It’s finally time to shed your thick winter skin and reward yourselves for suffering through the subzero temps. One problem: You’re ready to hit the outdoors, but not sure where to start.
Help is on the way! We put a call out to our readers for some alfresco assistance, and the responses were loud and clear: You all want to get the hell out and help us navigate the beer-garden scene. We narrowed down a pool of about 50 teams to two finalists: a group of creative co-workers who get chatty after-hours, and people who’ve become friends through sharing an ex, meeting in college and just happening to be neighbors.
Check out each crew member’s bio and decide which team will make the better Beer Garden Guides, then go to metromix.com and cast your vote. Polls are open through 5 p.m. May 25.
We’ll announce the winners in our May 30 edition; plus you’re invited to meet the winning team that night at our Summer Kick-off Bash at Citizen Bar. Then, the Guides will get busy and scout out the best beer gardens in the city and report back to you.
THE GUIDES: TEAM A
Brad LePaugh, 24, marketing coordinator
‘hood: Lakeview
My secret garden: It’s in Forest Park, uh, can’t remember the name. (How’s that for secret?) But from the rooftop, you can see the city.
Overrated: Melvin B’s, or anything downtown. Everyone looks at you like you’re not cool enough to be there.
Craziest alfresco adventure: I’ve recently had two stalkers. I had to ask a bouncer for a beer garden escape route.
Amanda DePalma, 24, graphic designer
‘hood: Lincoln Square
What makes a garden good? Four words: hot dudes and smokin’ babes. (OK, so that’s five words.)
Alfresco adventure: Let’s talk about Brock, baby. One time at a bar, he took off his shirt and asked a girl if she had sunscreen so he wouldn’t burn. It worked!
Why we’re the best Guides: We’ll dispel any alfresco myths: Not all beer gardens are for beautiful blonds with toy dogs and bodybuilders carrying Escada bags.
Brian Balok, 29, marketing manager
‘hood: Lakeview
Best beer garden: Justin’s on Southport. Because it’s the closest one to my house.
Secret garden: Is that kind of like Bruce Springsteen’s “Secret Garden”? I like the one at Goose Island; it’s kind of hidden.
Alfresco adventure: I once found my foosball table, sans legs, in a random beer garden. The bartender found it in my garbage in the alley the night before.
Ellie Meyer, 22, marketing coordinator
‘hood: Lincoln Park
Secret garden: Tripoli Tap. Bean bags, TV outside, and a great staff and low-maintenance crowd.
Fave game: I’m from Missouri, so I didn’t know about bags until I moved here. Back home, we play with washers and a PVC pipe. Same thing, more challenging.
Best because: At some point, we’ve all tended a garden or been to Olive Garden.
Brock Hendricks, 28, sales and marketing manager
‘hood: Uptown
Secret garden: A little gem called Bar on Buena, a.k.a. BOB.
Alfresco adventure: I was on a date and ran into two, count ’em, two exes. They drank a lot, then spilled their guts about me to the new girl. Awkward!
Fave game: The wingman game. My tactic? Making up stories, like my family invented sand and now I don’t have to work. Or I’ll say I’m a casino dealer or caddy.
THE GUIDES: TEAM B
Jessica Christenson, 30,
pharmaceutical sales rep
‘hood: Roscoe Village
Best beer garden: Crabbby Kim’s. $1.50 Old Styles served by chicks in bikinis, plus great scenery: a used car lot next door.
What makes a garden good? Good people, reasonably priced alcohol, stomach-coating food and ABBA on the jukebox.
Favorite outdoor game: Capitals of the world — loser buys.
Kevin Hastie, 30, software architect
‘hood: Lincoln Park
Best beer garden: Pontiac Cafe. Lawn chairs, hipster crowd, unique food, and did I mention lawn chairs?
What’s good: PBR in a can! When outdoors, beer should be drunk from a can.
Fave game: Anything that involves the word “dare” and someone other than me waking up with something to regret.
Liza Bunting, 30, ER doctor
‘hood: Lakeview
What’s good: I want the comforts of home, like someone to wait on me. Also, sturdy tables. Bonus points for water features.
Overrated: Nick’s Beer Garden. The screeching El hurts my ears.
Best because: Ted can teach readers to play an accordion. I volunteer the ladies to dress up like German beer maids. With mustard packs in our cleavage.
Ted Perlstein, 31, transportation strategy manager
‘hood: River North
Best beer garden: What about Weeds? It’s a kick-ass beer garden with cheap drinks, and it’s sketchy enough from the outside to scare away non-believers.
What’s good: As far away from the alley dumpster is my biggest must-have. And I’m on the lookout for dog-friendly spots so we can bring Iggy, our sixth member.
Overrated: Melvin B’s — cougars in training. Love cougars, hate the training wheels.
Shannon Ridgeway, 29, marketing director
‘hood: Avondale
Best beer garden: Chief O’Neill’s. Lots of seating, good food, great music … and stumbling distance from my home.
Secret garden: The Piano Man in Wrigleyville. Great place for cheap beer, even on a game day!
Alfresco adventure: Let’s just say it involved me, my dry cleaner, Ronnie Woo-woo, Judy Baar Topinka, the “free hug” guy and an egg beater.
