Dana Cree Exiting Blackbird; New Chef and Menu at Barley & Brass; More

WEST LOOP—There have been a few big pastry chef shuffles of note this year (Leigh Omilinsky replacing Amanda Rockman at Nico Osteria, for one), now comes word of another. Dana Cree is leaving her position with Blackbird to work with 1871 Dairy and will bring her line of gourmet ice cream, Hello My Name Is. Cree has been with the restaurant for the past three years and her last day is scheduled for August 15. [Tribune]

WICKER PARK—Barley & Brass, which opened last November, has a new chef, Devon Owens (Marion Cheese Market), along with a new menu which you can see below. Owens' menu is in the same spirit as the one the restaurant opened with, but reads as more approachable. Bar manager Gordon Robertson has also created some new cocktails as well, including one on tap called "La Bamba" (tequila, grapefruit, birdseye chili, liquid smoke). [EaterWire]

RIVER NORTH—This past weekend's Windy City Smokeout posted some impressive numbers. Nearly 30,000 attendees consumed the following: 13,000 pieces of chicken served by Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken; 700 gallons of lemonade, 6,000 pounds of pork, 4,000 pounds of brisket, 3,000 pounds of barbecue chicken, 3,000 pounds of ribs, 500 pounds of lobster served by Supreme Lobster, 1,200 watermelons, 500 gallons of barbecue sauce, 2,000 ears of corn and 50,000 napkins. [EaterWire]

LOGAN SQUARE—Logan Theater will host the Chicago premiere of Caffeinated tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. with a reception at neighboring Intelligentsia afterwards. You can purchase tickets here and view the film's trailer here. [EaterWire]

BUCKTOWN—After 31 years in business, the family run Riverside Café closed its doors yesterday after brunch service. The building has been sold to Vivek Sehgal (Southport & Irving), who plans on renovating both the restaurant and the upstairs apartments. [DNAinfo]