#253: City-Wide Liquors

You must think I'm scraping the bottle of the barrel if I'm highlighting a liquor store as one the top "things to do in South Bend." 

Au contraire, mon amie -- City-Wide is more than a liquor store: it's a destination.  They have arguably* the best selection of beer and wine in town, and unless you know what you want ahead of time, plan to spend 10, 15, 30 minutes browsing their selection.  Peruse the extraordinarily expensive beer in their beer cellar. (Dear, how about we try the 2008 Behemoth Blonde Barleywine tonight? Only $39!**)  On Thursday nights at their downtown location, they offer tastings -- last week it was of specialty spirits and cocktails, but primarily beer and wine distributors offer samples.  From my description, this place might scream pretentious snob to you, but happily, the atmosphere is truly the polar opposite -- the staff is always at hand, willing to help and offer a pointer or two.  Plus there's always a sale on cases of  popular brands.

So for a complete Mardi Gras, after you pick up paczkis at Dainty Maid or king cake at Chicory Cafe, walk just down the block to City-Wide, where you can find Abita, Lousiana's finest brew, in stock and waiting for you to try out!

Where: There are four locations city-wide, but head downtown (109 E. Jefferson) for their tastings.
When: Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 10 PM; Friday-Saturday, 9AM - 11 AM
Website: http://citywideliquors.com/home/
Tip: Are you interested in specialty/limited release microbrews?  Get on their newsletter to hear when the stock will be arriving -- often, there is a purchasing list for the in-demand stock!

*The side story behind this claim: There is a wine, whose imports are limited to one distributer in North Carolina, a wine which I had only seen in Italy and on the menu of a single restaurant in Richmond, VA.  A wine so special that my 90-year-old grandmother smuggled out a bottle from this restaurant to send me one of their bottles for my birthday.  Yet there it was, at City-Wide, sitting amongst the Chardonnays and the Pinot Grigios.  That sealed my allegiance to them.
**Totally fictional price estimate and choice of beer.  We can begin a discussion about the journalistic responsibilities of bloggers, but please consider this creative license.

#227: Four Horsemen Brewing Co.

The Mishawaka Brewing Company was Indiana's second-oldest brewpub, and it was a sad day for fans of its restaurant and unique brews when The Brew Pub closed in 2008.  In some places, the iconic Four Horsemen Ale was still offered.  However, its distribution was limited.

Luckily, others had a wider vision for this brand.  Brothers Ben and Sam Roule bought the rights to this beer, as well as much of the abandoned equipment, and have started a new brewery just south of downtown South Bend.  It has a complete brewing and bottling operation, as well as a tasting room that's open Thursday-Sunday.

A couple weeks ago, I met up with friends after work there.  Its early closing hours make it an ideal spot for a post-work happy hour.  Although the room only seats 50, we ran into friends from the area with the same idea: to wind down after work by testing out what South Bend beer might taste like!

(The answer: pretty darn good.)

To get to the tasting room, you must cross through their offices, and a chain-link gate separates drinkers from the workers.  It's a reminder of the work goes into making a craft beer, and instead of a being detrimental to the ambience, it rather adds to the experience.  The bright steel bar and stools add to the industrial feel.  

When I visited, there were four beers on tap, and the friendly bartender was happy to break out the tasting glasses to give me samples of all four (for free).  No substantial food is offered (unless you consider bagged pretzels or dine-in from Dew Drop!), nor will you find a dartboard or pool table -- this place is all about the beer.   And sometimes, that's exactly what you're looking for.

Keeping the ND+Brewery theme alive.

When: Thursday - Friday, 4:00-8:00 PM; Saturday-Sunday, Noon- 4:00PM

Where: 710 Fellows St. (off Sample St.), South Bend.  The parking lot is small, but there is plenty of street parking.

Tip: Try their newly released Pale Ale!

ND Tip: Looking for an alternate venue for tailgating?  Look no further: Four Horsemen is open ND home game Saturdays beginning at 9:00 AM.  

#64: Fever Alternatives for November 18th

Since we (kind of) promoted an event at Club Fever last night, I feel the need to balance things out with an installment of Fever Alternatives!  

Just when it feels like there's nothing else to do tonight but flock to Michiana's hottest night club along with the area's collegiate population, we're coming to your rescue with a handful of Thursday evening suggestions.  For all of you So. Benders (South Bendites, Bend Aides, etc) who cannot stomach the idea of - as the kids say -"grinding" up on a stranger tonight, here are a few events that might be even MORE fun than a night at Club Fever!

6:00 PM  Begin your anti-Fever evening with a nice dinner... at the public library?  Normally, I wouldn't eat things found at the St. Joe Public Library, but tonight is different.  Check out their cooking workshop entitled "Thrifty Thursday: Ready, Set, Cook!"  I hope the food is better than the name.  LaSalle Branch Library, info for hungry readers here  
7:00 PM  Adams High School students will sing about the hilarious history of homicide,  "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," John Adams High School, 808 S. Twychkenham Drive, seriously, I'm not kidding - more info here
7:30 PM  Motown classics?  Absolutely.  Darryl Buchanan at Trio's, 124 N. Michigan Street, more info here
7:30 PM  Mozart, Bach, and like stuff like that... with the IUSB Philharmonic at Northside Hall (campus auditorium), 1855 Northside Boulevard, Ticket prices at the door: $9 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, students and children are free, more event info here  and fancy pants classical music stuff here
9:00 PM  A little bit of country... and hopefully a lot more folk with Tommy O Miller at Fiddler's Hearth, 127 N. Main Street, more info here

No, I can't guarantee there will be cage dancing at these events, nor will I promise that it'll be overflowing with sweaty 20 year olds.  Heck, you might even have to pay more than $1 for a shot. But I hope you'll somehow find a way to enjoy one (or more) of these events tonight.

Let us know how you'll be avoiding Club Fever tonight!

#34: History's Haunts: An After-Dark Tour of Notre Dame's Cedar Grove Cemetery

So if you think the title of this event sounds cool, well, that's because it is.  As part of the National Endowment for the Arts' The Big Read program celebrating the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe, a local historian will guide you through one of the city's oldest cemeteries. The tour will be led with hurricane-lamps and will feature histories of some of the earliest South Bend residents. I can't imagine a better way to ring in October, prep for Halloween, and support the arts.

Location: Cedar Grove Cemetery, University of Notre Dame
Time: 8:00pm

For more information about The Big Read program in South Bend and upcoming events (I would imagine some of them would even be feature on this blog) visit the website: http://www.nd.edu/~wsnd/content/Big%20Read%20Website/Homepage.html

#16: Thursday Night Fever Alternatives

While many Michiana residents between the ages of "21" and 26 do not share my contempt for Club Fever, I do think there's a good number of us who look for other things to do on a Thursday evening.  These are activities that require neither a BAC of 0.25 nor an outfit from Forever 21.  And no, I can't guarantee that you will find $1 shots or cage dancing at these venues; and heck, you might not even be groped by a stranger or four, but I still think... somehow...you might have a good Thursday night by avoiding the Fev.

So here ya go, my hand-picked Thursday Night Fever Alternatives.

6:30 PM   South Bend Silver Hawks vs. Fort Wanye Tin Caps

@ the Cove

One of the last home games of the Season!  Also, it's Thirsty Thursday!

More info HERE.

6:30 & 9:30 PM   "Exit Through the Gift Shop"

@ DPAC, Browning Cinema, on Notre Dame's campus

A film for anyone interested in street art - with a focus on Banksy, perhaps the most well-known street artist.  This is my pick for tonight.

This film will also be playing tomorrow evening.  You can find reviews, show times, and more HERE.

9:00 PM   live music, featuring Alligator Blackbird, a local cover band

@ Fiddler's Hearth, 127 North Main Street in downtown South Bend

You've probably been to Fiddler's for a few drinks, but I'd say that this Irish style public house is at it's best when local musicians take over the soundtrack.

Keep up with Fiddler's live music and other events HERE.

Know of anything else going on around town tonight?  Let us know by commenting on this post.