I stayed for two beers. Service was attentive, and there was no drink pressure. It doesn’t appear they employ GROs, just three or four waitresses. The music was good and played at a reasonable volume, and the video offerings on the several large-screen TVs looked entertaining. BarCelona is one of the nicer venues in town, ambiance-wise. I’m not sure why I don’t visit here more often. Must be not liking all those stairs you climb to get there.
Sloppy Joe’s has been buzzin’ of late, especially since the move. I always notice a large crowd when I pass by. So, I was surprised yesterday to see there were no other customers when I arrived. But it didn’t take long to discover why. There was no manager present (something I’d also never seen before), and the girls were playing their kind of music at full volume. If I weren’t on a mission, I’d have turned around and walked back out. Instead, I took the outdoor seat as far away from the blaring speaker as possible and ordered a beer.
As I was sipping my beer and trying to ignore the grating music (and the music is one of the things I usually like about this bar–when the manager or Chris is picking the songs), a guy I didn’t recognize wandered in off the street. Turns out, he was from out of town (up the highway in San Antonio) and had been surprised to discover Sloppy Joe’s was no longer where it used to be. Apparently, that was his preferred hangout when he made his bi-weekly visits to Barretto. He was shocked that the bar was empty last night and also disgusted by the music. He shouted at the girls to turn it down, and they complied, making it easier for us to converse. I enjoyed chatting and wound up staying for three beers.
I figured I’d better put some food in my belly to absorb those beers that were yet to come, so I made my way to the only restaurant in the Maze.
When I had visited Jollibee earlier in the week, I wanted to try their chicken burger but was told it would take fifteen minutes to prepare. So much for fast food. I’d been craving a chicken burger ever since, and the Maui-style sandwich sounded perfect for me.
Two more beers during the meal, and I was ready for bar number three of the night. The Green Room was the closest to my current whereabouts, so that’s where I went. It was packed and I didn’t see any available seating, so I kept on walking. That’s a nice aspect of the Maze, plenty of options and they are all nearby.
Once again, I was the only customer. I took a seat in front of the dance floor and ordered a beer. Regular readers know I’m not a big fan of the dancing bars; sometimes, they make me feel a little depressed. It’s got to be a hard job under the best of circumstances, but standing up there trying to act like you are having fun in a bar devoid of customers must be especially challenging. For me, there is also a “meat market” vibe with the girls on display for potential purchase (well, more like rental). Anyway, I’m not being critical; it is just not my thing. Even in the go-go bars, I tend to gravitate more to the waitresses.
Last night, five dancers were shuffling around on stage at La Oficina. I wasn’t foolish drunk enough to call them all down for a lady drink, but a couple of them were rather cute. Instead, I had my waitress change some hundreds into fifties and gave each dancer a tip.
The dancer third from the left was in the “I would if I could” category. The one on the far right surprised me by knowing my name. She told me she used to work at Whiskey Girl. And my waitress knew me as well, having formerly worked at Queen Victoria. Damn, this is such a small town!
Two more beers at La Oficina (I hate that name, by the way), and it was time for my fourth venue.
As the first bar I ever visited in the Philippines (back in its Angeles days), Alaska has always been a sentimental favorite. And now that it is located in the Maze, I will be visiting more often. It’s a friendly place, and I always feel at home here despite it being a dancing bar. Last night was no exception.
When I found out it was my waitress’s first night on the job, I naturally felt compelled to buy her a lady drink to welcome her onboard. (And that’s the first LD I bought all night. But not the last.)
Good times and two more beers to wash it all down.
I guess this has become one of my regular hangouts, but that comes with a price. As soon as I sat down, I was surrounded by four thirsty gals I’ve accommodated in the past. I usually try to limit my company to only two, but the previously consumed beers overrode my better judgment this time.
Still, I had the good sense to limit the drinks to one each, and then I made my escape next door to Wet Spot.
I had heard rumors that my Hash buddy Dave would be celebrating his birthday at Wet Spot last night. But he hadn’t shown by 9:00 and I knew it was time for me to get my ass home while I still could.
There you have it, a successful journey through the Maze. Six bars, fourteen beers (but who’s counting?), nine lady drinks (that I remember), and an experience that is unlikely to be repeated in this lifetime. I guess that qualifies as a good night!
And for the record, there was more to my day than over indulging in spirits and bargirls.
And I’ve been studying up to increase my pun repertoire.
I did have a bit of a hangover this morning, but I’ve recovered sufficiently to be able to enjoy a little more hair of the dog that bit me when I feed the girls at Hideaway later this evening.
Cheers!
Where everybody knows your name,
And they’re always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.
