#1203 - The Woods, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Don't be put off by the strip-mall location -- this is a swanky place with a dark, woodsy interior and a bit of a Twin Peaks vibe, somewhat redolent of the Doug Fir in Portland.

There are antler chandeliers, a starlight ceiling, woody and rocky decor, reasonably good cocktails, and a small, cool crowd.

1533 North La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046 - (323) 876-6612
vintagebargroup.com - citysearch - yelp  - zagat

#1202 - Ye Coach and Horses, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

I was very lucky to be able to visit the historic Ye Coach And Horses bar a couple times on this trip, as it was served an eviction notice on July 1 and likely will have to shut it's doors in a few weeks.  This British-themed bar was established in 1937 (although for a period it was called "Viva Tirado" and had a Mexican theme), and Peter the bartender told me it is the third oldest in the Hollywood area.

Naturally it has stories of hosting various celebrities, from John Barrymore Sr. to Drew Barrymore, from Alfred Hitchcock and Richard Burton to Quentin Tarantino writing notes for "Pulp Fiction" on bar napkins.  Jim Morrison used to hang around when his girlfriend worked there, and Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris, and Kevin Spacey have all tipped a cup inside its dark interior.

The generations of celebrity stories notwithstanding, the charm of the C&H is its gritty ordinariness -- not at all the kind of bar you think of in West Hollywood, but a fine, old neighborhood dive.  It's of a comfortably moderate size, with high gabled ceilings and tudor style upper walls, and high-backed seats of crimson naugahyde.  It's a damn shame such a fine old place has to close its doors after 74 years.

7617 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046 - (323) 876-6900
facebook - myspace - KTLA video - franklinavenue - laist - lakompany - eater.com - yelp

#1201 - Frankie's New York, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

Pretty much exactly what you'd expect when you hear the name ...

7228 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, Ca 90038 - 323-937-2801
frankiesonmelrose.com - yelp

#1200 - Village Idiot, Los Angeles - 8/23/2010

I had an "Idiot's Cup #1" (Tru Lemon organic vodka, Pimm's, cucumber, lemon-lime soda), which was okay, but was also as close as I've yet come to a debunking of my theory that there are no bad cocktails that include cucumber.  (St. Germain seems to be another "always good cocktail" ingredient.)

7383 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90189 - (323) 655-3331
villageidiotla.com - la weekly - tripadvisor - yelp

#1199 - Club Monte Cristo, Los Angeles - 8/22/2010

This is a large, somewhat hidden space on the third floor of a Koreatown warehouse, where at night the music rattles the windows of the World Vision Full Gospel Church and other small businesses below.  The main room is a dance floor surrounded by couches and armchairs, though there are usually just as many people out on the capacious open patio.

 Obviously the vibe varies with the particular event -- I attended the Malediction Society gothic night, with DJ Amanda Jones, but where cameras were not allowed (with the exception of the house photographers).

3102 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 - (213) 252-9343
citysearch - yelp - ladead gallery

#1198 - Encinitas Ale House, Encinitas CA - 8/22/2010

A good selection of beers (I had a tasty Mongo Double IPA, from Port Brewing) and monster hamburgers with various high quality beefs.

1044 S Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024 - (760) 943-7180
encinitasalehouse.com - facebook - beer advocate - yelp

#1197 - Barra Barra Saloon, San Diego - 8/21/2010

A fairly cool (in both senses of the word) space with pretty good magaritas.

4016 Wallace St, San Diego, CA 92110-2743 - (619) 291-3200
plazadelpasado - yelp

#1196 - Old Town Mexican Cafe, San Diego - 8/21/2010

The Old Town Mexican Cafe and Cantina is a fairly large place with pretty good food, and seemingly about an even split between tourists and locals.  Their magaritas and signature carnitas were both better than average.

One bizarre element of the decor is a series of gawdawful sculptures of clowns with balloons suspended from the ceiling.  One can hardly help speculating about the back story for these, perhaps the pressured purchases from the owner's senile aunt?

2489 San Diego Ave. (Harney St.) San Diego, CA 92110

2489 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110 - 619-297-4330
Links: oldtownmexcafe.com - The Atlas Heart - frommers - zagat - yelp

#1195 - Old Town Saloon, San Diego - 8/21/2010

A nice little dive in the Old Town section of San Diego, though inside it is the standard Bud Lite paraphenalia and etc. and not distinguishable from a thousand other dives across the country.

2495 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110-2839 - (619) 298-2209
yelp - citysearch 

#1194 - The Islands, San Diego - 8/19/2010

The Islands Sushi and Pupu Bar, in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, San Diego.

2270 Hotel Circle N., San Diego, CA 92108 - 619-297-1101
islandssushi.com 

#1192 #S729 - The Scarlet Tree, Seattle - 8/16/2010

Update: This version of the Scarlet Tree closed in 2014.


The Scarlet Tree is back, 4 years after shutting down the location on Roosevelt, where I believe they've been since the 1940s.  I'm not a big fan of the new space, I don't like all the windows for a music club, and the bar was decidedly uninteresting when I visited.  But this was on an afternoon, and I can't really judge the new place by its strengths until I've seen some music and sampled the breakfast again.

801 NE 65th St Suite C, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 523-8888 - info@scarlet-tree.com
scarlet-tree.com - facebook - yelp

#1193 #S730 - Thai Fusion, Seattle - 8/17/2010

#1191 #S728 - Casa Patron, Seattle - 8/16/2010

805 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 923-7680
facebook - mygreenlake - yelp

#1190 - Big Daddy's, Woodinville, WA - 7/23/2010

13420 Northeast 177th Place, Woodinville, WA 98072 - (425) 402-9887
bigdaddysplace.com - yelp 

#1189 #S727 - I-Spy, Seattle - (OOO)

Briefly in the old space of the Weathered Wall (1921 5th, now demolished)

#1188 #S726 - Bai Pai Thai Lounge, Seattle - 7/17/2010

Bai Pai Thai closed in late March or early April 2018.

2316 Northeast 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115-7098 - (206) 527-4800
Est. 2005 - Closed 2018 - Building constructed 2005
Previous bars in this location: None known
baipairestaurant.com -  the stranger - yelp

#1187 #S725 - Pair, Seattle - 7/17/2010

5501 30th Ave N.E., Seattle, WA 98105 - (206) 526-7655
pairseattle.com - yelp

#1186 #S724 - Wedgwood Ale House, Seattle - 7/17/2010

A very friendly and comfortable old neighborhood joint, dominated by the horseshoe-shaped bar.  The Wedgwood now has three distinct sections:  the bar in front, the pool room in back, and the expanded dining area in between for special occasions.  There's also a pleasant patio out front.
This area of town is lucky to have two fine, vintage bars like this and Fiddler's Inn.

Historical Notes:  The "Wedgewood Tavern" begins appearing at the current address of the Wedgewood Alehouse in 1945, is proceeded there by Hansen's Tavern in the late 30s and early 40s, and a tavern owned by Charles Hufsvang is listed at the address in 1935. However, county tax records indicate that the current building was constructed in 1964, so I do not date the current bar back to any of these dates. The current owners have had the place since 1992.

8515 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 - (206) 527-2676
wedgwoodalehouse.com - seattle times - seattle weekly - yelp

#1185 #S723 - The Copper Gate, Seattle - 7/15/2010

Update: The Copper Gate is closing after June 30, 2013.

The Copper Gate dates back to 1946 and when it went under it was one of the last beer and wine only taverns in the city and one of the more intimidating dives.  It was picked up by the owners of Thaiku and La Carta de Oaxaca sometime shortly after 2000, and its bawdy theme not only preserved but accentuated (Seattle's only surviving "scandalnavian" lounge, they proudly proclaim).

The drinks are like none you'll find anywhere else in the city, centered around their home-made variations of aquavit.   The food is inspired by Scandinavian traditions, which naturally means that it ranges from tasty to disgusting.

But the best reason to go to the Copper Gate is the place itself.  The bar is a replica viking ship, with a sail formed of vintage porn images.  An original column with bas-relief naked woman has been nicely restored.  There are various mild porn dioramas, including a Barbie-orgy version in the women's room.

And then there is the Pussy Room. You enter the Pussy Room through an entry shaped like a vagina, pass a case large case of champagne, and turn into a shabby/swanky room with a stage, stripper pole, high-backed, red velvet seats and room for about two dozen people.

Ostensibly for the jazz band that plays there, and not simply the pun, there is an organ in the back of the Pussy Room.  But you do not simply enter it any time you feel the urge; currently the room is open to the public only from 8pm-10pm Tuesday nights.  At these times they host the impressive jazz drumming of Mike Peterson, a partner on keyboards whom I do not know, and often a guest artist to sit in for a few.

It is a living tribute to the unvarnished, old Ballard, and a must-visit for any lover of unique bars and cocktails.

Try the: Stor Agurk

6301 24th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 706-3292
Est. 1946 - Closed July 1, 2013
thecoppergate.com - seattle times - the stranger - seattlest - seattle weekly - seattle weekly 2 - seattle weekly 3 - yelp

#1184 #S722 - Red Lantern, Seattle - 7/15/2010

The food in this modern Northern-Chinese/Korean restaurant gets quite good reviews, but I wasn't eating this visit. It is much more elegant than the sign outside would lead you to believe.  The bar portion is pleasant, but unremarkable, and the bartender pours wine with a heavy hand.

520 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 682-7211
redlanternseattle.com - the stranger - yelp