Thursday, September 22, 2005
Bodega Wine Bar
There are precious few places to go drinking in Pasadena. Correction: there are precious few places to go drinking in Pasadena that aren't pubs. I don't know why, but there is a large preponderance of pubs. And really, pubs aren't quite my scene.
Which is why I was so so happy when awine bar opened up in the area. While I initially didn't like it too much (I mean, I used to go to Bar Veloce in New York all the time - I was a hard sell), I became a quick convert.
From its inception in early 2003, I have beelined it to Bodega every time I went home on vacation. Last summer, I spent almost too much time there, getting to know the bartenders almost too well (and they were amazing, putting up with my hazy questions about what I wanted to drink), to the point that yeah, my last night there before I returned to Boston, I got wasted off an "unlimited" glass of wine that ended up costing me $5.
It's too too bad that that bartender isn't there anymore. Sigh. Although I didn't fancy him so much as the other one. Isn't that always the case?
It's a curious scene. Pasadena's just an odd social scene. It's not as trendy as LA, obviously, as it's far more suburby. And who would drive out to Pasadena just for a wine bar? Thus, you get a mix of locals, many of whom are kids home from college who don't want to head to the pubs, the occassional uber-intellectual from CalTech, and then.. well, it's just so hard to describe it. The best thing I can say is that it's just not that happening a scene, but it's enjoyable nonetheless because precisely because it's not a scene.
Which is not to say I haven't met my fair share of guys there. They're generally harmless and innocuous, good for some light conversation but nothing more. And the bartenders - well, I feel that I've already expressed my feelings regarding them, n'est-ce pas?
Unfortunately, they don't change the wine list as often as I'd like, which really is a pity because as a wine bar, I feel that it's their duty to have a list that rotates just a little more quickly as to keep the tastebuds of their clientele perked and interested. That's my only real quibble with the place. But it's such a cozy bar/lounge, that I can't help but return there time and time again.
Which is why I was so so happy when awine bar opened up in the area. While I initially didn't like it too much (I mean, I used to go to Bar Veloce in New York all the time - I was a hard sell), I became a quick convert.
From its inception in early 2003, I have beelined it to Bodega every time I went home on vacation. Last summer, I spent almost too much time there, getting to know the bartenders almost too well (and they were amazing, putting up with my hazy questions about what I wanted to drink), to the point that yeah, my last night there before I returned to Boston, I got wasted off an "unlimited" glass of wine that ended up costing me $5.
It's too too bad that that bartender isn't there anymore. Sigh. Although I didn't fancy him so much as the other one. Isn't that always the case?
It's a curious scene. Pasadena's just an odd social scene. It's not as trendy as LA, obviously, as it's far more suburby. And who would drive out to Pasadena just for a wine bar? Thus, you get a mix of locals, many of whom are kids home from college who don't want to head to the pubs, the occassional uber-intellectual from CalTech, and then.. well, it's just so hard to describe it. The best thing I can say is that it's just not that happening a scene, but it's enjoyable nonetheless because precisely because it's not a scene.
Which is not to say I haven't met my fair share of guys there. They're generally harmless and innocuous, good for some light conversation but nothing more. And the bartenders - well, I feel that I've already expressed my feelings regarding them, n'est-ce pas?
Unfortunately, they don't change the wine list as often as I'd like, which really is a pity because as a wine bar, I feel that it's their duty to have a list that rotates just a little more quickly as to keep the tastebuds of their clientele perked and interested. That's my only real quibble with the place. But it's such a cozy bar/lounge, that I can't help but return there time and time again.
Gloria 8:39 PM
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Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Father's Office and Jones
Thursday night before I flew to Oakland, I met up with Jen for dinner and drinks. Dinner! Yum! We went to Father's Office, which I had been dying to go to for forever because they apparently have Very Good Burgers. These are not your classic hamburgers, but rather burgers with caramelised onions, gruyere, Maytag blue cheese, arugula, and an applewood bacon compote. Scrumptious. Fries are served in a cute little grocery cart! And this amazing white sage beer, and I hate beer!
But we're not here to talk about food (Jen has pictures. Bug her for them. I want them too.) You see, at this place you order at the bar and then hover around tables in order to snatch one up. I generally hate this, as I far prefer making reservations for a guaranteed seat. Jen said that this way, you get to meet people. Sure, just like people keep claiming that they can meet people on planes. And no, there were no cute guys to be had (although there was this mean old couple that Jen took pictures of because they were mean!). There were, however, rude guys. This one guy walked in, and I totally recognised him! And I so rarely randomly run into people! Where I knew him from, however, was a bit trickier. From college? No. Grad school? No. Did I meet him at some industry party? No. Shit, did I go out with him once? Thankfully no. No, it turns out he sat next to FB at the wedding we went to over the summer and was in town on business. Small world. He was very nice, and said, "Hey, this is my friend I told you about who lives in LA, you should exhange emails or phone numbers and hang out sometime." See? Nice. His friend, however, came over and said, "I'll never call you and you'll never call me, so why don't we just not exchange numbers?" RUDE. RUDE RUDE RUDE. Obviously he is not in a business where he needs to know how to network, because that's just not kosher. Even if you don't have any intention of calling, you at least go through the motions. Plus, it wasn't like he was all that. No, he was not cute, short, balding, and wearing sneakers with his white athletic socks pulled up to mid-calf and shorts in a bar. Bad form all around. Bad bad form.
After that we zipped across town to Jones for more drinks. (And this is why I only got 2.5 hours of sleep before I flew up to Oakland). Jones is a cute swanky place, with lots of dark wood, dim lighting, couches, and booths. A nice touch are the mirrors angled so that from the bar, you can see any canoodling going on in the booths. Okay, maybe instead of "nice" I should say "voyeuristic". Jen says that George Clooney loves this place, and ah, I would have loved to have seen him. He is so hot for an older man. I would totally sleep with him. Unfortunately, there were no George Clooney sightings but there was this random Israeli guy who grabbed Jen and basically forced her [because I was having no part of this, obviously] to talk to him. Booooooring. Not cute. Looked sort of like Goofy. Drinks were decent, but the crowd was rather dull for a Thursday night. And so we left.
We'll figure out yet where the non-industry cute guys are or die trying.
But we're not here to talk about food (Jen has pictures. Bug her for them. I want them too.) You see, at this place you order at the bar and then hover around tables in order to snatch one up. I generally hate this, as I far prefer making reservations for a guaranteed seat. Jen said that this way, you get to meet people. Sure, just like people keep claiming that they can meet people on planes. And no, there were no cute guys to be had (although there was this mean old couple that Jen took pictures of because they were mean!). There were, however, rude guys. This one guy walked in, and I totally recognised him! And I so rarely randomly run into people! Where I knew him from, however, was a bit trickier. From college? No. Grad school? No. Did I meet him at some industry party? No. Shit, did I go out with him once? Thankfully no. No, it turns out he sat next to FB at the wedding we went to over the summer and was in town on business. Small world. He was very nice, and said, "Hey, this is my friend I told you about who lives in LA, you should exhange emails or phone numbers and hang out sometime." See? Nice. His friend, however, came over and said, "I'll never call you and you'll never call me, so why don't we just not exchange numbers?" RUDE. RUDE RUDE RUDE. Obviously he is not in a business where he needs to know how to network, because that's just not kosher. Even if you don't have any intention of calling, you at least go through the motions. Plus, it wasn't like he was all that. No, he was not cute, short, balding, and wearing sneakers with his white athletic socks pulled up to mid-calf and shorts in a bar. Bad form all around. Bad bad form.
After that we zipped across town to Jones for more drinks. (And this is why I only got 2.5 hours of sleep before I flew up to Oakland). Jones is a cute swanky place, with lots of dark wood, dim lighting, couches, and booths. A nice touch are the mirrors angled so that from the bar, you can see any canoodling going on in the booths. Okay, maybe instead of "nice" I should say "voyeuristic". Jen says that George Clooney loves this place, and ah, I would have loved to have seen him. He is so hot for an older man. I would totally sleep with him. Unfortunately, there were no George Clooney sightings but there was this random Israeli guy who grabbed Jen and basically forced her [because I was having no part of this, obviously] to talk to him. Booooooring. Not cute. Looked sort of like Goofy. Drinks were decent, but the crowd was rather dull for a Thursday night. And so we left.
We'll figure out yet where the non-industry cute guys are or die trying.
Gloria 10:49 AM
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