Chicago Pedway Pub Crawl
posted April 16, 2015 12:30 PM RSS | iCal | +googleCal
Thu May 14 at 5:00 PM, Infields
111 North State Street, Chicago, IL, USA (Map & Directions)
So around five years ago, we had a seekrit outing in Chicago's wonderful but underloved pedway.
I'm now organizing a slightly less secret Pedway Pub Crawl with complete with good-deed-doing and stickers.
What This Will Be
The various in-between locations are still being finalized (there are still some seekrits in the pedway) but we will definitely start at 5:00 pm Infield’s with drinks and appetizers. Infield's is underneath Macy's, which is a good place to buy a donation item if you forgot day-of, as are any number of places downtown. We'll be there until at least 6, so if you can't make it right at 5, still come. We will probably end at Houlihan's. More details as they become finalized will probably be posted in thread. Or maybe it will be a SURPRISE!
What About Those Donation Items, Again?
* For the record, I've never been with MetaFilter groups where this wasn't the norm. This bullet is for new people who have a preconceived notion of pub crawling and should not be perceived as a judgment on your past encounters with me. (you know who you are)
- Something I've wanted to do for a really long time now (since at least this winter!)
- A mini-donation drive for the Broadway Youth Center - price of admission to the crawl will be one of the suggested donation items below. These items make a huge difference in the lives of LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness
- A guided tour of the pedway - there will be multiple pub stops at locations in or connected to the pedway, and I can tell you what I know along the way. Don't expect a vast history, but you will also not get lost.
- A pub crawl where you are expected or encouraged to get grossly shit-faced (I mean, that's your call, I'm not your dad, but we will respect the pedway and the establishments we visit.)*
The various in-between locations are still being finalized (there are still some seekrits in the pedway) but we will definitely start at 5:00 pm Infield’s with drinks and appetizers. Infield's is underneath Macy's, which is a good place to buy a donation item if you forgot day-of, as are any number of places downtown. We'll be there until at least 6, so if you can't make it right at 5, still come. We will probably end at Houlihan's. More details as they become finalized will probably be posted in thread. Or maybe it will be a SURPRISE!
What About Those Donation Items, Again?
- Personal hygiene items such as travel size lotions, toothpaste, deodorant, sanitary napkins and tampons, soap and lip balm.
- New underwear (small to plus sizes), bras, and socks
- Single ride Ventra cards to help participants with travel assistance.
- Target, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS gift cards, especially in $4 denominations for prescriptions.
- Appetizers off my plate
- Camaraderie (guaranteed)
- Drunk (if you want)
- Pedway Trivia (have you met me?)
- Prizes (maybe)
- Stickers (definitely)
* For the record, I've never been with MetaFilter groups where this wasn't the norm. This bullet is for new people who have a preconceived notion of pub crawling and should not be perceived as a judgment on your past encounters with me. (you know who you are)
P.P.S. This event has no official connection to Broadway Youth Center beyond me wanting to encourage people to give them stuff.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on April 16, 2015
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on April 16, 2015
I AM SO EXCITED.
posted by crush-onastick at 2:11 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by crush-onastick at 2:11 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mike, you are the best!
posted by phunniemee at 2:49 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 2:49 PM on April 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
!!!!
Yessss!!!!
I will have to leave work early to get down there on time but I love this idea and am putting it on my calendar right now!
posted by jessypie at 6:03 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yessss!!!!
I will have to leave work early to get down there on time but I love this idea and am putting it on my calendar right now!
posted by jessypie at 6:03 PM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
I will cut people for stickers. Be warned.
posted by srboisvert at 6:39 AM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 6:39 AM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
This sounds like so much fun! I'm in, will try to bring Mr Fig too!
posted by Fig at 10:12 AM on April 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Fig at 10:12 AM on April 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
Also, I am not paid to work on Friday!
posted by crush-onastick at 12:22 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by crush-onastick at 12:22 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
This sounds awesome.
posted by Westringia F. at 6:17 AM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Westringia F. at 6:17 AM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
I just wanted to say that the reaction to has (a) made my week last week or so much better and (b) slightly terrified me. I better get my shit together.
(Getting my shit together in this instance is 75% visiting bars, so I'm pretty sure I've got this covered.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on April 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
(Getting my shit together in this instance is 75% visiting bars, so I'm pretty sure I've got this covered.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on April 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Mike, you got this covered.
In other words, we won't worry about [blank]; you'll worry about [blank].
posted by crush-onastick at 4:00 PM on April 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
In other words, we won't worry about [blank]; you'll worry about [blank].
posted by crush-onastick at 4:00 PM on April 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
what if I'm bad at buying things, but good at writing checks? Can I still come along with a cash donation, or donate online to them here?
posted by garlic at 12:27 PM on April 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by garlic at 12:27 PM on April 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sure! You can donate online at the link garlic provides, or if you want to make a cash donation to me on the night of, that would be awesome (especially if, hypothetically, an organizer of the event works for an organization that matches employee donations to community partners, which BYC is )
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:26 AM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:26 AM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
What should we do with physical donations? Bring them to you the night of? Like, hypothetically, if one of us went on target.com and bought one of every underpants and bra that was both cute and on sale because they have strong philosophical reasons for thinking poor and disadvantaged people deserve cute underpants and would therefore be carrying or making you carry a small bag of underpants all night, um. What then.
posted by phunniemee at 10:48 AM on May 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 10:48 AM on May 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
I plan to carry a small bag of socks and underpants (I fail at bras. Seriously. Ask me about the sales woman wrangling me and mine in and out of bras forEVER last Friday) with me ALL NIGHT LONG. But I can bring a collection bag and be responsible. I will carry that weight. Until it's time for me to leave. Then it's Mike's job.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:31 PM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by crush-onastick at 12:31 PM on May 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
My hero.
posted by phunniemee at 1:02 PM on May 4, 2015
posted by phunniemee at 1:02 PM on May 4, 2015
I thought that I had posted in the thread that I would carry cute underpants, but apparently I never got around to it. But I will also!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:51 AM on May 5, 2015
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:51 AM on May 5, 2015
Also, I just realized that I'll be coming from work to this event. Which complicates the plan to wear my INCREDIBLY AWESOME NEW WIG. But I'll figure it out.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:25 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by crush-onastick at 8:25 AM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I would also hold and store any wigs if it is necessary to making wig-wearing happen.
(I hope this is least surprising news I have ever delivered.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:05 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
(I hope this is least surprising news I have ever delivered.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:05 PM on May 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am so jealous of you all right now. Pedway pub crawl!
posted by sldownard at 1:40 AM on May 10, 2015
posted by sldownard at 1:40 AM on May 10, 2015
Is there a rough itinerary? I definitely won't be able to get there at 5, but would like to catch up with the group some point in the early evening.
posted by Fig at 5:53 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by Fig at 5:53 PM on May 10, 2015
(Mike, it's just my most complicated wig and getting into it at work is not the most appealing prospect but I am committed. I'll make this work)
posted by crush-onastick at 8:08 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by crush-onastick at 8:08 PM on May 10, 2015
Ok so I am coming from work and hope to make it down by 6. WILL YOU STILL BE AT INNFIELDS?
posted by bibliogrrl at 1:17 PM on May 12, 2015
posted by bibliogrrl at 1:17 PM on May 12, 2015
Aaarrrgh, I am now not able to attend. Booooo. I'll send some $$ to the youth center in lieu of attending.
posted by Fig at 1:37 PM on May 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Fig at 1:37 PM on May 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Favorited for donation, not favorited for not attending.
For those of you who may want/need to join us along the way:
1) We will definitely be at Infields until 6.
2) I'll be updating the location in the thread along the way, underground reception permitting.
3) My phone number is in my profile here so if all else fails and you miss us, call me! (Phone service tends to work better than data connection in my pedway experience.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:47 PM on May 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
For those of you who may want/need to join us along the way:
1) We will definitely be at Infields until 6.
2) I'll be updating the location in the thread along the way, underground reception permitting.
3) My phone number is in my profile here so if all else fails and you miss us, call me! (Phone service tends to work better than data connection in my pedway experience.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:47 PM on May 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
this also seems a great time to plug the way we use @mefichi twitter handle. Even if you don't twitter, you can setup a twitter account and have anything @mefichi says get texted to your phone. Then we responsibly DM @mefichi when we're on the move, and you get updates.
posted by garlic at 8:09 AM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by garlic at 8:09 AM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
I am not-so-secretly hoping someone IRRESPONSIBLY tweets at mefichi (which happily auto corrects to "Medici")
posted by crush-onastick at 12:16 PM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by crush-onastick at 12:16 PM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
I am super bummed to say that I have a conflict and I'm not going to be able to make it after all. For the past couple of weeks I've been trying to figure out how to do both, but it would have involved spending more time on public transit than I would have actually been able to spend with you all, and I would have had to leave before we even got to move on to a second location. So instead I have joined the club of people making donations to the youth center because they can't be there in person. Please do this again sometime, because I would love a pedway tour!
posted by jessypie at 5:19 PM on May 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jessypie at 5:19 PM on May 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
There's a whole other half (or more) of the pedway to explore, so it's very possible this will happen again.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:22 PM on May 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:22 PM on May 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm in! Someone got fired yesterday (not me), so we can't work Wed or Thurs, so I'm back in Chicago. Government construction work is weird, yo.
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 11:19 PM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 11:19 PM on May 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
So here's my very rough schedule for tonight for those who are curious or may be wanting to meet us along the way. A stop between M Bar and the Hyatt has been removed because one bar probably couldn't accommodate our group's size and the lobby bar at the Fairmont, which was the back-up, is closed.
I'm also extending our time at the first two locations to hopefully clear out the later bars from after work folks. This also means people who are worried about getting to Infield's by 6 can be super chill.
As far as food options: There are appetizers (and more I believe) at Infield's. There's also a window at M Bar where you can get pizza from the place next door. (That place also sells Church's chicken I think, and I bet you can get some of that too.)
5:00-6:20 Infields
6:20-6:30 Travelling
6:30-7:20 M Bar Bites and Brew
7:20-7:40 Travelling
7:40-8:30 Hyatt*
8:30-8:45 Travel
8:45 - ??? Houlihan's
* The bars at the Hyatt could be a clusterfuck based on the convention things happening there and may get skipped and go straight to Holihan's, but we'll see on the fly because ADVENTURE
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:21 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm also extending our time at the first two locations to hopefully clear out the later bars from after work folks. This also means people who are worried about getting to Infield's by 6 can be super chill.
As far as food options: There are appetizers (and more I believe) at Infield's. There's also a window at M Bar where you can get pizza from the place next door. (That place also sells Church's chicken I think, and I bet you can get some of that too.)
5:00-6:20 Infields
6:20-6:30 Travelling
6:30-7:20 M Bar Bites and Brew
7:20-7:40 Travelling
7:40-8:30 Hyatt*
8:30-8:45 Travel
8:45 - ??? Houlihan's
* The bars at the Hyatt could be a clusterfuck based on the convention things happening there and may get skipped and go straight to Holihan's, but we'll see on the fly because ADVENTURE
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:21 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Adventure!
(we had a little song we used to sing about our perfect labrador retriever when he would escape from my dad: Adventure dog, adventure dog! Kinda big, kinda strong, dragging a big log. Adventure dog. which I am unlikely to sing on our adventure but which I will likely be humming all day in the office)
posted by crush-onastick at 9:15 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
(we had a little song we used to sing about our perfect labrador retriever when he would escape from my dad: Adventure dog, adventure dog! Kinda big, kinda strong, dragging a big log. Adventure dog. which I am unlikely to sing on our adventure but which I will likely be humming all day in the office)
posted by crush-onastick at 9:15 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Speaking of underpants, here's some location-relevant trivia for you all:
posted by phunniemee at 10:51 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
"The first hint of how popular jockey briefs would become came on January 19, 1935, when Chicago's Marshall Field's department store unveiled the new design in a window display. That weekend the city was slammed by the worst blizzard of the year--what was the point in displaying skimpy undies in long underwear weather? The store ordered the display taken down, but by the time noon rolled around the salespeople hadn't gotten around to it yet...and the store had sold more than 600 pairs. The display stayed up.
"Marshall Field's sold 12,000 pairs that first week alone and would have sold more than that, had Cooper [Underwear Company] been able to supply them. Stores sold out of them so fast that the company chartered a special 'masculiner' airplane to fly the masculine support briefs to retailers as fast as the factory could make them."
posted by phunniemee at 10:51 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Here's the part where I admit that, despite walking past it almost every week day a few years ago in winter and still doing so more often than probably all of you, I didn't realize why it was called "Infield's" until posting this thread.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:09 PM on May 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
I had a winter several years back where I walked by it every day as well. It was probably two months before I realized...stopped, stared, and cackled out a preternaturally loud HA! for all the pedway to hear. I regret nothing.
posted by phunniemee at 12:39 PM on May 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 12:39 PM on May 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
Also, before I forget, those of you who are unable to make it, please MeFi mail or email me your physical address so I can get you your STICKERS!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:13 PM on May 14, 2015
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:13 PM on May 14, 2015
I saw it for the first time last weekend (I am almost never in the pedway) and was like Goddamn I miss Marshall Fields.
Oohh I should buy some Frangos tonight.
posted by bibliogrrl at 2:49 PM on May 14, 2015
Oohh I should buy some Frangos tonight.
posted by bibliogrrl at 2:49 PM on May 14, 2015
Won't be able to make this one after all. Have fun, and don't delve too deep!
posted by Iridic at 3:12 PM on May 14, 2015
posted by Iridic at 3:12 PM on May 14, 2015
We are at M Bar and Bites now
posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:47 PM on May 14, 2015
posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:47 PM on May 14, 2015
This meetup receives 👍👍 and ☆☆☆☆☆.
posted by phunniemee at 9:45 PM on May 14, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 9:45 PM on May 14, 2015 [7 favorites]
Everyone who heard my caber toss story last night: this is a pic of me and my 14 year old caber toss champ brother on Scottish Games day.
posted by phunniemee at 7:57 AM on May 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 7:57 AM on May 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY CABER TOSSING!
posted by eamondaly at 8:23 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by eamondaly at 8:23 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
FRIEND, I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT!
posted by phunniemee at 8:26 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by phunniemee at 8:26 AM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
So y'all I was really blown away by Thursday and have tried (unsuccessfully it turns out) to put my feelings into words since then, so I'm just going to stop trying and give you the facts:
This idea that I had about wanting to do a pub crawl turned into a donation drive/fundraiser almost by accident. Not only did we have a good time AND explore the east part of the Pedway, we also collected three HUGE bags full of donations and raised, at least, $500 for Broadway Youth Center and Howard Brown. ("At least" because this amount does not include some of the on-line donations or any matching funds.)
You are amazing. Thank you.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:47 AM on May 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
This idea that I had about wanting to do a pub crawl turned into a donation drive/fundraiser almost by accident. Not only did we have a good time AND explore the east part of the Pedway, we also collected three HUGE bags full of donations and raised, at least, $500 for Broadway Youth Center and Howard Brown. ("At least" because this amount does not include some of the on-line donations or any matching funds.)
You are amazing. Thank you.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:47 AM on May 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
I got a thankyou letter for my online donation from Howard Brown today.
posted by garlic at 12:43 PM on May 20, 2015
posted by garlic at 12:43 PM on May 20, 2015
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Originally I had considered the 15th but decided Friday after work at bars downtown was not going to be very conducive to migration.
And now you know.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:34 PM on April 16, 2015