The Alley loves Halloween and, in honor of this amazingly fun holiday we wanted to share some of Chicago's scariest local ghost stories and urban legends with everyone. Chicago has some creepy and spooky skeletons hanging in the back of it's proverbial closet and we aim to open the doors to shed a little light on some famous, some infamous, and some lesser known myths from the Chicagoland area.

We'd like to present to you; The Six Days of Helloween.

Starting on Friday, the 26th, we will begin posting one article each day focused on one of what we think are the scariest of Chicago's Urban Myths. We will try and give you the history behind the hauntings, the cold spots, the disappearing hitchhikers and locations where you can find them yourselves. That is, of course, if you think you are brave enough to go to the most terrifying locations in Chicago during the most frightening week of the year.

I know that anyone reading this must be sitting on the edge of their seat, biting their nails with anticipation for the countdown to start on Friday. So, in the meantime, I've decided to share with you a list that should get you in the spirit of things.

The Alley's Helloween brings you:
The 10 Most Haunted Bars & Nightclubs of Chicago!

Here is the perfect guide map to your Halloween pub crawl. Below are the scariest and most haunted locations that you can also get wasted at. Enjoy a cold one with a cold corpse, but don't come crying to us if you loose your soul with a deal with a devil at one of these ghost infested pubs!

1. Bucktown Pub – Haunted by Walter Bochenek, a former owner, who likes to throw things. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV4o2vUoC8o
2. Edgewater Lounge – The former owner, Mary, haunts the upstairs apartment and is sometimes seen in the bar itself. http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/EdgewaterLounge/EdgewaterLounge.html
3. Ethyl's Party – Haunted by ghosts from the funeral home the building once was. http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/EthylsParty/EthylsParty.html
4. Excalibur Nightclub – The building is said to be haunted, as it was used as a makeshift morgue for victims of the Eastland Disaster of 1915. http://www.excaliburchicago.com/supernatural.php
5. Fireside Inn – Ghosts from Rosehill Cemetery across the street not only linger in our world but apparently like to cross the street for a brew. http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/Fireside/Fireside.htm
6. Gold Star Bar – Haunted by a would-be robber who was shot dead by the bartender. http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/GoldStar/GoldStar.htm
7. Guthries Tavern – A former owner that died on the premises still hasn't quite made it out the door. http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/Guthries/Guthries.htm
8. Hangge Uppe – Haunted by a women killed in this pub's speakeasy past http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/HanggeUppe/HanggeUppe.htm
9. Liar's Club – One time owner of this club butchered his wife who now haunts the bar. http://www.chicagounbelievable.com/2009/10/liars-club.html
10. Tonic Room – Holy crap, this place has it all, ghosts, satanic history, murder, you name it... http://www.examiner.com/article/haunted-chicago-bars

Well, I hope you found that both informative and interesting. Go order a pint from one of these places, but watch out who you talk to, they might not really be there.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming posts about the six most spine tingling stories from Chicago!

 

Along the same vein as my drinking blog, I am once again questioning my sanity as I prepare to end a long workday by going clubbing...then opening the store again the next day. All day long I try to both rev myself up and sternly remind myself how control and moderation are qualities that the bible and people who wear sweatervests and have real jobs are always touting as good to possess. It's like the classic angel and devil on the shoulders routine...the devil screaming about dancing, doing shots and staying out til dawn, and the angel shaking his finger, spouting many examples of workdays where no amount of  water or Dunkin Donuts breakfast sammiches could save me from my hangover. So here is my list of the top 5 worst decisions you can make on a night out if you have to work the next day. I'm sure I'll make at least four of them, despite my best intentions.

 

5. WEAR THOSE HOT SHOES  YOU NEVER WEAR

You know why you never wear them? CAUSE THEY ARE FUCKING UNCOMFORTABLE, THAT'S WHY, YOU IDIOT. It seems like every third time I go out I suddenly want to release my inner stripper. 8 inch heels? No problem! I know the straps give me blisters? Who cares?!! You'll care the next day when you have to work a ten hour shift (standing the whole time) with blisters and a twisted ankle, cause you know your drunk ass is gonna fall while dancing. I'm locking my shoe closet tonight.

4.START MAKING OUT WITH A STRANGER.

I don't need to elaborate. We've all been there- and we all know that shit lasts til the sun comes up

 

3. HAVE THAT "LAST" DRINK

It's only 2:30 a.m.....what could one more drink hurt? You think you're "not even feelin' it", but your friends don't tell you that you have one eye half closed and your eyebrows are smeared. Never, ever try to cram in that extra drink. We all know you're gonna order a long island...and then it's all over.

 

2. I'LL LEAVE WHEN THE DJ PLAYS MY REQUEST

Gurl....they are never gonna play your fucking jam. You probably didn't even write legibly, or they were straight up lying to you when they said they'd play it. At 3 in the morning, with a mere few hours to go til you need to be at work, grinding on strangers to what drunk you thinks is your favorite song just really isn't a priority. It forever results in another hour at the club...and we all know that hour is the difference between being okay and being in pure misery the entire next day at work!

1. THE BREAKFAST RUN

Somehow, some way, every single fucking time I go clubbing I fall for this one. It's even worse when you don't just do the drivethru, but one of your asshat friends decides that a nice sit-down at Denny's or Golden Nugget is just what the doctor ordered. Don't do it! Just eat a piece of bread or five day old pizza when you get home. We all know you don't even enjoy that breakfast anyway...you're just going to eat all the bacon out of the middle of your omelet and steal your friend's fries. Just go the fuck home and get some sleep!

 

I'm sure I'll break all these rules, but oh well. Rules were made to be broken, right? Someone bring me Pepto and a bagel to work tomorrow.

 

Stay safe, stay unique and always, always be yourself!

xoxo Jet

 

 

In the spirit of going out tonight, I have been reminding myself all day of what things in my past I need to learn from....mostly because I work all day tomorrow. While the idea of spending the night/early morning sleeping in a bathtub and puking all over myself has its own sort of charm, I think I may want to survive my shift at Taboo Tabou without being green and moaning about how bright it is outside.

Here are my top five, all time, worst ever, never again, please god why drinks I will be avoiding like the plague tonight. Perhaps I can save you from a love affair with a trash basket as well.

5. Goldschlager

I would love to know what sort of demented, evil Leprachaun invented this foul  drink. It smells like Big Red, it tastes like magic...and four hours later you are getting in a fight with a parking sign and you're missing one shoe. To be avoided at all costs.

4. Jagerbombs

They are the "party guy" of drinks. You like Jager, you like Red Bull...what could possibly go wrong? They are fun to order, they are fun to drink, your awesome coworker Jim Mount will buy you copious amounts of them until you are both leaning on each other and singing Irish folk songs.....and then before you know it you are crying about the decline of dolphin populations and puking out the car window. Not tonight!

3. Irish Carbombs

This is another drink that seems like such a glorious fun time. It's a shot of whiskey dropped into a Guiness that you drink as fast as possible. Awesome, right?! You say to yourself, I've seen these in movies! I've heard people order these! I'm going to be part of the fun crowd! You never think about the next day as you're staring at the bottom of the beer glass, covered in foam, telling yourself what a social butterfly you are.  I bet Jim Mount would order me like four of these. NOT ON MY WATCH, JIM!

2. LONG ISLANDS

Anyone who knows me knows long islands are my kryptonite. I usually end up ordering one just to "get the party started", and give the bartender a huge tip. This big tip usually results in every subsequent long island I order being pure booze. We're not talking top shelf booze....we're talking some sort of mystery booze imported from the backwoods that comes in a jar labeled "XXX". This is a hangover waiting to happen. I also turn into some sort of face-grabbing, punch throwing Fratboy who cries on a dime. No sir, none of these shall graze my lips this night. I shall be wise.

1. MYSTERY SHOTS

These are the number one worst drink ever if you have to work the next day. Or if you want to get out of bed for the next 24 hours, or keep any food down. These shots are usually ordered for you by a friend of a friend, and are most often accompanied by the battle cry of "HEY, GET OVER HERE- SHOTS! SHOTS!" You think to yourself, "I LOVE SHOTS! I especially love FREE shots! Who cares what it is???" DON'T. DO. IT. It's a trap! It's a foul hangover bomb in a tiny glass, disguised in the veil of fun of camaraderie. I will have to be strong and swear off these little horrors tonight.

 

I hope you enjoyed my list and shall avoid these drinks as well if you have to work tomorrow. Feel free to comment with "worst drinks" of your own! Maybe I'll see you out at Nocturna tonight...and if you do run into me, DON'T BUY ME A SHOT!

Rock out, sing in the shower, drink responsibly and always, always be yourself.

xoxoxo Jet