With some winter left to go, there have to be better ways of coping with the cold. For instance, the hot drinks at the Vertigo Sky Lounge and Ice Bar at the Dana Hotel. When you want something stronger than hot chocolate, they’ve got you covered. You can even drink your Hot Toddy at an ice bar—that’s what we call embracing the elements.

The Drinks: Served up in a mug off a chic pushcart, these cocktails are going fast. By 11pm on a Thursday night, only three varieties were left. The drinks are strong, for sure, but they are also sometimes lukewarm. The citrusy Hot Toddy—spiced tea with patron citronge and Wild Turkey—will warm you right up; but the “Hot Passion Mojito” of fruit-infused mint tea and Pyrat rum doesn’t stack up. Refreshing, fruity and cold mojitos just don’t translate to a watery fortified tea.

The Space: Plush velvet and leather armchairs and couches are perfect to curl up in but this is more of a lounging space than a relaxing one. The floor-to-ceiling windows are the main draw especially since the patio with its glowing orbs and curved sofas is inhospitable, but still open, in 9 degree weather. While the temps are still hovering around freezing, the open-air Ice Bar is open for business.

The People: This River North is spot filled with pretty waitresses and 30-something professionals still in their suits. There’re quite a few couples consisting of middle-aged men with 20-year-olds girls and the occasional solo Dana Hotel guest, too. It doesn’t get too rowdy while a mix of Top 40 soft rock, 80’s and mainstream indie plays noticeably, but not distractingly, in the back.

Where else to get hot drinks: Trump Tower’s Rebar is offering “magic winter punch” with red wine, brandy, orange and spices. The Violet Hour reveals its own takes on the classic Hot Toddy with Maison Surrenne cognac instead of whiskey and homemade ginger syrup, and Mulled Cider with and Matusalem rum and black walnut liqueur. And The Hancock Tower’s Signature Lounge is offering various concoctions that make hot cocoa a little more fun like their Hot Chocolate Pixie with Bailey’s and butterscotch Snapps. Longman & Eagle, ROOF at theWit and Old Town Social have their own hot options. There’s still winter left to try them all.

Just because it’s game day, doesn’t mean you should eat crap. Chuck the Velveeta and head out. Whether you’re grabbing a party tray or heading out to watch the game, Chicago is covered with all-you-can-eat buffets, cheap deals and gourmet takes on wings and burgers —mostly cheese product-free.

Our picks: All-you-can-eat-and-drink deals at Division Ale House, Rockwood Place and L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge in the ‘burbs, or the $10 and $15 all-you-can-eat buffets at The Grand Central and LaSalle Power Co., respectively. The $7 pizzas at La Madia and buy-one-get-one free deal at Mod Pizza are safe bets for take-out. Chens and Koi’s $1 chicken wings (8 pieces) and $1 Sapporo drafts are also worth considering. For the classier folk among us, Vie’s Sunday supper featuring wood-grilled pork sausage for $25 sounds like a steal.

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

FRIDAY 5

Morton’s The Steakhouse presents a five-course prix fixe with Johnnie Walker scotch pairings. Courses include beef wellington, grilled lamb chops and Blue Label scotch served with a cheese plate. Reception at 6:30pm, dinner at 7pm. $125. Reservations required: 847-205-5111.

Willow Spring’s Courtright’s creates a three-course dinner all about the pear, available all night. Enjoy phyllo-wrapped and baked pear, prosciutto and pork with roasted pears and pear “belle Hélène” for dessert. $35. Reservations required: 708-839-8000

Playboy Cybergirls (Jenna Jordan, Kat Kohls, and Patrycja Mikula) hosts a cover-free, Arctic-themed party at Le Passage. There’s a free champagne reception from 10am–11am and the ladies arrive at midnight.

Diners at Carnivale today through Sunday get a $15 gift certificate to be used in March.

Cityscape hosts yet another free Dewar’s Scotch Tasting from 5:30pm–7pm.

SATURDAY 6

Learn how to prepare nigiri sushi from Naoki Nakashima at Shaw’s in Schaumburg. Event includes soy sauce tasting, oshi and nigiri demonstration and a lunch of sushi, salad and raspberry pie. Event starts at 11:30am and costs $45. Reservations required.

The Shire is offering $2 beer and $3 well-drinks to everyone donating $10 to StreetWise. The Future Laureates and Estou will perform at this event raising funds to help StreetWise vendors long-term housing. 9pm–midnight.

In more fundraiser news, The Boundary is donating 15% of its proceeds between 10am–2am to the Friends of Pritzker School for their technology fund.

Head to Erin Gallagher Jewelry for a bake sale benefiting Doctors Without Borders. From 10am–2pm, area residents will be selling treats including vegan, gluten-free and doggy options. 100% of baked proceeds and 15% of jewelry proceeds will be donated.

WAVE Executive Chef Kristine Subido teaches how to make a meal that will be sure to wow your date next week on Valentine’s Day of chilled shrimp salad, zucchini saltimbocca, steamed mussels and berry trifle. $60 covers lunch, wine and a cocktail. Class starts at 2:30pm. Reservations required.

Train for the eating-marathon of Super Bowl Sunday by attending the Third Annual “Super Chili Bowl” at Mahoney’s Pub & Grille. Butch McGuire’s will also contribute to the all-you-can-eat chili and eating contest. All this, for $5 toward the “Bears Offensive Coordinator Search Fund” which will be delivered to Halas Hall. Noon–6pm.

Swiss-native Hans Aeschbacher, formerly of Smith & Wollensky, will introduce raclette at Chicago French Market from 2pm–4pm. The traditional Swiss and French cheese is traditionally heated in a fire and spread over potatoes, pickled onions and cured meats.

There’s a Bob Marley’s Birthday Bash at Mr. Brown’s Lounge. No cover, DJ, and $8 rum punch.

In the Reheated column in this week’s issue of Time Out Chicago (#258), we mistakenly printed that Veggie Bite (1300 N Milwaukee Ave, 773-772-2483), a vegan quick-serve restaurant in Wicker Park, had closed. Sylvia Watycha, the owner, confirms that the restaurant has not closed and remains open. The winter hours are Mon–Tue 5pm–10pm; Wed–Sat noon–10pm; Sun noon–8pm. We regret the error.

With stands offering Mexican, Korean and Thai, Chicago French Market is a misnomer. Now, the Ogilvie Transportation Center-based market has just announced shops with an Italian and Middle Eastern flair as well as good ol’ pickles.

Zullo’s has been a Green City Market favorite for its southern Italian food. Now, those much raved about apple cider donuts are available six days a week at their first permanent location. Pizza, pasta, panini, pastries and soups will also be available.

The others: Pappardelle’s Pasta offers homemade pasta and sides, many of which will be available to go. Get hummus, pita bread, olives and more at Olives4You or choose from 12 varieties of sweet to dill pickles at Gramp’s Gourmet Foods.

Already host to shops like Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Vanille Patisserie and Chicago Organics, the new additions bring the total number to 29.

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

WEDNEDAY 3

The highlight of the night is a free wine tasting (with appetizers!) at Boka. Beginning at 6:30pm, guests taste four different wines and identify them. You could win a $100 gift certificate.

For just $39, get six-courses and wine pairings at La Madia. This monthly Chef’s Table event, which starts at 7pm, offers guests an up-close view of Chef Jonathan Fox as he makes your dinner which includes: Brussels sprouts with Meyer lemon; wild salmon with farro; and pizza with melted leeks, goat cheese and pancetta. Reservations required: 312-329-0400.

Enjoy the decadent earthiness at Vie’s six-course, all-truffle dinner. Courses include lobster, elk and foie gras. For dessert, enjoy a honey a truffle butter cake with black walnut-truffle nougatine. $210, wine pairings an extra $50. Reservations required: 708-246-2082.

Vegas’s Beacher’s Madhouse makes a stop at Martini Park tonight at 9pm. Acts include sword swallowers, contortionists, wrestling midgets and “mini” celebrity impersonators. No cover.

Can’t wait for Restaurant Week? Lakeview’s Browntrout offers a 3-course prix fixe tonight for $35 with optional $15 wine pairings. Menu includes cured sea trout with orange dill marscapone, grilled shrimp with saffron risotto, braised escarole and fennel sausage, and fallen chocolate soufflé.

THURSDAY 4

LaSalle Power Co. hosts a benefit for Doctors Without Borders. $20 buys you an open bar and hors d’oeuvres by Centered Chef, SRO Catering and Big Delicious Planet. Plenty of TV personalities will be around serving drinks including The Bachelor’s Natalie Getz while NBC’s Natalie Martinez will emcee. DJs and live performances by the RichKiddz and Platinum Cure Dance Troupe provide entertainment.

Goose Island brewmaster Greg Hall

The recent launch of Green Line, Goose Island’s sustainably-minded pale ale, was only the beginning. This morning, Goose Island Beer Company announced that it would “debut six beers and issue two re-releases in 2010, setting a record for new products in one year,” according to the press release.

In March, Goose will release a new version of the Bourbon County Brand Stout, which is aged in bourbon barrels, then infused with Intelligentsia’s Black Cat espresso. Later in the year, Goose will release Bourbon County Vanilla Stout and Rare Bourbon County Stout—the latter will be aged in 25-year-old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels. Also coming soon: A couple favorites—Night Stalker (a “hoppy imperial stout”) and Demolition (”a strong, extra-hoppy Belgian-style ale)—will be “reformatted” and sold in 22-ounce bottles.

But to be honest, it’s the projected “late-summer” releases I’m most looking forward to. Namely, the Madame Rose and Lolita, which I mentioned very briefly in a feature on brewmaster Greg Hall from last year. Both are fruit-based beers: Madame Rose is made with tart Belgian cherries grown specifically for Goose Island by Seedling Farm; Lolita is a framboise made with raspberries from Mick Klug Farms. If last year’s Sofie and Juliet were any indication, it’s going to be a wonderful summer for drinking.

Photos: Amy Mokris

I came hungry and I left full. What else can you ask for from TOC’s annual Chili Cook-Off? How about awesome music? Check, thanks to the fearsome blues rock from the Chicago Stone Lightning Band. Good company? Yep, an eclectic crowd sipping beers and enjoying the scene at Martyr’s. Helped a good cause? You betcha: The event collected two big and brimming bins of canned food for the Chicago Food Depository.

Okay, okay. How about good chili? Yes, we definitely had that, too. All 15 of the competitors who shared their chilis with the hungry crowd deserve a major round of applause. There were vegetarian, vegan, bison, venison, pork and short-ribs versions. There were fried leek toppings and honey-sweetened pots. Some offered up bold and risky concoctions (we’re thinking of you, #3, the vegan chili with notes of banana and chocolate shavings on top). Some were more traditional (like the straight-up version at table #12, which used Chicago’s own Half-Acre beer). Most had heartfelt stories about their beloved pot of deliciousness (like the family-effort at table #4, which used venison courtesy of a hunting trip to Wisconsin).

Many tried to charm the voting masses with accoutrements, such as corn bread, chopped peppers, shredded cheese and sour cream. In the end, it was all good. But only one could claim the title of “winner” from our discerning Eat Out critics, David Tamarkin and Julia Kraemer. And only three could rise to the top in the battle for crowd favorite. The winners are below and the winning recipe will be in the mag soon!

Critics’ pick…

#7, Jeff Haushalter

Fan favorites…

1st place - #10, John Jamieson and Ginger Semany

2nd place - #1, Fred Sanders

3rd place - #9, Aram Elie

Last night a group of beer-lovers and eco-friendly folks gathered at Uncommon Ground for Goose Island’s unveiling of its new beer, Green Line Pale Ale. As a Green Line rider, I can tell you that the beer is a lot smoother than the eponymous El route. It’s tasty, citrusy and a bit less hoppy than an average pale ale. Actually, the beer was named for its “green” (as in, environmental) qualities: After years of cringing at plastic-cup and glass-bottle waste, Goose Island brewmasters Greg and John Hall created Green Line as its first bottle-free beer to be served at bars around town.

In order to go green, Goose Island traced a 312 keg’s carbon footprint, and with that information, they implemented a slew of green initiatives timed with the debut of Green Line, including investing in a new grain mill; investing in local hops (for now, the beer uses northwest coast hops); reducing natural gas usage in the brewery; and reducing the amount of energy and malt-use.

What do you think? Would you drink a beer just because it’s environmentally friendly? Either way, I guess a brewery can take a chance when it’s the 23rd largest beer producer (yowza!).

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

FRIDAY 29

River North’s Cafe Wha Who? hosts a two-day rocking event to support the Red Cross in Haiti on Friday and Saturday. Rock the Quake shows will start at 9:30pm on both days. $10 cover and tips from the upstairs bar will be donated to the Red Cross. The bands performing are: Benjamin Ezra Deckard, Pink Monkey, I Lost Control, StankStar, Shark Matter and Torch Singer.

Ron’s Cajun Connection hosts a crawfish boil all weekend with oysters on the half shell for an appetizer and berry bread pudding for dessert.

SATURDAY 30

Learn how to make beef, turkey and veggie burgers from Chef Mike Burkauskas of Luxbar. The event starts at noon and includes samples and beer. $25. Reservations required: 312-642-3400.

Attend the first of a monthly cooking series at Chicago 312. Focused on homemade pastas, Luca Corazzina leads Sucola 312 students through the basics of traditional Italian cuisine. Includes recipe cards, a bottle of olive oil and a light lunch. Noon – 2pm, $45. Reservations required: 312-696-2420.

The Hunt Club reveals their “Hot-tinis” (hot drinks served in martini glasses) with a party. They’re just $5 before 11pm. The Hot Hot Hot party will also include appetizers and prizes going to the “hottest” customers. 9pm – 5am. No cover before 10pm, $5 after.

SUNDAY 31

Sepia supports Slow Food Chicago with a sustainable dinner. Marsha Guerrero, Director of Special Projects for Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Foundation and the suddenly controversial Edible Schoolyard will attend. Evening includes cocktail reception and a four-course meal with wine pairings. 6pm, $55. Reservations required: 312-441-1920 or sepiachicago.com.

Quince in Evanston welcomes their newest neighbor Vinic Wine Company with a three-course meal. You’re invited, of course. Enjoy liquid cauliflower ravioli, duck breast and dessert with two glasses of wine to accompany each course. 6:30pm, $75. Reservations: quincerestaurant.net.

Evanston is just full of foodie events when Count Sebastiano Capponi of Villa Calcinai Wines co-hosts a dinner at Va Pensiero. The four-course meal with wine pairings is $74, 6pm. Reservations required: chicagourmets.org.

Reds from Tuscany will be on display on Sunday and Monday (February 1) at Piccolo Sogno. Each night, a different Italian winemaker will be features and attend the meal. 6:30pm, Sunday is $90, Monday is $80. Reservations required: 312-421-0077 or ciro@piccolosognorestaurant.com.

Durty Nellie’s supports Impact for Jesus with an all-day party. Donations and 10% of food sales will go to helping rebuild an orphanage in Port-au-Prince. Local bands The BBC, Timbre and Page 3 will perform. 2pm – 8pm, $10 donation suggested.

The lovely ladies of the Kit Kat Lounge host a Lady Gaga-themed Grammy viewing party. $5 drinks! 5:30pm – 2am, no cover.