dive bar detours or san jose is for lovers, your choice
i was born and raised in san jose, california. this is a large city, but most people have never heard much about it, because, well, there isn't much to tell. it's about 45min southeast of San Francisco, and 35 min northeast of Santa Cruz, so at least it has great accessability.
after 5 years of college in northern california, i moved back last year to persue a carreer in.......whatever job i could find with a degree in theatre that didn't actually involve theatre. After a few months of retail hell, i took over for my friend at her old job when she got a new one. This was way different for me. i had never had a desk job before. i like it a lot, and it just happens to be located across the street from one of my grandmas houses that she rents out, so a few months ago, i began renting an apartment in this house. how convinent!
so here i am living the "single in the city" fantasy. most of time i stay at home and drink seeing as how paying rent makes me pretty broke, but last night i put on my walking shoes and headed up the street to check out the nightlife. san jose is such an interesting mix of college kids, business people, nasty, ghetto..er...i mean, urban singles, and as i discovered last night, whatever is left over (hippies, metalheads, hipsters). One of the newest trends in san jose seems to be the "ultralounge". This is usually the old bank or deserted business building that has been converted into a large open space with mutliple rooms, levels, bars. I think "ultralounge" is a fancy way of saying, overpriced crappy bar with crappy music and crappy people. sorry, but there is no way i'm going to pay $15 to get into some place only to be treated like shit because of the way i look, or because i'm not dressed a certain way...not to metion the fact that the drinks would be outrageously priced and watered down to nothing. If i want to spend my evenings like that, i'll go to L.A., thank you.
i'm more of a dive bar girl at heart. i like the 70s decor. the old neon beer signs. the cheap, strong drinks. the jukebox in the corner. the quarter pool table. the smell of stale cigarette smoke. i am happy to report in the sea of all of san jose's many ultralounges, there are few choice dives that i now can rely on for weekend entertainment.
1) cinebar- a fancy name, for a fancy dive. cinebar is very narrow, and you'll be lucky if you get 3 drinks before last call, but it has it's charms. The jukebox is pretty rad, and the people are friendly.
2) Bamboo 7- this is the most awsome karaoke bar i've ever been to. the song selection is infinite, the mics are portable, the drinks are cheap and strong ( did someone say vodka tonics in a pint glass?????) and the people are hilarious! i just wish it was a little closer to home :(
3) The Caravan- This is one i ended up at last night, and so far has endeared itself to me the most. It's just crowded enough, there is free live music on thursday and friday nights( last night was this crazy 2 piece what i like to call "instruMetal" band that rocked harder and longer that almost anyone i've ever seen. their intensity was electric), the jukebox kicks ass, the bartenders are heavy handed and friendly, the ambiance makes me feel right at home. i just love it!
so by walking around downtown on friday nights looking for a few friends and that perfect dive bar, i have re-discovered san jose and all of it's quirks. it's not the most exciting place in the world, but it's home.
ps. many thanks to Nina for another fun night, helping me find my way around san jose once again, and Denny's at 4am. yum!
after 5 years of college in northern california, i moved back last year to persue a carreer in.......whatever job i could find with a degree in theatre that didn't actually involve theatre. After a few months of retail hell, i took over for my friend at her old job when she got a new one. This was way different for me. i had never had a desk job before. i like it a lot, and it just happens to be located across the street from one of my grandmas houses that she rents out, so a few months ago, i began renting an apartment in this house. how convinent!
so here i am living the "single in the city" fantasy. most of time i stay at home and drink seeing as how paying rent makes me pretty broke, but last night i put on my walking shoes and headed up the street to check out the nightlife. san jose is such an interesting mix of college kids, business people, nasty, ghetto..er...i mean, urban singles, and as i discovered last night, whatever is left over (hippies, metalheads, hipsters). One of the newest trends in san jose seems to be the "ultralounge". This is usually the old bank or deserted business building that has been converted into a large open space with mutliple rooms, levels, bars. I think "ultralounge" is a fancy way of saying, overpriced crappy bar with crappy music and crappy people. sorry, but there is no way i'm going to pay $15 to get into some place only to be treated like shit because of the way i look, or because i'm not dressed a certain way...not to metion the fact that the drinks would be outrageously priced and watered down to nothing. If i want to spend my evenings like that, i'll go to L.A., thank you.
i'm more of a dive bar girl at heart. i like the 70s decor. the old neon beer signs. the cheap, strong drinks. the jukebox in the corner. the quarter pool table. the smell of stale cigarette smoke. i am happy to report in the sea of all of san jose's many ultralounges, there are few choice dives that i now can rely on for weekend entertainment.
1) cinebar- a fancy name, for a fancy dive. cinebar is very narrow, and you'll be lucky if you get 3 drinks before last call, but it has it's charms. The jukebox is pretty rad, and the people are friendly.
2) Bamboo 7- this is the most awsome karaoke bar i've ever been to. the song selection is infinite, the mics are portable, the drinks are cheap and strong ( did someone say vodka tonics in a pint glass?????) and the people are hilarious! i just wish it was a little closer to home :(
3) The Caravan- This is one i ended up at last night, and so far has endeared itself to me the most. It's just crowded enough, there is free live music on thursday and friday nights( last night was this crazy 2 piece what i like to call "instruMetal" band that rocked harder and longer that almost anyone i've ever seen. their intensity was electric), the jukebox kicks ass, the bartenders are heavy handed and friendly, the ambiance makes me feel right at home. i just love it!
so by walking around downtown on friday nights looking for a few friends and that perfect dive bar, i have re-discovered san jose and all of it's quirks. it's not the most exciting place in the world, but it's home.
ps. many thanks to Nina for another fun night, helping me find my way around san jose once again, and Denny's at 4am. yum!
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