Connie "Winnie Bago" C.'s Profile

The Cubs are horrible but their fans make watching them play at Wrigley Field one of the most fun experiences you'll ever have in Chicago.

The general admission bleacher seats are where the crazy action's at. They're actually one of the more pricier tickets too. The fans are rowdy and hilarious. If you arrive after the first inning, it's almost impossible to find a seat, but people are really friendly and will make room if you ask nicely.

Make sure you get a Chicago Dog and an Old Style to complete the whole experience. Head over to Cubby Bear or Murphy's after the game to continue the shenanigans.

If you don't watch the game from inside Wrigley Field, get tickets for one of the all-inclusive rooftop parties across the street. It's also an amazing way to enjoy the game.

I love bowling, I love bars, I love baseball. That's probably why I love this Lucky Strike so much. It's located kitty corner from AT&T Park (it took over the old Borders space), so it's the perfect place to go for some pre- or post-game drinking and grubbing.

It is pretty pricey to bowl here - $60 per lane for an hour - but if you are bowling with a group, it isn't so bad when it's split up. There are only 12 lanes, so it can be hard to reserve one, but you can always rent out the private room that has 2 lanes and a great area for lounging. Otherwise, expect to wait for at least 2 hours! Thankfully, their bar area is an awesome place to pass the time.

The bartenders are super cool (Rick is the man and makes a mean Old Fashioned and Kelly is also badass), and their drink and food menu rocks. Get the truffle mac 'n' cheese - it's a huge plate of it, as are their nachos - great for sharing!

Love the retro decor and funky artwork! They also have a wall with quotes that aficionados of bowling movies will appreciate.

One of the wildest boozy Sunday brunch parties in NYC! I celebrated my last birthday here and had an amazing time. You'll want to make reservations far in advance as everyone comes in large groups and try to make them for after 1pm, because...

The place transforms from a bright and airy fancy brunch spot into a nightclub in the Meatpacking at 3pm. It's as if the clock fast forwarded to midnight in an instant. They close the doors and pull the drapes to blacken out the place and the music goes from yacht rock to full on house beats. You might not want to bring your parents here unless they party just as hard as you.

Practically everyone is there celebrating a birthday or a special occasion so every 10 minutes, someone gets a huge sundae or bottle with a massive sparkler brought to their table. It's really cool, but after 10 times, it does get kind of old.

Wish there were more places like this around! Oh, and the food and drinks are really good too!

Beauty & Essex just oozes sexiness!

You might think that the place would be super pretentious, but it's quite the opposite. Everyone we encountered - from the hostess to our server to the bartender in the ladies' room (HELLO free flowing champagne in the women's bathroom!) was very nice and accommodating.

Both the food and drinks were amazing. Loved the Woodford Wilson (Woodford Reserve bourbon, pineapple, lime, ginger beer, brandied vanilla cherry) and the chicken fried oysters, lobster tacos and roasted bone marrow.

We were seated at the corner table in the front room, which was perfect for seeing and being seen.

You'll want to make reservations in advance as the place is a very hot spot in the LES.

Consignment shoppers, you will LOVE the little storefront you walk through as you enter the restaurant. I found these smokin' hot gold zipper Louboutins that were a half size too small for me. They can be yours though, for only $600!

Hands down, THE BEST bar in the East Village. The intimate speakeasy vibe already ups its coolness factor several notches, but the combination of amazing food and craft cocktails just blows all other bars in the neighborhood away.

My best friend and I came here to celebrate my birthday a while back and indeed it was one to remember. We scored seats at the bar where we were graciously tended to. The occasion called for one of their very strong champagne cocktails, so we both started off with one. We left subsequent cocktails to the creativity of our mixologist.

And the food! The truffle mac 'n' cheese was absolutely to-die-for. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, tender and crisp. For my birthday dessert, we shared a German chocolate cake which was divine.

All in all, a perfect place to celebrate a special night.

With a motto like "EAT - DRINK - WHISKEY," I didn't need to actually taste anything to be sold.

I was staying in The Loop, so Logan Square was a bit of a trek, but it was one well worth it. The evening was perfect for sitting outside, and we were lucky to score a table as they don't take reservations. We started our meal with some craft cocktails. For you whiskey lovers, they have an impressive collection of 148 selections. You can also appreciate their other unique offerings, which include unusual spirits and biodynamic, small batch wines.

While the guy sitting next to me was enjoying a juicy bacon cheeseburger with a side of beef fat fries (be still my clogged heart) tempted me to order the same, the two of us petite girls decided to order 3 dishes to share: chanterelle agnolotti, pork belly confit and slow roasted cauliflower. We attempted to order a side of beef fat fries, but sadly, they cannot do sides of it. I was sort of crushed by that. Luckily, all 3 dishes were amazing, so it made up for the lack of beef fat fries. If you're a vegetarian, I'd highly recommend the cauliflower, as it is an entree portion.

There's a uber hipster vibe going on here - you can even book a room upstairs in their Ace Hotel-like digs. I also loved that they left us with a postcard that showed that they don't take themselves too seriously. Now, which yelper actually called bone marrow & wild boar "YUCKY" - blasphemous!

I battled the Herb Grilled American Lobster and it won by a giant claw. I'm pretty sure even a 200lb man would find that 2.5 pound crustacean difficult to manage. The garlicky butter it was grilled in was awesomesauce, and I'm certain it is the only way to go if you're here for the lobster. Oh, how I wanted to finish Mr. Herb Pinchy, especially since that one claw cost $20. Yes, be prepared to fork out $$$$ for one - it ended up being $75!

If you're not a fan of seafood, there are other tasty options, including the roasted half chicken that my guy ordered. He polished his plate, especially the chive whipped potatoes. I had a bite and it was indeed the bomb dot com.

Be sure to make reservations - this popular landmark destination at the entrance of the Santa Monica Pier is a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. Try to get a table by the windows facing the ocean - your date will be impressed. The views are lovely, especially if you're there in time to catch the sunset. If you have to wait, their bar is a fun area where the cocktails pack a punch and the crowd is friendly.

Come here hungry, put on that silly plastic bib and I dare you to finish that whole lobster!

A fabulous brunch is what you'll get at The Penthouse. And you might also happen to do some Brunching With The Stars. After all, Sunday Funday in Santa Monica isn't complete without celebrity sightings. We happened to be BWTS with Brooke Burke, David Charvet and their cute kiddos.

If you can score a table by a window facing west, you'll get an incredible view of the ocean. The large canopied booths are perfect for parties of 5-7. If a table isn't available, grab a seat at their large oval bar.

While I can't speak for anything but brunch, I can say that the food was really tasty and very reasonable considering its swank location on the 18th floor of The Huntley Hotel. Between the three of us, our bill came out to just over $100 which included mimosas.

Loved the complimentary mini fried donuts/beignets that we also watched getting made. The crab cakes were all crab - so delicious. My mushroom and aged gruyere omelette was cooked perfectly as were the potatoes. Everyone enjoyed their dishes and polished their plates.

Service was served with a smile, and they were accommodating to every request. No air of pretentiousness which is refreshing, especially at a luxe hotspot like this.

Konichiwa, amigos!

Brought to you by the gregarious Joseph Manzare (the man behind Tres Agaves and Zuppa) and chef Masaki Sasaki, the old Midi spot has been transformed into a sushi bar that serves Toyko-style sushi, robata grilled dishes, seasonal sake and an impressive line up of 80 tequilas - me likey. If only there were some street tacos on the menu too, that would be the perfect marriage of Japanese and Mexican.

While only one of us had sake from a cool can (Funaguchi Kikusui), the rest of us enjoyed Japanese beer - nice to see Orion beer from Okinawa as a selection. Joe came over to chat it up with us towards the end of our meal, which included an array of nomtastic small plates and nigiri, and shared a bottle of Espolon tequila with us.

The tables are pretty tiny and uncomfortable if you're not a petite person, so I'd suggest asking for a seat at the sushi bar or the elevated counter by the kitchen. Although sharing plates will be harder there, at least you won't feel constricted and wish you were a Japanese schoolgirl.

Sushi + sake + tequila = a guaranteed fun time!

Brought to you by the folks behind Palo Alto's Creamery, Reposado and Gravity, Scratch is a fine destination for upscale American comfort food. It's a much needed addition to the predominantly Asian Castro St. The interior is modern and sleek, spacious yet warm. It's a great spot for groups and for impressing dates.

We had a team lunch here during the week. Because it's such a large space, the place was not completely full, but it was definitely lively. The menu was reasonably priced, with lots of options to satisfy everyone. Since I was having Miami withdrawals, I had the Cuban sandwich with perfectly fried fries which I really enjoyed. Other winners among our group included their burger, shrimp pasta and ahi salad.

Their horseshoe shaped bar at the entrance seems like a great spot to spend happy hour, and I'd love to check out their dinner menu too. I really hope they do well and put an end to the curse which has seemed to make the spot a short lifespan for a lot of restaurants. I'm glad Castro can finally scratch off the need for contemporary American food!