Nightclubbing: CBGB's @ Film Center

The Siskel Film Center presents Nightclubbing: Live from CBGB's, a 60-minute documentary taken from the "Nightclubbing" New York cable TV show of the 1970s, containing performances in the legendary NYC punk club from 1975 and 1977. The band featured are: Blondie; Talking Heads; and the Dead Boys. The doc is preceded by excerpts from the film Looking For A Thrill, produced by local label Thrill Jockey. Ths event is part of a month-long program of excerpts from Nightclubbing, and looks to be one of the cooler attractions in the Film Center's Music Movies series. The film screens tonight at 8:00 PM. Tickets: $9, $5 for Film Center members, and $4 for SAIC students. Film Center: 164 N. State. (312) 846-2600.

AfroFolk @ Old Town School of Folk Music

AfroFolk Live, celebrating the music and culture of the African Diaspora, is making weekly visits to the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. The concerts are free, but a donation of $5 is encouraged for the 8:30-10:30pm shows. AfroFolk will showcase contemporary and historic African traditions including music, dance, theater, poetry, storytelling and religion. Tonight's concert, "Conscious MCs," focuses on hip-hop, with the hip-hop duo All Natural (DJ Tone B. Nimble and MC Capital D). Call 773-728-6000 for more information.

Alinea opens

Alinea, the latest venture by Chicago chef Grant Achatz and possibly the most highly anticipated restaurant opening in recent years, officially opens tonight. You're not getting in, not anytime soon (reservations are already booked through June), so you might as well start saving up now for the experience. (For a preview, see this article at Food and Wine magazine.) Alinea: 1723 N. Halsted. (312) 867-0110.

Lawrence Hall Youth Services Luncheon

Lawrence Hall Youth Services is announcing View from the Hall, their 2005 Spring Luncheon. The service, which is dedicated to helping abused and neglected children, welcomes Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski as this year's keynote speaker at the Fairmont Chicago, 200 W. Congress. The lunch will last from 12pm-2pm, with tickets priced at $150 before April 11 and $175 thereafter (and at the door, if available). All proceeds go toward further Lawrence Hall's cause. Seating is limited, so call 312-456-2497 to reserve your space.

Millennium Park: One Year Later

The Newberry Library's Wednesday Club will take a look at Millennium Park and its place as the city's newest spot to enjoy architecture, outdoor concerts, festivals, public art and stunning seasonal visuals. Edward Uhlir, the director of design, architecture and landscape for the Park, will discuss the Park's developement and its future in the city. Admission is $12, including refreshments. The talk begins at 6pm, but doors open at 5:30pm. Call 312-255-3510 for more information or register here.

Reconstruction Room @ Black Rock

Join local writers and performers for Wednesday's Reconstruction Room. The regular event promotes poetry and performance in the Chicago area. The Reconstruction Room meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at the Black Rock Bar at Damen and Addison. Organizers Della Watson and Erin Teegarden have invited Kerry Nevel (poetry), Brandon Heckman (fiction), and Laura Pretnar (performance) to share their work. 8pm, 21+.

Chicago NOW's Stitch and Learn event

Chicago NOW's Educational Fund is organizing events at local coffee shops geared to get crafters politically educated and maybe organized and most definitely fired up. Their first Stitch'n'Learn event will take place tonight at Mo Joe's Cafe (corner of Roscoe and Oakley) beginning at 7 pm. Bring along your knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch or other crafty project so you can be crafty while The University of Illinois' Women's Reproductive Health, Research and Policy Project, an organization that promotes social policies, trains practitioners, and conducts research on reproductive issues, will be facilitating the discussion on Illinois laws surrounding abortion and Medicaid coverage of abortion. The talk will focus specifically on the Child Custody Protection Act, the Prevention First Act, and the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. The issue of framing the abortion debate for success will also be addressed.

GB staffer Cinnamon Cooper will be in attendance.