Need weekend plans? Advice for Blago’s last free weekend before sentencing

Need weekend plans? Advice for Blago’s last free weekend before sentencing

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I'd love to try and get to GILT bar, but I just don't know if there will be time (AP)

This weekend might be the last “free” weekend for a while for former Illinios governor Rod Blagojevich.  He’ll be sentenced next week on federal corruption charges and likely will report to prison soon thereafter.

It’s a tough situation. 

Blagojevich is a family man and going to prison is nothing to joke about. But it does beg the question: If this weekend, literally or figuratively, will be his last Saturday night out in Chicago, how should he spend it?

Fortunately for him, we live in a world class city filled with great nightlife options - especially this time of year. 

So, if we’re talking hypothetically (and we are), let me suggest a few things:

If I were him, I’d maybe do dinner with Patti and some friends - and go for a truly Chicago experience.  Hit up something high-profile like Publican or get himself a table at GT Fish. You know, have a great dinner, get a base going and then hit up Ontorage or that Vodka club. Wait, that might be too early…

(Flickr/LatinoFashionWk)
OK, so I would maybe go down and hit Hubbard Street, like a Paris Club bar? Or maybe get a picture taken with Billy Dec?  Yeah, that’s where he might run into some fans, with cash - which equals “free drinks”. And who knows? There’s always a chance a high-roller will bankroll the rest of the night. As my friend likes to say, “A night on the town is chess, not checkers.”

Then maybe as he bounces out of Rockit Bar, he runs into an old limo driver friend who used to work with him and now does freelance livery (Is there such a thing?).

Anyway, the high roller pays the driver (who has one of those Hummer SUV limos) and the next hour is all tinted glass, some spirits, good friends and 2-hour drive along Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Ave, and past the classic Chicago landmarks. Lots of speeches, lots of toasts - with a touch of prom night thrown in.

Next up, the limo drops ‘em off at Violet Hour (who’s with me?!), one of the million bars in the Wicker Park area. Blago and his crew “Red Bull” up and decide to find a dance floor.

Is Sonotheque around anymore? If not there, they roll to one of the fancy new Division bars. Party it up there and take the limo north to Foster for some karaoke.  Blago does Elvis. Pictures are abundant, and fuzzy all over FB. Think how bit the entourage would be at this point of the night.

Then maybe they all go back and finish off a few big beers at Brahaus in Lincoln Square and sing a song with the house band.  Or maybe they hit up their special bar close to home. Whatever the case, the night finishes as the sun begins to come up. They go home.

Sunday is family day, church day, packing day? Perhaps.

Whatever the case, while he’s serving up that prison time, he’ll always have the memories of the last Saturday night.