Social Scene Scribes in the Second City

Beverly Kim – Chicago

What is your favorite part of the job?

Mine has to be discovering places that I would have never visited on my own. I’m a hard liquor or wine kind of girl, but Hopleaf made me really appreciate beer and I changed my whole attitude about it. I also can’t deny that I love an excuse to dress up and get cocktails at a classy place like The Aviary, and then go to Debonair Social Club to listen to electro and jiggy like SICK NASTY.

Short Story/Anecdote from your time on the job:

I definitely felt that bit of VIP treatment when I went to Debonair Social Club and got free drinks whipped up on the spot by Matt the bartender. He even had them bring me some pizza even though I tried to decline. I don’t think I’ve ever been pressured to eat free food before, but I’m glad I did because it was awesome. I was waiting for the burlesque show to start but because the performers’ car broke down on the way over, the show was incredibly delayed. Matt felt bad for keeping me waiting, so he wrote me up a complimentary $50 tab for that weekend. Saturday night, I have to say, was a night full of win.

Brinda Gupta – Chicago

What is your favorite part of the job?

Getting to know people behind the scenes. At most venues, managers, bouncers, servers, and bartenders went out of their way to help me. It was fun to walk into a place with an “in.” Not paying cover and sometimes getting free drinks was nice too!

Short Story/Anecdote from your time on the job:

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I expected Billy Goat Tavern to be a tourist trap. Yes, there were tourists there, but I absolutely loved it. It’s subterranean and gritty, hasn’t been redecorated since mid-century, and was full of cigarette-voiced reporters from the nearby papers and TV stations. So many media legends have used it for their clubhouse, and I felt like I was standing on the shoulders of writing giants. Also, the bartender was from Morocco, which I had just visited, so I had a great time just hanging out at the bar talking to him about it.

Christina Williams – Chicago

What is your favorite part of the job?

The best part of this job is definitely stepping out of my comfort zone. I knew my favorite haunts before I started reviewing, but the job introduced me to some awesome dives I had never heard of, and it forced me to try out upscale spots I wouldn’t normally go to, which are totally worth the splurge. Now I just want to go out and explore (read: drink) all the time!

Short Story/Anecdote from your time on the job:

I was really pumped to visit California Clipper for the first time, and it totally lived up to my expectations. We spent the first hour just sitting in a booth and listening to some great live music, then moved to the bar later on to chat with the bartender. We ended up sitting next to a bartender from another bar, Jerry’s, who talked my ear off about the Chicago bar scene. Then he bought us a round of Jameson shots, and then the Clipper bartender bought us another round. I have never felt more comfortable getting drunk with strangers in my life.