The Chaser - Chicago

11/05/09

The Other Pitchfork

I’ve been craving two things since the chill set in: good bourbon (as a native Kentuckian, it takes me home) and irresistible bread pudding. When I heard a new bar in Albany Park was combining both in one seemingly made-for-me item, I wasted no time in grabbing a pair of tagalongs—my sister Liv and my friend Jenny—and heading north...

Posted at 03:29 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)

10/29/09

Points South: Modest Jackpots, Savvy Pickups

I’ve spent a good chunk of my eight years in Chicago chillin' in 60614, but last week I was lured outside of its bounds for two adventures with only these directions in common: Take Lake Shore Drive south.

Posted at 03:56 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)

10/22/09

Elk, Yuppies, and Decades of Dirt: Looking for a Good Scare in Chicago Bars

In anticipation of the upcoming Halloween festivities, I spent last Saturday trying to scare myself silly, with varying results. First up: Braving River North’s District Bar under strange and unusual circumstances. District is usually a see-and-be-seen kind of place, with a mix of youngish guys and girls watching...

Posted at 03:13 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (3)

10/15/09

Drinking Like a Mad Woman

Do you ever put down the remote after the latest DVR'd episode of Mad Men and think, “I could use a drink?” I do, especially after this week’s installment, in which Don Draper proved yet again that unforgivable cads can brood and charm their way out of anything. After a quick glance at AMC’s Mad Men Cocktail Guide for reference, I texted my friend Tim to...

Posted at 06:25 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (5)

10/08/09

Rebar Relapse: Ben Stiller, infant barflies, and other adventures in drinking with my brother

On Tuesday night—right after we finished stalking Ben Stiller, who was filming a scene for Little Fockers at the intersection of Wrightwood and Dayton—my brother, Lee, and I headed to Rebar at the Trump for a media tasting of the lounge's new fall cocktail menu. I’ve been cheating on Rebar with...

Posted at 01:01 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (5)

10/01/09

See and Be Cedar

For weeks I had been driving by The Cedar Hotel (1112 N. State St.; 312-944-1112), giving the crowd the once-over and wondering if the vibe was still as rowdy as in the days of Melvin B’s. When Sunday looked like the last patio-friendly weather we’d have for a while—and even then it was iffy—my friend Kelli and I headed over for a farewell-to-September brew...

Posted at 04:33 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)

09/24/09

Nine Questions for the New Chaser

Nightlifers, meet Amalie Drury (less like "ah-ma-LEE," the fictional Frenchie; more like "Emily," with a Kentucky accent). Once you've mastered the Southernese, say hello if you see our new girl-about-town—a Louisville native and longtime CS vet—on the scene. She'll be scouting the city's best spots to drink and people watch, not necessarily in that order, then reporting on it Thursdays here in The Chaser. We asked Amalie a few questions to break the ice...

Posted at 05:11 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (10)

07/30/09

Last Call

Just as I was getting comfortable on my stool, the bar closed: This is my last post as The Chaser. I'm moving down South this weekend—following Mr. Chaser to graduate school—and will be, with a mixture of sadness and excitement, trading the Matchbox’s Manhattans (ah, bourbon-soaked cherries!) for something likely involving sweet-tea vodka. I leave you with a list of the bars I’ll be pining for and...

Posted at 05:43 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)

07/23/09

Recreational Drinking

Heading to Andersonville on a beer mission is nothing new, but steering past Hopleaf is—and yet, last night I managed to close my ears to its sudsy call and continue on to a new microbrew destination: Mary’s Rec Room....

Posted at 05:25 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)

07/16/09

Nine Questions for the Smallbar Guys

I spent Monday night engaged in just about the best possible Monday-night activity: drinking $4 Allagash Whites on Smallbar's dreamy patio. I named the Logan Square spot my favorite bar in my very first Chaser post, and things haven't changed much since then—for me. But for the guys behind the bar, and its sibling location on Division Street, change is afoot: namely, a third location, slated to open in...

Posted at 02:32 PM in The Chaser | Permalink | Comments (0)