Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
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AFTER HOURS late night with lamorne NEW GIRL STAR AND CHICAGO NATIVE LAMORNE MORRIS KICKS BACK AFTER A LONG DAY ON SET. BY BYRON FLITSCH "I can just walk right in, unlike most clubs, which make you wait out- side like an idiot," says 29-year-old comic actor Lamorne Morris about hitting up his favorite Los Angeles bar, The Dime. Better known as Winston on Fox's New Girl, Morris cabs it to the dimly lit West Hollywood lounge early enough in the evening to snag his preferred window-seat table to relax with his boys, toast industry friends, or chat with the ladies while sipping Cîroc vodka and sodas. "The Dime is just the type of place where you feel at home," Morris says. Los Angeles wasn't always home. Growing up on Chicago's south side and in west-suburban Wheaton, Morris attended Glenbard South, played basketball, and worked part-time jobs at Walmart, T.G.I. Friday's, and Hollywood Video. His class-clown antics caught the eye of a teacher who suggested Morris give acting a try, which eventually led to an audition for The Second City, setting him on the way to TV-celebrity status. the host of BET's HotWyred and the Cartoon Network's BrainRush, but even then he felt the itch to head west. "The hosting gigs I got weren't exactly what I was looking for; I wanted to get into movies and television." After heading to LA on a whim, he discovered in The Dime a safe haven from what felt like a whirlwind life transition. Morris's leap of faith paid off when he scored his spot on New Girl, but some things don't change: You'll still find the Chicago transplant at The Dime a few nights a week catching up with bartender Tess, listening to hip-hop, and making new friends. "I decompress from memorizing lines," says Morris. "I get to chill and talk to cool people with no pres- sure of creating material and being funny." And while his character, Winston, may be devoted to hanging out with his quirky on-screen roommates (Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, and Max Greenfield), the gregarious actor is happy to hang with whoever feels like socializing. "I'll meet everyone and anyone for a drink here—industry friends, fun girls, best friends—even the minister from church!" MA 56 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM Morris was in good company at The Second City, bonding with fel- low funny classmates Danny Pudi (Community) and screenwriter Adam McKay (Talladega Nights) during visits to Lincoln Park's Kingston Mines after class. After graduation, Morris found regular work in New York as New Girl star Lamorne Morris relaxes at The Dime in Los Angeles. PHOTOGRAPH BY SAM COMEN; GROOMING BY BARBARA GUILLAUME WITH EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS; SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE DIME BAR, 442 N. FAIRFAX AVE., LOS ANGELES