Chicago Memories, part III: Hangouts

Here's some of my favorite Chi-town haunts that I'm going to miss:

The Grafton - As many times as I've frequented some of the bars back in Ann Arbor, I've never had any bar that has taken on a feeling of "home" quite like The Grafton has. What started as an interesting place to check out before a class at the Old Town School one night, soon became my favorite local watering hole. Monday nights before/after class... Sunday evening sessions... The occasional mid-week or Friday night visit in between. I've gotten to be quite good friends, as I mentioned previously, with the Monday crew, Jen and Tracy, as well as with Malcolm, one of the owners. When it came time to celebrate the big 3-0, there was no place I would've rather staggered out of. Aside from that, my next most memorable time at the Grafton was the night of the labor boycott that was part of the immigration reform movement last May. The pub stayed open, but fully supported their workers (who, reportedly, wanted to come in to work anyways, but Malcolm and Joe wouldn't have it.) by closing down the kitchen for the night. As my usual pre-class timeslot was peak dinner hours, the pub was deserted except for a handful of regulars and Jen and Tracy. So we all pooled together and Tracy ordered a couple pizzas from a place nearby that was still delivering and we just enjoyed the sensation of really having the place all to ourselves.

The Old Town School of Folk Music - Whether to catch a concert, take a class or even just go and hang out for a bit, the Old Town School is THE place for any sort of traditional or folk music of all backgrounds. I started off there with beginner harmonica lessons and moved up and around, eventually taking several different harmonica classes, as well as adding bodhran, tin whistle, and later an Irish ensemble class.

Martyr's - A great small music venue. Conveniently just down the road from The Grafton's Lincoln Square location, they are very supportive of the local Irish music scene in particular (every Monday night!), although they offer music of all different genres, featuring live acts every night. My favorite shows I've seen here have been the two times I've seen Flook, but I also had the pleasure of catching amazing harmonica virtuoso Howard Levy, along with Paul Sprawl. Add to that a plethora of smaller, local acts, and Martyr's is definitely the top of my list as far as places where I've seen great live music.

Cullen's - Another great Irish bar where I've frequented the Tuesday night sessions. They do a bang up job decorating the place as the seasons change. The warm orange glow it takes on in the fall is particularly fun.

Blue Chicago - If its blues and only blues you're looking for, there's a ton of great places in town to find it. Buddy Guy's Legends and Kingston Mines are two of the most popular, but I enjoy the smaller, more quaint feel of Blue Chicago's two downtown locations. Of course, if you're looking for a real blues bar, sans tourists, you'll have to trek down to the south side.

The Hopleaf - Wonderful Andersonville bar that has a huge selection of beers, with focus on Belgian styles. They added a smoke-free back room and kitchen about a year after I moved here with doubled the appeal of a place that was already fantastic.

Ginger's Ale House - One of our favorite happy hour haunts in the days before we had an office, my most memorable trip to Ginger's Ale House was watching the final, cataclysmic implosion of the Cubs appearance in the 2003 NLCS. It was that night I decided that while my primary baseball loyalty would always be with the Tigers, there was some small part of me that had earned the brand of agony and sympathy known only to true Cubs fans.

The lakefront - Walking and biking the lakeshore path; sitting and playing my harmonicas on the breakwall; Venetian night downtown; summer lunches with McKinley at Castaways and Beachstro. Chicago's lakefront is tough to beat.

Happy Village - What a secret little gem! Just a few blocks from some of my friends' old place in Wicker Park, this bar is the definition of unassuming. In fact, to walk in to the bar itself, you'd be convinced that no one under the age of 50 had ever set foot in it. But pass through the bar (stopping to pick up a cheap six pack of bottles on your way) and out the back door and you find the most awesome little backyard beer garden. There are few places in town more pleasant to sit and chat with friends on a warm summer night.

Caribou Coffee on Ashland - When I first got a laptop from work, I started to hang out here pretty regularly. Their super cheap (now, I believe, free) WiFi made it a great escape when I wanted to get some work done, but needed a change of scenery. Many hours have been spent here fiddling away at work, and a few evenings of just sitting and trying to re-discover my writing chops.

Rock Bottom - Has the distinction of being, if I recall, the first bar I hung out at as a full-fledged resident of Chicago. As a semi-national chain, its beer and food are better than average, though nothing particularly special. But the rooftop garden set beneath the towering high rises of River North is a great place to go and enjoy the spectacle of the big city, while cutting off some of the noise.

The Vic - Sadly, I haven't been back there in several years, but the old Vic Theatre just off of the Belmont Red Line stop was well known for its Brew-N-View nights. Kick back with some friends over a pitcher of beer and even seeing Scary Movie 3 for a second time can be fun!

Jak's Tap - Friendly neighborhood bar just down the street from my office, Jaks has been our go-to spot for lunches and happy hours. Finding out that Mike, the owner, is a Michigan grad didn't hurt, either!

1000 N. Wood - Former home of several members of the aforementioned UM-NU circle, it was a favorite spot for dinner parties and movie nights. And of course, Wood St is fairly well known around the city for its private (illegal, though the police only stopped by to watch) Fourth of July celebrations. I've seen professional fireworks displays that couldn't compare to what was being fired off a couple dozen yards from our friends' doorway.

I may have to add to this as I think about this some more... five years is a lot of time to collect favorite spots, especially in a city which has so many to offer.