Tuesday, March 10, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: U2 partying at The Violet Hour!

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U2 hosted a super-private after-party at The Violet Hour on Tuesday.


The Violet Hour publicist just posted this to Facebook:

Ellen Malloy: "U2 after party at Violet Hour...Chicago launch party...details to come. Special invite only. Super exclusivito!!!"

312DD had been hearing buzz from inside the bar earlier about the event happening immediately following the Q&A event at Smart Bar on Tuesday, so apparently this is the real deal.

UPDATE: More from uber-publicist Malloy:

"U2 hosted an exclusive launch party for their new album at the Violet Hour. After a rocking DJ session at Metro, the band headed over to the Violet Hour for an exclusive record-industry event hosted by Interscope Records. The Violet Hour special menu for the evening comprised of Dublin Old Fashioneds (made with Powers Irish Whiskey) and special drinks named after songs on the new record, ('Juliet & Romeo' Moment of 'Surrender' and 'The Magnificent' champagne cocktail). Also served fantastic highlights from the Violet Hour menu.

"Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, was in attendance, along with her long bright red hair. The band came in through the back door at about 10 for a quick party before jetting off to Boston for the next gig."

Operation Stalk a Star on the case

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U2 is set to make a special appearance tonight at Smart Bar—not Metro as many media outlets reported this week.


Johnny Clark Street with the U2-stalking Twitter account just posted this about the superband's appearance tonight:

"Smart Bar is right next door to the Metro. So it's not at Metro but at Smart Bar!"

Trust me, there IS a big difference between the two!

What they're Tweeting . . .

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Publican Executive Chef Paul Kahan begins brunch this weekend with Beer Mimosas. (Photo: Battman Studios)


Michael Bottigliero (Sommelier/Eno): "Just tasted Eric Perrin's 2004 Ch. Haut-Vigneau. 70 CabSauv/30Merlot fr/Pessac-Leognan. Bright berry fruit, dusty earth, smooth tannins."

Stephanie Izard (Executive Chef/The Drunken Goat): "Going to read up on Peruvian food for my dish at the Common Threads World Festival on March 23."

Paul Kahan (Executive Chef): "Finalizing brunch menu for the Publican. Starts this Sunday. Yumaroo." (Beer Mimosas on tap!)

Nacional 27: "Talk about St. Patrick's Day with a modern Latin twist. Get Irish with (mixologist) Adam Seger's Irish Bacon Sour."

Cary Taylor (Executive Chef/Chaise Lounge): "About to cold smoke a whole mess o' chorizo."

EXCLUSIVE: Debut of Social Twenty-Five

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How is this opening right under our watch?!

Social Twenty-Five, a swanky new sports lounge, debuts on Friday to the public. A sneak preview happens later this week, so we'll have even more info after we check it out.

UPDATE: Read the latest info on Social Twenty-Five here.


On the horizon, we're also looking forward to Elate, which is slated to open in Hotel Felix in June.

Operation Stalk A Star officially on

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Some dude going by the handle Johnny Clark Street set up a Twitter account to stalk U2 if they indeed show up for the supposed deejay set at Metro tonight.

He tweeted late last night:

"Check back (all day) for updates live from U2's scheduled stop here in Chicago. Updates all day from outside and inside the venue."

If you're a fan of the band, I'd follow him if I were you!

Boozy buses for your Green scene!

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Have a cocktail with your coffee as the Chicago River turns green and everyone's Irish for this weekend's St. Patrick’s Day parades downtown (Saturday) and the South Side (Sunday).

The parades start early, but the bars start even earlier to accommodate all the revelers. Your best bet is to plan ahead with one of many bar bus packages around town certain to wake you up, get you sloshed and take you straight to the middle of the action:

For an authentically rowdy ride to Chicago’s downtown St. Pat’s parade, hitch a ride on The Abbey Pub's bus. They’re leaving at 9am to drop you off at the front of the parade. When guests return to the bar, they'll get a packed lineup of more Gaelic-themed events to keep the holiday going, including the Six Nations Rugby game on TV monitors, Spriorad Damasa Irish dancers and live music. $10; $4 Jameson shots.

For BYOB parade ideas, the Bar 1 guys will run buses from several of their locations making sure to get all the partiers down to the South Side parade. You can choose your pick-up location and bring your own booze of choice to help you celebrate the holiday while on the excursion. Buses leave Duffy’s and Redmond’s at 10am, and McGee’s and Durkin’s at 11am. $10; RSVP required.

Casey Moran’s whipping up a kegs and eggs breakfast deal for the downtown parade (8-10am), but the real event is the bus trip down to the South Side for Sunday morning’s mania. Doors open at 9am for brunch, Bloody Marys and Mimosas, followed by a bus ride down to the parade location between 10 and 11am. The event is BYOB, but there will also be a keg provided on the bus. $12.

Travel from Lakeview to the South Side with a beer in hand as part of the parade bus trip leaving from Kirkwood Bar & Grill. The bus loads at 9:30am from the parking lot and keeps it classic Irish with Guinness on the bus. $20.

Indulge in the breakfast buffet and beer deal at Mahoney’s Pub & Grille before hopping on their parade bus for a trip down to the South Side. After an afternoon of celebrating, they’ll bus everyone back to the pub for a hosted one-hour post party. The breakfast buffet runs 8-9:30am followed by buses leaving at 10am and returning at 5pm. RSVP for $30 tix.

Get warmed up with McFadden’s St. Practice Day on Saturday morning with the all-you-can-eat-and-drink kegs and eggs (7-9am) before you stumble your way to the downtown parade ($20). For round two on Sunday, they're doing a 7-9am breakfast and brews in preparation for a party bus to the South Side. Buses leave after breakfast to drop partiers off at the parade location to do a little more drinking and return to pick them up at 2pm. And if guests are still feeling ambitious after all that, the bar will feature $3 cocktails all day. Saturday kegs and eggs event $20; Sunday is $45; RSVP required.

Timothy O’Toole’s will be going strong all weekend with themed menus, specialty drinks and a “leprechaun” selling shots. For the downtown parade, they’ll have an Irish contest, giveaways and bagpipe music. And, for an even bigger hoo-ha on Sunday, they’re packing up the parade buses, as well as offering “sack” breakfasts and beverages for a lively trip to the South Side. The bus leaves at 10am and returns at 3pm. $15.—Served deliciously by Suzy M.