As I write this column, it's a Tuesday evening and I don't want to be in the basement of South Dining Hall. I don't want to write about student government. I don't want to lay out the business page. I don't want to crop photos.I have a few bucks in my pocket, a spring in my step and a thirst that only a $3 pitcher can quench. That's right, I'm talking about Corby's Irish Pub, my favorite bar in the bustling metropolis that is South Bend.Don't get me wrong; I don't mean to slight the other fine bars in the area. Boat Club is great, the 'Backer is a hell of a place and Fiddler's Hearth is a fun time. But Corby's has a special place in my heart.This delightful little establishment on the corner of LaSalle and Niles is a treasure trove of good times. Drinks are reasonably priced and pretty good. The aforementioned $3 pitchers can be had in Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Lite or Coors Light. If that's a little too high class for you, a buck will buy the coldest can of Pabst Blue Ribbon you ever had. And the always attractive ladies behind the bar make the best gin and tonics in the state of Indiana.But the drinks aren't the only thing to love - there's just so much to do. Take your pick from among five pool tables, all of which are occupied all the time. Toss darts at any of the five electronic machines, complete with taunting noises. Watch ESPN on the big screen TV. Dodge townies. Or just plain drink until you fall down, like a certain friend of mine did on her 21st birthday last week. I've even heard a rumor they have food.I just love the place. I love weaving my way to the bar through a couple hundred of my closest friends. I love the worn felt on the pool tables. I love the fenced-in patio behind the bar, even though it's 35 degrees every single day of the year. I love the hundreds of dollar bills stapled above the bar, bearing the signatures of delighted patrons.I even love the graffiti in the men's room: "Please don't drop toothpicks into the urinals. The crabs have learned how to pole vault." And it's Notre Dame through and through. The bar scenes in Rudy were filmed there. The place has blue and gold sweatshirts for sale. A neon leprechaun and monogram ND are mounted prominently on the walls. It's packed with Domers, shoulder to shoulder. And I'm on my way to join 'em.
The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer. Contact Matt Bramanti at bramanti.1@nd.edu.
