Bars

With a name like Six-Bears, you can guess that I've sampled the sauce more than a few times. Actually, I drink quite little and think alcohol is an overused substance in society. Drinking too much is a trait of the inferior, generally speaking. I do, however, appreciate soaking up the atmosphere in a dynamite bar/lounge. They can be found the world over, more abundantly in certain places than others. Here's a list of some of the best I've been to.

The Lounge at Peppermill's(Las Vegas, NV)
The Strip's best kept secret, this is one of the coolest lounges on the planet. It's centerpiece is a flame fountain, which is surrounded by ultra-spongy lounge seats. The interior is sleek, the lighting is very low, and the waitresses weat short skirts, dangerously low-cut tops, and sit real close to take your order. Never mind that they're old enought to be your great-aunt.

The Greenmill(Chicago, IL)
Chicago's oldest Jazz club, and a former honest-to-goodness speakeasy. A wrap-around bar fences in a large piano and pictures of Al Capone. In the back is the stage where Jazz of all kinds is featured. Around the rear entrance you can still find traces of The Greenmill's original black and white floor tiles.

The Back Door(Seattle, WA)
Don't let the homosexual nature of this bar's name fool you. This place can become quite a meat market on weekends(and I'm not talking about 'sausage'). Couches and coffe tables decorate this comfortable downtown bar. The drinks are great and so are the waitresses. You might get lucky and get some free pizza, as it is sometimes necessary, due to Washington liqour laws.

The Pyramid Brewery(Seattle, WA)
The Pyramid Brewery(right accross the street from Safeco Field) features a restaurant which, naturally, has the freshest Pyramid beer you can get. Pyramid's famous Apricot Ale will never taste so good, extra thick with enhanced Apricot flavor.

Good Luck(Los Angeles, CA)-
This place is all atmosphere. Low lights, Chinese style hanging lamps, and the color red give quite the opium den feel to this Los Feliz hole-in-the-wall. Good Luck's signature drink is tropical and blue, which rates highly with me. This is the place to make a shady deal, to pass numbers back and forth accross the table regarding how much the lead in a porno is going to get. 'Luck is right around the corner from The Vista theater, one of the best places to see a flick.

The Iron Horse(Missoula, MT)
A Missoula classic which offers good beer and drinks and great bar food(including a good candidate for Missoula's best burger). The 'Horse is part ski lodge, part student bar and was probably the all-time champ with the Sig Ep's when I was there. Also, the hottest waitresses in Missoula.

The Rhino(Missoula, MT)
A real Montana bar featuring 50 beers on tap. A favorite with the hemp & North Face crown. My favorite pastime at this downtown nook is eating peanuts and tossing the shells carelessly to the floor.
In days of yore, The Rhino was frequented by The Imbiber Hall of Famer James Billington.

Lounge at the DoubleTree(Missoula, MT)
Known by those close to him as the only Missoula bar that Carl Beatty will willingly go, the Double Tree lounge is the most comfortable place in town to get a drink. The atmosphere is classy, quiet, with no trace of college students. The Clark Fork River can be seen from the lounge's charming setting. Live music on weekends. Years ago Brett Bell could be found spinning tracks at the lounge on Thursdays.

Stevenson's(Kauai, HI)
Probably the most tasteful, classy, and beautifully designed watering hole I've ever been to. Located in Poipu Bay's Hyatt Regency(and named after Robert Louis Stevenson, who lived on Kauai for a time), Stevenson's offers billiard tables, leather chairs, and books aplenty. There are several captivating locales within which to situate oneself in Stevenson's, including the exquisite bar, the splendid terrace overlooking the Pacific, and among the thoughtfully stocked book shelves.

The Worst of the Worst:
The Viper Room(West Hollywood, CA)
A $15 cover to stand and watch pathetic bands. So what if Johnny Depp is co-owner and River Phoenix died there? Don't waste the time or money.
Jay's(Missoula, MT)
Jay's Upstairs is well known in Missoula for its live music. The downstairs bar is the scariest and smelliest bar I've been to, with a clientele that make G.W.A.R. look wholesome.

Daddy's(Hollywood, CA)
The ultimate Hollywood bar, dark, sleek, and very Chandler-esque. Located right in the heart of Hollywood, Daddy's is noted as one of the top singles bars in L.A.

Joe's(Payette, ID)
Joe's is a real country bar, the kind where they have a mechanical bull not just as a retro novelty, but because they'd never think not to have one. Ridin' the bull is the best thing to do at Joe's. A close second is dancing with one of the provincial waitresses.