AVANT/CHICAGO

Last time we pursued Drambuie we puked in a Home Depot parking lot.  We'll be more careful this time around although it will be hard.  Our former employer and pal Myopenbar is presenting this party. (and like us they love to hammer it) RSVP here.

A few things you need to know about Blackout! Avant Halloween.

• Yes it's a Halloween event so break out a costume even though it's a few weeks until the real deal.
• One of the best sound systems outside a true club will be in use.
• DJs like Trancid and Zebo will be joined by The Greenskeepers, KillMemoryCrash and Menowah.
• There will be live tatooing and prize giveaways.
• It is this Saturday, directions to venue by calling number on flyer.
• $7 if you RSVP now

We love booze, so naturally we love bars.  This weekend 3 city publications take a look at the ol' watering holes.

4 AM Bars Looked At

And What About Dive Bars?

Hot? New Spots Reviewed

Not too many people can pull of a b-day bash and an off probation party, but the Mutiny will do it on Friday for someone named Howie.  Rock music from Plasma Drive, Hotlips Messiah and Manaconda.  Also BBQ - meat and non - plus a DJ. (via Chi.MOB)

Continued from 2 posts below. One problem - I had to work alot more - both Friday and Saturday which gave me the option of either have to work a pretty long day hungover or not drinking.  I knew not hitting it hard was the right choice.  It wasn't going to be easy though. This weekend is one of the biggest drinking weekends of the year.  Every bar seemed to have a crazy-awesome special for March Madness or St. Patty's Day.  Some of these deals, mainly in the young-trixie zones of Lincoln Park where truly insane.  $1 bottles and morning all-u-can-drink/eat deals for a Hamilton. It all sounded so good.  Plus everyone was doing something.  Guys heading out to watch the game or doing an Irish breakfast at one of the bars before the parade.  I was Jones'n.  Thursday night I came home and had 2 big glasses of wine that held me over.  But on Friday I was still really craving getting plastered.  I had told Gus that I would be over around 7:30 to talk shop and go over the script.  I was late from work, but when I showed up I had a 12'er of old Style to split.  I sucked  mine down.  Then Sterling, one of the actors in the film, showed up with some Dark Irish Stout.  We put those away looking at Kubrik's archived work (a massive photo book with notes from all his films) and then watched some of Gus's various projects.  By the time I left the buzz was there.  Finally.  When you like to drink, you like it.  I guess there's no shame in that.

My So Called-Alcoholic Life.  I've always loved to drink.  Since the first winecoolers I snuck in 9th grade to open bars at Sonotheque, when the sauce is in hand, it seems to go down real smooth.  Slowly nights of heavy drinking and frequent binges have dissipated and now drinking is done in true moderation. That wasn't always the case. From just after my freshman year at Ball State until about 25, drinking was often and heavy.  Thursday through late-late Saturday night was filled with keggers, 40's of OE and vodka.  My mates and I could drink with the best of them, from afternoon until the sun was rising the next day.  The booze fueled many a crazy adventure from being the ad hoc entertainment at house parties, raging in mosh pits at concerts or closing down Bourbon Street. The drink drove our energy.  I recently read where problem drinkers seem to get more lively when they drink heavily whereas social drinkers will get more passive and tired.  It was true for me, the more I drank each night, the more I was amped.  It's still that way.  Which brings me to cravings.  This week I was busting ass at work, 10 hour days and by Thursday I was already over 40 for the week and all day the thought kept creeping across my mind - I want to get drunk.  Not have a couple drinks or catch a buzz - get blasted. (to be continued)

Shed A Tear For Good Beer

Beerdorks.com has some more detail about the Bell's beer situation (and general lack thereof in Illinois) and a sensible explanation of the whole brewer-distributor-retail legal situation. (via)  The Tribune offers their 12 oz. as well. Sad day - hopefully their haitus won't last long.

Calling All Who Want Free Drink

Prepare yourself Chicago party cats.  A new website is here and not only is it full of events, dope happenings and the like, it all centers around if said events have free (or really cheap) drinks.  Check out Chicago's Myopenbar. We are just getting out the gate, but watch for pics, blog posts, parties and of course the down-low on where the free drink flows.

New Nightlife Digs Coming

Hideout, Touch & Go Set For Party

Music Vids For Profit

Chicago Hipsters Rejoice

We've never got into the trends.  And certainly not any involving shitty beer.  When pressed we'd take a comparable beer like Old Style or High Life over the trendy brand.  It's pretty obvious to us which posers drinking PBR are doing it to fit in or to look cool.  Anyway...Gapers Block informed us that PBR is moving to the 'Burbs.  Man that's deck.