For 20 years, the Park Bench Back Alley Bar (725 Park Avenue, 244-3267) has operated out of just that - an alley on Park Ave, behind Pontillo's and across the way from Prepps. It's usually crowded, loud, and you're bound to run into any number of people you know from the neighborhood on any given night, playing pool, watching the game, or spinning songs on the digital jukebox. Now, both the Park Bench and Pontillo's leases are up, and neither one is being renewed.

It looks like Memorial Day weekend will be the bar's last, says Jim Connery, manager of the Bench.

Keep an eye out, though - according to Connery, the Park Bench folks will be opening a new bar (with a new name) over on Monroe Ave. Check back with this column for the skinny.

Lilac Fest after-parties:

The Lilac Festival been going full swing for almost a week now, and continues through Sunday, May 18. The party at Highland Park ends nightly at 8:30 p.m., but that's no reason to head home. Consider hitting up one of the many nearby Mt. Hope or South Avenue establishments to party through the rest of the night. Drinks at any of these places are better (and probably cheaper) than whatever you sipped out of plastic cups at the festival.

The Elmwood Inn (1256 Mt. Hope Avenue, 271-5195) is just a street over from the festival grounds, and has tons of beers on tap, including Boddingtons, Sam Adams, Magic Hat, Stella, and Blue Moon, among others. The Inn also serves food (burgers, wraps, steaks, surf and turf), and runs specials all weekend long. Food ‘til one a.m., bar ‘til two.

The Distillery (Mt. Hope Avenue, 271-4105), besides being a full-tilt restaurant, is also a sports bar, and has dozens of beers available, along with a selection of wines, martinis, specialty drinks, and nightly specials. The kitchen stays open until 1 a.m.

Caverly's Irish Pub (741 South Avenue, 278-1289) is the first bar you hit when you make the short jaunt up South Ave; it offers a decent selection of beers on tap, and has possibly the largest single-occupant women's bathroom I've ever encountered at a Rochester bar. Open 5 p.m.-2 a.m.

Beale Street Café (693 South Avenue, 271-4650) has live music Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, plus Cajun food, outdoor seating, a full bar, and, if you're lucky, a fortune teller. Open Monday-Thursday until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until midnight, and Sunday 2-9 p.m.

If you're in the mood for something a bit classier, head just a few blocks up South Ave to Solera Wine Bar (647 South Avenue, 232-3070), which changes its wine selection daily. Order by the glass ($4-$7), or by the bottle, and choose from gourmet snacks like a cheese board, olive oil plate, or a charcuterie plate (which offers a selection of cured meats). Solera is open until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.