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.

Don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart….well, it’s that time of year again ladies- Valentine’s Day! We’re either in a state of nauseating bliss or in full-on man hating mode. But, we’ve learned by now that you don’t need a significant other to feel loved. It’s the perfect time to gather up your gal pals, get glammed up and toast to great friendships on this holiday of looooooove!

Enjoy these cleverly branded cocktails from Three Olives made just for “All the Single Ladies“!

Valentine’s Day on the Rocks
1 ½ oz. Three-O Cherry Vodka
4 oz. ginger ale
Splash of grenadine
Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry.

Cupid’s Broken Arrow
3 oz. Three-O Mango Vodka
½ oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. cranberry juice
Splash fresh lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a cherry.

Shot of Love Stinks
1 oz. Three-O Grape Vodka
½ oz. black raspberry liqueur
½ oz. cranberry juice
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled shot glass.

(Kristen Hamzik)

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.

Originally published January 20, 2010.

With the snow practically begging you stay in all night, you really need some great motivation to go out and get your drink on. Well luckily, Moxie has the perfect motivation to get you dressed up and out the door, as they are offering 2 lucky PRLGs 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, $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 with them. 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 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 lucky ladies you want to bring with you.

Originally published- January 11, 2010. This giveaway has ended.

Not to offend our girls here, but Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon are generally not spirits women are comfortable around. The good stuff is supposed to be amazing, but we’re not even sure of the difference between a single or double malt (the more malt, the better?) And, lesser quality brands of whiskey can taste a bit like lighter fluid and bad scotch, according to my dad, tastes like “stump water.”*

So, we weren’t sure what to think when a bar called “Faith & Whiskey” started to generate buzz. First of all, we aren’t big fans of believing in things we can’t see, and as mentioned above, aren’t huge fans of whiskey either. So, why were we suddenly hearing such good things about this bar from a host of reliable girlfriends? For one, a killer cocktail menu, created by Brad Bolt of Bar DeVille (and formerly Violet Hour), so good you might give up vodka all together!

We recently stopped by Faith & Whiskey to taste these potent cocktails and were pleasantly surprised with what we were sipping on. All of the drinks are super tasty, but still so unique, they reminded us of some peeps you might recognize…

Drink: The Rower
What’s In It?: Johnnie Walker Red Label, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine. “The Rower” is an original and introductory Scotch cocktail
Reminded Us Of: A sophisticated hipster/”it” girl (think Zoe Deschanel). Find her in the front row of a Gen Art fashion show, clubbing with the hottest DJ’s or eating at restaurants that use the words “organic,” “infused” and “raw” on their menus.

Drink: Right Place, Right Time
What’s In It?: Miller High Life bottle and a Jim Beam shot. The “Right Place, Right Time” is an All-American Boilermaker
Reminded Us Of: What else? The All-American Guy. He probably went to college in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois or Indiana and attended every football game (in fact, he still goes back once a year to catch a game and have a drink at his old college watering hole). He is probably wearing an old t-shirt that he got for free by signing up for something or whatever his girlfriend/wife/mom bought for him.

Drink: Death’s Hot Rod
What’s In It?: Death’s Door white whiskey, Cointreau, fresh lime juice. The “Death’s Hot Rod” is an introductory whiskey cocktail that’s a whiskey-based Margarita spin-off
Reminded Us Of: A Lincoln Park girly-girl (we won’t use the T-word, but you can). There is usually squeaking/screaming and hugging involved every time she runs into someone she knows, which is usually shopping on Armitage or running by the lake. You’ll most likely find her amongst a gaggle of girls, in short dresses and high heels who “just wanna get drunk and dance.” Aww, there is a special place in PLRG’s heart for these ladies…drink up!

Drink: Tombstone
What’s In It: Rittenhouse Rye 100 proof, simple syrup, Angostura bitters. The “Tombstone” is a shaken Old Fashioned riff
Reminded Us Of: A Jon Hamm-ish looking stock broker/trader/financial type. This guy drinks whiskey because he works hard, but plays hard too and appreciates the finer things in life. He drinks this as sort of an ode to what his mentors in the stock broker/trader world who paved the way for him to make money for nothing and get chicks for free.

Not only does Faith & Whiskey’s new cocktail menu rock, but so does the live music. From DJ White Shadow spinning on “Old School Wednesdays” (that’s old-school hip-hop, yes!) to Live Band Karaoke Thursdays, the guys at F&W will make sure you’ll always entertained. And, of course, they have drink specials most nights (like $1 beer on Thursdays and $3 well drinks on Wednesdays) so if you can’t afford to spring for the specialty cocktails, you can still afford to join the party. Bottom’s up!

*”Stump Water,” is apparently rain water that has collected in a tree stump, and, according to my father has a “woody, kind of stale taste to it.” Gross! Why does he know that!?

You remember Red Ivy, don’t you? The bar/restaurant where we held our kick-ass “Party Hard, Speak Easy” party last year? If you do, it should be no surprise to you that, once again, they’re pulling out all the stops for their 4th Annual “Week of Red Ivy.” October 25-31, each day they’ll be offering super cheap drinks specials and hosting unique events (like turtle races, musical performances and even a “Suite Trip” to see the Blackhawks play. Click here for the full schedule.

Here at PLRG we’re especially excited about the FRESHMIX event on October 28th, which will determine Red Ivy’s “top tender”. Sponsored by Skyy Vodka, the event will feature three bartenders “competing” against each other for the best mixed cocktail with Skyy flavored vodkas and fresh fruit. Attendees will sip on FREE samples of “competition drinks” (we’re talking full-sized samples here). If they like them, you can order your favorite for just $3 each the rest of the night. The winning drink (voted on by you, the attendee) will become a featured “PoorLittleRichGirls” drink on their new menu!

For our Anniversary Issue, you voted on your favorite spots for partying it up in Chicago. Below are the winners from our “Bars & Drinks” category. For your own safety though, we don’t recommend hitting them up all in one night!

Best Place for $1 Beers
Kincade’s (950 W. Armitage)
Every Wednesday is $1 beer night at Kincade’s and you’ve named it your favorite! Anyone’s who’s been will tell you that the crowd skews a bit young and the three-level bar gets super packed, but the cheap drinks and karaoke make it all worth it. They also serve up $5 well cocktails on hump-day, so no matter what your poison, Kincade’s is sure to get you through the week for super cheap

Best Place to Drink & Dance
The Hangge Uppe (14 W. Elm St.)
We are assuming our readers are the type who only dance when they are drunk (really drunk), since they chose this place as their fave spot to boogy down and booze it up. Don’t get us wrong, this is our favorite too, but the fact that it’s a flaming hot mess, and not at all pretentious, is what makes us love it so much. There’s two levels, with oldies tunes playing in the basement and top 40 playing upstairs, so everyone from co-eds to mom and dad can dance to the music they grew up with (though we highly recommend NOT taking your parents there, especially not after 12am). Best of all, it’s within stumbling distance of Chicago’s best neighborhood bar (named by you), Butch McGuire’s.

Best Neighborhood Bar
Butch McGuire’s (20 W. Division St.)
Eryn has her own name for Division Street- “Drunk as a Skunk Street.” So, it’s only fitting that you think Chicago’s best neighborhood bar resides there. Sure it gets packed with inebriated tourists late-night, but before 11pm this is truly a neighborhood spot. Most days and evenings the crowd is made up of neighbors, regulars even families enjoying Butch’s tasty brunch, lunch and dinner menus. And, if you don’t make it to Butch’s any other time, be sure to stop by around the holidays when they put up an outrageous Christmas display (alone, it’s worth the trip!).

Best for Dressing Up & Drinking Grown-Up Cocktails
Vertigo Sky Lounge (660 N. State)
Perched atop the Dana Hotel, this lounge is one of Chicago’s newest hot spots. Whether you feel like having a sophisticated after-work drink or want to see and be seen late-night, Vertigo has something for everyone. Designed to feel like your ultra trendy (and ultra rich) friend’s apartment, Vertigo has the market cornered on cocktailing in comfort. To further this effort, they skipped over building an actual bar and went with waitresses manning drink carts instead, so no need to worry about losing your seat by the fire-pit to get yourself a drink. If only we really had friends with pads like this!

(Lacey Brenly)

If weatherchannel.com isn’t lying to us, this weekend is shaping up to be perfect for outdoor entertaining. With temps in the mid 70’s and the sun shining, there’s no better time to have your friends over for cocktails and snacks on your deck/porch/balcony before a big night out on the town.

We were thinking something fruity and refreshing to drink and food you can eat with said cocktail in hand. So, Kristin Hamzik swooped in to save the day with these tasty, and affordable, summer party recipes…

Rosemary Lemonade (Serves 4)

• 3 TBL Rosemary simple syrup (see below for instructions)
• 1 pitcher lemonade (I prefer Country time or Crystal light)
• ½ C Vodka

In a large pitcher add lemonade, simple syrup and vodka. Stir to combine. Either chill mixture for a couple of hours or pour into glasses with ice. Mmmmm REFRESHING!

Rosemary Simple Syrup: Heat 1 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 rosemary sprig for about 5 minutes until sugar dissolves and is infused with rosemary flavor. Remove rosemary when making cocktail.

5 Minute White Sangria (Serves 4)

• 1 bottle Rielsing
• ½ Cup Orange Juice (or Triple Sec)
• 1 cup Assorted sliced fruit (apples, peaches, plums, grapes etc)
• ¼ cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water simmered until sugar dissolves and allowed to cool)
• Tangerine and lime flavored water (or some kind of flavored water with fizz)

Combine first all ingredients and pour into glasses filled with ice. This is a 5 in 5 girl’s fave sangria since it doesn’t have to sit for hours before we can sip on it!

Mexican Thirst Quencher (Serves 4)

• 4 cans Squirt (or other lemon/lime flavored soda)
• 6 shots Tequila
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges for garnish
• Salt

Combine all ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with lime wedge & a pinch of salt

Watermelon and Feta Skewers (Serves 4)

• 3 Cups watermelon cubed
• 10 oz Feta cubed
• 20 sprigs of Mint
• Honey lime dressing
• Wooden skewers

Place a watermelon chunk onto skewer, add a piece of Feta and then a mint sprig and repeat until skewer is ¾ of the way full. (Leave enough space on either end for guests to hold.) Drizzle dressing over skewers on platter and serve cold if possible.

Honey Lime Dressing:

• 4 TBL honey
• 2 TBL lime juice
• Salt and Pepper

Mix to combine.

Orange Scented White Bean Dip (Serves 4)

• 2 cans white beans, rinsed and strained
• 2 garlic cloves
• Zest of 1 orange and juice of ½ that orange
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• ½ cup basil chiffonade (sliced)

Puree (in blender or food processor) first 2 ingredients + salt and pepper until smooth. You may have to thin it out with 1 Tbl olive oil. Fold in tomato and basil. Serve with pita chips or crudite.

Spicy Shrimp Cocktail (Serves 4)

• 2 lbs (peeled and deveined, cooked & then chilled) shrimp
• 3/4 Cup chili sauce or etchup
• 1 tsp chipotle in adobo
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp horseradish (cream style)

Blend ingredients in blender or food processor and serve with chilled shrimp.

For our Anniversary Issue next month we’ll be cluing you in to the best of what the city has to offer. But, we don’t want to just sit here in our ivory towers telling you what you will like best. We think it makes more sense for you to tell us.

So, for our first round of voting, we’ll be taking a look at what Chicago has to offer in the way of alcoholic beverages. Happy drinking!

(polls)

(polls)