When you spend most of your adult life in a different city than your sister, you don't get much chance to know the everyday aspects of her neighborhood, her friends, or her drinking habits. Sure, there's Facebook and its uncanny way of tempting you to check-in and post pictures while you're out on the town, but it's not quite the same as actually being there, sharing a beer, and listening to the other patrons tell stories and tease her.
I've visited my sister several times since she's moved to Oakland, but very rarely have we gone out for drinks. In fact, I can really only think of one time when we went to a bar specifically to have a beer, and it was a nice Belgian-style pub with tasty Belgian ales. Definitely not the same as a local dive bar with PBR. Definitely not the same as Baggy's by the Lake (aka "The Bag").
So there we were, at The Bag. When we walked in, all kinds of people lit up as they saw my sister and greeted her with smiles and hugs. She introduced me to about half the folks there during our arrival, and they greeted me with smiles and warm handshakes. Except Anthony. He insisted that I give him a hug (totally cool: he's a great hugger). And you know it's a good local when its bartenders and bouncers off shift are there drinking too. The on-shift bartender was excited to learn that I was from Wisconsin (she's from Green Bay), and they had PBR on tap right next to their local craft brews.
We met up with one of my sister's former roommates and shared stories about strip club dining in Portland, various paramours, city scenes, and drunk dancing. I think my favorite quote of the night was "That's not a dance, it's a mating call!" CSI: NY was on the television, great music that wasn't too hip for me was on the jukebox, and the place eventually became pretty busy - I love that on a Sunday night. Last Sunday, I was in Grants Pass at Taprock, and I missed the Sunday night camaraderie I typically seek at one of my favorite haunts. This Sunday, I was perfectly content to be hanging at The Bag, keepin' it classy (as my sister would say).
I've visited my sister several times since she's moved to Oakland, but very rarely have we gone out for drinks. In fact, I can really only think of one time when we went to a bar specifically to have a beer, and it was a nice Belgian-style pub with tasty Belgian ales. Definitely not the same as a local dive bar with PBR. Definitely not the same as Baggy's by the Lake (aka "The Bag").
So there we were, at The Bag. When we walked in, all kinds of people lit up as they saw my sister and greeted her with smiles and hugs. She introduced me to about half the folks there during our arrival, and they greeted me with smiles and warm handshakes. Except Anthony. He insisted that I give him a hug (totally cool: he's a great hugger). And you know it's a good local when its bartenders and bouncers off shift are there drinking too. The on-shift bartender was excited to learn that I was from Wisconsin (she's from Green Bay), and they had PBR on tap right next to their local craft brews.
We met up with one of my sister's former roommates and shared stories about strip club dining in Portland, various paramours, city scenes, and drunk dancing. I think my favorite quote of the night was "That's not a dance, it's a mating call!" CSI: NY was on the television, great music that wasn't too hip for me was on the jukebox, and the place eventually became pretty busy - I love that on a Sunday night. Last Sunday, I was in Grants Pass at Taprock, and I missed the Sunday night camaraderie I typically seek at one of my favorite haunts. This Sunday, I was perfectly content to be hanging at The Bag, keepin' it classy (as my sister would say).
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