🇵🇱 Where to find Chicago’s best paczki · City Cast Chicago

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What's CITY Talking About?

Former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Little Village in 2021. (Scott Olson / Getty)

Jussie Smollett Case Cont.

The former “Empire” star is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to hear his case after a lower court upheld his conviction and sentence. Smollett had claimed he was the victim of a hate crime in Chicago in 2019 and was found guilty in 2021 of staging the attack. [WGN]

New Names for Snow Plows

“Skilling It” and “CTRL-SALT-DELETE” were among the top vote-getters in the city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation contest. [WTTW]

Hunting for Chicago’s Best Paczki

T-6 days until Fat Tuesday, which is why we sampled paczki from Bennison’s Bakery in Evanston, Laramie Bakery and Deli in Belmont Cragin, and Polish Paczki Cafe in Norwood Park. Which was our fav? [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

New Game From Cards Against Humanity Creators

Head Trip is an adult party game trying to get inside the heads of players with questions that are risqué and even offensive. It is the newest game from the Chicago-based company that also dreamt up Cards Against Humanity nearly 13 years ago. [Block Club]

Plenty of games have Chicago connections. [Hey Chicago 💻]

What To Do

Wednesday, Feb. 7

Black History Month Story Trails 🤎 Dan Ryan Woods | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Free
Diaspora Dinner 🍽️ Garfield Park | 5:30 p.m. | Free
“Billy Elliot” opens 🩰 Aurora | 7 p.m. | $28+
Lunar New Year Celebration 🐉 Lincoln Square | 8 p.m. | Free

Thursday, Feb. 8

Chicago Theatre Week starts 🎭 Citywide | Varies | Varies
Project Onward Valentine’s Portrait Slam 💗 West Loop | 5–8 p.m. | $40+
Love Bug Dance 🐛 Naperville | 5:30–8 p.m. | $22

Friday, Feb. 9

People smile during a hot cocoa crawl in Andersonville — Go on a hot cocoa crawl and participate in a puzzle exchange as part of Andersonville’s Fika Fest weekend. (Courtesy of Andersonville Chamber of Commerce)

Girls Day of P.L.A.Y 🤸 Citywide | Varies | Free
Fika Fest starts ☕ Andersonville | Varies | Varies
Puppy Speed Dating 🐶 North Center | 4–6:30 p.m. | Varies
Valentine’s Party: Cards & Collages 💌 Kenwood | 7:30–9:30 p.m. | Free
Folk Fest starts 🪕 Hyde Park | 8 p.m. | $5+

More DC Events

Today on City Cast

Journalist Joanna Marszalek joined City Cast Chicago executive producer Simone Alicea and podcast host Jacoby Cochran smashed some paczki — Journalist Joanna Marszalek joined City Cast Chicago executive producer Simone Alicea and podcast host Jacoby Cochran to smash some paczki last week. (City Cast Chicago)

Does Paczki Deserve a Holiday? Yes!

Fat Tuesday is less than a week away, and you’re going to want to pre-order your paczki now. But where should you order from? Journalist Joanna Marszalek and the City Cast Chicago podcast team tried the Polish dessert from a few local bakeries and dished on the best.