rants & raves from a twentysomething

tuesday i stumbled upon the 5-year anniversary protest of the war in iraq after work. i was actually on my way to grab a beer with a friend before another party we were supposed to attend later when i saw the large gathering.

9:37:53 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: omg.
9:37:54 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: you are alive
9:37:57 PM steffieayn99: woah
9:38:00 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: i missssss you
9:38:02 PM steffieayn99: were you stalking me?
9:38:02 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: and wriggie
9:38:04 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: i love him
9:38:13 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: hell yes, i was stalking you hardcore.
9:38:14 PM steffieayn99: he shit on a picture of you today
9:38:19 PM SpaceDMBtwn41: hahahahaah

there are few greater pastimes in this country that beat the good ol' fashioned bar crawl. after all, it's more than simply stumbling from one watering hole to the next. there's a science to it: the perfect combination of dive bars and swanky joints - and a dash of spontaneity.

so in honor of my friend's visit to chicago this weekend, i planned a bucktown bar crawl for friday night. i did a little research online to scope out the scene, but basically picked random stops and crossed my fingers.

the night commenced at Honey One BBQ for some stick-to-your-ribs grub. after some southern fare and a couple b.y.o.b. bottles of Fat Tire beer, we were ready to get down to business.

Honey Ones & Fat Tire

our first stop was a dive bar called The Corner, a quintessential chicago neighborhood tavern. inside, it was nothing special - but that's exactly what made it special. with the vintage bar, rocking juke box and $1.25 Old Styles, i could've planted myself there all night.

At the Corner

next up, several icy blocks away, we approached The Charleston, a cozy and inviting oasis in the middle of a cold, dark residential street. we were surprised to hear what sounded like bluegrass spewing out of the frosted windows. and sure enough, upon walking in, we spotted the lively band and even got a front row seat for the show. there's no better complement to a beer than some live music.

Tangleweed

we stayed for the rest of tangleweed's set and then hit the pavement in search of the next stop on our crawl. the cold was starting to wear on us, so we decided to take a cab - mostly at the request insistence of jorie. we pulled up to Whiskey Road and i immediately darted to the back room to score a guitar for rock band. any bar that provides video games for its patrons is A-Ok with me. now all i have to do is find a place with Nintendo's paper boy or dr. mario, and then i'll be set.

Jesus Loves You

our final stop for the night was right up my alley. The Map Room featured wall-to-wall coverage of its namesake, vintage National Geographics, and free pool. oh hell yeah. i'm kind of obsessed with maps, so i would've liked to have spent more time perusing the wares and decor. but alas, by the time we arrived, it was just short of last call.

Front Row

Show us something that's got you hooked.

this, my friends, is the blue cheese pork sausage with pear creme fraiche and toasted almonds. oh yeah, and those are duck fat fries. omg. in the words of doug, 'there are no two sweeter words in the english language than "encased meat."'

Heaven on a Plate

this heart-stopping meal can be purchased at a local joint called hot doug's. doug, the owner and chef extraordinaire trained in france - and then came back to chicago to make gourmet sausages, and of course, the classic chicago dog. since this place is only open for a mere five hours on the weekend, there's always a line out the door and around the corner.

Cold Feet

saturday, we waited 35 minutes in 20 degree weather - and then another 20 minutes once we got inside. and to say it was well worth it would be the understatement of the century. i'm hooked.

hot diggity doug!

thanks, Tom Fishburne.

Eco Arms Race

Show us love.

Wrigley the Chocolate Labradoodle

happy single's awareness day!

dear ms. couric,

with all due respect, what were you thinking?

i watched this evening's 60 Minutes interview with hillary clinton in utter disgust. just to clarify any preconceived notions, i'm not a member of the clinton camp. in fact, i cast my primary ballot for obama. and even if this interview contributes to obama's success even in the slightest, i still think you did her a major disservice with your so-called interview. it is my wholehearted belief that every candidate should get a fair voice, a fair chance and a fair representation. and tonight, you've failed. 60 Minutes and CBS should be ashamed of categorizing your sophomoric and unprofessional questions as bona fide journalism.

while i understand that media bias is alive and well, i've always considered 60 Minutes to be a reliable source, with a strong sense of journalistic integrity. but tonight, you've caused me to reconsider my long-held belief and loyalty. your questions were gossipy and downright amateurish.

with the democratic race in a dead heat, i'm shocked that you'd focus on clinton's vitamin intake, high school nickname [which, for all inquiring minds, is Ms. Frigidaire], use of hand sanitizer, and what she's going to do if/when she loses. i also found your negative, leading questions to be disrespectful and flat out embarrassing, journalistically speaking.

at best, this interview was your ticket out the CBS front doors - and at worst, it was a wasted golden opportunity with a woman who is poised to make history in a couple months. that, my friend, is why all the critics relegated you to 'coffee talk' journalism when you left The Today Show. i gave you a fair shot - and even rooted in your corner - but tonight's display of vapid interviewing was unequivocally bush league.

if i could give you a pointer or two, take a minute and watch steve kroft's sit-down with obama. it's a personable interview, yet kroft still gets down to the issues. unlike your overt tendency to focus on her gender, kroft walks the line between professional and intimate like a pro. his interview has some soft sides, but nothing that would cause viewers to question his authority. and he also focuses on the issues at hand and lets obama speak about what the public wants to hear.

take notes, katie. or you'll never break free from the 'soft news' pigeonhole.

tonight isn't the first time i've disagreed with media coverage - and i'm sure it won't be the last. but sadly, CBS, 60 Minutes, and you, Ms. Couric, have given all the naysayers a place to land their feet. so please, for the sake of a fair and balanced race, i ask you to leave your own political affiliation and agenda at home and let the american people do the kingmaking.

sincerely,
Stephanie Kelly

'twas the perfect day in chicago to share a big bowl of pho with two of my favorite people. my mom and dad ventured up to the city to pick up some luggage that i borrowed for moving and decided to stay for lunch.

the only thing i can think about when it's below zero is staying warm. and when i think of staying warm, a giant bowl of steaming hot soup comes to mind. and when i think of soup, i start craving pho. and when i start craving pho, i head straight for argyle street and right into tank noodle.

just over two months ago, i had pho for the first time with my roommate - and i haven't stopped raving about it since. although the taste is hard to describe, just suffice it it to say that it's utterly amazing. the aromatic broth - made of cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, and basil - tastes like 20 different flavors in your mouth at once. i could eat that all by itself. and then when you add thinly sliced beef, rice noodles, cilantro, sriracha chili and hoisin sauce - OH DOCTOR!

it's a must-have to say the least. and the parents loved it, too.

looking for an apartment in chicago is not an easy task. and when you add a limited budget, a 100lb. dog, and an inflexible time frame into the mix, it gets a little harder.

but i never thought that my religion would factor into the mix.

my dad has always said, 'if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.' and while i respect his opinion, i've spent my entire life trying to negate his theory. sadly, i've always come up empty-handed. and today was no exception. dear ol' dad was right again.

i responded to an ad on craigslist that did, in fact, seem too good to be true. but with a few hopeful keystrokes, i sent off an email expressing my interest. about a hour later, i received my rental application, including question #8: what religion are you?

first thought: red flag, red flag! abort mission!!
second thought: oh, hell no. this guy's going to discriminate based on belief (or lack thereof) in a higher power? is that even legal?

i wrote back, saying, 'thanks, but no thanks. i'm not sure why you care about my religion, but frankly, it's none of your business. good luck with the apartment.' to which he responded: 'just wondering if you're born again. please write back - we can work something out. may god help you through this process.'

well, i didn't write back. i'm not looking to be saved - at least not in this juncture of my life. but it did put all the other places i've seen in perspective. i may not love them - for this reason or that - but at least i won't be barraged with religious propaganda by the landlord. and it also made me chuckle a little, thinking of all the mandates he could include in the lease: grace before every meal, prayers before bedtime, saving myself for 'the one', no boys over past 7pm, etc. i can just hear it now, 'as long as you're living under my roof...'

on a positive note, at least he was forthright in his intentions. because if this would've been a 'surprise' after i moved in, i'd probably be moving a third time this year. thank god for small favors.

i'm not receiving any email alerts when i get a comment. apologies to all those who leave one - maybe i'll find it tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe in two months when i happen to stumble across it. all i know is, it won't be in my inbox.