Chicago Swanking

€uroMeinke · 02-10-2005, 11:07 PM

I lucked out tonight and didn’t have to have dinner with my boss. It would have been Ditka’s to be sure, close to the hotel, meat, sport-friendly – it’s his kind of place. Not that it’s a bad place, we’ve eaten there before, the food is good – it’s way better than Applebees (The place he suggested we eat while we were staying the the Time Square Hilton in NYC!). But, staying in Chicago a few times, my eyes have been set on swankier digs.

So I was on my own for dinner and earlier in the week I cam across Le Passage (http://www.lepassage.tv/index2.html) and I thought, “hey this seems kind of swanky.” Later when I realized this was in easy walking distance from my hotel, I realized I had to go and check out the swankness factor. I noticed they opened at 7:00 for dinner and while I couldn’t get through to make a reservation I figured it was close enough to just got there. Hey a frosty Thursday night, I ought to get in. Of course I took no chances, I doffed my jeans and put on some black wool trousers and my cashmere jacket – you gotta look the part if you expect to play it.

Anyway, I made it past the bouncer, who asked to see my ID (heh heh love my California Driver License). I headed down an alley, then down a flight of stairs to it’s basement home and was greeted by the mafiaesque manager, who took my coat and told me how lucky I was to be there tonight for the Lingerie show, and how the steak au puavre was exceptional tonight. The dinning room was a plush French-Asian fusion that reminded me slightly of Man Ray in Paris.

I was alone in a massive dinning room as techno lounge music wafted through the air and plasma screens and mirrors showed a subtitled version of “Last Year in Marienbad” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054632/). I indulge the swankiness, by ordering a mojito – which is excellent and is soon becoming my favorite swanky cocktail (Man Ray also served a tasty Mojito). So I proceeded to have an excellent Fraqnco-Chicago meal, just me and the wait staff. Wild Mushrooms in a tomato, garlic, red wine reduction sauce (didn’t I recently have a dream about this?) followed with the steak – I couldn’t resist, Chicago has ruined me in this respect in that I can never order steak anywhere else. It just is never as good as here – no matter how it’s prepared.

So, I come to find out that in Chicago it is very hard to get a liquor license if you don’t serve food – hence the restaurant at Le Passage. I was told that despite the raucous activity in the bar and disco it usually remains quiet in the dinning room and is a bit of a secret to those who go there. Cool, but it’s odd to only be joined by other dinners a full hour and a half after I started my dinner.

I extended my stay by ordering a cognac in the bar to confirm what I had believed about the “guest list” – Rich and/or Beautiful, the former for men, the latter for women. Had the lingerie show been presented earlier than 11:00, I might have even stayed. I weighed the options – stay to see scantily clad women and lie about to conceal my decadence, or return to my hotel and prepare for tomorrow’s meeting, and lie about it to conceal my lameness? Alas, you know the hideous truth – I returned to the hotel to post about my experience here.

Lame.

Cadaverous Pallor · 02-10-2005, 11:26 PM

Lame indeed.

But an awesome report, nonetheless.

MerryPrankster · 02-10-2005, 11:26 PM

Sounds way swanky cool, Daddio! Mmmmmm, steak!!

blueerica · 02-10-2005, 11:41 PM

Ahh! You should have stayed for the scantily clad women, lad!

wendybeth · 02-10-2005, 11:48 PM

Is it possible to overdose on Swank? €uro, I fear for you.

(I'm real jealous, too).

I had Arby's for dinner.

blueerica · 02-11-2005, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Is it possible to overdose on Swank? €uro, I fear for you.

(I'm real jealous, too).

I had Arby's for dinner.

I've began to experiment under the the hypothesis that it is not possible to overdose.

wendybeth · 02-11-2005, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueerica

I've began to experiment under the the hypothesis that it is not possible to overdose.

I'd like to as well, but I need to save for my trip to Cleveland, where I'm fairly certain I will be in no danger of overdosing on anything but ennui.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 02-11-2005, 11:13 AM

I can't BELIEVE you didn't stay. I refuse to believe it.

Lovely write up. I now REALLY want to go there when I go to Chicago, but sadly I'll be visiting a friend who's just not into these kinds of places. DAMMIT!

€uroMeinke · 02-12-2005, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

I can't BELIEVE you didn't stay. I refuse to believe it.

It was another three hour wait - in todays modern word, lingerie models are but a mouseclick away - Of course, I could be lying

.

Not Afraid · 02-12-2005, 01:23 PM

Well, he didn't bring me home any lingerie, so I doubt he stayed. He DID bring me home a new swanky handbag (in a slightly pearalized lavendar) and some yummy chocolates.

02-10-2005, 11:07 PM	#1
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	Chicago Swanking I lucked out tonight and didn’t have to have dinner with my boss. It would have been Ditka’s to be sure, close to the hotel, meat, sport-friendly – it’s his kind of place. Not that it’s a bad place, we’ve eaten there before, the food is good – it’s way better than Applebees (The place he suggested we eat while we were staying the the Time Square Hilton in NYC!). But, staying in Chicago a few times, my eyes have been set on swankier digs. So I was on my own for dinner and earlier in the week I cam across Le Passage (http://www.lepassage.tv/index2.html) and I thought, “hey this seems kind of swanky.” Later when I realized this was in easy walking distance from my hotel, I realized I had to go and check out the swankness factor. I noticed they opened at 7:00 for dinner and while I couldn’t get through to make a reservation I figured it was close enough to just got there. Hey a frosty Thursday night, I ought to get in. Of course I took no chances, I doffed my jeans and put on some black wool trousers and my cashmere jacket – you gotta look the part if you expect to play it. Anyway, I made it past the bouncer, who asked to see my ID (heh heh love my California Driver License). I headed down an alley, then down a flight of stairs to it’s basement home and was greeted by the mafiaesque manager, who took my coat and told me how lucky I was to be there tonight for the Lingerie show, and how the steak au puavre was exceptional tonight. The dinning room was a plush French-Asian fusion that reminded me slightly of Man Ray in Paris. I was alone in a massive dinning room as techno lounge music wafted through the air and plasma screens and mirrors showed a subtitled version of “Last Year in Marienbad” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054632/). I indulge the swankiness, by ordering a mojito – which is excellent and is soon becoming my favorite swanky cocktail (Man Ray also served a tasty Mojito). So I proceeded to have an excellent Fraqnco-Chicago meal, just me and the wait staff. Wild Mushrooms in a tomato, garlic, red wine reduction sauce (didn’t I recently have a dream about this?) followed with the steak – I couldn’t resist, Chicago has ruined me in this respect in that I can never order steak anywhere else. It just is never as good as here – no matter how it’s prepared. So, I come to find out that in Chicago it is very hard to get a liquor license if you don’t serve food – hence the restaurant at Le Passage. I was told that despite the raucous activity in the bar and disco it usually remains quiet in the dinning room and is a bit of a secret to those who go there. Cool, but it’s odd to only be joined by other dinners a full hour and a half after I started my dinner. I extended my stay by ordering a cognac in the bar to confirm what I had believed about the “guest list” – Rich and/or Beautiful, the former for men, the latter for women. Had the lingerie show been presented earlier than 11:00, I might have even stayed. I weighed the options – stay to see scantily clad women and lie about to conceal my decadence, or return to my hotel and prepare for tomorrow’s meeting, and lie about it to conceal my lameness? Alas, you know the hideous truth – I returned to the hotel to post about my experience here. Lame. __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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02-10-2005, 11:26 PM	#2
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Lame indeed. But an awesome report, nonetheless. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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02-10-2005, 11:26 PM	#3
MerryPrankster Swanky Panky! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hell's Kitchen Posts: 541	Sounds way swanky cool, Daddio! Mmmmmm, steak!! __________________ My advice to the women of America is to raise more hell and fewer dahlias. ~~ William Allen White
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02-10-2005, 11:41 PM	#4
blueerica Nueve Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 6,497	Ahh! You should have stayed for the scantily clad women, lad! __________________ Tomorrow is the day for you and me
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02-10-2005, 11:48 PM	#5
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	Is it possible to overdose on Swank? €uro, I fear for you. (I'm real jealous, too). I had Arby's for dinner. __________________
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02-11-2005, 11:13 AM	#8
Eliza Hodgkins 1812 Sputnik Sweetheart Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 2,685	I can't BELIEVE you didn't stay. I refuse to believe it. Lovely write up. I now REALLY want to go there when I go to Chicago, but sadly I'll be visiting a friend who's just not into these kinds of places. DAMMIT!
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02-12-2005, 01:23 PM	#10
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Well, he didn't bring me home any lingerie, so I doubt he stayed. He DID bring me home a new swanky handbag (in a slightly pearalized lavendar) and some yummy chocolates.
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