Volume 4, Issue 5
March 7 - March 20, 2002
by Rob Williams
Sometimes going out for a night means going to more than one place. After all, who wants to park on a barstool for 6 or 7 hours looking at the same people meandering to and fro? So I set out to create an evening of diverse amusements. Step one was arranging the cast. Two whipsmart divas, Ashley and Kristen, and Pete, our designated driver in a silver Cadillac. Our night was set.
We started out at the opening party for Big Bowl. A swanky-yet-affordable 16th Street Mall eatery featuring a variety of asian fusion foods and ginger-infused martinis. Did I mention the designated driver? The girls and I dove headfirst into the martini menu, then got into the appetizers. We started with a cool thai noodle salad with shredded cucumber and some steamed wontons. The bowls ARE big, from the regular entreés to the do-it-yourself stir fry. We bantered with the wait staff and shared plates of ginger beef satay, shrimp with lobster sauce and strips of steak in a kung pao sauce over noodles. This isn't your average take-out chinese. The flavors are complex and the presentation artful. The room makes you want to dress up a bit--though it's not a jacket and tie required sort of place, a Mao jacket would not be out of the question. The second round of martinis and a serving of mango sorbet finished off dinner nicely, and we were all feeling very very infused.
Pete suggested we take a ride over to his favorite night spot, the venerable Cruise Room. Visions of swank lounge singers and 40's movie stars swam in my head as we crossed the cracked marble threshold. The giant alabaster panels on the walls spoke of days gone by, when elegance was a part of downing mouthfuls of cold liquor and toasting each other in the tongues of the well-traveled. Think Michael York in The Hindenberg. Sadly, the German frieze was removed during the Great Patriotic War. I toasted its passing with a vodka martini seasoned with lemon juice and gave my entourage a hearty Nas Droviya!
The ambiance of the room can be a bit offset when it's crowded, and on the weekends it's always crowded. I recommend getting there early to get a prime spot at the bar or in one of their luxurious high-backed booths. White-jacketed servers gave up their libations with a smile, and you get the glass and the shaker when you order up. If scotch is more your taste, the Cruise Room has an excellent list but be prepared, good scotch comes at a hefty price. Then again, that's true of most Lodo bars, but few can serve up the ambiance of this flagship of yesteryear. We indulged in several rounds and discussed yachting and the demise of communism.
Soon our love affair with Lodo was growing cold, and let's face it, there are plenty of bars that you can go to without risking one of Lodo's metermaid mafia forcing you into a $15 additional tip. So we set our sites southward and piled in the silver caddy for Cafe Cero.
Cero's dull red walls and copper ceiling have an old world rustic feel aided by rough wood and wrought iron everywhere. I wished there was a Sergio Leone soundtrack for this cozy warren of rooms; instead we were treated to a DJ spinning trip hop and crunchy jungle. We settled down around a tall table for some serious people watching, libation and diatribe.
The crowd was a mix of college kids, actors, artists and drag queens all there to listen to the new Elizabeth Rose CD. Local music regulars were everywhere. I was glad we got there early, as seating at Cero can be tight. Smoke drifted in and out from our table as cheerful friends visited in droves. (I'm pretty sure sitting with the guest of honor had something to do with it.) Cero really is the kind of bar you can sit and have a conversation in, and the multiple levels add an air of mystery to the place. Doubtless you'll see old friends and make new ones in this South Broadway saloon. It's rather like drinking in your living room, only the decor is better. You can dress to impress or not, the staff will still treat you right.
Cocktails fueled our creativity and we discussed film making long into the night, well at least until the dreaded cry of "last call." We made our goodbyes, phone numbers exchanged hands and everyone shared a hug or a kiss. At last we hollered "hi-ho silver" as we sped off into the night on four wheels and liquor-fueled good vibes.
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