We’ve had a few scorchers lately, but you ain’t seen nothing yet. The steamiest days of summer are yet to come. Before you hole up in your air-conditioned apartment for the duration, consider these 12 ways to survive even the hottest days.
Freeze. When it’s too hot to drink out of an actual glass, Cool Shooters from Willow (908 N. Damen Ave. 773-772-0140) will come in handy: It’s an ice cube tray that makes four cubes shaped like shot glasses ($7).
Get snowed in. It’s Blizzard season! No, not that kind of blizzard. We’re talking about everyone’s favorite retro Dairy Queen treat. If you can handle the crowds, there’s a Thin Mint Blizzard ($4.40-$5.72) waiting for you at Bucktown’s brand new Dairy Queen/Orange Julius (1649 N. Damen Ave. 773-235-3800).
Hit the showers. What could be cooler than Jell-O — in soap form? British bath and body purveyor Lush (859 W. Armitage Ave. 773-281-5874; also inside Macy’s, 111 N. State St. 312-781-1000 and 835 N. Michigan Ave. 312-335-7700), designed its Shower Jellies to go from fridge to shower for a supremely chilly scrub-down ($7 per quarter pound).
Tea up. Tea’s not just for frosty winter nights. Snag any one of the 300-some varieties of loose-leaf teas available at Near North tea merchant TeaGschwender (1160 N. State St. 312-932-0639) on ice ($3.50). Summer faves include blood orange, pineapple-mango and strawberry white tea.
Go polar. Trek to The Field Museum (1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. 312-922-9410) — no snowshoes required — and plunge headfirst into the chilling exhibit “Melting Ice/A Hot Topic” (through Sept. 1), featuring paintings, sculpture and video of diminishing ice caps and other effects of climate change.
Just julep. There’s a reason the mint julep is the traditional drink of Churchill Downs: Faced with hours in the sultry Southern heat, it doesn’t get much more refreshing than a big ol’ glass of crushed ice and mint (all that sugar and bourbon is just a nice sideshow, if you ask us). Get your julep ($9) at Southern-styled Andersonville eatery Big Jones (5347 N. Clark St. 773-275-5725).
Get naked! Avoid the slammer while giving a modest nod to nudity at the Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan Ave.) during Watson Adventures’ “Naked at the Museum” scavenger hunt (Aug. 16; $25.50). Spot bare bods in works of art while roaming the cool confines of the museum. Registration: 877-946-4868.
Dive in. Head to Lakeview fave Kirkwood (2934 N. Sheffield Ave. 773-770-0700), where you and, say, five of your closest friends can share one of four gallon-and-a-quarter fishbowls ($25), filled with juices, vodka or rum, and Sprite. Kirkwood’s recently renovated patio also features a brand-new bar with a frozen drink machine. Mango margarita ($7), anyone?
Get minty fresh. The mojito pedicure at Havana Nights Nails & Spa (2555 W. Lawrence Ave. 773-907-0654) takes a cue from the cocktail’s cooling ingredients, tingling your toes with crushed mint, lime and fizzy club soda ($50). The best part? It also includes a mojito to drink.
Hit the beach. Bury your feet in the sand at Uncle Fatty’s Rum Resort (2833 N. Sheffield Ave. 773-477-3661), where the palm trees and laid-back decor scream spring break but you stay cool indoors. Take the temp down another notch with a frozen drink such as the Dirty Monkey ($8), which blends Malibu rum, Kahlua, Island Oasis banana and ice cream in a glass doused in chocolate sauce.
Make a rum for it. The second-floor Volcano Room Rum Bar at the newly revamped Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St. 312-666-6775) offers more than 20 rums, with lots more to come. Sip from a lineup of specialty rum drinks ($5-$9) such as the Curvalicious in the company of a handful of large, wooden Tiki gods.
Avoid direct sunlight. The Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport Ave.) offers a splashy escape from the scorching sun with daily screenings of Sing-Along “Little Mermaid” ($9.25. Aug. 22 through Sept. 1). Tip the scales with a mermaid (or merman) costume for extra ventilation.
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Lisa Arnett, Matt Pais, Rebecca Palmore and M. Kathleen Pratt, Metromix producers.
metromix@tribune.com
