globetrotting: vfw "kroake" in wicker park

As I mentioned, I went to Chicago for the weekend. There is much to be blogged, but I'll give you a tidbit now.

After an evening visiting various apartments in Wicker Park., my host suggested we might stop into the VFW Post a block from his house for one beer. Apparently my friend and roommates hang out there occasionally for a low-key evening. As we approached though, we saw flashing disco lights and heard Cher pounding out onto the street. I was intrigued.

My friend looked at me and shrugged "You wanna check it out?"

"Definitely!"

We opened the door and a large group of people looked at us and stopped talking.

"Is this a private party?" my friend asked.

"NOT ANYMORE!" said the flamboyant man in a purple hoodie, who hopped down from his barstool to welcome us to Karoake night (actually it was spelled "Kroake," and no one's exactly sure why. It may have something to do with the fact that the old hippie dude running it drove up nightly from Peru, Illinois).

How was there popular karaoke at a VFW post in Wicker Park? Well apparently it was a slow/empty karaoke (for vets??) for awhile, until this group invaded. Where did they come from? The gay bar up the street that also has Friday night karaoke, but it gets really competitive and crowded, so some internet research turned up this secret spot for them to get their Cher on weekly.

I'm not quite sure if the highlights transfer to the general PG-rating I've given this blog, but it was unbelievable. I have a new BFF named Richard who was my duet partner for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "I Love Rock N Roll." My name is also now "Rebecca" because the group has a friend that looks like me and they decided they were just going to call me that for the evening.

I don't have any photo evidence, but you'll have to take my word for it that this was the most awesome thing to happen to me since the random Latin Dance Palace Drag Show in Toronto. My friend and I were both terribly hungover on Saturday morning and if not for that fact, would not have believed the evening actually occurred.