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Well, they did it! The Chicago Bears are going to Super Bow XLl! Apryl and I watched the first half of the NFC Championship at home, but then I decided to catch the rest of the game at the Art Gallery Cabaret, one of the neighborhood bars. The bar has been one that I’ve been wanting to check out for some time. Not only is it on our street, but we pass it everytime we walk to and from the train. Often, I would peak through the windows just to see what was going on. For one reason or another, it always seems so inviting.

Once inside, I found my assumption to be correct. Of course, the Bears were on the brink of doing something they haven’t be able to do in over 20 years, but still there seemed to be a real sense of community. This is the type of bar where the bartender knows your name and what you fancy.

As I reported in an earlier post, one of the bonus for catching a Bears game on a Sunday is free bar food. And today, the main attraction on the food table were large, juicy burgers. I wasn’t even that hungry, but I couldn’t pass up a free burger. And since we still haven’t found our burger joint here, I thought what if this one was it, and only four blocks from our apartment. The verdict: a very tasty, homemade burger that’s definitely my favorite (so far). While I was putting up my plate from the burger, a woman with the bar asked me if I wanted to try some of her homemade matzah ball soup. I couldn’t say no, and she was thrilled. Apparently, she made a lot of it. And hey, it was really good soup.

But the highlight of Art Gallery were the people, who really made you feel welcomed. Of course, a Bears’ victory sure was helping with the collective high spirits. Still, I have a feeling that there’s a lot of good times going down in this joint. (Rumor is the place was an early stomping ground for Liz Phair and The Smashing Pumpkins. Who knows?) The best part of the evening was everytime the Bears scored, a man from the bar would run to the back of the bar and get behind the bar’s piano to play the Bears’ fight song. The rest of the bar would joyfully join in singing and clapping. What a fun time! And what a great time to be living in the Windy City.

As I stepped outside, it was snowing as I made my way back home. Go Bears!

The Bears (or is that Da Bears?) are no longer undefeated. Grossman and Co. put on quite an embarrassing performance this afternoon, and the struggling Miami Dolphins were able to leave Solider Field with their second win of the season. Oh well, I figured that the Bears would have to slip up sometime. I’m just glad that me and my dad were witnesses to last week’s victory as opposed to today’s sad outing.

So, I wasn’t at the stadium this week. But I was a spectator.

Let me explain:

One of the great things about the Chicago neighborhood is that everything that you need is right around the corner. Restaurants, coffee shops, cleaners, supermarket, etc. And of course, the neighborhood bar. It’s hard to walk a few blocks into any direction without running smack into one. So I decided I would leave Apryl to her studies and try out a few Bucktown bars that were “in the neighborhood”.

First up was Burke’s Web Pub, which by its name, I thought would be full of youngsters sipping on foamy brew and typing away on their labtops. Okay, perhaps “web” has nothing to do with the WWW, because the bar was only occupied by older gentlemen who seem to have arrived at the pub years ago and decided never to leave. I stepped up to the bar and was immediately questioned by one of the regulars.

“You’re not from Miami are you?”

“No.”

I ordered my Old Style and took in the environment. These were all hard workin’ men who were diehard Bears fans. Everyone was wearing some type of Bears merchadise. And they were all shouting out F Bombs on a regular basis, as the TV with poor reception hanging from the ceiling gave them plenty of opportunities to be colorful with their vocabulary. As the game got worse and worse, I was fearing they might start to see me as a hex in their Sunday ritual. I finished my beer and moved on a few more blocks…

…to Charleston. There were only three men at the bar, who all gave off the impression that they came together. I picked up another Old Style from the young bartender and glanced over my new environment. Things were a lot calmer here. There was a pool table in the back room next to a piano. And over the bar there was a sign: No Smoking Please. Of course the game was on. And everyone was watching and rooting for the home team. But I didn’t get the impression that any of them were as devoted as those at the Web. I finished my beer and decided I would check out one more bar before the end of the fourth quarter. While I was leaving, everyone at the bar told me goodbye and wished me a good day.

Final stop was The Corner. And it was packed. I mean not packed like a Saturday night. But in a standing room only way. I noticed that their complementary buffett (which is pretty standard at local bars on Sundays) had more to offer than the other places’. There was a sign by the jukebox: No Music When The Bears Are Playing. I got a pint of Old Style, which was a buck and a quarter. As I was reaching in my pocket for the exact change, a guy at the bar offered up his own quarter. “Thanks.” This was primarily a young crowd. Again, the game was on and most were enthralled but a few didn’t seem to care (though who could blame them at this point). Smoking was allowed. And dogs (was I back home at the Lamplighter?). Another thing I noticed was that this was the first place where both sexes were present. As the game clock expired, I finished up my last beer and stumbled (just kidding) back home.

Chicago Bears 13 – Miami Dolphins 31