#1266 #S762 - Bottlehouse, Seattle, WA - 10/20/2010

This is a very pleasant place that just opened in May over the Wilridge Winery in Madrona. I was fortunate enough to catch it on an stunningly gorgeous October day, when turtles were sunning themselves on the nearby Denny Blaine Lake, and the patio on the side of the building was particularly inviting.

Bottlehouse is, of course, a wine shop and cafe -- and I can't think of a nicer such venue in the city. I had an Impulse (a syrah-based blend), a tasty apple and brie sandwich, a nice chat with Soni (one of the owners), and more than one thought about how nice it would be to be permanently retired so I could do this every day.

1416 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 708-7164
bottlehouseseattle.com - facebook - thestranger - seattle weekly - yelp 

#1265 - McMurphy's, White Center, WA - 10/19/2010

If you're looking for a quaint little Irish bar, McMurphy's ain't it. It's a fairly sizable, classic dive in White Center, where aging cover bands play 70s arena rock and the front patio is a well-used smoking area.

The bands weren't yet playing when we visited, and instead I ended up sitting beside what must have been the loudest domino game ever.  Snippet of conversation overheard on the patio:  "He didn't have a knife when I tried it."  (I didn't ask.)

This location was formerly the Firedog Inn.

11069 16th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146 - (206) 431-1916
facebook -  PI (local violence)

#1264 #S761 - Roxbury Lanes Lounge, Seattle - 10/19/2010

On old-fashioned bowling alley lounge.

2823 SW Roxbury St, Seattle, WA 98126 - (206) 935-7400
roxburylanes.com - yelp

#1263 #S760 - Skybox Sports Lounge, Seattle - 10/19/2010

Nice folks, average sports pub fare, but I'll be surprised if they're around two years from now.

315 First Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 588-2070
skyboxseattle.com (loud obnoxious music warning) - yelp

#1262 - Fish Tale Brew Pub, Olympia, WA - 10/18/2010

A not-so-micro brewpub from a nice micro-brewery, now located in the Skoog Building.  (The location may not be that remarkable -- I just really like the name "Skoog Building.")  Good beer, good food, some good art and lots of terrible art on the walls (I'm hoping it was from the local middle school).

515 Jefferson St SE, Olympia, WA 98501-1467 - (360) 943-3650
fishbrewing.com - facebook - beer advocate - olympiatraveler - yelp 

#1261 - Eastside Club , Olympia, WA - 10/18/2010

The Eastside Club has been open here since at least 1939, with a closure in 1959 due to the Great Olympia Train Wreck. It appears to have begun in the current China Clipper location shortly after prohibition (at least by 1934, while the current location hosted "Randy's Place"). Its history casually covers the walls in old photos, newspaper articles, and other artifacts.  It has a good and broad (36 taps) selection of beer, and bartenders who seem happy to be there.  It has some of the typical back-of-the-bar paraphernalia, although the coaster art includes contributions by Linda Berry and Matt Groening. 

It has a hole in the wall where you can order food from the restaurant next door, a laundromat in back, and whiteboard art where the artist gradually ages the drawing of beer truck as summer turns to fall.  It's the most likable in a stretch of very likable bars.

410 4th Ave E, Olympia, WA 98501-1109 - (360) 357-9985
theeastsideclub.com - facebook - beer advocate - seattle pi -  yelp

#1260 - Jake's on 4th Ave, Olympia, WA - 10/18/2010

311 4th Ave E, Olympia, WA 98501 - (360) 956-3247
myspace - best of western wa - gaycities - yelp