Things are starting to thaw a tiny bit, but with its frozen river and arctic temperatures, Chicago is still looking uncomfortably similar to Westeros during the fabled Long Night. Ironically, that’s perfect marketing for the Game of Thrones pop-up bar that opened yesterday in the city’s Replay Lincoln Park.
Acording to an exclusive article in Forbes, the space features areas designed to look like different locations from both Westeros and Essos — you can go from Highgarden to a Dothraki camp to Winterfell, just to name a few — along with themed drinks, highly detailed décor and a life-sized dragon (!).
The bar is a bit of a passion project for its creators, The Pop Up Squad, who are fans of the series. According to Squad member and artist Raquel Hung, that was a driving force behind creating a space that was as immersive and enjoyable as possible.
“With this pop-up in particular, we were really trying to transform the space so people will feel like they’ve stumbled upon a fantastical world where they can escape the cold, hang out with a life-size dragon, and grab a couple drinks,” she said.
Elsewhere in the realm, Kit Harington was a guest on KISS FM UK’s Breakfast Show with Tom & Daisy, and the titular hosts were trying to get Jon Snow to spill Season 8 info using nothing but emojis. Jon Snow + emojis…sno-mojis? Snojis? We’ll come back to this.
For anyone hoping for juicy details, however, you’ll be disappointed — Harington seemed determined to use the most nonsensical emojis he could find. The answer to “Will Jon Snow and Daenerys have a baby” was a duck emoji, while “Is Tyrion a secret Targaryen” was met with an emoji of a giant tooth. It’s a short clip, but worth a giggle.
#KitHarrington uses emojis to drop hints about the #GameOfThrones final season! 😲😉
script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">LISTEN to the new #KISSBreakfast show with Tom & Daisy HERE ▶️👉 https://t.co/LK39zOW8t6 pic.twitter.com/hxwbDASph1
— KISS FM UK (@KissFMUK) February 1, 2019
Not that you need it, but just a reminder that Season 8 premieres on April 14th!
The King in the North uses emojis?
No wonder he lost his crown.
Oh… Hodor !
2 1/2 months to go! True Detective finale is on the 24th, so hopefully a trailer late February/Early March.
I would love for there to be a GoT pop up by me.
“Did Thoros of Myr order this?”
Too soon…. ☹️
I went to the one was on DC and I love it! So I recommend this for anyone is on Chicago or close by.
Wonderful guy Kit.
I’m wondering what his answers would have been for the following questions:
– Is it true season 8 have the longest episodes of the show?
– Is it true the trailer drops in a month?
Maybe sunday, but I don’t think so. True detective episode 5 is already streamable on hbo. So I think I know what I’m going to watch now.
How exciting! And if anyone is UK-based, the Pop Up Geeks are doing another in Edinburgh from March to May! I’m trying to go in April.
https://www.thepopupgeeks.com/bloodandwine
Emojis??? I’m awaiting the fifteen minute YouTube video, sure to be posted soon, explaining the true meaning of Kit’s emojis.
I did read that Rose Leslie asked him how the show ends. He told her and she did not speak to him for nearly three days! Must be some ending???
Do you think we will get two trailers or only one this time around Jack? I’m guessing the red carpet premiere will be the week before the season airs for the rest of us.
Yeah just one full trailer early next month and then a shortened second trailer early April with a little bit of new footage mixed with some footage from the first trailer.
That sounds about right for the red carpet. They’ll probably want to do it as close to April 14th as possible. Hopefully the poster or some production stills are coming soon. The GoT twitter posted the other day about signing up for the “Whispers of Westeros” for upcoming information, so hopefully something is near.
Jack Bauer 24,
I’m like 99.9% certain we’ll get a trailer this month. Not at Super Bowl neccesarily but I do highly doubt that HBO will wait until March when there’s only 6-7 weeks to the premiere date. I say Trailer 1 mid-February and Trailer 2 around the third week of March.
“Will Jon Snow and Daenerys have a baby” was a duck emoji, while “Is Tyrion a secret Targaryen” was met with an emoji of a giant tooth.”
The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth. Seriously, we may all need emojis because chances are the ending is going to leave us wordless.
I’ll be going to the Chicago pop-up – can’t wait!