They mean it when they say Time Out

My tattoo artist recommended this week's spot to me. He said I would love Time Out Lounge at the Northeast corner of Mill and Southern, in the very back of the plaza. He said he thought I'd like it because it is a quiet spot, and he seems to think being in school is stressing me out. Imagine that.

I pulled up and thought that the outside looked a little less than welcoming. I mean, it's all boarded up and you can't really tell anything about the place from the outside. It occurred to me that my artist can have a messed up sense of humor sometimes, and I thought maybe this was some not-so-funny joke.

However, I'm glad I walked in anyway. There are four pool tables in the center of the room, and a long bar to the right. The other side of the room in lined with booths. It's a single room, and not very big. There are old-school arcade games against the far wall. This place isn't just a friendly neighborhood bar; it's a quiet neighborhood bar. If there were 30 people in it, it would seem busy.

They don't sell food at Time Out Lounge, but they offer an interesting alternative. The bar tender offered me a menu list of places that deliver to the bar. Talk about feeling like I never left my living room!

I got a drink right away, and the bartender was friendly, but here's the best part: They have ACE Pear Cider. I am a nut for pear cider after doing some time in Texas, where it's very common. It really is quite tasty, and ACE is one of my favorite brands.

It's very dark in Time Out Lounge, and the atmosphere is relaxing. There is a jukebox, but no one seemed all that interested in it. The bartender said it's busy on the weekends, but as I said, it would seem busy with 30 people in it. I can see why my tattoo artist likes it, since he loves to sit somewhere quite and draw for hours on end.

Overall, I'd say it's a great place to brood about test scores, hide from homework, or take some time out. However, this is not a place to meet people. If you want to hang out with someone, I think you better bring them. The barflies all know each other and didn't seem interested in talking to the new kid. So, bring your own company if you want some. Otherwise, check it out for the peace and quiet. I know that's what I liked about it.

— Jenifer DeLemont

A place to take a chance

The Horse and Hound got a make-over this year, but some things never change. The new sound system and internet jukebox are fancy, but it's still a bar for off-track betting enthusiasts, no matter how you dress it up. The customers sit in the east room with their eyes glued to the TV screens, waiting to see if their dog or horse is going to make them money. Sometimes they win, and buy a round for their friends. Sometimes they loose, and sulk in dismay. It's dramatic and tense; probably more than your average sports bar. Some play the ponies for fun and say they could stop anytime, and some admit they can't stay away.

It's not just off-track betting though. November 18, poker enthusiasts can come down to the Horse and Hound at 4 p.m. and compete for a chance to win a seat at the World Series of Poker worth $10,000.

For those who aren't into loosing a small fortune gambling on anything, there is more to the Horse and Hound than off-track betting and poker. The main room of this bar is the restaurant area with tables, waitresses, and an extensive menu. My waitress recommended the chicken sandwich, which is tasty, but there is a huge variety of sandwiches, as well as typical bar food like burgers, hot dogs, and wings. They have food specials every day, and I went on a Tuesday, which is all-you-can-eat taco day. I did not take advantage of this and eat all the tacos I could, but they did look tasty.

The spacious patio with bar access plays host to a whole different type of person; there to drink and have fun. Of course, they serve drinks all over Tempe so it might have been the happy hour specials that made this seem like a great spot to hang out and drink. It's all about the $2 cape cods. If you're a beer person, they have $1.50 pints of domestic beers, which you might want to enjoy while you can, because I suspect the price of beer is going to go up as the hops shortage becomes felt in the industry. Bar tenders all over are worried that the cheap pint of beer may be rather elusive in the months to come. But, I digress. As a bartender myself, hops shortages are the types of things that keep me up at night.

The moral of the story is, the Horse and Hound has something for everyone, including video games, shuffle board, and pool. I had seen it many times because it's right next to Chasers at the Northeast corner of Dorsey and Broadway roads, and I have been to Chaser's for several concerts. For some reason, I never dropped in, but I'm glad I finally did. It’s a very diverse environment. As usual though, don't bring your younger friends, because this is a 21 and over bar.

— Jenifer DeLemont

Get your Irish on

Rula Bula is the kind of place that is neat because it's different. All semester I've been writing this blog and looking for the coolest bars to tell you about, and what I have found is that most bars are pretty much the same.

My friend Shari from Scotland came to visit and suggested Rula Bula. She had been there before and remembered that they have excellent food. I have never been one for Irish food, because as far as I knew, it was all boiled cabbage or potatoes. However, a trip to this place totally changed my mind.

I don't know what drink goes with Irish food if you aren't a beer person, but I had a Sunkiss, which the bartender brought over right away. (Sunkiss: Vodka, O.J. and Red Bull.)

For dinner, I had the pecan encrusted salmon. It came with Brussels sprouts. I had never eaten Brussels sprouts because apparently my mom had nightmares about them. I guess her mom used to force her to eat them, and she hated them, so they where not allowed in the house. However, I think even my mom would like the Brussels sprouts at Rula Bula. I don't know what they cook them in, but they really are delicious. The salmon was awesome too.

When you see Rula Bula on Mill, it looks like a really small place. I figured it would be tiny inside. The front is small and rather unimpressive. I have to say though, it's much bigger on the inside, with a long bar, lots of tables, and a patio. It reminded me of some sort of fold in space-time like in Star Trek. From the outside it seems like a single-room kind of place like last week's bar Time Out Lounge. But when you walk inside, the place is spacious and welcoming. Shari said it reminded her of a little pub in Scotland where she lives. I've never been to Scotland or Ireland, but it was definitely a good place to spend a few hours catching up with a friend.

So, if you're ready to expand your horizons and warm up to some good old Irish cooking, check out Rula Bula.


— Jenifer DeLemont

A Night at the Tavern with Dan Tedesco

The Vine Tavern is located near the Tempe campus on the southwest corner of Apache and Rural. It's a large bar with pool tables and a patio for smokers. I went there to check out a solo artist who graduated from ASU a few years ago named Dan Tedesco. Dan moved to Chicago recently after getting his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, but still comes out to play shows.The Vine was not exactly crowded on a Tuesday night, but the bartender said that it generally isn't busy on weekdays. The bar has specials on beer, but unfortunately a white Russian is a little pricey.

The crowd was mostly ASU students, which is not true of all bars around campus. As I have mentioned before, Prankster's get ASU faculty, but not students. The Sets gets few ASU students, and the Yucca Tap Room also rarely gets ASU students. This is interesting since all of these places are as close to the Tempe campus as The Vine. So, if I had wondered before where the students go, now I know. The bar even keeps The State Press next to the front door, although I didn’t see any issues of SPM.

Everyone was friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxing and mellow. Perhaps that was due, in part, to the fact that Dan was playing. His style is mellow rock and roll similar to Tom Petty, and I think the music might have had an effect on the crowd. Interestingly, when Dan took a break, the bar had metal music playing, which was a little out-of-place in a sleepy tavern.

The Vine Tavern meets all my basic requirements, including nice people and affordable drinks. Another plus, in my opinion, is the graffiti on the women's bathroom walls. I have always liked places that allow that kind of thing because it adds character and lets you see what sort of people come to the bar. I don’t know if they have graffiti in the men's bathroom as well, but I thought checking might not go over well with the staff, so that will have to remain a mystery for now.

Having never seen the Vine crowded, I can't say how that would look. But I can say it's bigger than most of the bars in the area. The pool room is in the back and partially separated form the main room, which is large and has both booths and tables. The patio runs the entire length of the building and is big enough to accommodate a large crowd. It definitely stuck me as a fun place to go out and meet other ASU students. I tried to find a Web site for this bar and failed, but it's stumbling distance from campus and easy to find.

As for Dan Tedesco, I feel like I should mention that he drops in and plays near ASU a few times a year. After graduating from ASU he ended up playing music full-time, and he's fun to check out when he's in town. Being a former Sun Devil, he sings a lot about things students can relate to. He does have a Web site, at dantedesco.com.

— Jenifer DeLemont

To see and not be seen at Chaser's

Chaser's music venue on the southeast corner of Hayden and Roosevelt in Scottsdale is definitely a dive bar. It's dark, and on your average day it's not exactly crowded.

The bar is 21 and over, but on nights when they have concerts there is an all-ages section where you can hang out with your underage friends.

There isn't much for food. They sell bags of chips at the bar, but this is mostly a place to go drink. Two pool tables provide something to do while you're hanging out, and drinks are reasonably priced.

The crowd in Chaser's on a weekday is mostly people from the neighborhood. On those days, it's a kick-back environment where you could go and find some peace and quiet.

However, on weekends, bands take the stage and bring an entirely different crowd. Sometimes they have a rock and roll cover bands playing tunes everyone can sing along with. Some nights they have local bands like Ikonoklast or Selfless take the stage and bring a crowd of kids that are into the industrial sound.

On those nights, it's not unusual to see kids in spikes and chains show up to dance.

Chaser's is generally a very friendly environment. When I went there for a show, everyone was friendly and nice. I went there again on a weekday, and people generally kept to themselves, but they were friendly too. It's not a place where you would expect to see a fight break out.

It's a little hard to get a drink on a night when there is a show, since the bar is very small and off to the side of the pool tables and the stage. Still, it didn't take as long as other places I've been. Chaser's accepts credit cards, and has a variety of beer and liquor. On a weeknight, the service is quick since there are generally not many people there.

Overall I'd say it's not a place to see and be seen like Anderson's Fifth Estate, Club 6, and other Scottsdale bars. It's just place to chill out with friends.
—Jenifer DeLemont

Prompt service at the Yucca Tap Room

The Yucca Tap Room was a little hard to find. Hearing it was on the corner of Mill and Southern made it sound like I could just drive up and see it. This is not exactly true. So I went to the Circle K on the corner and asked the clerk where to find it and where to park. He told me it was three doors down, but the parking was in the back of the strip mall, so you had to drive all the way around. He warned me though, because I guess I didn't look like a typical patron of the bar, "It's full of hicks."

As promised, The Yucca Tap Room does have a few people in cowboy boots and cowboy hats. However, everyone was really nice, and no one seemed to mind that my clothes didn't fit in.

More importantly, I had a drink within about 30 seconds of sitting down at the bar, and the service was prompt all night. The prices are fair, and a college student would be able to afford a night out there. Bring cash though, as the Yucca doesn't except cards. Another unusual thing about the Yucca is that they don't serve draft beer. That's okay with me, since I don't drink draft beer. But for all you kids who like to split a pitcher, you can't do it at the Yucca.

There is only one pool table, so it might not be the best place to show up hoping to play pool. They have a decent size stage, although they don’t have bands every night. The main feature in the Yucca is definitely the bar, as it takes up most of the room. It's really a place to go and unwind and drink. It's quiet, and peaceful. When I walked in, The Refreshments where playing on the juke box, which I took as a good sign since they're one of the best bands I think the Valley has produced. It was also nice to hear mostly upbeat songs, to spite the stereotype of country music making people cry in their beers.

I think the Yucca would be a good place to go for a quiet date. You know, when you want to talk to someone and you don't want anyone to bother you, but you're not ready to take them home. Or maybe a friend you never get to see and you want to talk to. It's a good place to have a long conversation in peace, and not run out of beer while doing it.

The most important things to me when I go somewhere is that the people are friendly, I can get a drink in a reasonable amount of time, and it doesn't cost and arm and a leg to do it. By those standards, the Yucca Tap Room passes the test.

— Jenifer DeLemont

Jugheads: A venue only knuckleheads could love

I went to Jugheads at 52nd Street and McDowell Road to see a band called (Sic)monic because I had interviewed them recently and wanted to go to a show. I'd never been to Jugheads before, but my friend Carl Jenkins goes to more local shows than anyone I know, and he warned me that it was not an impressive venue. He was right.

There's no need to walk inside. The corner of the room that serves as a floor-level "stage" is visible from outside the door. If you do walk in, I hope you like to get cozy with strangers. I stood right in front of the singer of (Sic)monic, but was unfortunately pressed up against a very drunk guy with lots of facial piercing who was standing behind me. I realize that at national acts like Korn or Gin Blossoms, you expect to be squished by people. But local shows aren't usually like that; everyone generally gives everyone else space.

I guess Jugheads has its own crowd of people that live near by and come to get drunk more than to see the bands. And why, I would love to know, is it always the biggest and fattest guy in the whole place that gets drunk and wants to start a mosh pit? Why do drunk people walk up to you three times in ten minutes to ask you for a lighter when they should know that there is no smoking in buildings in Arizona? And most of all, why did it take so long for me to get a drink? I must have stood at the bar for 10 minutes before someone even asked me what I wanted. I understand how you could miss a short, meek girl in baggy clothes standing at the bar. But I am tall, loud and obnoxious … and in a minidress. The bartender just kept walking by. When I finally got a drink, I realized that a simple shot is $6 and nearly gagged. This place is definitely not cheap!

The band was good, and the band's fans were nice. So, that's my silver lining to the night. As for the venue and its built-in crowd, let's just say I've had much better nights out. Last week's blog on The Alwun House wasn't a bad review, just a realization that the crowd was generally much older than me, and that made me feel awkward. This is a bad review. This is somewhere I wouldn't recommend to anyone. If you're going to drive all the way to Phoenix to see a show, try The Paper Heart or Modified Arts instead, as they have a friendlier crowd and better stages and space for fans.

— Jenifer DeLemont