2nd ANNUAL CHICAGO COUCHCRASH ITINERARY

LABOR DAY WEEKEND
THURSDAY-MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1-5, 2011

Please RSVP for all events you plan on attending!
Official CS Event Page | Official Facebook Invite
Official CS Chicago CouchCrash Group
Official CS Chicago CouchCrash Facebook Page

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Check out the incentive packages available on our Donate! page.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

CS Chicago Weekly Meeting Special Event!
2nd Annual Chicago CouchCrash Welcoming Party –
Board Game Night @ El Cid 2 (Upstairs Bar)
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116414

Address: 2645 North Kedzie Avenue @ Milwaukee (Logan Square)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Cost: Whatever you'd like to eat or drink (est. $10-20)!
18+ EVENT

Details: Every Thursday CS Chicago holds a Weekly Meeting; once a month we also hold a board game night at the upstairs bar of El Cid 2.  Join us for what will be an unforgettable welcoming party for our 2nd Annual Chicago CouchCrash!  Show off your ruthless gaming skills with drunken rounds of Sorry!, UNO, Apples To Apples and crowd-favorite Jumbling Towers, the best Jenga knock-off you can score for $4.99 at Target!

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt & Lorie Ranker

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Welcoming Party After Party @ Mayhem Manor!
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116807

Address: 1028 West Roscoe Street @ Kenmore (Wrigleyville)
Time: 1:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.
Cost: BYOB!
18+ EVENT

Details: Not ready to call it a night after many rounds of drinks and Jenga? Join us for the after party at Mayhem Manor!

PLEASE NOTE: PARTY REASONABLY, DRINK RESPONSIBLY & PLAN AHEAD!!! Once the party is over, you are expected to find a way to SAFELY get yourself back to wherever you're surfing. Mayhem Manor is fully booked, and you will not have the privilege of "hanging around for a little longer to sober up". (Try Clark's Diner just down the street if you want to do that.) Remember: This is only the first night of the CouchCrash! Pace yourself, son!

Organizer: Michael Martinez-Mann

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

Best of Chicago: (EARLY!) Lunch Edition

(EARLY!) Gourmet Hot Dogs @ Hot Doug's
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116812

Address: 3324 North California Avenue @ Roscoe (Avondale)
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: Whatever you'd like to eat or drink (est. $10-15)! CASH ONLY!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   You think hot dogs are nothing but the bottom of the meat hierarchy!  Think again!  HOT DOUG'S, the self-proclaimed "Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium", has become world-renowned for their gourmet hot dogs.  Every try a Red Wine and Demi-Glace Venison Sausage with Fig Goat's Butter and Raclette Cheese?  How about Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Fleur de Sel?  Well, you can – AND SHOULD!  (Don't forget to save room for the Duck Fat Fries!  You can only get 'em on Friday & Saturday!)

Organizer: Adam Venezia

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(EARLY!) Heavy Metal Burgers @ Kuma’s Corner
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116811

Address: 2900 West Belmont Avenue @ Francisco (Avondale)
Time: 10:30 a.m. (sharp!) – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Whatever you'd like to eat or drink (est. $10-20)! CASH HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Forget everything you know about burgers!  KUMA'S CORNER and their mind-blowing selection of heavy metal 12 oz. patties thrashes all contenders!  Don't believe me?  Get up early and taste for yourself!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m.  However, on a Friday morning of a long weekend, you can expect a 90 MINUTE WAIT if you decide to show up at that time.  So if you're serious about the best burger in the world, be there NO LATER THAN 11:00 A.M.!  You get there early, you get seated WITH US right away!  (Gotta be fair to the other folks in line.) Also, we'll need to split everyone up into manageable groups so the hostess won't threaten our lives! (NOT KIDDING!)

Also, be warned that Kuma's does not do separate checks and will only process so many credit cards, so cash is highly recommended.

Organizer: Lorie Ranker

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(EARLY!) Sandwiches & Shakes @ The Brown Sack
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116813

Address: 3581 West Belden Avenue @ Central Park (Logan Square)
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Whatever you'd like to eat or drink (est. $10-15)! CASH ONLY!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details: The Brown Sack is a cozy, hip Mom & Pop "soup, sandwich and shake shack" in the southwestern edge of Logan Square that is still one of the best kept secrets in Chicago.  The sandwiches look like they should be framed and put on a wall and taste even better.  Most people hail the Corned Beef Reuben, but they also make a stellar Cajun “Po Boy” as well as an outstanding BLT with shrimp and avocado.  Of course, the true winners are the peanut butter shake and the mocha malt – both are worth living, dying and killing for.  (Also, the strawberry shake was voted #1 by Time Out Chicago (2009)!)

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt

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(EARLY!) Vegan Lunch @ The Chicago Diner
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116817

Address: 3411 North Halsted Street @ Roscoe (Lakeview)
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Whatever you'd like to eat or drink (est. $10-15)! CASH ONLY!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details: TBA

Organizer: Michael Martinez-Mann

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Improvitecture – Comedy Walking Tour of Chicago!
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116819

Address: Cloud Gate (aka The Bean) - 201 East Randolph Street @ Michigan (Millennium Park)
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $5! CASH ONLY!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:  Improvitecture gives comedy shows using Chicago as a prop.  We take people on architecture walking tours of Chicago, and our tour guides are local Chicago comedians.  They will show you around the downtown area of Chicago and narrate a completely fake and funny history of the Windy City.

IMPORTANT NOTE: E-mail us at info@improvitecture.com so that we have the correct amount of tour guides available.

Organizer: Adam Katz

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FrankenReagan presents: Chicago Improvisation @ The Spot
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116825

Address: 4437 North Broadway Avenue @ Montrose (Uptown)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $3! CASH ONLY!
21+ EVENT

Details:   Chicago is known as the second city in the U.S., but we are first on the list for comedy.  Come out and see why!

This mini-improvisational comedy festival showcases local Chicago performers for an outrageously affordable THREE DOLLARS!  Long form improvisational comedy theatre is an art form where actors will take one suggestion from the audience at the beginning of the show then create a 20-30 minute play for you - one which will never exist again.  This performance style was created and continues to evolve here, and you really can't see Chicago without seeing this kind of show.  Support live theatre (and starving theatre artists) while laughing your pants off.

In this one night, you'll see:
- FrankenReagan perform long form improvisational comedy
- Jim Burchill perform musical comedy
- Charles Grodin perform long form improvisational comedy
- Oh Theodora perform award-winning sketch comedy
- Tina With the Weather perform long form improvisational comedy

Why should local Chicagoans be the only ones who enjoy the riches of this sweet city?  Your trip is not complete until you say you've seen the indie comedy scene.  Plus, in a few years you might be watching these same performers on TV!

Organizer: Jessica Landis

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CS Chicago & The Sound Of You & Me present
ELECTROFUNK Dance Party!
@ Chicago Urban Art Society
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116823

Address: 2229 South Halsted Street @ 22nd Place (Pilsen)
Time: 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Cost: $10 Cover! Money for whatever you'd like to drink! CASH ONLY!
18+ EVENT

Details: What better way to fully kick off our weekend than an awesome ELECTROFUNK DANCE PARTY?! Chicago Urban Art Society has given us the opportunity to book their H-U-G-E space in Pilsen to get up and get down 'til the wee hours of the night. Join CS Chicago for stellar live performances by BadNRad and The Congregration followed by a two-hour DJ set by local couchsurfer Robert Collazo!

Concert Schedule:
9:30 p.m.: Doors open.
Bring your ID. If you're under 21, you get a wristband.

10:00 p.m.: BadNRad
JOIN THE RAD REVOLUTION!!! Watching a BNR live show is a mega-multi-sensory overload! BNR harnesses the power of his synths, guitar, keytar and talk box while utilizing video/lighting/dance master Time Squid to ensure every brain cell is tickled.
http://www.badnrad.com
http://www.facebook.com/badnrad

11:00 p.m.: The Congregation
The Congregation plays a righteous combination of blues, soul and rock & roll. They do it the old-fashioned way, the way Otis Redding, Ike and Tina Turner, Howlin' Wolf, Aretha Franklin and Bo Diddley did it – real instruments, raw and powerful vocals, down and dirty soul. This female-fronted powerhouse will take you from "aw, shucks" to "Goddamn!" before you know what slapped you in the face. When it comes to the songwriting, you won't find any sugarcoated love songs here, you'll get a little bit of longing and a whole lot of wronging.
http://www.thecongregationband.com
http://www.facebook.com/thecongregation

12:30 a.m.: Night People (Robert Collazo)
If you've ever attended Soul Night at Danny's in Bucktown, you've probably already shook your ass to the sensational soulfunkdiscorhythmnbluessalsahiphop mixes of DJ (and couchsurfer!) Robert Collazo. He'll be bringing a stack of vinyl to keep us moving and shaking until last call.

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2011

Windy City Scavenger Hunt
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116826

Address: CHICAGO!
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Beginning Saturday morning we will kick off a most epic and "fun"-omenal scavenger hunt across our beloved city. If you choose to participate, people will break up into groups (of 1 or more) and cross the city looking for unique items, places and people. Activities will include taking pictures of famous places, interacting with locals and collecting pieces of Chicago memorabilia from various locales. You are welcome to cross the city by bike, train, car, portal gun or any other method you see fit.

The list of items will be released the day of the event. Each item will be allotted a certain number of points. Some items will be rarer than others and, thus, worth more points. Your points will be tallied later in the day at the BBQ/Firepit Party. Those with the highest points win. Winners will get sweet prizes and plenty of accolades.

Organizers: Lorie Ranker & Mike Turner

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Chicago Chinatown Tour 2011!
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=129754

Address: Tours starts outside Three Happiness Restaurant - 2130 South Wentworth Avenue @ Cermak (Chinatown)
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Do you know which city has the U.S.'s largest Chinatown outside of New York and San Francisco? Yup, none other than the Windy City! Located just south of the Loop, Chicago's Chinatown has been the most concentrated Chinese population in the Midwestern United States for nearly 100 years.

Join Ben Ross (that's me!) for a tour through one of Chicago's oldest, and most interesting, ethnic neighborhoods. I spent 4 years of my life living in China, and I'm currently working on a PhD in urban sociology. I study neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves and Chinese communities; needless to say, I spend a lot of time in Chinatown. I also give tours for the Chicago Chinese Chamber of Commerce, so for all intents and purposes, this will be a professional tour -- totally FREE of charge to all CouchSurfers!

Organizer: Benjamin Ross

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Authentic Chinese Lunch @ Double Li Restaurant
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=129755

Address: 228 West Cermak Road between Wentworth & Archer (Chinatown)
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $12 per person (tip included!)
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Ever wonder what a real Chinese meal is like? Here's your chance.

After the tour of Chinatown, we will be having an authentic Chinese lunch! Double Li specializes in Sichuan food, which is generally hot and spicy; however non-spicy dishes are available, too. As Chinese meals are always eaten family style, I am going to order a set meal in advance. (Trust me, it always works better like this). You'll be able to nibble on 10-12 different authentic Chinese dishes (with lots of vegetarian options). There will be an exorbitant amount of food, and it should come out to only around $12 per head (tip included).

Double Li is BYOB, so if you want to drink, you can either bring a 6-pack or pick up a bottle of booze at the Asian liquor store (which is part of the tour!). Since we'd like to have a rough head count for the restaurant, PLEASE TRY TO RSVP BEFORE 9:30 A.M. ON SATURDAY MORNING if you plan to eat lunch.

Organizer: Benjamin Ross

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NEW LOCATION!
Chicago CouchCrash Intramurals
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116827

Address: Barrie Park - 127 Garfield Street @ Lombard (Oak Park)
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Dodgeball, Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer & Capture The Flag! Get your game on!

Organizers: Michael Martinez-Mann & Justin Zerza

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NEW EVENT!
The Drinking & Writing Brewery presents BEER
@ Haymarket Pub & Brewery
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=129030

Address: 737 West Randolph Street @ Halsted (West Loop)
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $7 CouchSurfer Discount!
IMPORTANT NOTE: This will be the premiere of the BEER remount at Haymarket Pub & Brewery. It is HIGHLY SUGGESTED that you buy your tickets ahead of time!
1.) Follow this link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/190858
2.) Enter "surfer" in the Discount Code section when purchasing your ticket to get the CouchSurfer discount.
                       21+ EVENT

INTRODUCTION: I was hoping to include a theater event for the CouchCrash, and I think I found the perfect one! The Drinking & Writing Brewery is remounting their wonderful musical BEER -- which will be performed inside an actual brewery! -- and they're inviting us CouchCrashers to join us for an (discounted) afternoon of alcohol, music and puppets!

SYNOPSIS: Ten-year-old Boon and his caustic buddy, Puke, learn the tricks of the brewing trade in this presentation by Drinking & Writing Theater. When Boon passes out after drinking his stepdad's beer, he finds himself in a strange land of puppet friends where he needs to successfully brew beer to find his way home. The Beer Geeks are part musicians and part Greek chorus as they guide Boon and Puke through the brewing process. Along the way, these champions of handcrafted beers must defend the principles of microbrewing from Bud Miller and the people of Milweiser. Audiences are sure to learn the differences between lagers, ales, stouts, porters and pilsners.

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt

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Lorie's Epic CouchCrash BBQ & Firepit Party
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116828

Address: Oak Park (Address and directions only given upon request. Please contact Lorie Ranker for details.)
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Cost: BYOB and whatever you'd like to grill!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Like last year, fellowship and debauchery collide at Lorie's place in Oak Park! This is a BBQ/Firepit party, which means there will be several grills for cooking your goodies as well as a firepit to roast marshmallows - or polish sausage! (Really, the possibilities are endless . . .)

IMPORTANT NOTE: We have cats and dogs, so please take precautions if you have allergies!

Organizer: Lorie Ranker

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

Post-Firepit Hangover Breakfast
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=117327

Address: Oak Park (Address and directions only given upon request. Please contact Lorie Ranker for details.)
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: TBA (Just a few bucks to cover food costs.)
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   Welcome to the morning after . . . some will not have even slept by the time the breakfast gets rolling, but it's all good – that's how we roll!  Michael Martinez-Mann will be coordinating with me for this extravaganza we call the hangover breakfast.  Not sure what's on the menu as of yet, but I guarantee that if Michael is cooking, it will be magically delicious!

Organizer: Lorie Ranker & Michael Martinez-Mann

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CS Chicago Beach Party!
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116830

Address: 5200 North Lake Shore Drive (Edgewater)
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE!
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:Beach Party! Come out to Foster Ave. Beach for some epic fun in the sun. We've had some absolutely FANTASTIC beach meet-ups, but we would like to make this the UTMOST, SUPREME, & UNPARALLELED beach party of beach parties!

Here's what to expect: food, drinks, games (on the sand and in the water), water fights, burials in the sand (usually with some form of "art" attached), underwater photos, tom foolery, great conversations, possibly some music, random photos, a gorgeous view of the city, possibly some form of human pyramid structure, AND GREAT PEOPLE...... Did I mention GREAT PEOPLE??!!!!!!!!!!!

You are encouraged to bring whatever you like and I'm sure everyone would be extremely grateful. Bring food, drinks and any sports-related gear (soccer ball, frisbee, football, hackey sack, etc.) you would like. Share and share alike!

IMPORTANT NOTE: A word of caution about bringing liquor - or anything in glass. The best option is to fill up (dark) water bottles. If you cannot do this, then please bring cans and cups to put it in. It is also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to keep the liquor out of sight (bag, backpack, etc). We won't be harassed at all *IF* you follow this advice. Please be responsible and think of the others around you.

Organizer: Michael Martinez-Mann, Ania Papkov & Justin Zerza

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NEW EVENT!
Bobby's Bike Hike: City Lights at Night
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=129913

Address: 465 North McClurg Court @ East Illinois Street (River North)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 (without a bike) | $10 (bring your own bike)
ALL AGES EVENT

Details: The best way to experience Chicago is by bike; the best time, at night!

Like a party on wheels, we'll cruise through downtown to see brand new Millennium Park, Museum Campus and Buckingham Fountain, with its world-renowned light show. You'll see our favorite jaw-dropping views of the scintillating skyline.

10 miles in 3 hours with lots of stops. All ages and fitness levels!

Organizer: Evan Kuchar

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Second City on the Silver Screen
@ The Historical Portage Theater
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116831

Address: 4050 North Milwaukee Avenue @ Irving Park & Cicero (Portage Park)
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Cost: $10 (NOTE: The cost for this event is on a sliding scale. The more people who sign up, the more the cost will decrease.)
ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   After a busy weekend chock full of dancing, drinking and exploring, we thought we might take it easy with a very special night at the movies. We've booked the Portage Theater, a recently restored Chicago landmark cinema that seats 1300 people(!), for two classic films that give the Windy City a starring role: Ferris Bueller's Day Off & The Blues Brothers!

Screening Schedule:
8:00 p.m. - Ferris Bueller's Day Off
10:00 p.m. - The Blues Brothers

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2011

CouchCrash Farewell BBQ @ The Hen House
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=116833

Address: Wrigleyville (Address and directions only given upon request. Please contact Mel Eisenhart for details.)
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Cost: BYOB and whatever you'd like to grill!
                       ALL AGES EVENT

Details:   We figured we would keep it simple and wrap the weekend with a farewell backyard BBQ. Join us at the Hen House in the heart of Wrigleyville. You can hang out for a drink or two and still have time to catch a train or bus to whatever mode of transport you might be using to take you home.

Organizer: Mel Eisenhart

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NEW EVENT!
Chicago Fringe Festival:
Am I Blue | Bedbugs | Anonymously Yours
http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=129117

Address: Halsted & 18th Street (Pilsen)
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Cost: $5 Fringe Festival Button | $10 suggested donation for all shows
IMPORTANT NOTE: The $5 button is a one-time-only purchase that will                            allow you access to the entire festival.
                           ALL AGES EVENT

INTRODUCTION:
Still not ready to go home yet? Well, let's aim for a little more of the avant-garde with a visit to the Chicago Fringe Festival! I've selected three performance pieces this evening that I hope will be just as promising as their synopses sound.

SYNOPSES:
AM I BLUE
@ HumanThread (645 West 18th Street @ Ruble) | Time: 7:00 p.m.
Writer, actress, improviser and performer Elizabeth Blue takes you on the hilarious journey of what "finding oneself" actually looks like.

BEDBUGS
@ Doppler Stage (1915 South Halsted Street @ 19th) | Time: 8:30 p.m.
The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society presents a bedtime story about: Heroes! Villains! Cake! Pirates! The CTA! An Old Sensei! The Best Song! Seamonsters! A Pretty Girl! A Sherpa! The Internet! A Trusty Steed! ...And much more, brought to you by the Mechanics of The Harlotry & Necromancy Appreciation Society. Get tucked in, and buckle up.

ANONYMOUSLY YOURS
@ Temple Gallery - 1749 South Halsted Street @ 18th | Time: 10:00 p.m.
Studio BE presents Anonymously Yours, a barrage of unrestrained, hilarious raw emotion gathered from the depths of the anonymous boards of the web. From Rants and Raves to Random come see the desire and rage of the internet unapologetic and uncensored. We didn't write it. Did you?

Organizer: Justin Velander Holt

Want to save money on these events?
Check out the incentive packages available on our Donate page.
(Click on the couch for details!)