Propeller Skies

After eating some tasty food at JCT Kitchen, the hardcore partiers moved on to Top Floor. Strangely, despite being located in Atlanta, Top Floor is not an Atlanta bar. The bar ambiance is similar to something one might find in the PGH, or the northeast in general. Top Floor reminded me of The Grille on Seventh.

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Being an aspiring mixologist, I always scope out the liquors and liqueurs on the top shelf to ascertain the mojo of the bar. Top Floor had a bottle of Lillet Blanc, so I asked for a Vesper. I did not see the bartender pull the Lillet off the top shelf, so I was surprised when he put a drink down in front of me. The drink was most certainly not a Vesper, but it was citrusy and rather tasty, so I did not knife the bastard.

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Later in the evening, Bartender Number Two showed up and The Apple Fanboy ordered me another Vesper. Bartender Number Two hooked a cracka up with a proper Vesper. He also stated, wrongly, I might add, that the Vesper was a fictional drink. In truth, the Vesper was created by a bartender patronized regularly by Ian Fleming. Apparently, Mr. Fleming enjoyed the drink so much he included it in his novel.

Towards the end of the night, I observed Bartender Number Two squeezing fresh limes. Any bar that uses fresh fruit is top notch, and a rarity indeed.

Top Floor is a great neighborhood bar and was the highlight of the evening. Too bad the joint is not in my neighborhood.

Somewhere in Augusta is located in a shopping center on Washington Road. This should come as no surprise to alert Prizzo Skeezy readers familiar with the AUG, because everything in Augusta is located in strip commercial along Washington Road.

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hanging out at Somewhere in Augusta with Recurring Propeller Skies characters H-Dogg and The Photographer. Highlights of Somewhere in Augusta include the following:

• Our waitress had a nice rack;
• The aforementioned waitress wore a tight shirt ;
• Our waitress also possessed a tight ass and nice legs;
• Said waitress had mad sartorial skills, as she wore ridiculously short shorts; and
• Last, and most importantly, Terrapin Rye Pale Ales sold for only three dollars per bottle.

As mentioned previously, the bartender at the Grille on Seventh recommended I mosey on down to the Ale House to continue sampling tasty brews. The Ale House is a cleverly hidden hole in the wall on Market Square. One has to be looking to find it - had the previous bartender not mentioned it, I would have missed it.

I walked in to the Ale House and sat down next to an unsavory character. He asked for cheapest beer. Much to my amusement, the bartender told him they specialized in expensive microbrews. He went on his way.

For my first beer, I ordered an imperial India Pale Ale (IPA). As it was mighty zesty, I really wish I could remember what the fuck it was. Next up, some local flavor. I consumed a Pennsylvania Brewing Company Dark Lager. While this beer was all right, I doubt I will ever have another. I drank more beers. Towards the end, I requested another local beer and the bartender dug up a Lancaster Hop Hog IPA. This beer is the shizznit. Everything is blurry after that - the Ale House is highly recommended.

The bartender was super friendly, she sat and chatted with me after a bunch of suits at the other end of the bar left. Fortunately, I was so wasted that it did not occur to me that she might be amiable to going back to the hotel. This saved an embarrassing whiskey dick episode and then chucked corn all over her.

My second night in the PGH, I dropped into The Grille on Seventh for dinner. The food was not so good. It was decent by Pittsburgh standards, but poor in comparison to Atlanta. I will not belabor this, as the bartender was fucking awesome.

I was wearing my Southern Tier shirt and the bartender, an obvious beer fan, asked if I worked there. I responded with something like, no, I just drink the beer. I asked about the Magic Hat display and had a taste of the Apricot beer. Not bad, but I do not generally care for a side of fruit in my beer. Next I tried the Magic Hat wheat beer, which was excellent. After that, I had a Hop Devil India Pale Ale from Victory, which was mighty tasty. I don’t remember the rest.

Some time during the beer drinking and discussion of microbrews, a crew rolled up from the horrible restaurant next to the hotel, which I did not eat at, complements of Citysearch. They were pretty cool folks and Big Lebowski fans as a bonus. Because the place was dead anyway, the bartender shut down early. On my way out, he recommended the Ale House.

For the final stop on the Excursion d’Atlanta Est, recurring Propeller Skies characters Hunter, The Photographer, and I dropped in to the Graveyard Tavern for a few beers. Alert Prizzo Skeezy readers may recall I was less than impressed with the food at the Graveyard Tavern the last time I stopped in. However, I promised to stop again and review its suitability as a bar.

Despite its craptacular restaurant, the Graveyard Tavern is a premium place to drink. Beer selection is good, with a bias towards the old world - especially England. The superlative bar provides plenty of space for relaxing with a crowd of friends. Service was generally prompt, except when attempting to pay the tab. The Graveyard Tavern earns a rating of somewhat smoove, mostly due to several excellent and proximate competing establishments. Some smokin’ hot bartenders with loads of cleavage might provide a competitive advantage.

Alert Propeller Skies readers know I spend ass loads of time at The Earl. Usually in the back room listening to the super sounds of the Atlanta indie scene. On occasion, usually when a friend is in town, I like to hang out in the front room at the bar.

After eating a tasty dinner at the Mexican restaurant in East Atlanta, recurring Propeller Skies characters Hunter, The Photographer, and I headed up Flizzo Sheezy to The Earl for a few drinks. I like The Earl, because it is filled with a range of cats from indie chicks with nice racks to crazy motherfucking homeless people. I also enjoy the dive bar ambiance. Just kidding, I really like The Earl because it is economical. Additionally, the bartenders are always quick with another Rolling Rock. The Earl is totally bitchin’.

Saturday night, I dropped by El Bar with a few recurring Propeller Skies characters. El Bar had a strangely diverse crowd, a hot bartender, and no Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Despite the lack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, I recommend El Bar.

Last Wednesday, I stopped by Six Feet Under to meet recurring Propeller Skies character The Professor. Six Feet Under is conveniently located in the ghetto, across the street from Oakland Cemetary. However, Six Feet Under makes up for the less than stellar location with cheap beer*, and plenty of it, on tap.

Decor at Six Feet under is similar to a neighborhood dive - plenty of neon beer signs and retro beer cans are scattered throughout. In contrast to standard neighborhood dives, Six Feet Under is mopped every now and again. This is a great place to drink without being overly bourgeoisie.

A key feature of Six Feet Under is the roof, which has fantastic views of downtown Atlanta and the aforementioned burial ground. I highly recommend drinking at Six Feet Under. However, eating there is not recommended because the food tastes foul even after consuming several beers.

notes:

* The cheap beer in question is Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Friday after work, I met up with some old colleagues and several recurring Propeller Skies characters at a little Midtown joint called Vickery’s. I like Vickery’s, the decor is somewhat retro without being over the top. The seats are comfortable and the outdoor brick patio is spectacular in nice weather. A good selection of beer is available, including my personal favorite Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, in bottles or on tap. In contrast to other Midtown venues, the staff is very laid back and quick to bring the booze. I recommend Vickery’s.

Last night, I met a friend and former coworker at Mid City Cuisine for drinks. It was my first time there and upon entering it immediately reminded me of Goldfish, Twist, and other upscale eateries commonly found in Atlanta shopping malls.

I took a seat at the bar and ordered a glass of a Pinotage that turned out to be acceptable. I then turned my attention to the scenery, which was also acceptable and not spectacular like other Midtown venues, such as Apres Diem. Soon my friend arrived and we split a bottle of Zinfandel that was much better than my first glass of wine. We chilled for a while at the bar and then headed home.

Overall, the experience was pleasant, but not spectacular. This bar came very close to receiving a recommended rating, however other Midtown bars in the same market segment offer better spaces and more spectacular scenery.