Chicago

Breathe a sigh of relief, the weekend came quickly thanks to the four day week. With summer hotter than ever, the humidity in full effect and hair bigger than ever (thanks frizz), here are your weekend best bets. And yes, there’s alcohol aplenty to drown your sorrows about Lebron.

With World Cup fever winding down and having just celebrated America’s birthday, global alliances are in full swing. Why not celebrate France’s day of reckoning with some amazing French dining in honor of Bastille Day?

Been to North Avenue Beach lately? The one thing you’ll notice aside from the plethora of metallic and neon bikinis is the endless amount of tats. They’re everywhere and with no end in sight, it’s only fitting for Chicago to get a celebrity tattoo parlor for all your inked out needs.

Because many visiting car collectors also attend Pebble Beach week with the intention of buying as much as exhibiting, a majority of the major auction houses have a multi-day sale scheduled. While Russo & Steele has cultivated a reputation for American muscle cars and street machines, and RM Auctions can claim the largest volume of worldwide operations, it is the relative upstart Gooding & Company that claims the title of host of the officially endorsed auction of the Pebble Beach Concours.

Protein, plain and simple, it does a body good. This is not to say that you should skip your lima beans and brussel sprouts, or never eat pasta ever again, but protein is an essential part of every cell in the body. It is a key ingredient for muscles, bones, cartilage, skin and blood. You need protein to make enzymes and hormones, as well as repairing tissue.

Enjoying cigars has been a pastime that has transcended geography and social status and has spanned centuries, however over the years, laws are making it nearly impossible to find a place to enjoy these legal products. The Cigar Rights of America (CRA) was founded in 2006 by a group of manufacturers, retailers and consumers to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts. Now for the the first time, the Premium Cigar Industry's leading manufacturers have partnered to create an unbelievable CRA Sampler Pack.

Recognized as a global foodie haven, it’s no wonder Chicago culinary masters have represented so well for us on Bravo’s Top Chef. And let’s face it, these newly crowned celebrity chefs have developed a cult following around the city. Here’s an update on what some of your favs have been up to and their cool new projects (even though we know you stalk their twitter accounts).

It’s easy to google or yelp the top 10 restaurants in Chicago and the names you expect to see will continually make the cut. The Alineas, Trus, and Spiaggas of the foodie world always top the list with most national recognition, awards, and lengthy pre fixe menus. However, here are a few gems that you may not know, the Haute 5 below the radar local dining spots that are equally amazing and delectable.

It’s only a few months out of the year that the weather is nice so taking advantage of nature is definitely on the summer to do list. But camping is just so... blah. And golf at the country club doesn’t seem to count. So how do you enjoy mother nature the haute way?

Few watch lovers will ever have the pleasure of owning a Thomas Prescher timepiece. Prescher makes a very limited amount of watches each year, and they are often extremely expensive. The level of horological understanding necessary to appreciate his craft is also intimidating.

Yacht owners are arguably some of the most creative people around. Take a walk along the docks of your local marina and you’ll see names like Office Ours, Fantasea, Liquid Asset and Seas the Day.

The only thing better than being seen looking fly at the club, is looking even hotter on the water. Well, you’re in luck because July has boat parties up the wazoo so pack the bikini and bring the nightlife to the lakefront.