05 | August | 2009 | Long Time Gone

Next up in the “Dart Bars of Itaewon” series is Gecko’s Terrace, or just plain “Geckos” in the popular parlance.

This is the place, pretty much smack dab in the middle of Itaewon. Pretty much a landmark or at least a reference point. Chances are if you’ve been to Itaewon, you have seen Geckos. If you haven’t, it is across the street from the Hamilton Hotel, more or less.

Strictly speaking, Geckos is not a “darts bar”. It is a large bar/restaurant type place, that happens to have dart boards.

Three of them to be precise. Not really a bad setup, all things considered.

There is a different type of crowd here. Oh, I am sure they have their regulars and all, but it is not like the smaller pubs where you feel welcomed and “at home”. At least that’s how it seems to me. In fact, Geckos is a popular “pick up” spot where those so inclined go to hook up with a member of the opposite gender. Or so I’ve been told.

Alright, I have to say it. When I first came to Itaewon, everyone said this was the place to go. And from the first time I visited, I never liked the place. In part, I just don’t like big impersonal bars. And I really don’t like the crowds. But what I hate most is poor service, and Geckos is notorious for the indifferent attitude of the wait staff.

I now only ever go there when I am force to do so by a dart league commitment. And I can barely abide that. You’d starve waiting to be offered a menu, and on the rare occasion you can actually get someone to bring one you are unlikely to have your order taken. Ok, maybe I’m being harsh. After all, a dart match only lasts a couple of hours, perhaps I’m just impatient.

Obviously, it must have some attraction to others, because it usually has a big crowd. And frankly, that is sometimes an issue when you are playing darts on league night.

This is the bar area directly behind the boards. Not too crowded on the early Wednesday evening I took this shot, but it can get pretty damn congested as the evening progresses. And getting bumped when throwing is more than a little distracting.

As you might have surmised, this is one of my least favorite venues. No problem this season, as Geckos does not host an “A” division team (Guzzlers is taking the season off).

I’m sure it is apparent I have a bias against the bar based on my own personal bad experiences. Your mileage may vary. The dart setup is certainly no worse than adequate, which earns Gecko’s a C rating for darts. If you are just coming out to chuck some darts while waiting to meet the man of you dreams (like the lasses above) it is a fine place to be I’m sure. For league play or competitive throwing, you have better options.

So says I.

Got back in the Netflix groove last night with the 2005 Bill Murray “comedy-drama” Broken Flowers.

The film tells the story of an aging Don Juan type who has just experienced a break up with his current squeeze. A pink enveloped letter arrives sans postmark, return address, and signature; informing Murray’s character that he is the father of a 19 year old son. Murray narrows it down to 5 potential ex’s and at his neighbors insistence he proceeds to pay each a visit in the hope of ascertaining which is the mother of his child.

The movie is basically the story of the encounters with 4 or the women (the fifth had died in an accident several years prior, but he does visit her grave).

I thought there was a lot more melancholy than comedy in this movie, but maybe that’s just me. I found the film entertaining but I kept waiting for some meat on the bones of the story. Each of the encounters was interesting, but lacked any real substance. There was really nothing said about the circumstances of the prior relationships or why they ended. Although Murray looked for clues as to their potential as the mother of his child, everything was ambiguous and at the end of his journey he still basically had no clue with whom (or even if) he had actually fathered a child.

Not hard to avoid spoilers because nothing was ever resolved (hmmm, I guess that is kinda of spoiler. sorry). I found the ending rather abrupt and unsatisfying. Yeah, this I guess is one of those movies intended to make the viewer “think”. That’s ok with me. Hell, I had to think about (and rewatch several times) Mulholland Drive for months and I still don’t think I entirely get it.

The problem with Broken Flowers is that there was just not that much there to get. Watchable movie for sure with a nice performance by Murray. Also good to see the ex’s, including Sharon Stone and Jessica Lange. I’ll give it 3 1/2 stars.