EAT
The First Noel
Cafe des Architectes
20 E. Chestnut St. 312-324-4000
Chefs from Blackbird, Nomi Kitchen, Balena and other culinary hot spots create modern interpretations of buche de noel, a classic French Yuletide dessert, while you sample them all and vote for your favorite. ABC-TV food reporter Steve Dolinsky hosts the festivities, which also include cocktails, savory appetizers and live holiday music by Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press. 6-8 p.m. $35. RSVP: holidayrockandroll.eventbrite.com.
Chestnuts Roasting
Sola
3868 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-327-3868
Evoke some Nat King Cole with a chestnut-inspired three-course prix-fixe dinner which includes carrot-parsnip soup with roasted chestnuts and candied carrots; pumpkin seed-crusted cobia with smoked celery root puree and confit chestnuts; and chestnut cake with eggnog ice cream. 5:30-10:30 p.m. $30; $45 with wine pairings.
DRINK
Christmas Countdown
Porkchop
941 W. Randolph St. 312-733-9333
The West Loop spot's counting down the 12 days of Christmas, and you can, too. Today's all about eight maids a-milking, which means that for $8, you can give your true love-or yourself-a draft of oak-aged Dragons Milk from New Holland Brewing Company. 11:30 a.m.-midnight.
DO
Word Up
Viaduct Theater
3111 N. Western Ave. 773-296-6024
Speak your piece-or hear others do just that-at Mental Graffiti, a poetry slam where the audience votes and the winner takes home $20. Then, Brown University spoken word artist Fatimah Asghar takes the stage for a set. Want to compete? Sign-up begins at 7:30 p.m. 8 p.m. $5.
In the Huddle
Stage 773
1225 W. Belmont Ave. 773-327-5252
Miss Jordan? Check out The '92 Dream Team, a fast-paced improv show in which a lineup of six ladies explore the world of basketball-and audience suggestions-to find the funny in the line between the masculine and the feminine. 8 p.m. $7.
REDEYE TIP OF THE DAY
Laugh Factory hosts a benefit Dec. 30 for Hurricane Sandy evacuees arriving in Chicago: laughfactory.com.
Julia Borcherts is a RedEye special contributor.