s received three unannounced restaurant inspections.

But Pinkney would not be intimidated, nor will she be now. “Does it scare me? No, nothing scares me. Nothing scares me.”

In what is probably a first for modern campaigns, Pinkney plans to do the whole thing without any money. Senators typically “take money from very wealthy people, then they try to convince us that they are making policy for the poor,” she says. “It doesn’t add up. We’re not raising any money, we’re not spending any money. I’m not beholden to anyone—not even a party.”

Pinkney does have a staff, however—one volunteer is working on the Friends of Ina Facebook page (going up later today); another is assigned to a Twitter account.

If elected to the eight-week term (she has no interest in the full six-year term), Pinkney hopes to advocate for Senator Durbin’s bill to give the FDA more power to recall contaminated food, among other things. “I certainly can do some things that will make a difference,” she says. “They’re all common sense things.”

Naysayers might see Pinkney’s announcement as a joke or publicity stunt; she insists it’s neither. “The reason it’s not a publicity stunt is because I had to go through a lot to become a write-in candidate.” (Pinkney had to send a notorized letter of intent to 110 election authorities around the state, else write-in votes for her wouldn’t be counted.) “If this were a joke, I wouldn’t have done that.”

“I do things because it’s the right thing to do,” she added.

The US Open, the most boisterous of the Grand Slams, is best enjoyed in a crowd. Cheer on Andy Roddick (happy belated birthday!), Roger Federer, Melanie Oudin, Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams (and comment on their tennis fashion) at a viewing party. Here’’s one to get you gonig. Morgan’s on Maxwell is hosting US Open viewing parties all tournament long with time2playtennis.com. The party starts week nights at 7pm and weekends at noon. Entry is $10 and includes pizza and beer.

If you want to drink like the stars, order the Venetian ($12) at Cafe Spiaggia. The drink consists of Prosecco, Canton ginger and pineapple and is being served to the stars and athletes at the official US Open wine bar in New York. It will be available for the duration of the tournament at Cafe Spiaggia’s bar.

Know about US Open viewing parties or special dining events? E-mail me at eatdrinkintern@timeoutchicago.com.

Photos: Kamila Gornia, courtesy of Global Adrenaline

Eves dressed in a few leaves like, well, Eve, Adams eyeing them after a bite (or a shot) from the Tree of Knowledge and of course, live snakes in the club. This could only be the annual Garden of Eden club night, party people Global Adrenaline’s themed event celebrating how much fun it must have been to sin, um, originally. Hit Global Adrenaline for info on upcoming parties.

More Club photos and party listings