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the Barfly on January 14, 2014
Mr. Harada and I have been exploring watering holes in the South Bay and beyond for a long while now. It’s been just over a decade since our first merry toast, and we’ve been going strong ever since. As the years pass, we’ve become wiser, plumper and our tastes have developed. Certain…
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The Barfly on June 27, 2013
Good Karma‘s patio is a metal and wood barricade that juts out into the First Street sidewalk. It’s shaped not unlike a bar, tall enough to rest your elbows on comfortably while standing up. There is an actual bar inside. It only fits four bar stools, which is curious for a place…
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The Barfly on June 6, 2013
Whether you believe it or not, not too long ago people were perpetually under the influence of alcohol. Booze, that permutable antiseptic, was added to all drinks to prevent bacterial infection. Luckily, we as a species enjoy the stuff very much—some of us, a little too much.
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The Barfly on August 28, 2012
Thursday evening: 11pm, and the night is a slow one at Playhouse, the new San Jose nightlife venue. Having opened in late June, Playhouse is still comparatively unknown to club-goers, but I’m grateful for the small crowd. It gives me the opportunity to do what I enjoy the most—sit around and sip…
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The Barfly on July 6, 2012
Saturday evening—deafening riffs and distortion blast out at me from the stage where the Stone Roots strum their guitars. The trio belts out Americana hits without ceasing, only once pausing to down some whiskey shots sent over from the bar. I watch from the lounge of Quarter Note, a neighborhood bar in…
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The Barfly on April 25, 2012
Blush Raw Bar and Lounge, at San Pedro Square Market, is the newest club in San Jose, having hosted its grand opening just last Thursday evening. The party was well under way by the time I arrived, at 9pm, and Blush was crowded elbow to elbow with an eclectic mix of patrons,…
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The Barfly on April 5, 2012
It was a dark and stormy night. The road, slick with rain, reflected back the light from my headlights as I traveled down a lonely stretch of Coleman Avenue. It was the perfect night to stay home, yet there I was, driving to Bluz By-You, eager to escape the dreary Santa Clara…
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The new Liquid Restaurant and Lounge sits between an apartment building and a parking lot near San Jose State University, occupying an ordinary orange and yellow building. The exterior looks nothing like the typical nightclub: no flashy neon signs, crystal-clear bay windows and glitzy entryways. Liquid looks more like a Bohemian art…
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The Barfly on March 8, 2012
For those looking for a true dive drinking experience, the self-labeled Dive Bar on Santa Clara Street, San Jose, is a flagrant case of false advertising. Absent are the shady atmosphere, run-down appearance and rough crowd that connote a dive bar. Instead drinkers are treated to a hip, stylish place, one flashier…
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