THU 4/13
Preweekend bender
Before you uncork the aspirin and conjure an office alibi, we’re talking gender bender, as in Gender Fusions 2: A Queer Spectacle of Body Language. Author Dorothy Allison (“Bastard out of Carolina”) reads; lesbian-themed performance art follows, with theater, drag, spoken word and burlesque. 6 p.m. $5 suggested donation benefits Rape Victims Advocates. HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Drive. 312-362-9707.
Beat ‘cha
Forget “Idol” drama; we’ve got our money on local DJs vying for a six-month residency at Mix. Need a memory jog? For the past two months, hopeful mixmasters have spun 50-minute sets on Thursdays as part of Mix’s DJ Search. Hear the final seven, and sip $3 Miller Lite and MGD bottles, and $5 Stoli Red Bulls. Finalists include Steve G., Eclipse, Abhi, Lance, E, Itchie Fingers and Matthew Roberts. Arrive at 9 p.m. for an hourlong cocktail reception. $5. Ladies, RSVP for free entry: mixbarchicago@gmail.com. 2843 N. Halsted St. 773-528-7569.
Trip to the Doc
An apple a day can’t always deliver, especially when spring fever develops into a bad case of office-itis. Escape the daily ups and downs with a good ol’ fashioned visit to the doc. Doc Films, that is. Thursday themes include “Sex, Sin and Bathtub Booze: Hollywood Before the Code” and “American New Wave.” See Victor Fleming’s classic “Bombshell” (1933) at 7 p.m. or Milos Forman’s “Taking Off” (1971) at 9:30 p.m. $4. Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago, 1212 E. 59th St. 773-702-8575.
Sign of the ‘Times’
You love your lit fix, and you’re not going to be quiet about it. Gone are the days of silent appreciation for your favorite mags and authors. Rock out at a benefit bash for local publication “In These Times” with Chicago-based bands Palliard, The 1900s and The Children vs. The Children of Doom. $10 donation includes a copy of this month’s issue. 9:30 p.m. Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave. 773-227-4433.
FRI 4/14
Dining destination
If you want to ogle the Eiffel Tower a la TomKat, you’re better off hopping a plane than sitting through Aunt Selma’s slide lecture afte brunch this Easter Sunday. But if you’re shopping for a gastro tour of the country, hoof it to Cafe des Architectes for a Culinary Taste of France. Every second Friday a new 10-day regional menu begins; kick off your cultural chews with Alsace-Lorraine. On the menu: sauteed frogs legs, pork tenderloin, roasted rabbit and more. $39. 5 p.m. 20 E. Chestnut St. 312-324-4063.
SAT 4/15
Gimme a break!
Every year we swear we’ll get a head start on next year’s taxes, but local bars know the score. O’Donovan’s Tax Relief Celebration provides extra incentives to get out of bed on April 15: $6 pitchers of Miller Lite and Coors Light, $3 Sam Adams pints and more. Magician Jimmy Krzak can’t make your IRS refund triple in size, but we’re betting he can provide some distraction to number-crunching (starting at 6 p.m.). 11 a.m. 2100 W. Irving Park Rd. 773-478-2100. Find more ways to lighten the taxing effects on Page 17.
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RKPALMORE@TRIBUNE.COM
