“Hey Sal, All of my single friends have recently paired off, and I’m left alone more and more often as they spend nights in with their boyfriends/man friends/whatever you want to call them. I don’t want to throw a pity party, so I need a strategy to ensure I don’t lose my friends and that I’m still out having fun - even if it’s without my best buds.”
- Tawnie, Andersonville

Don't be jealous, Little Suzy. I'm sure he has a cute friend for you!

Oh Tawnie, girl you know it’s true. Every winter the men bed down and snuggle up- much more interested in a bottle of wine and a movie than bar hopping in the freezing cold. But you also know what’s true come Cubs season- spring cleaning! And that means those same dudes are back to their old ways and rounding the bases all over town. Thaaaaaat’s neither here nor there; let’s move on to your problem.

It’s tough when your friends find someone special. Of course you’re happy for them and wish them all the best in their newly initiated relationship, but you suddenly feel very alone. Their bored CTA riding fingers are texting their guy- instead of you- telling him how packed the 22 bus is that morning. And rather than a night of red wine, girl talk, and bad TV, your friend is now cooking dinner with this guy and you’re chatting on the sofa. It can be a tough adjustment, but it’s not impossible or without advantages.

#1. Winter can mean getting in a rut and this is the perfect opportunity to cartwheel right out of it. Explore new places with old friends that you might have not seen in a while. Start packing your day planner with dinners and catch-up drinks. Chances are, you’ll be a busy bee and focus less on your non-buzzing home hive.

#2. Your friend shouldn’t be the only one getting benefits from this new man- you should too. A new guy means new friends, and new friends mean new introductions for you. While you’re getting to know him it’s also a chance for you to get to know his circle of possibly single buds. Go out with them on the weekends. Suggest you all meet up after dinner. Don’t be afraid to 3rd wheel into a new social network.

#3. Call it like it is and keep the rose colored glasses in check. Meaning, when you’re in a new relationship it’s easy to let old relationships fall to the side. Suddenly you’re a ‘we’ and you can’t remember how you ever went grocery shopping alone. So it’s important to- without annoying or playing the ‘poor me’ card- let your friend know that your relationship with her is still important to you, and should be to her too. Keep plans on the books, stay on her radar, and don’t let the fact that you’re spending less time with her hurt what’s been a long and fruitful friendship.

Good luck Tawnie! I think you’ll surprise yourself by just how many great things can come from this. Come Cubs season you’ll be playing the field with a full roster, and some on the bench. Network, explore new things, and keep your chin up!

This advice column is brought to you by the ever graceful, polished and in-the-know, Sally Jackson. Sally is happy to offer her tips and guidance on everything from relationships to fashion to saving money. If you have a question for Sally, go ahead and send your question to Info@PoorLittleRichGirls.com with subject “Hey Sal”

So, we finally wrapped up the video we had been working on with Chicago.com. The neighborhood tour of Bucktown turned out great and we had waaaay too much fun during the “making of” stages. Hopefully they feel the same way and we’ll have more videos like this to come!

Below is the video and a short description (in case you feel like visiting any of these amazing B-Town spots):

Vinnie is back. This time he’s strolling through Bucktown, one of Chicago’s hippest hoods for shopping and eating. For a total throwback, try Margie’s Candies. For 80 years they have created homemade treats: fudge, truffles, and ice cream. Vinnie then takes you to the T-Shirt Deli. It’s not a real deli though. You design your own T-Shirts (or underwear) with a funny saying (”I luv Vinnie”, perhaps?) Then at Personal Privilege you’ll see the cute décor and stylish clothes. This store is great for any budget, and they even serve drinks to keep your pals happy while you try on jeans. Finish the day at Duchamp with some amazing wings and burgers with a French twist, and then jam to some music at the Double Door. Yep, Vinnie knows Chicago!

-Chicago.com

PS- The beginning of the video was filmed in the Chicago.com offices, which are inhabited by all males. Just wondering if you were impressed with how clean it looks on the video as we were ; ) We see an article about “keeping your office tidy” in your near future, Vinnie…

According to Dictionary.com, the word moxie can be defined as “the attribute to bravely face difficulty with spirit and courage”. We’ll use it in a sentence.

It was another rowdy Cubs gameday in Wrigleyville, and the girls knew that it was going to take a lot of moxie for them to face the drunken crowds that day.

Truth be told, like its definition, Moxie is exactly what many girls - ourselves included - need every time a trip to Wrigleyville is made. Amidst a street lined with very fun (and loud) bars, Moxie is like a breath of fresh air, featuring an amazing menu, killer martinis and an atmosphere that could easily rival any lounge in River North. We feel at home here whether we are wearing Cubs gear or a little black dress.

This week’s spotlight falls on Moxie even though it’s not a new addition to our Deals & Discounts list. Instead, Moxie has upped the ante and changed their offer to be what might be the best on the list.

Ready for it?

Groups of 4 of more girls get a complimentary bottle of champagne when you mention PLRG, any night of the week!

Now gather your girls and your moxie and enjoy.  Cheers!

Moxie is located at 3517 N. Clark St.

With gloom, wind and snow being a constant right now you need some serious motivation to get you off the couch and out of the house. Luckily Moxie has the perfect reason to get you dressed up and out the door, as they are offering 2 lucky PLRGs the chance to win a party for you and 4 of your friends!

Moxie will treat you and your friends to unlimited drinks for 2 whole hours. Drinks will include: unlimited call drinks, domestic beers and $5 martinis (shots and energy drinks excluded). You have the luxury of picking any day or time you like as long as you use the offer within 90 days of winning and call 1 week in advance to make a reservation. So make a Saturday night of it and enjoy a delicious meal along with your free drinks or play hookie from work and celebrate!

Moxie’s goal was to create a comfortable place where you can wear that little black dress, get a great martini and some quality food. Their menu boasts some of the finest cuisine in the neighborhood made from top quality ingredients. Here, there are no shortcuts. Moxie believes that food should be enjoyed with quality people, and that is what you will find dining there. Moxie is located at 3517 N. Clark Street and opens on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 6pm and Friday & Saturday they open at 5pm.

This is a no-brainer so sign up to win now! Email giveaway@poorlittlerichgirls.com with the subject “Moxie” to enter now! The toughest decision you will have to make is which drink to have first.

Originally published, February 21, 2010.

Want to see the real life women that inspired Drew Barrymore’s derby-themed film ‘Whip It’? Well PLRG is giving you the chance to see Chicago’s own Windy City Rollers in action!

The first season for the WCR was in 2005, which was so well received that the rollers easily sold out the 1,500-capacity Cicero Stadium and had to make the move to their new home the UIC Pavilion. Right now there are 4 national regions, and the Windy City Roller All-Stars are currently #1 in the North Central Region! The WCR are striving to make roller derby synonymous with Chicago by continuing to train hard and dominate their competition. PLRG thinks the Windy City Rollers are a perfect fit for Chicago sports fans, and definitely worth checking out!

PLRG is giving away a  pair of tickets for the home game double header on February 21st at 6pm, which features The Manic Attackers vs. The Double Crossers and The Fury vs. Hell’s Belles. Be front and center for a hard-hitting, lightning-fast and full of attitude roller derby in one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

Become a fan of the Windy City Rollers, sign up to win now! Email giveaway@poorlittlerichgirls.com with the subject “WCR” to  enter now!

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried star as John Tyree and Savannah Curtis in the new film Dear John out in theaters Feb. 5. It tells the story of a solider who falls in love with a college student while he’s at home on leave. I have met Channing before and knew he was a very down to earth guy, but wasn’t sure what to expect from Amanda when I walked into my interview with them at a Chicago hotel.

When introduced to her, she was knitting. Imagine, a 23-year-old woman knitting during a press interview. When I asked her what it was, she told me it was a hat but, it wasn’t anywhere near finished. She seemed a bit shy at first but got more comfortable as she started to explain how easy knitting is and her plans to finish the hat for herself. When Channing entered the room, Amanda tried to convince him that he, too, should take up knitting saying, “When you connect to your inner feminine side, that’s the sexiest thing.” To which Channing replied with a laugh, “Always teaching John, that’s how it is.”

In real life, Amanda is dating her former co-star Dominic Cooper from the film Mamma Mia! Channing is also dating a former co-star from Step Up, Jenna Dewan. Here’s what the twosome had to say about their chemistry in Dear John and what their plans are for Valentine’s Day.

Is this a good date movie?

Channing: “I don’t think me and my boys are all going to see it together; it’s not one of those types of films, but I do think guys who are going to go see it will appreciate it maybe a little more than a normal chick flick because there’s a beautiful father-son story and a love story told through the perspective of that.”

Was this character weird for you to play since it was such a lovey-dovey film?

Channing: “I’ve been in love. I am in love so you get to explore our relationship in a very safe way. It’s a character study in a way and you just go off on this journey with these two people and you can totally pull from things in your life and things you’re going to go through and that you haven’t been through.”

Amanda: “Especially for us, we can connect so well to how our characters are feeling. Also we’re playing versions of ourselves so it wasn’t as scary especially when we knew we were going to be working together. After I signed on it was pretty easy especially because of our rapport.”

Where did the amazing chemistry you have in the film come from?

Amanda: “Mutual respect I think. He’s a good guy. He’s really successful and yet he’s so grounded to the most important things in life and that’s what you look for in a co-star, friend, director, anything. You just want someone to have that connection to the ground.”

Channing: “Yea. When you go through one of these journeys together you want to have somebody that’s a buddy, that’s a friend.

Amanda: “That trusts you.”

Channing: “You can explore these characters in a very safe way in a safety net of that we’re really good friends. We know that no lines are going to be crossed and that we’re there for each other, to help each other.”

Did your significant others come onto set and watch you guys?

Both: “Yea.”

Was it weird?

Channing: “It was probably more weird for them than it would be for us because we’re just happy they’re there and experiencing it with us. But they definitely weren’t there for the sex scene.”

Amanda: “No. I know none of us would want to be there for the other’s love scenes. It gets so twisted and unnatural but then again they both understood because they do it themselves. We’re all actors, all four of us.”

Channing: “I think I was just more intimidated about her boyfriend being around because he’s a really good actor. And I was thinking, ‘I hope he doesn’t think I’m a clown.’”

Amanda: “I think that’s so funny you thought that.”

What are your Valentine’s Day plans in real life?

Amanda: “I’m going to Malta.”

Channing: “I wish I was going to Malta. I don’t even know what it is. I’ve never heard of it.”

Amanda: “I feel it’s my duty as a girlfriend to go. What are you going to be doing (looking at Channing).

Channing: “I don’t know what I’m going to be doing. Not quite sure yet.”

Amanda: “You should go to Hawaii because that’s where you guys go all the time. Isn’t it?”

Channing: “Yea. Hawaii’s always good. There’s never really a season where it’s bad.”

Why should people go see this movie?

Amanda: “Dear Chicago, you should see this movie because it’s as real as it can possibly be. Everybody — no matter who you are, where you’re from, how old you are — can relate to something real in this movie. I think it’s going to leave you feeling inspired, at least in regards to love.”

Channing: “[Chicago] is a beautiful city. I love Chi-town. I have a lot of friends that are from here. It’s a great mix of people in general. There’s all different types of love here and great art and everything, so I just hope people enjoy it.”

Afterwards, the two were nice enough to offer me a slice of their Gino’s East Pizza they had bought to hold them over for their long press day.

Celebrity Watching Schedule

* Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend with Mariah Carey who is scheduled to be at the Chicago Theatre (175 N. State St.) Feb. 13-14. The Black Eyed Peas come to the United Center March 13 and Jay-Z will be there March 18. And hope all you teeny boppers got your Justin Bieber tickets. He’ll be performing at the Rosemont Theatre March 24 and 25, but tickets already are sold out. For more ticket information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

* Mariah Carey’s hubby, Nick Cannon will be doing a live DJ set at The Underground (56 W. Illinois) February 13th. Brody Jenner will be in town Valentine’s Day weekend as well. “The Hills” star will be hosting a party at Enclave (220 W. Chicago Ave.).

* Cast members from MTV’s hit TV show Jersey Shore are scheduled to be in town over the next few weeks. Be on the lookout for JWOWW at Joe’s Bar on Feb. 19 and Mike “The Situation” and Pauly D. at Joe’s Bar on March 6.

For more exclusive interviews, pictures and video click on www.B96.com or www.ShowbizShelly.com. Showbiz Shelly can be heard 5:30-10am on the J. and Julian Morning Show on B96, 96.3 FM. Try beating her at pop culture trivia 7:15am every morning with the Showbiz Shelly Smackdown You can also catch her on You and Me This Morning on WCIU-TV.

Rah-Rah-Ah-Ah-Aha…Roma, Roma-ma…GaGa, ooh-la-la!  Just like GaGa, we wanted your bad romance and you gave it to us. We always knew dating can be scary - but your stories make that claim reach a whole other level. Thank you to everyone who sent in their stories we wish we could give everyone a prize to help heal your dating wounds, but there could only be 1 winner. “Advice From a Jerrk” columnist Jerrod chose his favorite bad romance story (Congratulations to Cara!), and the PLRG team chose some other quality stories to share with you. May they make your Valentine’s Day week seem a little bit brighter…

Winning Entry - “Mr. Most Wanted”

Last year on my birthday, my insane friends treated me to a night on the town. I couldn’t tell you where we went, all I know is that we ended the night at Barleycorn in Wrigley. I ended up meeting some guy and apparently gave him my number. I woke up the next morning on my couch in my dress from the night before with a million texts from this guy (should of been the first red flag). I couldn’t remember his name or what he looked like (the girls told me from what they remembered, he was a good looking guy). I agreed to go out with Mr. Barleycorn and gave him the head’s up that I was a strict vegetarian. A week later I met up with him for our date. He takes me to Shaw’s Crabhouse- where I think the only thing on the menu without meat is a side salad, orders a bottle of wine and begins to tell me about himself….here’s what I learned or what I remembered the most- he was 10 years older than me (really not that big of a deal) and still lived with mom and dad. Dinner continues and so does his drinking. I had a glass of wine and switched to water. He finished the wine and switched to dirty martinis (5 martinis). After dinner he asked if I wanted to head to a bar for another drink- at this point I should of said no, but I didn’t. We go to Harry Caray’s and I continue to drink water. He had 5 more mixed drinks. He started getting all touchy feely with me and when I asked him to stop he wouldn’t. I politely asked him to respect the fact that I said to stop and his reply was “You don’t think I respect women? The last time I had sex was 3 years ago.” At this point it was time to go home. We hop in a cab and he asked the driver to take him to his car so he could drive me home. I told him he would not be driving me anywhere (the cabbie also yelled at him for even thinking to drive at his level of intoxication). I had the cab driver drop me off at the corner, thanked him and started to get out. He then asks if he gets to come with me. I politely say no and he that really pissed hm off. At this point I just say sorry and leave. For the next hour I got texts from him that said things like “well I guess I will just sleep in my car,” “Thanks for nothing bitch,” etc. I ignore the texts and go to bed. Fast forward to Monday, just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, while bored at work I google search Mr. Barleycorn. His name pops up under “Indiana’s Most Wanted.” Intrigued, I click on the site. Up pops his mug shot. Luckily, he was only (I say this lightly) wanted for a re-arrest to failure to appear in court for too many DUI charges….imagine that. So that’s my horrible date. Great story to tell the grandkids.

-Cara

And the runner-ups…

So here I am excited to jump back into the world of dating after my relationship of six years falls apart, and I agree to be set up through a mutual friend to catch a movie with this guy. I’m dressed and ready to go when I get a text message from my date saying he’s running a few minutes late, but when I call him back to clarify how late he informs me that he hasn’t yet left his house (he lives almost an hour away). He suggests that I drive and meet him at the theatre, so I finish getting my things together when I get another text- this time, saying he’s pressed for cash and asking if I would cover him for the movie tonight. Let me be clear, I have no problem paying for a date, but he could not have made a worse first impression! Tardiness, frugality, and the general lack of courtesy to actually call with his little updates were too much for me to handle. This time it was my turn to text back and say something had come up. What a prince charming.

-Anna

My worst was many years back, like 20 year ago, I was 17 and working at the Walgreens on Lawrence and Pulaski in the city. It snowed really bad that day, I mean really bad. I was determined to see my boyfriend and bring him his card that I bought him. So I trudged, yes trudged through snow that was higher than my ankles from Lawrence and Pulaski to Montrose and Kimball. I walked all that way and when I got to his house I found him in nothing but biking shorts and wiping sweat of of his chest and the blonde friend from across the street. He told him they had just been working out. Yeah I bet!

-Candice

My dating disaster starts off as anything but. I met a nice looking gentleman the previous weekend at our local watering hotel. Handsome good looks? Check. Ability to carry on a conversation without putting me to sleep? Check. Left finger sans ring? Check. Lack of obnoxious, rude, drunk friends gallivanting around him? Check and ah how rare! All systems were a go and when he suggested we go to a music/food festival the following weekend I couldn’t help but be excited. The date started off pretty well but I couldn’t help thinking the guy was a bit of a bore. (Was I that hammered when I met him that he seemed funny; and was he that boring sober that he needed to drink in order to have a personality?) When we got to the wine tasting booth he seemed to come out of his shell and really hit it off with the woman pouring the drinks. As we walked back to our high top table nearby he told me that he “sorta used to date” her. Feeling a bit off guard I excused myself to the restroom to redo my pout. When I returned I found the wine girl, my date and lots of laughter at our small high top table. I put on the biggest smile I could muster and said “Hi, I’m Molly,” and extended my hand. She said, “Hi I am Katy, Jason’s girlfriend.” I looked at Jason in utter disbelief and confusion, to which he replied: “Um, we decided to give things another go while you were in the bathroom.” With that, I gracefully walked back to the wine bar and downed a flight of reds

-Molly

If you have relationship or guy-related questions for Jerrod, just send an email to AskJerrod@PoorlittleRichGirls.com. When he’s not working on his advice column, Jerrod is a managing partner of Hub 51, River North’s hottest dining, nightlife and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J.

It’s probably not very often that you hear the term ‘Baroque n’ Roll’ used as a genre for a particular band. To be honest, I had never even heard of this term until it was thoughtfully used by Scott Masson, the drummer of the band The Juliets, to describe his band. ‘Baroque n’ Roll’ … le duh! Why didn’t I think of that?! According to Scott, it is a genre that an “old 1960s group, The Left Banke” was given and, in my opinion, it’s a pretty great way to categorize The Juliets.

The young band, fronted by Jeremy Freer, formerly the front man of Freer, has a very unique sound and has already gotten a lot of buzz in the Detroit area and beyond. The first time I laid my ears on the band I knew it was love.

Listen HERE for yourself.

I had the opportunity to ask Jeremy and Scott a few questions about the band. Here’s what they had to say:

How did everyone in the band come together to form The Juliets?

Jeremy: I met Kaylan (cello) at the end of 2008. We got to chatting about music and found we had a lot in common. Specifically that we both wanted to make music with more classical leaning where the strings weren’t just background or novelty instruments. I had a bunch of these songs laying around but I hadn’t met the right people to do them with. I played them for Kaylan and we started rehearsing within a week. We clicked right away and decided to make a go of it. Kaylan knew Sarah (violin) from school and she came on shortly after. We played a few shows as a 3 piece in the beginning of 2009 and the response was good. Scott is a long time friend and collaborator who had just recently moved back to Michigan from Chicago

Scott: Jeremy and I go back to our teen years in the Detroit punk/emo/space rock band called Fieldtree. We’ve worked with each other for half or our lives, whether it’s been on Jeremy’s music, or the music I make. After I saw them [The Juliets] at their 3rd show, I definitely thought the songs needed a lil’ backbeat behind some of the songs, so I suggested that they let me be their drummer/percussionist. I’ve got some concert band/showtunes chops, so I knew I’d be an alright fit for this type of ensemble.

Jeremy: Kip is another old friend who heard the music and wanted to be involved so it all happened pretty naturally.

Scott: Plus, Kip’s a huge Lady Gaga fan, and that is a requirement for anybody who even hangs out with us.

What bands, new or old, inspire you and influence your music?

Scott: Jeremy’s probably influenced by Chopin and some blues artists quite a bit as well. The ladies dig their Brahms and Lil’ Wayne. To me, Paolo Conte is the biggest influence on this type of songwriting. When we were recording the album, we were sonically referencing a lot of Left Banke, early Beatles, Motown, some mid-60s Brian Wilson, and even some Dr. Dre at certain points. In order to make a quality record, you really need to open up your mind, not worry about following any specific rules, and just test that encyclopedic knowledge of music you’ve been borrowing from throughout your entire life. Throw it all together into one primordial soup and hope that it works. The Juliets really do reference up to 20 artists within one production. Music is a borrowing game.

From what I’ve heard, you guys already have a really cohesive sound. Being a new band, was it difficult to achieve that so quickly?

Jeremy: Not really. I got lucky writing a few good tunes and everyone involved is so incredibly talented that it was a lot easier than it should have been. Don’t get me wrong. We worked hard on the record. It was no picnic but when things are right musically working hard on a record is a lot of fun.

Scott: I think when you have 5 musicians who are really good at playing multiple instruments/multiple genres in one band, it’s not going to take more than 5 seconds to make something decent. Not to mention, we aren’t limited in our scope, nor do we follow any flavor-of-the-month. Most importantly, when you have somebody like Jeremy writing the songs for the group, the arrangements fall into place quickly. His songs are just so well written. The recording is an extension of that comfort we all have with the composition, and a good song makes the entire production run smoothly.

When’s the new album called “Parade” going to be released?

Scott: The end of January, 2010. We’re putting it on the internet for free. It’s a bit much to ask for any money these days if you’re living in Michigan’s economy, and we’re so proud of this music, that we really just want people to hear it for now. The band is really just concerned with sharing this album, and performing with a lot of energy.

What do The Juliets have planned for the new year?

Jeremy: Putting the record out and playing shows locally an out of state of course. We are also working on a music video for the single “This Just In” which is being directed by the wonderful Katie Barkel who has directed videos for locals THE SILENT YEARS and some others from the Detroit area. The video should be out by the end of February.

Want more? Visit myspace.com/julietsband

(JoJo Yang)
Jojo Yang is our resident musician/DJ/producer/badass.. and YOU can follow her on twitter @yojojoyo

Stopping for a break/drink in Bucktown.

UPDATE: We completed filming of the Bucktown neighborhood tour last Thursday. It was a total blast and we met so many great people along the way! I just hope we didn’t do too much damage to the Chicago.com credit card ; ) Final video soon to follow -Lacey, 2/14

Good morning, everyone! Well, we were going to wait to tell you, but since Pasquale over at Rockit Projects, Inc. went ahead and posted a teaser on his blog [ ; ) ], we figured we’d go ahead and give you the head’s up too….

Get excited, ladies! PLRG is in the process of creating our first original video EVER. We’ll be joining your favorite host, “Cousin” Vinnie, from Chicago.com for a neighborhood tour of Bucktown. Check out our progress so far, here: Rockit Projects Hits the Streets of Bucktown for New Video.

We’ll be filming the video next week, so stay tuned for the final product, coming late February!

(Lacey Brenly)

Tired of tagging along with your man to some hole-in-the-wall sports bar so he can watch the game of the week? Well PLRG has the perfect location where both you and your man will be happy - State Restaurant & Cafe! You will love the sleek, sophisticated design; your man will love the 100 flat-screen HDTV’s and you both will love the hearty affordable meals and amazing drinks.

State has classic bar food covered with favorites like sliders and wings but they also have some great atypical finds like a whole assortment of flat breads, Kona Coffee Crusted Tuna Ahi and truffle mac n’ cheese just to name a few, yum! Also you won’t break the bank when you eat here as they offer some great daily deals. Thursday all food items are only $6.95 and Wednesdays are half off on all food and wine bottles.

This week’s spotlight falls on State Restaurant and Cafe, and this discount is perfect for ladies, so read on!

$6 Martinis on Thursdays (Regularly priced $10-14, bring coupon from D&D section)

Bring your guy or your girls and check it out today!

State is located at 935 W. Webster Ave.