WED 10/31
Join the ban wagon
Watch out: You could turn into a pumpkin at the Masque bash — if you drink enough Lucid Absinthe, that is. Arrive at 9 p.m. for a complimentary sip of the stuff, banned in the early 1900s for its alleged hallucinatory effects, at the party co-hosted by artists’ collective M5. The “Moulin Rouge”-style event features a display of handmade masks and live music, theater and dance performances by Bellafuegas, Collaboraction, the Vitralum Republic and others. 9 p.m. $15-$20. Lumen, 839 W. Fulton Market. 312-733-2222.
Pocket protector
Show your true colors at a casting call for the fifth season of reality TV show “Beauty and the Geek,” where the pot at the end of the Technicolor rainbow is stuffed with a $250,000 grand prize. We hear geeks are in higher demand, but socially savvy ladies also are welcome. Here’s how it works: e-mail your photo, name, age and phone number by 4 p.m. Wednesday to castingmail@comcast.net for a shot at an in-person meeting on Thursday. Singles ages 21-30 welcome. Claire Simon Casting, 1512 N. Fremont St. 312-202-0124.
THU 11/1
Hot shot
Don’t let your spirits fall when Halloween is over. Keep things moving at Red Hot Cocktails, an afterwork mixer at vintage-chic Irish pub The Gage. The benefit for The Primo Center for Women and Children includes an open bar, appetizers and raffle ticket for the chance to win an iPhone, theater tickets and more. 6 p.m. $50. Tickets: primocenter.org/events.htm. 24 S. Michigan Ave. 312-372-4243.
Up in smoke?
Does Chicago’s cigarette ban seem more like smoke and mirrors than a disappearing act? Get the unfiltered scoop at In the K/Now: The Great Chicago Smoking Ban. The discussion tackles the hazy topic and fosters debate on how it will affect city life. 6:30 p.m. Free. RSVP recommended. Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St. 312-642-4600.
FRI 11/2
Front-row seats
SOFA Chicago (that’s Sculpture Objects and Functional Art) is back for a 14th year, showcasing three-dimensional fine art from 100 galleries in 18 countries. Highlights include a mobile glass-blowing studio; screenings of “Encounter Point,” the award-winning documentary about grassroots Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking efforts; and a display of contemporary furniture from Crab Tree Farm in Lake Bluff. All works are for sale. 11 a.m. Friday and Saturday; noon Sunday. $15; $25 for three-day pass. Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, 600 E. Grand Ave. 800-563-7632. Schedule: sofaexpo.com.
Wine on a dime
Ten bucks doesn’t buy much these days. Especially on Michigan Avenue. That’s why we love Wine Down at Foodlife. If you can handle the hyperactive scene on the mezzanine level of Water Tower Place, your reward is a sampling of 20 international vintages, plus cheese and appetizers. 6 p.m. $10. 835 N. Michigan Ave. 312-335-3663.
EYE CANDY
There are no tricks at SOFA Chicago this weekend, but you will find lots of visual treats.
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RKPALMORE@TRIBUNE.COM
