" -- closes another bottle opens"

Having one of your closest friends leave after a visit, especially when you've a) been off of work, b) had SOOO much fun and c) realized that time does not change a thing in your friendship, but make it even MORE clear WHY you're friends, is very hard. Rather than go into a long story, let's just say it made me SO happy to have Buddy here but as always, the party MUST end (even though I must say, we can really keep up -- we're NOT quitters, are we??)

On a different note, my favorite bar in the city of Chicago has closed. There had been rumors for years that it was closing, but its official, 2710 N Halsted St, otherwise known as "GRIFFINS PUB HOUSE" is now just a blank space. Whatever replaces it will no longer mean a thing to me. That sucks.

Griffins was in part of the "triangle" of great little pubs (and yes, Chicago is lined with them, but these were MY pubs) on Halsted. Across the street is Peg Leg O'Sullivans and kitty corner, Alive One. While the other two are GREAT bars, Griffins always had a special place in my heart -- and near a Walgreens, a Dunkin' Donuts (yay) and the Lincoln Park Fire Department (hubba hubba). And you could could show up in sweats and not care.

Griffins was the grooviest little dive in a very cut-throat, hipster area. Lincoln Park is a town of Trixies and Chads, but Griffins had a gentle way of inviting you in, minus any hipster, snobby influence. The bar outside was adorable. It looked like a little elf house with shutters. Inside was a even cuter -- like a happy den. Yummy Irish food was served til all hours and beer flowed as it only can in Chicago. There were Dead bands almost every night and if there weren't, there could be jazz, drums circles OR the jukebox, blaring out favorites. The crowds were always peace-minded folks that were friendly and filled with drinking capacity that could make a regular persons eyes glaze over. And the staff?? Equally fun, equally giving and totally cool. The type of staff that if you and your friends were having the BEST time ever, they would stay open (or close and let you and your friends stay in) until the night or someone was done. So needless to say, I spent many bleary-eyed nights until the likes of 5 a.m., sitting, laughing, dancing and having the best time.

It was close to my old home in Lincoln Park. My own Cheers bar. I was able to walk, run and even rollerblade there, (though the roller-blading took place after a near mugging, I still managed to make it to the bar)!!

Last summer I was in for a visit and had my friends meet there. The bartender got wind of my love of their bar and knew I chose this pub over the other 10,000 bars in the city -- everything changed. No one paid a cent and drinks were flowing all night long -- and I mean ALL NIGHT long. They stayed open until we were ready to leave. There were shots -- not the gun kind, either. There was beer. And there were tons of laughs. And my friends loved it, as did I.

I now will live with my fond little memories and sadly, go back to visit and not really know WHERE to go (okay, that's a lie, but really --). (And who KNEW there was an (ulp) myspace for Griffins ---) http://www.myspace.com/griffinspublichouse

Fare thee well.

Oh and Idol update: While I thought Kelly was awful, I would still like Ace to go home. And Rod Stewart seems like a very nice man (nice like SOSSAGE)