Greater Seattle Dive Bar Meet Up

October 8, 2007 3:43 PM

As alluded to here, I would like to formally propose a meet up at the Eastlake Zoo. It's a dive bar, true, and a relict from a bygone epoch but there are few such places left hereabouts and none as venerable. I'm thinking somewhere between Thursday October the 25th to Sunday October the 28th at 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the evening, depending upon who's doing what all where else when. I lean towards any of those days, myself. Of course, the total guts move would be to show up for their Halloween party. Just sayin'...

It has, under a quarter inch of varathane on the bar top, for instance, a 1971 vintage hipster collage that's one of the seven wonders of historic Seattle--a veritable visual time capsule of 60s psychedelia. Draft beers from Grants to PBR abound as does a similar range of wine as well. There are mass pool tables and four or five pinball machines. They don't serve food beyond jerky, pickles, chips and pickled eggs but Romio Pizza delivers and one could get take out from the 14 Carrot Cafe next door as well. There are four tables in back on a balcony along the back wall with a view of Queen Anne and the Seattle Center which we could take over--I ran the concept by Howard and he's down with it. It would be an act of conviviality and historic preservation all at once, sez I. What say ye ?

posted by y2karl to MetaFilter gatherings at 3:43 PM (35 comments total)

Motion seconded.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:03 PM on October 8, 2007

Sorry Karl, but why is that *so* small? I am not the target group, but even so... why make it difficult for *any one* to read it? BTW - I have supported your posting styles passim. FYI.
posted by dash_slot- at 4:10 PM on October 8, 2007

God, I love dive bars. Wish I could be there, but I'll drink a cheap beer in your honor.
posted by languagehat at 5:13 PM on October 8, 2007

God, I love dive bars.

Quoted for truth. I too will toast y'all with some crappy beer in absentia.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:22 PM on October 8, 2007

why is that *so* small?

I was typographically mumbling under my breath.                 ...turkey
posted by y2karl at 5:33 PM on October 8, 2007

I've done a meetup there before. It's a dive, but it's nowhere near the Baranoff.

Thursday is best for me. Sunday evening a little less so. Saturday and Sunday are no's.
posted by dw at 6:24 PM on October 8, 2007

Wow, I haven't been to the Zoo in years. It would be a trip to be there and have it NON-SMOKING!!

I seem to remember vaguely erudite graffiti in the men's room...
posted by Tube at 6:28 PM on October 8, 2007

I'll be there. Any day is fine by me. However, if it is on Thursday I'll be late.

And y2karl, bring your special "photo-hat", as I'm bringing a camera.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 6:47 PM on October 8, 2007

I somehow can't imagine the Zoo withOUT being able to smoke there. -sigh-
posted by tristeza at 7:29 PM on October 8, 2007

Yo, dash_slot, don't mess with y2karl.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:46 AM on October 9, 2007

So, I am thinking that it's Thursday, October 28th @ 7:00 PM. All in favor, say aye. Or something like that.
posted by y2karl at 9:53 AM on October 9, 2007

Aye! I can't promise to be there -- evenings are always tricky -- but I'll do my best.

(Gentle reminder: Grinders! This Saturday!)
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:58 AM on October 9, 2007

I'll probably try to maybe come.
posted by jeffamaphone at 10:51 AM on October 9, 2007

We will put you down for a possible tentative maybe, then.
posted by y2karl at 11:09 AM on October 9, 2007

Can't do Thursdays, but hope it comes together!
posted by tristeza at 12:46 PM on October 9, 2007

Wait, isn't October 28 a Sunday? This is the big weekend for Halloween parties we're talking about so I would vote for Thursday (the 25th, people) unless you can promise me a fog machine, fake spider webs, and dancing to the Monster Mash.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:34 PM on October 9, 2007

Oh, man, you are right and I was wrong. Thursday is the 25th and this is what I meant to write:

So, I am thinking that it's Thursday, October 25th @ 7:00 PM...
posted by y2karl at 1:52 PM on October 9, 2007

Sorry, got Flickr meetup on that day.
posted by matildaben at 3:43 PM on October 9, 2007

Ok, there it is, the 25th. I'll likely be there.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:26 PM on October 9, 2007

Aw, dude. Thursday evenings I go to microbiology class and dye bacteria colors. I won't be able to make it.

You guys drink a couple for me, okay?
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:11 PM on October 9, 2007

Gee...I used to live a block from there. And now I'm in Pennsylvania. Sigh. Have a good time!
posted by leahwrenn at 1:29 PM on October 10, 2007

(And I got the date wrong on the Shoreline meetup. I meant to say it was the 20th, not this weekend. Apologies.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:18 PM on October 10, 2007

I'm in. I haven't seen Karl in yonks!
posted by black8 at 1:12 PM on October 11, 2007

I'll be in Seattle on the 25th doing an in-studio interview for RainyDawg Radio and then playing at The Mars Bar at 9 PM, so if anyone wants to head over after the meetup, come say hi.
posted by ludwig_van at 11:50 AM on October 16, 2007

I'm now iffy for Grinders but should be good for this...
posted by vito90 at 1:13 PM on October 16, 2007

Hey that's cool, ludwig_van, The Mars Bar is basically on the same street, just about 1/2 mile south. Keep your eyes peeled for Mefites.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:02 PM on October 16, 2007

I might stop by. In town for a conference all week. The big shin-dig is on Thursday night but if it sucks I'll bail (which is a very good possibility).
posted by purephase at 6:15 PM on October 21, 2007

I teach on Thursday evenings. And after I am beat.

But the Zoo!? Hell. It's been years.
posted by tkchrist at 4:33 PM on October 22, 2007

So, bring the kids.
posted by y2karl at 5:17 PM on October 22, 2007

On a side note--

In decor and atmosphere, the Zoo looks much the same as it did back in the day, which is part of its charm. Its history is layered on its walls. There are pictures of friends, family and baseball teams and such that have been added over the years, a wall of posters in back from when it featured bands on weekends. There's a goofy outsider art sort of mural of the place on one inside wall. And the bar top is worth an inspection. It's the sort of place that time forgot, one of a set of such hereabouts that can just about be counted on one hand.

I can remember when it was the It'll Do way back when in my underage drinking days. Stan Poll, who also owned the Blue Moon for a time, bought it around 1971 and turned it into the Eastlake Zoo but it became a co-operative a few years later when the people working there bought him out. If I recall correctly, Poll at one point got in big trouble over taxes not witheld at one point in the past and even did some time over it. Whether that had anything to do with the coming about of the co-op part, I know not. When Poll changed it into the Zoo, he put in a huge billboard sized poster of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes on one inside wall and a super graphic painting of the cover of the second Band album outside on the wall along Lynn street. The Band is long gone but Basil Rathbone still holds court within.

Here is a review: Pub Crawl: The Zoo Tavern Note, though, that the Zoo apparently does have WiFi now.

Here are some pictures of the bar gleaned via Google and Coralized:


By the bar

View from the balcony

Another shot of the bar

mirror in the men's room


In front there is Simpsons Pinball Party sitting next to a content it should not be played by anyone.">South Park pinblall machine. Now, there's a location ripe for taping some audio vérité.

And in back is the balcony or mezzanine or whatever, with a couple of booths, more tables and chairs and a view of the Queen Anne and the Space Needle. That seems like the natural base camp.
posted by y2karl at 10:20 AM on October 24, 2007

Tonight the moon is full and at its largest all year. 30,000 miles closer, 14% bigger and 30% brighter. It has been a wonder this week. Get out and take a look.

Hope to see ya there...
posted by y2karl at 5:04 PM on October 25, 2007

Hiya peeps, if'n any of y'all is sufficiently geeky to check this thread whilst yonder!
posted by mwhybark at 8:58 PM on October 25, 2007

CRAP! Missed it. Please post pictures!
posted by vito90 at 10:15 PM on October 25, 2007

Hiya peeps, if'n any of y'all is sufficiently geeky to check this thread whilst yonder!

That would be dw, I think, and he might have, but then you would have heard.

I will compose a gracious and witty dissertation when I am capable thereof--don't hold your breath, buddies--but the long and short of it is it was a ton o' fun. Lots of laughs and a couple of free pitchers of beer thrown in by Howard, bless his heart. We sat up in the balcony around a big funky table and shot the shit, so to speak. The attendees were Slarty Bartfast, black8, dw, rider, Tube, Kat Allison, my friend Vera--an occasional lurker non-member--and me.

Random thoughts: I was well impressed by all in attendance. What a bunch of smart people. We had a former member of the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow, a doctor and an ubergeek. And Chester J. Lampwick. I hope I didn't use my outside voice too much. I had a wonderful time. Jeez, I laughed a lot. I would buy this meetup again.

And when I walked back home, I walked up Summit where it's a back street to mansions and stood wherever possible in unadulterated moonlight, which is tricky in a city. But I did as best as one could. God, the moon is bright. And now I am going back out to see if I can see the comet. If it's still where it can be seen. Get out in the moonlight--it is just a wonder.
posted by y2karl at 11:17 PM on October 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Pictures coming in 5...4...3...
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 10:32 AM on October 27, 2007