From Le Bouchon to the lakefront: Shea Couleé's ultimate Chicago day
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Trixie Mattel (L), Todrick Hall and Shea Couleé attend RuPaul's DragCon 2019 in New York City. Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
Chicago's drag queen superstar Shea Couleé is joining Trixie Mattel for her "Solid Pink Disco" DJ set and show at the Salt Shed on Thursday.
Context: Couleé is arguably the most successful drag queen from Chicago, slaying "RuPaul's Drag Race" several times, including taking home the crown in All-Stars season 5 in 2020.
- Couleé has been performing drag since 2012 at legendary local clubs like Roscoe's and the now-closed Berlin.
- She's also a recording artist and a model.
The latest: The entertainer has crossed over to scripted television, starring in "Abbott Elementary" and the upcoming Marvel series "Ironheart."
What to watch for: Couleé is the scheduled opener tonight, but Mattel will most likely bring her "Drag Race" alum back onstage during her set.
The bottom line: Couleé still lives here, so we reached out to get the beloved performer's perfect day in Chicago.
🥐 Breakfast: "I'm going to Lost Larson in Andersonville. I'm going to get a lavender latte, an almond croissant, and if I'm really feeling feisty, I'll add in one of their signature quiches."
🏋️♀️ Morning activity: "Normally, my routine is going to start with me getting up and going to the gym. I go to this fierce Queer gym called Cheetah Gym. Yes, it's very ferocious. After I read some emails, I'll give myself a little break to read or play some video games like Fortnite or Dead by Daylight."
🍕Lunch: "I'm going to keep it really simple and go to Pizza Lobo because I love their quickfire NYC-style thin crust pizzas and their Caesar salad is on another level. It's such a cute little lunch spot with picnic tables, self-service, and the food is amazing."
🛼 Afternoon activity: "Let's assume this is during the months with beautiful weather outside, so maybe I'll pop on my rollerblades and go blading down the lakefront path for some cute views of the city. My soundtrack will probably be my K-pop faves: Katseye, BLACKPINK, and LE SSERAFIM."
🥣 Dinner: "Let me go to Le Bouchon for some really amazing French onion soup. Their menu is always changing, so it's hard to know what to expect. Their potato and leek soup is also amazing."
🍸 Evening activity: "To wind down, I'd love a post-dinner cocktail from Green Street Smoked Meats. It's across from Soho House. You enter through an alley, and the craft cocktails are amazing. Ask for Nicola at the bar!"
🎶 After party: "I'm going to have to say my place because it's cool and the vibes are always right. Everyone gathers around my countertop and we watch music videos, a true gay tradition."