Nov 4, 2014 >> G&F Top Three: Culture Fix!

In this week’s issue, we’re celebrating the arts in all forms with interviews with the artistic team behind Beyond the Aria, the first collaboration between the Lyric Opera and the Harris Theatre as well as the curator of costumes of Chicago History Museum who is about to launch one of the most ambitious exhibitions to date at the Lincoln Park museum: Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile.

While these two itineraries might make for a perfect end cap to your weekend, we’ve got a few other cultural explorations that are must-do’s as well. And just in time, too! It’s only a matter of moments before the airwaves get inundated with Holiday songs. So before the tinsel goes up—yes, we said it!—take advantage of a few crash courses in culture. From Dance Chicago, a month long explosion of all things, well, Dance to meeting one of the most prolific names in the fashion industry, it’s time to tune in and explore your creative side before the Holiday rush.

CHICAGO HUMANITIES FESTIVAL
Through November 9th, 2014

Celebrating its 25th year, the Chicago Humanities Festival is an explosion of everything cool. Bold statement, we know, but we’ve got to call a spade a spade. With programming from notables like Anne Rice, Angelica Huston and Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson to explorations in art, music and film, the line-up is impressive for the curious-minded. While the 25th season wraps up on Sunday, November 9th, we’re picking a few of our favorite seminars that might just make your upcoming weekend a little more bright. Shall we interest you in Blues By Bus, a bus tour of Chicago highlighting favorite landmarks in Blues history? Or maybe The Sounds of Freedom, celebrating the place of gospel music in the civil rights movement? Or perhaps Mermaids in Paradise featuring author Lydia Millet’s newest work. >> ChicagoHumanities.org 

FASHION FORWARD
Thursday, November 13th at Museum of Science and Industry

Fashion, meet Science. Science, meet Fashion. Blending the unique points of view of both disciplines is Fashion Forward: the Museum of Science and Industry’s one-night-only installation featuring cutting-edge cool technology that’s creepily wearable. Future of design? Perhaps. But for now, we’ll just instagram the crap out of these pieces. Plus, French fashion blogger Garance Dore—yes, the Garance Dore—will be accepting the museum’s Fashion Inspiration Award for her work in changing the scope of fashion coverage via her street style format that’s as relevant as it is fun and inspiring. >> MSIChicago.org

DANCE CHICAGO
Performances now through November 23rd at the Athenaeum Theatre

Now in it’s 20th season, Dance Chicago has had quite the scrapbook of notable achievements. We’re talking 5,000 choreographers and 50,000 artists who have contributed over its reign as the premier dance experience in the Windy city. Throughout the month of November, multiple performances, most taking place at Lakeview’s vintage Athenaeum theatre, show off emerging talent and dance crews who have some serious clout in the scene. Be you a dancer yourself or a Dance Moms watcher, the exposition of talent at Dance Chicago is undeniably contagious. >> DanceChicago.com