Monday, March 19, 2012

CITY OF BROAD SHOULDERS: As previously discussed, a substantial group of ThingThrowers will be gathering in Chicago this weekend, and detailed plans have now been developed for Sunday:
  • 2 PM--gather at the Art Institute for museum going and excitement. Particularly since it's Sunday, a visit to Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is in order.

  • Post Art Institute (ETA 5 PM)--Dinner, drinks, both, or neither (your choice) at a local restaurant near the Art Institute. Suggestions are invited in the comments.
Things will wrap up in time for you to get back to your television set for the 8 PM CST Mad Men premiere, when we hope we'll finally find out what the money is for. All are welcome, including regular commenters and lurkers (we don't bite! we promise!), and Amy Watts has been deputized as organizer--she can be reached at her name at gmail--and will get you the details if you need more. Have fun, folks.

ETA: Further info for those coming. Folks will gather around 2 at the Michigan Avenue entrance of the Art Institute between the lions. Amy will be wearing/carrying an orange scarf. Drinks/dinner will be at Exchequer, which boasts a 4 star review from Roger Ebert, so that's worth something. If you want more info, contact Amy as above.

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20 comments:

  1. Jen2:32 PM

    I'm so bummed I have to miss this. I have a concert I'm committed to playing up in Northbrook in the afternoon. Plus, I don't know what sort of fun I'd be. If all goes well Friday night, I'll be obsessively checking my NCAA app for the score.

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  2. Watts3:11 PM

    Jen, there may also be shenanigans at other points in the weekend - shoot me an email if you want to get together some other day - I've got free time Friday and Saturday.

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  3. Russ3:21 PM

    I'm not going to lie:  I just checked out Southwest.com and Expedia for flight options...

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  4. Marsha3:52 PM

    Russ, I can certainly find you a place to crash...

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  5. bristlesage3:54 PM

    I thought I was going to be busy this weekend!  But it appears I am NOT. 

    Ideas for drinks/food near Art Institute: the Gage, the Park Grill, Tavern at the Park.

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  6. Matt4:20 PM

    I'm hosting a dinner on Saturday night and have plans for a visit to Panem this weekend (there'll be a thread Friday or Saturday for that), so can't come, though I am intrigued by your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

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  7. Jen4:31 PM

    Not that i can go, but if I could, I would opt for the Gage: an upscale gastropub run by the friendly Irishman who used to own one of my favorite neighborhood haunts on the Northwest Side. 

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  8. Maggie4:51 PM

    I second The Gage. When my brother got married in Galway. Ireland, the owner of the pub we frequented there recommended it to us (he was a relative of the owners).

    I thought their sandwiches were really good and the beer list was fun.

    Sorry to miss it - it sounds like a good time will be had by all.

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  9. Joseph J. Finn5:30 PM

    The Gage, I'd like to note, is where we had our wedding reception/lunch and it's fabulous.

    Jen, which place was that?  I kind of knew Billy Lawless through Will's Northwoods Inn where i used to hand and from loving Irish Oak, which his daughter runs up in Lakeview.

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  10. KR5:33 PM

    I'm bummed that I am not free to come to Chicago this weekend...because really, what is more fun than an engagement party? 

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  11. Watts5:50 PM

    Only if it means I also get to ride in a Ferrari.

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  12. Maggie6:14 PM

    The Irish Oak is one of the things I miss about no longer living in Chicago...

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  13. Jen7:17 PM

    The Grafton in Lincoln Square on Lincoln, next door to the Old Town School. I used to live at Montrose and Clark and would go there at least once a week for dinner.

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  14. Joseph J, Finn9:03 PM

    Ah, the Grafton is damn fine.  I need to get back there some time (I used to live at Lincoln and Bertau).

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  15. Jen10:53 PM

    The last time I went there I got salmonella. It was after Billy sold it. I ordered the smoked salmon club, and either the salmon or the cream cheese was bad. I was out of it for a solid week afterward. Now when I'm around Lincoln Square, I hit The Daily, Bad Dog or Jury's.

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  16. Watts11:39 PM

    Let's not go to the salmonella place.

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  17. Stevie7:10 AM

    That's horrible to hear about the Grafton! (Although I like Ricochet's better for drinking, anyway).

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  18. Stevie7:12 AM

    Love The Gage! (Although, I kind of like Exchequer. It's always 1975 in there, in a good way.)

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  19. Stevie7:18 AM

    As it happens, I am free on Sunday afternoon and am going to try and make it.

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  20. bristlesage9:30 AM

    Ha, I currently live at Berteau/Ravenswood, so I too can pinpoint the exact moment when The Grafton moved from excellent to ehhh.  And Ricochet's is where it is AT for drinking.  Love Ricochet's. 

    Anyway, not the salmonella place (which is far away from the Art Institute anyway), but it sounds like the Gage could work...though the Exchequer suggestion doesn't make me angry, either.  Basically, do you want an older place with good atmosphere and servicable bar, or a newer, less character-y place with a whiskey list?

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