Friday Recap: Wine Cabana, Habitat House, Beauty Bar, Tower Bar, Ken Club

Let's take the weekend recap day by day, shall we?

The evening started around 6, when Sophie picked me up and we headed to Wine Cabana. There was a free happy hour for some Young and New Lawyers Association. She signed us in, we got our drink tickets, grabbed a glass of wine each, hit the amazing selection of cheeses provided by Venissimo Cheese on W. Washington, found seats in one of the cabanas, and proceeded to be completely oblivious and anti-social with all the lawyers. Far too many pleated pant in one room, for sure. As people drank through their 2 drink tickets, the crowd eased up a little and the owner, Keith, came and hung out with us for a bit. By around 8, we had our fill and decided it was time for the next stop.

That led to us parking at Sophie's house, grabbing a couple Sapporos in brown bags and heading to the Habitat House.


It's such a cool open environment for some pretty trip experimental music. We saw Cloak, a two-piece with guitar and bass, and vocal looping. After some dramatic intro songs, out came this guy in a cloak, gurgling and humming and making other eccentric noises into the mic.






I'm sure it was very arty and skillful, but I was having a fit of wine giggles and had a hard time keeping a straight face. This would've probably been something I was really into on a Tuesday, but it was Friday and I couldn't sit still, so we decided to move on to our next stop.

We arrived while A Weeks Worth was already onstage. I grabbed a vodka tonic (Thanks, Sophie for driving!!) and headed to watch the band and take pics. Sophie bought me a glass of champagne (because we are such classy ladies) so I was double fisting at that point. This was a much better venue for A Weeks Worth and they were a good fit with Dynamite Walls. The last time I saw them, I loved them, and have been really enjoying their CD, but Rosie O'Grady's was not the venue for them.



They play catchy alternative pop so if you want something with a sharp edge, this isn't the band for you, but for me, I like good melodies in my rock. A Weeks Worth has got that.
Here's their set list:


In between bands I met the guys in Dynamite Walls and their manager and they are doing very well for themselves. They have completed their album but the release in on hold because they're being looked at by a couple labels. I thanked them for their cool photoblog from SXSW and they took the stage. More melody driven rock, I feel their success is imminent because they have mass appeal and don't try to front like they're something they're not. As I was going to sleep on Sunday night, one of their songs popped in my head and I realized just how catchy their music can be.











After a while, I realized I'd lost Sophie and eventually found her hanging out in the front of the bar with Junior Metro. The band wrapped up and the late night Beauty Bar crowd flooded in, so we decided it was time to move along. We ended up driving down Euclid to hit the Tower Bar. The Corvinas had just finished as we arrived and we caught the Husbands. The band is three chicks playing high adrenaline garage rock.

It was a little after 1 when we decided to head back to my 'hood. Sophie came into the Ken Club with me, but called it a night before I did. I ended up at the bar till last call and then a few friends came over and we hung out in my courtyard. Realizing it was approaching 4 am, we disbanded and I finally decided to call it a night.

Thursday Recap: Wine Cabana & Acid Girls @ Beauty Bar

Last night was another great night in San Diego. Granted, since I was a passenger I might've been overindulgent, but otherwise it wouldn't be worth talking about, now would it?

I started that food blog, but I'm gonna post this here, because I have found my hands down new favorite wine spot in San Diego. Bacchus was cool but pretty empty, Wine Steals is just too crowded all the time, but for me, Wine Cabana was just right. Technically last night was a singles event, but the cabanas aren't really condusive to mingling, so it's better to just go with friends, as I did. Wine Cabana is located at 2539 Congress street, right next to the cul-de-sac where you turn for Rockin Baja Lobster and just around the corner from Harney Sushi.





Last night they featured four $3 glasses of wine in addition to their regular menu which has all wines priced by the taste (a 2 1/2 oz pour), the glass (a 5 oz. pour) or the bottle. They also have wine for sale in the front of the place that you can purchase by the bottle/case and if you'd like to consume on the property you pay an $8 corkage fee. They have a small menu of standard wine bar fare, i.e. assorted cheeses, salami, paté, olives, antipasto and desserts. Some of the wine was good. Some of it resulted in this face:



All in all, it was a good time. We opted for a cabana inside, though the space appears to be a converted garage, so it can get a little cold...there are also plenty of seats at the cozy bar or in the patio couches and cabanas. I know where I'll be spending some warm summer nights, when I switch from my love of spicy reds with bite to chilled pinot grigios. And honestly, the guys there obviously love what they're doing and are super cool and without any pretense. In an "I know you from somewhere" moment, turns out the owner Keith (in picture, middle) was a bartender at Qualcomm stadium, so I knew him from the club level bars through Damien (old Jewel Box bartender), Billy (from The Waterfront) and Devlin (from the Ken Club). Sometimes I love that San Diego is so small.




After some wine, Andrea, Marie and I headed to Beauty Bar. Marie (Haddad) sang a little since some creep stole her stereo. We arrived at BB while the regular Powder Room guys were still spinning. Eventually the DJ duo, dubbed Acid Girls, played? spun? clicked? Sorry, I still really don't understand the big deal with DJs. Especially when they are using $2500 computers to play shit I was dancing to in Tijuana when I was 16. Really. It was a fun night, but I suspect that was more because of the wine flights + vodka tonics (Bryant was bartending) than the dancing/dj mix. Also spending an evening with Andrea, Marie, Ryan Orion, CatDirt and CatDirtWife is guaranteed good times. There were plenty of pictures taken, but since NOBODY ever looks good dancing, I'll just post these few.

Before I was tanked:


Acid Girls:


Apparently this chick thinks she owns the dance floor:


I would love to be at the Ché Café benefit tonight, but I hate driving north of the 8 and frankly, my Fridays require adult beverages. After dinner at Ponce's, I will be checking out the Modlins CD release party with Swim Party. I hear all the guys in Swim Party will be wearing speedos. Just kidding. After that, I'll head back to home base and close my night at the Ken Club. There really is so much going on tonight that the only person to kick if you miss it all is yourself. Loves you all, and don't forget to buy your blogger a cocktail :)