01/05/09

Weekend Photos: Windy City Soul Club at Heart of Gold

Who says hipsters don't dance? We caught hordes of folks getting down this past Saturday at Windy City Soul Club, a new monthly night dedicated to 1960s and '70s Motown soul at Heart of Gold, a private performance space. From 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. the first Saturday of every month, DJs/collectors spin the best and rarest on 45s—none of this newfangled iPod nonsense...

12/23/08

The It List: Happy Holidaze

1. Bye-bye, Kevin; hello, Theory. An upscale sports bar from Joel Sorinsky, a former manager at Joe’s, and Brian Merel, a partner/exec chef of Stefani Restaurants, has opened in the old Kevin space. Highlights include oversized booths and more than 20 plasmas, some of which you—the barflies—will control. We smell the sports-bar competition getting fierce in River North.

2. Meanwhile, Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.), from the Stone Lotus team, is aiming for...

12/22/08

Weekend Photos: Rebel Bar & Grill

It's go-time for holiday sweaters. Tacky pullovers that almost never see the light of day get not one but two airings this week: Once on Christmas Day in honor of Grandma Gertie, who crocheted the darn thing in the first place; and once this past Friday, when revelers donned their kitschiest knitwear for Chicago Sport and Social's holiday sweater party at Rebel Bar & Grill...

12/18/08

Check Back Tuesday

Nightspotting is juggling the holiday crazies. Check back on Monday for on-the-scene photos of seasonal tippling and again on Tuesday for the latest in nightlife news.

12/15/08

Weekend Photos: Wrigleyville Pub Crawl

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a PBR with a whiskey chaser—or so went the caroling this past Saturday at the annual 12 Bars of Christmas pub crawl, a lubricated all-day slide through the watering holes of Wrigleyville. Early birds got started at the Cubby Bear at 9:30 a.m.; we snapped revelers a little later in the day at Harry Caray's Tavern...

12/11/08

Matzo Tov!

Call it what you want: For us Jews, Christmas Eve—also known as Schmoozapalooza and the Matzo Ball—is one of the biggest party nights of the year, when a significant chunk of the single population is focused more on flirting and flinging than sleigh bells ringing. Lucky for us, there’s a whole crop of parties slated for December 24th, and it’s not too early to make your plans now...

12/08/08

Weekend Photos: Enclave

Bros with "mos" (that's "mustaches" for the non-Aussies among us) convened at Enclave last Friday in support of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. From among the 500 or so revelers—mustachioed, clean-shaven, and female alike—one lucky "mo bro," Armand Conti, was named Man of Movember, a title that scored him two tickets to a future party at the Playboy Mansion—proving that, as Tom Selleck knows, the stache still has cachet...

12/04/08

The It List: Nightlife News You Need to Know Now

1. Yep, that was proud new papa Pete Wentz hanging out in Angels & Kings’ super-secret new VIP space on Tuesday with Fall Out Boy drummer Andy Hurley. Spy other rock stars when AK finally opens its hidden gem to the public next weekend—if you can get in. The owners are being especially tight-lipped about details, but dressing well can’t hurt.

2. It’s been 75 freaking years since Prohibition was repealed on December 5, 1933, but we’ll use any excuse to keep celebrating. Plan B is the place to be tonight, Thursday the 4th: Burlesque! Whiskey! Shoe-shiners! (Hey, it’s a 1930s theme.)...

12/01/08

Black Wednesday Photos: Sheffield’s

Black Wednesday brought more parties than we could shake a turkey leg at, but smart barflies started off the long weekend at Sheffield’s, where Thanksgiving Eve festivities included a raffle (Opening day Cubs tickets! Fancy beer!) and enough shots to steel patrons for four days of family togetherness.

11/24/08

Weekend Photos: Bar DeVille & Wild Pug

This week we give thanks for two new watering holes: Bar DeVille (701 N. Damen Ave.), the new Ukrainian Village tap from Matt Eisler (Angels & Kings, Empire Liquors, Victory Liquors) and Kevin Heisner, with drinks by master mixologist Bradley Bolt, formerly of The Violet Hour; and Wild Pug, Uptown’s long-delayed ode to pups and Oscar Wilde (we don’t quite get it either) from the same folks as the neighboring Crew Bar + Grill. We also give thanks for a day off: Nightspotting 2.0 is on holiday this Thursday; check back next Monday for shots from the biggest party night of the year, Black Wednesday.