Sunday, August 12, 2007

Four Ways for a Whiskey


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Originally uploaded by dieselboi.
There are 4 ways to order a whiskey, according to 7 Grand, a bar in downtown LA. 1) Neat with a water back, 2) Put it on the rocks, 3) Have it as a sour, and 4) Make it an old fashioned. Booya! I love it when the bar tells me how to order my drinks. Wednesday evening took me to the center of downtown LA. Downtown LA is interesting. First of all, it is rather large and full of some amazingly tall buildings and architecture. It includes some museums and concert halls to boot. Because of the nature of the buildings, it is mostly a business oriented type of place, so when it comes to 6pm, it is quite desolate. I was walking around after my 45 min drive searching for food and drink and really needing to pee. Note to self, don't drink any water while in traffic in LA. You'll get stuck in traffic and need to pee.
I hit this bar named 7 Grand where, according to locals, all the cool kids hang out. If "cool kids" means guys in blue oxfords and kackis, I don't think I want to be cool. It was an interesting crowd, but I didn't care much. I just needed to pee. I had a couple drinks also.
7 Grand specialized in whiskey and I partaked in a Sazarac with rye whiskey and a Manhatten with rye whiskey. Both were true jems. Truly works of art.
I was to meet my buddy @ 9 at a place named The Edison and it was 7:30. I walked around trying to find a place to sit down and eat and also the place where I would eventually end up and couldn't find either. I eventually went back to the car in order to move it closer to where I thought the Edison may be. While moving it, I found A and I's favorite LA bar - Bar 107. I parked, went in and grabbed a beer at the end of the bar.
Bar 107 is a bit divey and attracts some interesting fellas. Next to me at the end of the bar was Chavez. He was a larger fit individual, someone who at the blink of the eye you wouldn't want to make mad. Well, Chavez was a bit drunk when I sat down so he was pretty friendly. We chatted and he revealed that he had just spent the past 10 years in jail and had only been out for about 3 days. Wow! I think I believed him. We talked a little, mostly him talking about god and future and introducing himself a few more times. It was all fun and the bartenders kept looking at me rolling their eyes. It was a game. In the end, I bought him a beer and headed to The Edison.
The Edison is bar created out of the physical plant in the basement of a building. This plant created electricity with turbine engines and other big equipment. The people who rebuild this location into the Edison preserved much of what was there and made it into a premier locale. It was amazing and huge. And expensive.
At The Edison, I met my friend and whom I would call a mentor of sorts and had a great conversation. We had a great time. Some of his friends showed up, including some tattoo artists who knew Atlas tattoo and Albina Press. Interestingly enough, I had two pounds of Stumptown coffee from Albina Press in my bag. It was a good night.
In the end, I couldn't stay out too late. Around 12:30, I decided to bow out and head back to El Segundo. Argh, the 45 minute drive. But, all in all, a wonderful night in downtown LA.

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tall buildings

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LA

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LA

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LA

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Bar 107

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Only in LA

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whoa! I don't think they were TELLING you how to order a whiskey. I don't get that from the sign at all. It doesn't say THE four ways to order a whiskey. They're just making suggestions. It was just supposed to get you to think outside your normal Manhattan or Whiskey and Coke. (I think you may have NEEDED a whiskey!)

Anonymous said...

Sorry! It was the Manhattan talking. ;-)
I envy you finding a place that features Rye Sazaracs and Manhattans. (BTW, have you been to Roux on Killingsworth in Portland? They have two different Sazaracs!)

brett said...

Brewhaha,
Thanks for the comment. I write how I talk, so sometimes what I'm trying to say doesn't come across well. I was so excited to be in a bar where whiskey is put on a pedestal. That is what made me excited to see the sign. Yes, baby, tell me what to drink. Don't you feel like that sometimes? Walk into a bar, waffling and just want the waitress or bartender to choose for you? That is how I felt when I saw that cool sign.
I have been to Roux, but not for a Sazerac. I did have one at Acadia which was amazing and got me thinking about them prior to the trip.