Date: Thurs, Sept 15th

Place: The Twilight Exit, 2051 E Madison St

Time: 9:20 pm

The revamping of a beloved dive is generally cause for complaint among loyal patrons who rightfully romanticize every dusty corner and weathered booth. I'd already heard a grumblings about the Twilight's cleaner and brighter status in its new location (directly across the street from its former address, in the space previously occupied by Oscar's), so I was apprehensive. There was no reason to be: I certainly under-stand the desire to cling to a sordid past, but the changes are highly acceptable improvements that should be welcomed. The music is still really weird (the Shangri-Las and Daniel Johnston) and the old "artwork" made the journey, but the layout is much more inviting and the candy-colored fixtures render light that is only slightly brighter than before. The Exit's status as a popular birthday destination was testified to by an animated group of friends gathered around a central table, and fliers throughout announced the endurance of Sunday night karaoke. Cocktails remain affordable and potent, but the most enticing improvement is the menu. I found myself very resentful that I'd already had dinner when I noticed they have a peanut butter bacon burger. It's an obscene concoction that sounds heavenly to me; for more on their diner-classics-from-scratch menu, see Bar Exam, page 73. HANNAH LEVIN