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"Sex and the City" may be saying goodbye, but the many beverages Carrie & co. enjoyed over the years are still alive and well in Chicago.

Thursday Feb 19, 2004.     By Erin Brereton

Bars + Clubs Feed

When “Sex and the City” first hit the airwaves, Americans were enthralled with the four single characters’ posh New York City lifestyle: Those shoes! Those outfits! Those delicious-looking Cosmopolitans!

On Sunday the beloved dating dramedy will sign off forever. In its six seasons on the air, the central characters have gone through numerous apartments, scores of men and gallons of liquor. And as Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte changed, so did their drink tastes. Though they still occasionally sipped a pink drink in later seasons, the ladies branched out to other cocktails that are also available at several Chicago bars.

The adjustment to “Sex and the City”-free TV will be a difficult one for many. So ladies, call up some gal pals, slap on those Manolos and go out and drink your blues away. It may take some time…and several rounds. After all, like dating, grieving is a process. In the meantime, try the bars and beverages listed below to numb the pain:

Cosmopolitans at Bungalow
In the earliest seasons, Carrie and the girls could be seen sipping this concoction at a number of swanky Manhattan joints, and the women of Chicago have followed suit. This granddaddy of “Sex and the City” cocktails was the show’s signature beverage, and a tasty treat, indeed.

The Cosmo is an easy drink to construct but a difficult one to perfect. It has to be a textbook blend of tart sweetness: not too powerful but not too powder puffy. The drink should taste slightly spicy and slightly sweet, a combination the posh Lakeview lounge Bungalow has perfected. The bar offers a number of large and lovely flavored martinis, but get there early on the weekend: Much like Manhattan, Bungalow gets packed and loud as the night wears on.

Champagne at Pop's
Who could forget the awkward toasts at Charlotte and Harry’s wedding, complete with a drunken tirade by the best man and a pyrotechnic display by Miranda? Regardless, the oh-so-in-love Charlotte was cool as a cucumber (or perhaps busily still obsessing over how an ink irregularity had left her looking like Hitler in the “New York Times” wedding announcement photo). After the flawed toasts ended, the wedding continued, and Carrie reminded Charlotte that her first wedding had been flawless and her first marriage a disaster. Cheers!

For what is arguably the best champagne selection in Chicago, head over to Pop’s, a quaint bar on Sheffield next to the also-picturesque Star Bar. With a toasty fireplace, Pop’s can make any after-dinner drink a romantic excursion.

Wine at Bin 36
With its open, airy atmosphere and extensive wine selection, Bin 36 resembles several of the eateries pictured on “Sex and the City” over the years. But ever since Mr. Big left New York to head up his own winery in Napa Valley, California, the bottle-filled menu has taken on a whole new meaning. Enjoy a luscious red (often Carrie and Big’s drink of choice on dates) from the wine-rich California region as you contemplate what Big’s actual name is (hopefully it will be revealed on the series finale). Bin 36 also features a solid menu and a skilled staff adept at helping you select complementing drink and dinner combos. Stuck in the suburbs? Bin 36 also has a Lincolnshire location.

Absolut drinks at Tantrum
The vodka-infused beverages at Tantrum are almost as luscious as Smith’s giant Absolut billboard in Times Square. Just ask Samantha, who nailed him that ad gig in the episode titled “Hop, Skip and a Week.” Jump-starting Smith’s career and love affair with Samantha, Absolut is nothing to take lightly: And with clever cocktails like the vodka-infused martinis Tantrum offers, it’s the perfect place to indulge.

Ballpark beer at Slugger's
After Carrie ended things with Big (for the first time), her loyal friends treated her to a day at the ballpark. The girls might have been a tad overdressed (a fur coat when you’re sitting in the nosebleeds?) as they sipped from plastic cups, but peanuts and Cracker Jacks weren’t the only thing they nabbed at the game. Driven by her beer buzz, Carrie snagged the “New Yankee,” a hot baseball stud who she proceeded to happily date until they ran into Big at, where else, a bar, throwing her back into indecision and regret. Fowl ball!

Flirtinis at the Pepper Canister
When Samantha finally made peace with the chatty transsexual prostitutes who frequented her street at the end of season three, everyone celebrated with a rooftop party. Their drink of choice? The Flirtini, a mix of raspberry syrup, Stoli Raspberry, lime, and pineapple and cranberry juices with a splash of champagne that Sarah Jessica Parker reportedly named after being served one at a “Sex and the City” premiere party several years ago.

The Flirtini has come a long way since. These days, the New York First Company even sells special twisting Flirtini glasses to serve the drink in (as well as a “Sex and the City” drinking game kit). To sample the sweet yet sassy cocktail locally, head over to the Pepper Canister, a tavern with a cheeky religion-related decorating scheme (think candles and church pictures on the wall) that’s a popular after work spot and a chill post-dinner drink venue. It’s the perfect place to get one of these delicious wink, wink drinks.

Cheap beers at Carol's Pub
After leaving an old (and formerly wild) friend’s unsettling baby shower in season one, the singletons stop at a roadside bar for some drinks to wash away their shower shock. Sitting in the no-frills pub, they discuss wanting children, not wanting children and the confusion that often comes with post-single life.

In Chicago, you’re not likely to find a more low-key environment (or cheaper beer) than Carol’s Pub, the Andersonville treasure that serves up $1.25 domestic bottles, 75-cent drafts and $4 pitchers every Monday night. And best of all, there’s no long drive back to New York when the tab comes due.

Martinis at the Tiny Lounge
It’s not atypical for Chicagoans to hit the bar after a tough work shift, but when Carrie got drunk at Vogue during her workday, we knew things were rough. Although her stint there did lead to an exhilarating jaunt through the fashion sample closet, Carrie had to deal with a crusty editor and overly amorous office admirer, both of whom made that midday martini binge a lot less regrettable.

If you want to take your job and shove it (down your throat, that is, with a couple of olives and some dry vermouth), sample one of the tasty treats at Tiny Lounge. The bar may be small, but the drinks are large and the atmosphere is dark, hip but never pretentious.