Hidden Gems

Bowling at the Seven Ten Lounge
Let’s say you’re tired of the ordinary. So many of us are. The same bars, the same restaurants, the same plans on the weekend. It can happen to the best of us, even in a city as diverse as Chicago.

Which is why I present to you the Seven Ten Lounge in Lincoln Park. It’s in the location of the old Lucky Strike bowling alley, but that’s about where the similarities end.

Spare Time, the company that owns such popular spots as the Daily Bar & Grill in Lincoln Square, the Corner Pocket pool bar on Halsted, Southport Lanes bowling alley and pool bar on Southport and the Riverview Tavern in Roscoe Village, decided to revamp the old Lucky Strike, and out of all the work came an upscale lounge worth checking out.

A group of friends and I stopped in recently and commandeered one of the two bowling rooms for a few hours and had a great time.

The Seven Ten is essentially sectioned off into five different parts — a pool room with six tables, great lighting and plenty of room to maneuver for a shot; a swank lounge with booths, couches and throw pillows; a full-sized bar; and two separate bowling rooms with four lanes each and plenty of tables. One of the bowling rooms has its own bar as well.

Plenty of high-definition TVs and a distinct art deco style are prevalent throughout. They clearly didn’t cut any corners when re-doing the place. The food earned rave reviews as well, especially the chicken nachos, hot & spicy turkey sandwich, burger with the works and the Philly cheese steak.

A bowling lane can be yours for $20 an hour, and pool tables run for $12 an hour. Private parties that include any combination of food, drink, bowling and pool are commonplace and easy to line up in advance. But if you’re walking in off the street, don’t expect bowling lanes to be available for the taking very often on the weekends. Make sure to call ahead to reserve yourself a lane or two.

And if you’re looking to catch White Sox and Cardinals games this spring and summer, I’m told this is the place to be.

— Trent Modglin

 

 

Southside Irish Parade

If you live in Chicago and have never been to the Southside Irish Parade, I suggest you go. At least once in your life. And do what a friend of mine failed at once: Keep your ID on you at all times and avoid spending the night in someone’s front yard.

This year’s event falls on Sunday, March 12 and will begin at noon at 103rd and Western and continue south to 115th Street, heading through some neat old neighborhoods many Northsiders never knew existed.

If you take the Metra down (which is recommended), be prepared to see people drinking more on the train than they did on their 21st birthday. Keg parties are everywhere, and bars never empty the entire weekend, so be prepared to be packed in like sardines no matter if you’re streetside or wedged up against the bar at Cork & Kerry on 105th and Western.

— Trent Modglin

 

The Lavender Cabaret

As I timidly approached the will-call counter of Lakeshore Theater on a cold Saturday night to claim my six pre-ordered tickets, I had to wonder how a nice girl like me ended up at a strip club. I handed the tickets out to my friends with much apology in my eyes, bought myself one large cocktail in one plastic cup and sat down inside the theater to await the show.

What followed was nearly two hours of women pulling off various articles of clothing, prancing around in their underwear, burying their faces in other women’s breasts, suggestive dancing and nipples. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was awesome!

The Lavender Cabaret’s Femme TV show, headed by Michelle “Toots” L’Amour, Miss Exotic World 2005, is a great date night. Forget about your pre-conceived notions and objections about the exploitation of women — this show is both funny and a throwback to another era. The 1930s burlesque show includes a variety of acts, aside from the dancing scantily clad women in various male fantasy scenarios (pillow fighting as stewardesses and nurses). It also features the amazing cigarette-swallowing man, a fire hula-hoop girl, unexpected acrobatics and two comedian emcees who are actually funny.

The best part of an evening out to watch the Lavender Cabaret is that it’s so well done and so different. It can be easy to get into the rut of going out to the same old bars on weekends in Chicago. In fact, as we left the show, my friend Steve turned to me and said, “Michelle, you’re planning all my weekends from now on!”

My husband agreed with a reassuring, “This was the best birthday present ever.” As an added bonus, husbands and boyfriends may exhibit an increased desire to purchase lingerie for their women after seeing the show.

– Michelle Seagraves

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