Warren's Ale House

One of the last things I think when I go through Wheaton is the Wheaton bar scene.  After one of my interviews in the Oak Brook area, I had some time to kill before heading home for the night; so I decided to stop at a Starbucks in the Town Square Shopping Center on the way back to Aurora to apply for some jobs and waste a Friday afternoon.  While sitting there and wasting my day accomplishing nothing besides deciding to create this blog, I noticed a sign of a newly added bar directly next to my location, Warren's Ale House.

After a bit of research on the bar, I learned it was opening on the 14th of January, and the owner had spent a lot of time updating the location and completely building the bar, updating Facebook followers every step of the way.  Needless to say, the company had amassed about 1,100 followers before it was even open; and was going to have an impressive selection of microbrews.

By 7 pm, I had become sick of sitting at Starbucks, and decided to enter the location for a beer.  When I went in, the restaurant portion was packed (it was a soft open, so I was quite surprised).  I found a spot at the bar, and was helped immediately by a knowledgeable bartender who immediately provided me a beer list and offered a recommendation. As I sat there, I was greeted by each bartender as well as the owner himself, who welcomed patrons to the bar before rushing off to help the staff.

Originally entering for just one beer, I was quickly taken into the environment; staying for two more as well as an appetizer: The Ale House Poutine.  The beers were well poured (I got a Bourbon Barrel Ale, The Two Brothers Northwind Stout, and a Black IPA), and the poutine was a bacon covered version of the Canadian classic (what can I say, I spent the last 3 years within an hour of Canada, I've become a fan of the dish).  The appetizer was everything I wanted out of the product, and I definitely became a fan of the bar.

All in all, I expect great things from this bar, and if I do make it back to Wheaton, I will definitely make it back to this location.  They have taken social media by storm, becoming one of the first bars in the area to use beermenus.com (http://www.beermenus.com/places/6297-warren-s-ale-house), and updates their page to include changes.  Check out their facebook page for a better definition of their product offering.

Postgrad In Suburbia

What does it mean to be postgrad in Suburban Chicago?  Well, it could mean a lot of things.  You could have been here the entire time or just returned from a college halfway across the US. You could have your own house or apartment, or be stranded in your parents basement while you wait for that big-boy or big-girl job to get you out.  Hell, you could be new here because you wanted to live for a lower cost than the city, and have no clue what happens here.

Needless to say, you're stranded in one of the most seemingly boring places in the Midwest, if not the United States.

So now what? Do you sit home and think up interesting money-making schemes like blogging on Friday nights? Do you go out to the same bar you've been frequenting since your 21st birthday? Or do you actually go out and try to do something out of the ordinary?

There are apparently many benefits of living in the suburbs, or else our ancestors never would have moved here in the first place.  This blog will cover some of the random happenings in suburban Chicago: Including bars, restaurants, pool halls, concert venues, and coffee shops.