For St. Patrick’s Day this year I stuck to a strategic plan that was executed with precision.  I wanted to see the Chicago River Dyed and I wanted to make it to Chief O’Neill’s before the rush.  After trying to make reservations at a restaurant on the river we ended up with a reservation at South Water Kitchen which is a block away from the river. Our party drove down and parked at a place of employment and then we were ready for breakfast and drinks at South Water Kitchen just after 8am. South Water Kitchen is attached to Hotel Monaco so the facilities were ideal. We had some drinks, breakfast and then met up with some friends across the street at Emerald Loop.

From there we walked a block to the river and checked out the view from the Wabash Avenue  Bridge before heading down to the River Walk for a better view. I’m not sure if it always takes that long for the dye to move down stream or if it was the weather but I would recommend viewing the river East of Wabash in the future.

I probably spent about 45 minutes at the River before heading back to South Water Kitchen for a couple more drinks and then heading north to Chief O’Neill’s at 11am. Literally in and out of the Loop with no traffic. It was amazing.

Chief O’Neill’s was great as usual. $14 ‘All you can eat’ (one pass) buffet. $6 Guinness, no green beer. The crowd was a great mix and no one was obnoxious. I was able to grab a table in the back under the heated tent where we setup shop for the next 5 hours.

All around one of the smoother St. Patrick’s Day I’ve experience in a long time.

* Side Notes:
Previous St. Patrick’s Day: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012
** As seen above Jimmie McNulty plays a mean fiddle.

Yesterday Julie and I headed up to Evanston to visit FEW Spirits. FEW operates Evanston’s first and only distillery in a building in the alley off Chicago Avenue. The tour consists of a historic look at Evanston’s role in the Temperance movement, a causal tour of the distilling process and a generous tasting session. For $10 is was a great way to see a working craft distillery.

FEW Spirits takes it’s name from Frances Elizabeth Willard, who was the president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union for nearly two decades.

FEW Spirits has some of the coolest looking bottles of any alcohol I’ve ever seen. Each type of spirit has a different label that represents an aspect of Chicago’s World’s Fair of 1893. The Bourbon bottle is best looking among the lot.