Last year around this time we put up a post of a birthday party I went to for MBIP pal and semi-regular guest star, Michelle. Well, a year has gone by and it’s time to go wish Michelle a happy birthday again. But first we need to get a gift, so it’s off to the MBIP Mobile we go!

I thought we'd do our birthday shopping for Michelle at Acme Comics and Collectibles which is a one stop shop for fun items. Last year I got Michelle a Fatty Patty love doll and so I need something to top that and this is the place I figure I can find a fun gift to do just that.

Acme owner and MBIP Contributing Writer and pal, Bob Gordon helped me pick out this Simpson's lunchbox complete with a thermos that I think Michelle will like. However, I'm not going to give her an empty lunchbox. We need to fill it up with some daily nutritional morsels.

Luckily, Stan's Wine's and Spirits hasn't closed yet and nothing screams daily nutritional morsels like a liquor store.

Wow, the shelves are starting to get empty in here, sad to see that, but happy that Stan is going to be able to retire soon. I'm hoping to post the last day of Stan's liquor store down the line, stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, here's Stan the man himself who has filled up Michelle's lunchbox with some of the last miniature bottles from his shrinking inventory. Okay, we're all set now!

Fast forward through my day which includes getting a big salad at Schnucks, dropping off my laundry, getting my mail, checking my blog a dozen and a half times, brushing my teeth, taking a shower, going to work and now here we are cruising up Main Street towards...

Champs West on Western Avenue in scenic West Peoria.

I think I see two familiar faces down there at the end of the bar...

It's the birthday gal herself, Michelle, giving Todd one of her backwards bottle bonks to the noggin. That's a rare talent and I'm glad I brought her a gift! I don't want my head split open via a bottle of Bud Light!

Here's Champs bartender and manager, Kyle with an ice-cold Budweiser at the ready! Okay the party has officially started!

As I look down at the other end of the bar I spy another familiar face...

It's Georgie, the pretty general manager of Noir who we met last March with her boyfriend Galen. Great to see both of them in here and it's a reminder that I need to stop at Noir soon for a Saturday night dinner there. Stay tuned for that!

Champs West has a sports theme and you can sit at this Wrigleyville corner where it's always baseball season year round. How's about them Cubbies?

The large candle-lit horseshoe bar is the main feature in the middle of the bar room here at Champs West.

Black polished circular tables line the outer wall opposite the bar.

This piano bar is something that's left over from the original Champs West and it's nice to have a piece of the past here in the new revamped Champs.

Here's the dining room on the other side of the bar, Kyle said the kitchen would be open soon and when it is, we'll do a Saturday Night dinner from here and sample the menu.

Booths line the walls back here with black and white vintage sports photos on the walls.

A state of the art dartboard stands in the back of the dining room.

There's nightly specials going on in here plus two buck Pabst cans and ten dollar beer buckets every single night in here! Such a deal!

Meanwhile, back at the bar...

Spuds MacKenzie is looking down at the festivities and saying, "Hey asshole, it's Michelle's birthday, how about giving her your present already!" You're right Spuds, time to get back on the birthday track here....