Regional Resources: Alt-Weeklies, Bullshit and Booze for Free Every Thursday

Alt-weeklies are essential reading for travelling executives in search of tranny-escorts and sanctimonious university undergrads who need to keep abreast of the latest developments in eco-conscious trade union sexual-self-empowerment BS. For the rest of us they’re a reliable source for concert listings and movie showtimes. They’re also a valuable tool when pre-planning a drinking trip to a new city. Most free weeklies maintain a comprehensive online archive that typically includes a regular food and drink column and an annual “Best Bars” supplement. Sift through the inevitable rave reviews for vegan cafés and you’ll find valuable intelligence on local happy hours, mainstay taverns and student neighbourhoods. You can use this basic information to do a more targeted Google search which will often turn up some additional related recommendations, blog posts, flickr shots and myspace accounts that you can build the rough outline of your tour upon.

Here’s a list of the major Canadian alt-weeklies and some from the US that I read regularly;

Toronto – NOW, Eye Weekly
Montreal – Hour, Mirror
Halifax – The Coast
Ottawa – xPress
Calgary – FFWD Weekly
Edmonton – Vue, See
Vancouver – Georgia Straight
Winnipeg – Uptown
New York – Village Voice
Detroit – Real Detroit, Metro
Buffalo – Artvoice, The Beast

And here’s a comprehensive list of North American free weeklies from Wikipedia.

Regional Resources: Sports Illustrated, Finding the Perfect Sports Bar

It’s a bit dated (2005), but this article and accompanying list should prove to be a valuable tool when planning your next sports trip. I can vouch for Nemo’s in Detroit, which was the second stop on our gentlemen’s getaway to Murder City last November for a NHL/NFL double header. The décor is a rather charming cross between a 1970’s pizza parlour and a small town VFW legion hall that’s especially welcoming after a stroll down deserted Michigan Avenue. Though the menu is sparse, “just burgers, chips and nuts after lunch,” service on paper plates is perfect for the $1 shuttle to the game. Hell, the bartender will even give you a beer for the road (in a plastic cup).