What a glorious day to live in the state of Illinois. For once, a sports team representing this state doesn't choke on the national stage, and instead gives the number one team in the country a bitchslapping they'll never forget. It even prompted Mariotti to put down the beef and sausage combo long enough to cream his shorts in a journalistic fashion over something other than Sammy Sosa.
The Illini were pumped, and came out firing. One of the best displays of true "lights-out" shooting I've seen in a long time. Both offenses moved so fast for the first 5 or 6 minutes that it looked like they were on skates.
Aaron and I watched the game at Kendall's up on Lincoln Avenue, which used to be called Tailgators (with a little alligator mascot, ha ha ha) when I lived up that way. Kendall's is not to be confused with Kelsey's or Kincaide's, all of which are owned by the same group and located within stumbling distance from one another. The $5 pizza wasn't bad at all, the crust was really thin, but crispy, so I coped.
Feeling nostalgic and with a belly full of beer, I decided to go wander around Lincoln Park for a bit to see what's new and what's not since I left the area back in 1999.
For starters, DePaul now has a big and mean fence running the whole length of the campus along Fullerton. Big sharp posts and everything. Branko's, which was my favorite spot to grab a gyro on hangover Saturdays (Fullerton and Seminary), is thankfully still there...ditto the Chicago Costume Company next door.
The "Baby Factory Store" at Fullerton and Racine sign is missing a couple more letters now...it's like the "B Y F T R Y S O R E" now. Gallagher's and their ostrich burgers are gone, replaced by yet another Irish looking place. The Monkey Bar (which had open mic comedy nights for neighborhood denizens) is now a Starbucks, and the Blue Parrot (where I got supremely shitfaced with some German clients once) is now an Italian place, but no way it's as good as Rose Angelis up the street.
Pour House is still there, and so is my old dry cleaners. My cleaners annoyed the hell out of me because it was one of those "pre-pay and save" places. I'd invariably forget my wallet when I went over there with an armload of shirts, and then pay when I picked up and have to pay more.
The Illini were pumped, and came out firing. One of the best displays of true "lights-out" shooting I've seen in a long time. Both offenses moved so fast for the first 5 or 6 minutes that it looked like they were on skates.
Aaron and I watched the game at Kendall's up on Lincoln Avenue, which used to be called Tailgators (with a little alligator mascot, ha ha ha) when I lived up that way. Kendall's is not to be confused with Kelsey's or Kincaide's, all of which are owned by the same group and located within stumbling distance from one another. The $5 pizza wasn't bad at all, the crust was really thin, but crispy, so I coped.
Feeling nostalgic and with a belly full of beer, I decided to go wander around Lincoln Park for a bit to see what's new and what's not since I left the area back in 1999.
For starters, DePaul now has a big and mean fence running the whole length of the campus along Fullerton. Big sharp posts and everything. Branko's, which was my favorite spot to grab a gyro on hangover Saturdays (Fullerton and Seminary), is thankfully still there...ditto the Chicago Costume Company next door.
The "Baby Factory Store" at Fullerton and Racine sign is missing a couple more letters now...it's like the "B Y F T R Y S O R E" now. Gallagher's and their ostrich burgers are gone, replaced by yet another Irish looking place. The Monkey Bar (which had open mic comedy nights for neighborhood denizens) is now a Starbucks, and the Blue Parrot (where I got supremely shitfaced with some German clients once) is now an Italian place, but no way it's as good as Rose Angelis up the street.
Pour House is still there, and so is my old dry cleaners. My cleaners annoyed the hell out of me because it was one of those "pre-pay and save" places. I'd invariably forget my wallet when I went over there with an armload of shirts, and then pay when I picked up and have to pay more.
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