And now, from P. Thatcher, a report I have long been waiting to read. -Adam
Yesterday I stepped out of work and decided that it was a good day for a cocktail. Amuse came to mind as an alternative, but my gut was to try Ranstead Room first. Along the way I noticed several big crowds out, included a loud party over at 19th and Market. I was surprised for a moment wondering at big crowds on a Wednesday night. But comprehension soon dawned as I remembered that Center City Sips has started a couple of weeks ago.
Walking through the late afternoon sunshine, it was about 5:30 when I reached the Ranstead Room. I pushed open the first door and really was blind for a moment in the relative darkness. But I adjusted quickly-must be all the carrots I eat.
So it was that I managed to be one of the first folks in for the evening. David, standing nattily attired and ready to deliver, was the bartender this evening. I took a front-row seat at the soft bar to watch him do his work.
After asking me a few questions about my interests for the evening, he began preparing my drink. First off was a Toronto Cocktail. It was a magical paintbrush of a drink, and set the world even righter.
As I sat and sipped, I observed other folks starting to walk in. First a young man waiting for his date, then another couple who also took on a bit of the bar.
I had to decide what to do next, and decided upon grapefruit as the touchstone of my next drink. Again, the good wizard was ready with a drink, this time the Hemingway Daiquiri.
Now the world was expending, and I could ponder upon all that was right with the world. Including my having to read A Farewell to Arms long ago in high school.
By now I was getting hungry, and so I tried the cheese plate. I can say definitively the blue cheese and goat cheese were excellent. They were washed with a bit of a margarita-style drink I'd requested on the wild hare idea of a liquid General Tso's.
Finally I was ready to return to the outside world. By this time the sun had kindly chosen to dim a bit and I could continue on with my night.
If you have ever been frustrated getting a seat, going early is an excellent strategy. I was dressed business casual, and felt I blended in fine. But in general it's a good place to dress up. The service is excellent. The prices are reasonable for what's being provided.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Mexican Post Love Park - Outdoor Dining
And now comes P. Thatcher's report on the Mexican Post Love Park location. -Adam
Mexican Post, Love Park
June 3, 2011.
Report By: P. Thatcher
I am always up for a party, so when the e-mail came saying "Happy Hour" my day was made. The invite mentioned that Mexican Post was picked for its outdoor seating, and convenience. I might be ready to hop a taxi to some Old City outpost, but I understand that people with wives or dogs or children or World-of-Warcraft waiting for them at home might not be as excited about venturing far from our offices.
I popped over at 5 sharp, making me the first of the crew to arrive. Friday was about about as nice a day as Philadelphia ever has: sunny, not to hot, with a breeze. There was already a big crowd in a cordoned off area of outdoor seating, and a DJ playing some music from portable speakers.
About five minutes later, the first wave of the rest of the party arrived. The partier-in-charge asked the hostess, an attractive brunette, by the way, about getting a table for ten. Expected wait, 30-45 minutes, but we were free to stand and get drinks from the small outdoor bar. We took that deal.
The little bar had margaritas, red cans of Tecate, and maybe Lager? I went with a margarita, graciously paid for by one of my co-workers. Now, this is a margarita in a plastic cup, and fairly low strength. No problem, I could nurse it a while and continue enjoying hanging out.
So we socialized and a few things started to become appearant. The first was that standing too close to the speakers was really annoying. The second was that 30-45 minutes was a very optimistic guess. Part of the problem, I think, is that the crowd was having a wonderful time starting the weekend with a little buzz in the sun. I know I was impressed. Even if my legs were getting tired.
Our crew had a few splits and re-orgs, so by about 7:30 we got a table for six. The sun was still out, people watching could continue, and food was on the way. I wound up getting more shrimp than anticipated (I was trying to order the appetizer, wound up with an entree. No big deal, I was hungry enough to tackle it. Waitress was apologetic.) Closed out the night with a shot of Don Julio Blanco ($14).
By 9:30 the party was winding down. And, perhaps because of its dependence on Center City worker bees, so was Mexican Post. They were quick with the check. The bathrooms were clean. And so the happy hour ended.
A few further notes. If you are trying to meet new people, the patio is really not the right place to do it. Most everyone there was part of a party of some sort. So although it was fun to people-watch, I don't think anyone would have felt comfortable striking up a conversation with a different table. For that, you would probably be better off at the bar indoors. Also, on a nice day, it's going to be hard to get a nice chain of table all to yourself without arriving early. We will remember that for next time. By 5 the place was packed.
Mexican Post, Love Park
June 3, 2011.
Report By: P. Thatcher
I am always up for a party, so when the e-mail came saying "Happy Hour" my day was made. The invite mentioned that Mexican Post was picked for its outdoor seating, and convenience. I might be ready to hop a taxi to some Old City outpost, but I understand that people with wives or dogs or children or World-of-Warcraft waiting for them at home might not be as excited about venturing far from our offices.
I popped over at 5 sharp, making me the first of the crew to arrive. Friday was about about as nice a day as Philadelphia ever has: sunny, not to hot, with a breeze. There was already a big crowd in a cordoned off area of outdoor seating, and a DJ playing some music from portable speakers.
About five minutes later, the first wave of the rest of the party arrived. The partier-in-charge asked the hostess, an attractive brunette, by the way, about getting a table for ten. Expected wait, 30-45 minutes, but we were free to stand and get drinks from the small outdoor bar. We took that deal.
The little bar had margaritas, red cans of Tecate, and maybe Lager? I went with a margarita, graciously paid for by one of my co-workers. Now, this is a margarita in a plastic cup, and fairly low strength. No problem, I could nurse it a while and continue enjoying hanging out.
So we socialized and a few things started to become appearant. The first was that standing too close to the speakers was really annoying. The second was that 30-45 minutes was a very optimistic guess. Part of the problem, I think, is that the crowd was having a wonderful time starting the weekend with a little buzz in the sun. I know I was impressed. Even if my legs were getting tired.
Our crew had a few splits and re-orgs, so by about 7:30 we got a table for six. The sun was still out, people watching could continue, and food was on the way. I wound up getting more shrimp than anticipated (I was trying to order the appetizer, wound up with an entree. No big deal, I was hungry enough to tackle it. Waitress was apologetic.) Closed out the night with a shot of Don Julio Blanco ($14).
By 9:30 the party was winding down. And, perhaps because of its dependence on Center City worker bees, so was Mexican Post. They were quick with the check. The bathrooms were clean. And so the happy hour ended.
A few further notes. If you are trying to meet new people, the patio is really not the right place to do it. Most everyone there was part of a party of some sort. So although it was fun to people-watch, I don't think anyone would have felt comfortable striking up a conversation with a different table. For that, you would probably be better off at the bar indoors. Also, on a nice day, it's going to be hard to get a nice chain of table all to yourself without arriving early. We will remember that for next time. By 5 the place was packed.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
JR's Bar featuring The Biters, The Booze, The Midnight Beat, and Mean Streets
And now the latest report from Emily Currier from last weekend.
The Biters, The Booze, The Midnight Beat, and Mean Streets
JR’s Bar on Saturday May 28th
Report By: Emily Currier
In the removed nook of deep south Philly, JR’s Bar is known by some as “that venue across from a Goodwill” but those in the know can rely on it for gritty punk shows. Through a duct-taped door in two pieces then another door with roughly seven deadbolts, you find your way into the small, smoky interior of JR’s. Considering the bar’s location and ownership, it was surprising that there was nothing even vaguely Italian about the décor, music selection, available beer, etc etc. Instead, JR’s is a dive bar like any other, supplying particularly cheap beer and crowded with the Philly punk scene.
Being naive and grappling with the onset of a summer cold, I showed up at JR’s around 8:45 pm, hoping against hope the estimated 8 – 11pm show times promised by Facebook were correct. Predictably I suppose, this wasn’t the case. My cold prevented me from enjoying the ability to smoke inside and the $2 Lionshead and PBR as much as I would’ve liked to. The bouncer gather the $5 cover around 9pm and the first band, Mean Streets, didn’t start up until around 9:30pm. In the meantime, Top 40 hits blared through the speakers, unaware of their surroundings.
The tattooed crowd remained subdued during the Mean Streets’ power pop set. A trio from Philly and Jersey, Mean Streets elongated fast-paced punk chords across five-minute songs. By frequently drawing out the end of one song straight into the next, Mean Streets created a surprisingly cohesive punk set. Self described as “the only garage punk band left in Philly,” The Midnight Beat continued to rep the Philly punk scene. With a more muscular sound, The Midnight Beat, like Mean Streets, performed energetic, almost playful punk. With a crowd that could easily take itself way to seriously, the night’s tone was of fun over pretense.
The friend I went with, who somehow knows everyone there is to know in Philly, tried to convince me to stay, promising a killer after-party at her place. I decided, though, that having a nose like a dripping faucet might not be the best look for winning over the mod Booze and Biters crowd so I was inclined to dip out early, unfortunately. I know The Booze and The Biters, up from Atlanta, put on a hell of a show, so I’ll keep my ears out for their future visits.
Emily Currier
http://twitter.com/chimneytulip
http://culturemob.com/blog/philadelphia
---
EUJMXE64AASR
The Biters, The Booze, The Midnight Beat, and Mean Streets
JR’s Bar on Saturday May 28th
Report By: Emily Currier
In the removed nook of deep south Philly, JR’s Bar is known by some as “that venue across from a Goodwill” but those in the know can rely on it for gritty punk shows. Through a duct-taped door in two pieces then another door with roughly seven deadbolts, you find your way into the small, smoky interior of JR’s. Considering the bar’s location and ownership, it was surprising that there was nothing even vaguely Italian about the décor, music selection, available beer, etc etc. Instead, JR’s is a dive bar like any other, supplying particularly cheap beer and crowded with the Philly punk scene.
Being naive and grappling with the onset of a summer cold, I showed up at JR’s around 8:45 pm, hoping against hope the estimated 8 – 11pm show times promised by Facebook were correct. Predictably I suppose, this wasn’t the case. My cold prevented me from enjoying the ability to smoke inside and the $2 Lionshead and PBR as much as I would’ve liked to. The bouncer gather the $5 cover around 9pm and the first band, Mean Streets, didn’t start up until around 9:30pm. In the meantime, Top 40 hits blared through the speakers, unaware of their surroundings.
The tattooed crowd remained subdued during the Mean Streets’ power pop set. A trio from Philly and Jersey, Mean Streets elongated fast-paced punk chords across five-minute songs. By frequently drawing out the end of one song straight into the next, Mean Streets created a surprisingly cohesive punk set. Self described as “the only garage punk band left in Philly,” The Midnight Beat continued to rep the Philly punk scene. With a more muscular sound, The Midnight Beat, like Mean Streets, performed energetic, almost playful punk. With a crowd that could easily take itself way to seriously, the night’s tone was of fun over pretense.
The friend I went with, who somehow knows everyone there is to know in Philly, tried to convince me to stay, promising a killer after-party at her place. I decided, though, that having a nose like a dripping faucet might not be the best look for winning over the mod Booze and Biters crowd so I was inclined to dip out early, unfortunately. I know The Booze and The Biters, up from Atlanta, put on a hell of a show, so I’ll keep my ears out for their future visits.
Emily Currier
http://twitter.com/chimneytulip
http://culturemob.com/blog/philadelphia
---
EUJMXE64AASR
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