Windy City Wanderers!

🎲🧠 Game Night + Trivia Vibes @ Stay & Play Café 🍹🍽️

Board Game + Trivia Night @ Stay & Play Game Café (Old Irving Park)

📅 Thursday, January 22, 2026
⏰ 6:00–9:00 PM
📍 Stay & Play Game Café 3932 W. Irving Park Rd · Chicago

Let’s plan another fun board game night at one of my favorite neighborhood spots on the Northwest Side — Stay & Play Game Café, conveniently close to my home and highly recommended for game lovers!

This welcoming, spacious café features 500+ board games, delicious food, and creative cocktails — plus Trivia Night every fourth Thursday in the back room, with a different theme each month and prizes for the winning team 🏆.

🧠 Board games take place in the front area, so you can play games, do trivia, or float between both.

This is a great chance to support a local, independent, woman- and Latino-owned business while laughing, playing, and socializing together. 💙

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🎲 Game Night Vibes
I tend to love the classics — Monopoly, Scrabble, Life, Jenga, Taboo, Boggle, Mastermind — but they also have tons of modern games.
We’ll split into smaller tables based on what people want to play… or feel free to just hang out and socialize. No pressure, no judgment!

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💵 Game Pass Options
• $5 daily gaming pass with $10 minimum food/drink purchase
• OR $15 adult game pass (no food/drink minimum)
▫️ Includes up to 2 hours of gameplay
Either option costs less than a movie ticket — and is way more interactive and fun!

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🍽️🍹 Food & Drinks
• Puerto Rican–inspired menu 🌴
• Rum-based cocktails 🍹
• Full menu available online
🔗 Food & Drink Menu:
https://stayandplaygamecafe.com/menu
🎲 Game Library:
https://stayandplaygamecafe.com/game-library
🌐 Website:
https://stayandplaygamecafe.com
📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077988332148

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❤️ Meet the Founders
Yesenia and Jose met as college freshmen in 1991 and bonded over their love of family, Puerto Rican culture, great food, and board games. Game nights were always a staple in their lives, and they created Stay & Play as a place where friends, families, and loved ones could build memories through cooperation, friendly competition, and fun.

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🚇 Getting There
• Near the Blue Line
• CTA #80 Irving Park, #53 Pulaski buses
• CTA Trip Planner:
https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
🚗 Parking
• Metered parking on Irving Park Rd
• Free side-street parking (watch signs)
• 🚙 Small parking lot in the back!

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⚠️ NO-SHOW POLICY — PLEASE READ
• 3 no-shows without RSVP updates = 3-month event freeze
• RSVP cut-off = event start time
• If late, message the host directly
• Failure to check in counts as a no-show
• Continued no-shows may result in removal from the group

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🎉 Come play, laugh, do trivia, and support a great local business — whether you’re competitive, casual, or just there for the vibes!

✨🎷 Smooth, Soulful & Swingin’: Elaine Dame Live @ Gateway Lounge 🍸🎶

Live Jazz with Elaine Dame @ Copernicus Center – Gateway Lounge

A Jazz Lounge Collection with Celebrated Vocalist Elaine Dame ✨🎷

🗓 Friday, January 23, 2026
⏰ Show: 7:30 PM | Doors Open: 6:30 PM
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All Ages Welcome - ticket required- can pay at the door
📍 Copernicus Center – Gateway Lounge
5216 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago (Jefferson Park)
🎟 Tickets: $25 + fees - purchase below
👉 https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/94915724/a-jazz-lounge-collection-with-celebrated-vocalist-elaine-dame-chicago-gateway-lounge
🎟️ Can also buy tickets at the door for $30

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🎶 About the Performance
Join celebrated Chicago jazz vocalist Elaine Dame for an evening of hip, soulful, and swinging jazz in the intimate Gateway Lounge at the Copernicus Center. This special Jazz Lounge Collection features fresh reimaginings of jazz classics and hidden gems, performed with warmth, sophistication, and unmistakable swing, supported by a talented jazz ensemble.

Elaine Dame sings — and people stop and listen.

Since 1996, the woman Time Out Chicago calls “a jazz dynamo” and “a gem in the city’s vocal jazz scene” has captivated audiences coast to coast. Drawing on her background in Chicago’s theater scene, Elaine brings storytelling, nuance, and emotional depth to every performance.
The Chicago Reader praised her “winning stage presence and chameleon-like vocal flexibility,” while Grammy Award–winning jazz critic Neil Tesser wrote:
“Dame has risen to the top ranks of Chicago jazz singers… centered intonation, enviable rhythm, and a translucent but powerful instrument.”

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🏛 About the Venue: Copernicus Center
The Copernicus Center is one of Chicago’s true hidden gems — a premier cultural and event center serving the city since 1971. Operated by the nonprofit Copernicus Foundation, the Center hosts concerts, theater, community events, workshops, and multicultural programming year-round and is home to the Taste of Polonia Festival, the largest Polish music festival in the U.S.

Located in the heart of Jefferson Park, the venue offers excellent acoustics, historic charm, and easy accessibility from anywhere in the city.

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🚗 Parking & Transit
✔ Free parking lots + free street parking (watch for permit-only signs; arrive early)
✔ CTA accessible via Jefferson Park Blue Line & multiple bus routes
✔ CTA Trip Planner: https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

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⚠️ NO-SHOW POLICY (PLEASE READ)
• 3 no-shows without updating RSVP = 3-month suspension from events
• RSVP cut-off = event start time
• If late, message the host directly
• Failure to check in counts as a no-show
• Continued no-shows may result in removal from the group

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🎷✨ Come early, grab a drink, and enjoy a night of world-class Chicago jazz in an intimate lounge setting! 🎶💙

✨⛪ Guided Church Tour: Faith, Art & Architecture @Holy Trinity Cathedral 🏛️

🌿 An Inspiring Afternoon Inside a Louis Sullivan–Designed Chicago Landmark ✨

Join us for a special guided visit to Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral, a designated Chicago Landmark and one of the city’s most extraordinary sacred spaces. Designed by legendary architect Louis Sullivan — often called the “father of skyscrapers” — this church is one of his few religious commissions and a true architectural treasure.

This immersive experience explores Orthodox faith, symbolism, immigrant history, and Sullivan’s architectural vision, all within a richly decorated, awe-inspiring interior.

This is a stationary guided church visit — no walking route or neighborhood stroll — allowing us to slow down and truly absorb the art, architecture, iconography, and spiritual atmosphere of this remarkable landmark.

Expect vivid murals, traditional Orthodox icons, gold accents, incense, and powerful stories of faith and immigration — all shared in a respectful and informative setting. ✨

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🕰️ Schedule, Meeting Info & Cost
📅 Saturday, January 24, 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM – 3 PM
📍 Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cathedral 1121 N. Leavitt St.,
⏱️ Visit length: ~90 minutes
💰 Cost: $15 per person
💵 Cash strongly preferred
(Zelle / Venmo / PayPal accepted if needed so I can submit one group donation)

⚠️ All attendees must check in with me at the start of the tour and submit payment directly to me so I can give to the church

📸 Photography is typically allowed — please be respectful of the sacred space and follow any onsite guidance.

🎤 Private guided experience arranged for our group.

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🌟 What We’ll Experience
⛪ The stunning sanctuary designed by Louis Sullivan
🎨 Traditional Orthodox iconography and hand-painted murals
🕯️ Candles, incense, and sacred ritual elements
📜 The history of the parish and its immigrant roots
🏛️ Architectural details that blend Orthodox tradition with Sullivan’s design philosophy

This visit takes place entirely inside the church and its immediate grounds.

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📖 About Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church
Founded in 1903, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church is one of Chicago’s oldest Orthodox parishes. The building was designed by Louis Sullivan, a pioneering American architect best known for shaping modern architecture and mentoring Frank Lloyd Wright.

Unlike Sullivan’s commercial work, Holy Trinity reflects his ability to adapt architectural form to religious meaning. The church’s simple exterior contrasts dramatically with its richly ornamented interior, emphasizing spirituality over spectacle — a deliberate and powerful design choice.

Designated a Chicago Landmark, Holy Trinity stands as both a sacred space and an architectural masterpiece. It represents the perseverance of immigrant communities who preserved their faith, culture, and traditions while shaping the city’s cultural landscape.

Today, the church continues to serve a diverse Orthodox congregation and remains one of the most visually striking and historically significant religious buildings in Chicago.

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🍽️ Optional Coffee or Lunch After the Visit
Those interested are welcome to join me afterward for coffee or lunch at a nearby neighborhood spot.
🍽️ Options will be shared closer to the date.
⚠️ Please bring cash — some venues may not split checks.

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👟 What to Bring
• Camera (if permitted)
• Respectful attire
• $15 tour fee (exact change appreciated; cash preferred but Zelle, Venmo, PayPal accepted)

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🚇 Getting There
Public transportation is easy and encouraged.
Use Google Maps or CTA Trip Planner:
https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/

🚗 Parking
• Free and metered street parking nearby
• Generally easy to find during daytime hours
• Always check posted signs

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📝 RSVP & No-Show Policy
✔️ Please keep your RSVP updated
✔️ Cancel promptly if your plans change
❌ Repeated no-shows may result in removal from future events

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✨⛪ Join us for a rare opportunity to experience a Louis Sullivan–designed Chicago Landmark — where faith, immigration, and architecture come together in one unforgettable space. ✨

• Buy Online / Eventbrite
• Facebook Event
• Facebook Page

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🎶 About the Festival

• Chicago’s only Johnny Cash Festival, raising funds for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
• Music on 3 stages with 8+ bands
• Genres include country, folk, rockabilly, blues, and more
• Celebrate The Man in Black and the Carter Family’s contribution to American music

🎸 2026 Performers (subject to change)

• The Waco Brothers
• Iron Horse
• Alaina Stacey
• The John Allen Green Band
• Mike Gianinni & The Rhythm Rangers
• In Spite of Ourselves
• State of the City
• The Rock Islanders
• Lawrence Peters

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🏛️ About the Venue: Irish American Heritage Center

• 86,000 sq. ft. cultural center dedicated to Irish arts, culture & traditions
• Features:
• 658-seat theatre
• Library & museum
• Art gallery
• Authentic Irish pub
• Dance studios
• Meeting & banquet rooms
• Wheelchair accessible
• Multiple bars & food available (fish & chips, corned beef sandwiches, patty melts, hot dogs)

🔗 Learn more:

• IAHC Website
• IAHC About Us

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🚗 Parking & Transit

• 2 free parking lots + street parking (watch for permit-only signs; arrive early!)
• CTA accessible: Montrose Blue Line + buses
• CTA Trip Planner

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⚠️ No Show Policy

• 3 no-shows without updating RSVP = 3 months ineligible for future events
• Cut-off: event start time
• Message host if late / missed check-in
• Continual no-shows may result in removal from the group

💜 All proceeds benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, supporting children & families battling brain tumors.