I went to Martini Park for the Chicago Magazine / Jose Cuervo Platino party.  Evidently Chicago Magazine has some type of agreement or sponsorship with Jose Cuervo Platino.  This has been like the third Platino party for Chicago Magazine, and Platino had a huge presence at the Chicago Magazine sponsored charity event “Summer Lovin’.”  Personally, after seeing the party-I was sold on getting a Chicago Magazine subscription.  These parties are only for subscribers.

The ambiance of Martini Park was cool, until the live band invited karaoke up on the stage.  Everything was going fine until a drunk, tube top wearing girl (NOT from the Chicago Magazine party) gave “I want you to want me” her best try, which was still not good enough.

Unfortunately, all the great tequila in the world couldn’t help the bad karaoke, so I called it a night.

Martini Park-a good time, just not on Wednesday karaoke nights.

I was visiting family out in Arlington Heights, so we went to Fuego.  Fuego has successfully been in Arlington Heights for a couple of years, and recently has branched out into the Wicker Park/Bucktown area in Chicago.

I’ve read that Fuego has been judged poorly in terms of their authenticity.  Now in terms of authenticity, I am about as white as Wonder bread, so I’m not a good judge.  But, I do know that I liked the food, and drinks.

For food, I opted for the whitest food on the menu, which were chicken tacos.  The plate was enormous.  As was the plate of every other person sitting at my table.

I was not drinking, but my sister got one of the standard margaritas, and swapped out the house tequila with Jose Cuervo Platino-and it was delicious.

The Jose Cuervo Platino girls were also there, hawking samples.  I felt bad for them, because they were maneuvering around this enormous drink cart in a not so big area.  They were also competing for space with the enormous guacamole cart.  I was kind of hoping they’d do an enormous cart race, but there certainly wasn’t room for that.

Let me tell you, Jose Cuervo Platino is not your frat boy tequila shot, tequila.  Platino scored a 96 in taste tests, which is better than the 89 that Patron scored.  Side note on that: Platino is owned and operated by the Jose Cuervo Family, Patron is owned and operated by Paul Mitchell-yeah, the hair gel guy.  Goo.

I digress.  The sample that I tried was a Raspberry Frasca.  It was grapefruit juice and simple syrup, muddled with raspberries and mint, topped off with the Platino.  I’m not going to lie-this did the tequila a big disservice.  I’m a fan of Platino, but the Frasca drink was really bitter, and weird.  Maybe I’m just too used to mojitos with the mint, but this combo just didn’t jive.

So the moral of the story is-when in a Mexican restaurant/grill-stick with the margaritas, stick with the Jose and you’ll enjoy your drink.

The Southport corridor is a quaint neighborhood in Lakeview.  During the day, it is full of yuppies pushing their designer baby strollers through the cutesy, trendy shops, but by night Southport turns on the party.

The Southport corridor is close enough to Wrigley that on any Cubs night game, you are bound to get drunken Wrigleyville frat types out at the bars.  But don’t let that spoil your party.  The bars are noticeably a step up from rowdy Wrigley.

SoPo is one of my favorite go to bars.  SoPo is part of the “Eat Well, Drink Better” franchise (The Central, Grand Central, Bar Celona, etc.) Each bar offers similar daily drink and food specials, and similar décor, “hip pub”.  I recently frequented SoPo for a friend’s birthday.  The party was upstairs, but there was a hefty fee for the drink package.  The deal might have been worth it, however I showed up late, and had already scored a seat at the bar downstairs.  SoPo was crowded, but that just meant more people to people watch.  There wasn’t enough room to dance, but there was definitely enough room to mingle.

Mystic Celt is just across the street.  If you are looking for a “hip pub” with room to sit, dance and stretch your legs out-then head across the street to Mystic Celt.  While SoPo’s niche seems to be “trendy” Mystic Celt’s niche is “Irish pub”.  Although, this is not a low brow hang.  The crowd at Mystic Celt is usually groups of native Irish, the neighborhood yuppies blowing steam off from work and the affore mentioned Wrigley fans.   The food is traditional Irish pub food, with daily drink and food specials as well. 

There are several more bars that make up the Southport corridor:  Lange’s Lounge, like drinking in your best friend from high school’s basement bar;  Coobah, a slightly expensive dinner place with really interesting food; Justin’s and Schoolyard, two Wrigley frat boyish bars that don’t have martini’s on the menu (I can’t tell the two apart)-but SoPo and Mystic Celt are my favorite.  

My March madness kept me busy.  I re-visited Timothy O’Toole’s again.  This time, the bar was full of tourists again, however there were some local medical groups in.  Northwestern Memorial Hospital is just around the corner.  How could I tell they were medical folks?  The ladies scrubs where a dead give away.  And I could tell the guys worked at Northwestern because they were bragging about it.  And about their BMW’s they have.  And anything else they could brag about.  Ick.

I also showed some suburban love by stopping by Ram in Wheeling.  Although Ram is a chain, and this one was located in a strip mall area, it is a pretty decent bar.  The food looked amazing, and the drinks were cheap.  The bar was packed with locals, and a group of rowdy, yet respectful guys doing a guys night out.

Lastly, I ended my March madness at The Spot.  I have been to The Spot before, and let me tell you, every time I go I am surprised.  The Spot hosts a variety of activities.   I’ve witnessed everything from movie screenings to fetish nights in the upstairs “basement” room.  The night that I went (Monday) was the first night of open improv.  I talked with Clinton, the bartender who let me try a Midori Margarita, which was the drink of the month.  It was heaven on earth, and was also 100% alcohol.  Clinton told us that the last Tuesday of every month, the bartenders host a drink contest.  It’s $10 to go, and you get to sample all types of delicious libations, and then vote on which one will be the next featured drink of the month.   I also chatted with “The Man” George who told me about their relatively new “White Trash” parties, which sounded like a good time, fit for white trash queen Britney Spears herself!  The very courteous and genuine door man Mark summed up the Spot perfectly when he told me “You can’t come here and not have fun.  We don’t let you.” He also told me that The Spot is vying for a 5 star food status, but a 3 star atmosphere.  Let me tell you, I think that they’re 10 stars all around!  The food looked amazing, and in terms of atmosphere-The Spot cannot be beat.  

Gilles Marini Martini

1/2 oz Cointreau (because he is controversial, isn’t he?)

1 oz Ciroc vodka (because it’s French, and he’s French!)

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Splash of Merlot, instead of cranberry

Watch, drink, and enjoy!

March Madness isn’t just madness on the basketball courts, it’s madness in the bars. 

Since my last post, I went to Chicago City Limits.  That’s right, a biker bar in Schaumburg.  How was it you may ask?  It was a biker bar in Schaumburg.  During a pop-a-shot competition between two locals, a tie resulted, which therefore resulted in a dance off.  I saw stripper moves that would have made Brett Michaels proud….and that was from the guy.  Yeah.  

But when there were weren’t dance offs between douche bags, I had a good time hunting for mullets.  Schaumburg is where you can see mullets in their natural habitat, and I saw some impressive waist-er mullets.  Gotta love Schaumburg!

My adventures also brought me to John Barleycorn in Wrigleyville.  That was a fun night, complete with Marines.  There were full-blown Marines, complete in the fancy uniform with a bunch of  fancy, shiny medals.  Incidentally, they did not take kindly when I asked if they ever ran into Captain Morgan, since you know, they are all in the armed services.  I thought Captain Morgan was in the Navy.  And the Marines thought I was stupid. 

I also tried the $5 mojito Monday special at Carnivale. After spending $20 on 4 mojitos, I shouldn’t have been able to feel my hands.  Unfortunately, I could feel my hands, and my wallet was beginning to feel the hurt too.  I’d rather pay $20 for 2 stiff, proper drinks than 4 wimpy crappy drinks.  I think the only way Carnivale can afford to do a $5 mojito is to add water to their traditional mojito recipe.

Flight 112 in Elmhurst was an experience.  It’s a part wine bar, part hair salon and part yoga studio.  And I thought I was busy.  The Gewurztraminer was good as was the Patrizi Moscato D’Asti.  If you want a light, bubbly and delicious wine-go with a Moscato, and the Patrizi D’Asti was excellent.  Unfortunately, the food service sucked.  If you want to wait an hour for overly artsy food, than maybe this place is for you.

Lastly, my March Madness ended at Streeterville and tourist staple Timothy O’Tooles.  Oddly enough, the tourists from Wisconsin didn’t want to play pop a shot or take free shots.  I think they were scared of the vampy big city women (myself).  The wait staff were good sports though and played a couple of rounds.  The waitress beat the waiter-but all in all, everybody  had a good time.

March 19.  A great day to start a blog.  I am just coming off of my St. Patrick’s hangover.  Green beer; dirty Girl Scout martini’s, Guinness and so much more.  There is no better place to be on St. Patrick’s Day, than  in Chicago.  Just a little quick recap of my festivities this holiday:

-Almost ran over Allison Rosati near the NBC tower, trying to find Lizzie McNeill’s

-spotted “Check Please” host Alpana Singh leaving The Kerryman

-bought a pint or two for my friend Charles and his wife Anna at O’Shaughnessy’s

-saw a guy in his birthday suit at Irish Eyes (he was in a suit, and it was his birthday!)

-was in the Northwest side St. Patrick’s Day parade

-traveled with a band of bagpipers to Nills, Emerald Isle, Jet’s Public Ale House  and about 4 other pubs whose names escape me now, on a pub crawl

-saw 16 Candles, at the Cubby Bear

-celebrated by friend Lindsey’s birthday at Fulton Lounge

-spread St. Patrick’s cheer to the north side at Paddy Mac’s, McNamara’s, Six Penny, The Grafton and Galvin’s

-went to the 5^th province pub inside the Irish American Heritage Center

-heard a dirty joke from the owner of Grealey’s:

            Two guys go hunting on a hill.  Guy A put the scope on his gun and starts talking to Guy B

            Guy A:  I can see your house down there.

            Guy B:  What do you see?
            Guy A:  I can see that you’re wife is having an affair with your neighbor.

            Guy B:  Well shoot her in the head and him in his balls!

            Guy A:  I can do that in one shot!

-and finally on March 14, the Saturday before the 17^th-I went to Quigley’s in Oak Lawn, Drum and Monkey, Timothy O’Toole’s, Grace O’Malley’s and bribed the doorman at Emerald Loop with a t-shirt to skip the line

This might not sound like a lot-but keep in mind that all of this was covered in about 14 days, and I have a day job…that is not this.