Two views of the Matchbox, with David & Jackie (upper black and white). Photo by Anthony Mata.
A good bar is a rich collection of loose change.
The patrons are a deep pocket of old and young, nickels and dimers, half dollars and occasional slugs.
The Matchbox, 770 N. Milwaukee, is my lucky penny.
I’ve been going to the Matchbox since 2000. I was breaking up with a girlfriend in Palmer Square and the Matchbox was my shrink couch on the way home to my place in the West Loop. Things change. I fell in love again at the Matchbox. Life moves on.
And the Matchbox was sold last week.
Owners [...]
I have no one but myself to blame for this.
I’m alone at Christmas. I watch ESPN at night. Inspired by the Jerry Vale scene in “The Irishman,” I’ve been deconstructing The Golddiggers LP “We Need a Little Christmas.” I’m working on another book.
I’ve been reading more. That “Dylan and Me” (50 Years of Adventures)” by Louie Kemp, Bob’s BFF is pretty good, especially the part about Dylan and Cher singing “All I Really Want To Do” (accompanied by the Band) at David Geffen’s 35th birthday party. I had a lot of fun being a semi-big shot journalist, going to concerts, traveling to New Orleans 26 times and drinking tequila at the [...]
Eugene Savage mural in Luau Lounge at Pier 39 (D. Hoekstra photo)
SAN FRANCISCO—The Bay Area is a great port for tiki bars.
There will always be a place in my heart for the Tonga Room, a rainy tiki paradise in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel that Anthony Bourdain called “the greatest place in the history of the world;” the newer but tragically hip Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco and Trader Vic’s in Emeryville, Ca.
Last week I visited the Bay Area to see the Oakland Raiders before they relocate to Las Vegas next season. (I doubt they will play the low rider music of War during game breaks). [...]
That was the premise on Tuesday night when I downed a bottle of Ensure and drove out to see “It Was Fifty Years Ago Today–A Tribute To The Beatles White Album” at the historic Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles. The headliners appeared so helter-skelter, I had to see how the whole thing came together: Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Micky Dolenz of the Monkees, Joey Molland, the last surviving member of Badfinger and bassist Jason Scheff of the latter-day Chicago. I wasn’t alone. The show was sold out and will return to the Arcada on Dec. 2.
If you connect the dots of [...]
