Circus

I get to write the short version this week! Various notes:

Paddy Long's has framed pictures of Pele and Chewbacca on display behind the bar. Can't argue with that. Our bartender was slightly miffed when I put money into the jukebox, thus ending her broadcast of the latest Britney Spears audio assault.

Vaughan's…I got nothing. Unmemorable.

Soprano's…Derek and his dual-citizenship friend from Boston forgot to pay their bill. The waitress from here tracked them down before we got to the next bar.

Uncle Fatty's was closed at 4:53 and 5:18, open around 5:47. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go there. A group of medical professionals in training were upset when I asked them to move because they were in the way of our bags game.

Matilda is most likely our favorite bar in Chicago. The fact that many of our friends were there as well made that quite a good night. Eating as many appetizers as possible did not make up for me not eating dinner on Saturday night. I hung out downstairs in Baby Atlas, Rick didn't. No problem, I'm pretty sure we'll be back there before too long.
At some point this year I will no longer be able to list every bar we've been to, in order, off the top of my head. We haven't reached that yet. I think I can make it to 50.

Maybe if you gave me some positive reinforcement I would play better

February is under way kids and EBONY had a productive week. It was a typical Saturday (aside from the unseasonably warm day) of a long run in the morning followed by a lazy early-afternoon of drinking Intelligentsia, having a bowl of cereal and watching the original 90210 on the Soap Channel. 3:30 rolls around and we meet Baumer, Holland, Holland's buddy from Boston (formally know as the Diddler), BSwerve and Adam at Paddy Long's. Based on the facade we assumed it would be an Irish bar, but there is a definite German twist to it with the selection of beers and the Oompa band going on at 5. I have a Cooper's and a London Pride and am entertained by Adam's coaster flip trick (see the vid on our FB fan page). We also learn that Adam's goal as a child was to be a magician. Some how he ended up at Blue Cross though. Bravo Adam, bravo. Chenoweth and Beth show up at the 11th hour and we take off.

Next stop was planned to be Uncle Fatty's. Uncle Fatty's is one of those bars for some reason you hate since the first time you see it (we also feel this way about Prost). But the bar wasn't open yet and we move on to Vaughn's. BSwerve says Vaughn's is a hidden gem, but we beg to differ. We are at Vaughn's briefly, the only memorable portion of it was the two huskies greeting us at the bar when we walk in. And by huskies we mean the dog, not those with a weight issue. We have one drink there and try to go Uncle Fatty's again. But of course UF is not destined for us and we end up at Soprano's. Soprano's is mostly an upscale Italian restaurant but there is a small bar to the side. We are easily the loudest people in the joint, and this includes the large kids party in the restaurant. After a having a drink there and discussing the religious undertones in The Wrestler we try Fatty's one last time. Apparently the third time is indeed the charm and we enter the 'Rum Resort.' The only redeeming factor of this bar is the two courts of bags inside of it, and I hate playing bags. Of course Kyle and I absolutely dominate and go 4-0, this includes coming back from being down 12-0 to Chenoweth and Beth and take home the victory. Each game was met with a friendly bet of a round of drinks, so we leave the bar with 1 free round and have 3 more to come.

The conclusion of the evening comes at Matilda. We planned on closing the night here as the FF party was going off at 6:30. We show up un-fashionably late and are greeted by many of our closest friends (too many to mention, sorry guys, maybe you should have made an effort to meet us out earlier). We each get a free drink ticket from Mark and the 3 that are owed to us from playing bags and the evening escalates. Kyle is full-blown on the surly bus and provides never ending entertainment for the crowd. I make the amazing decision to go to bed at 9:30 and feel great the next morning, Kyle can't say the same.