Barley, Hops and the Hill

I am at a loss for a witty intro so I am just going to jump in and say thanks to the Hoppers who came out to the Hill this last Happy Hour.  We were graced with the presence of Sarah, Cat, Carl-Erich, Paige, Kendra, Susie, Alexis, Jeff, and Meagan.  As a whole we took over the establishment known as Chapel and, afterwards, a duo took on Poco Wine Room.  To say the least, it was a happening time.

Chapel (1600 Melrose Ave) is probably one of my favorite spaces.  Who doesn’t love drinking in an old funeral parlor?  Personally I think there is nothing better.  Obviously, the place is rocking since The Gossip filmed a music video in the space.

  Walk in through the double doors and you emerge into a space that looks bigger than it is. The walls are painted a dark grey and are home to large arched mirrors which make the room appear three times its size.  Hopper Alexis thought it was all ‘creepy-chic’, especially with the mirrors.  A few tables scatter the center of the floor and there are about sleek white tables that line the walls.  In the center of it all in the back there is an elegantly white bar.  The top is high up and for those who are vertically challenged to begin with, this doesn’t do much for the self esteem.  But then, get this, there is outdoor seating.  And thank God for that because Chapel really doesn’t have the space for a Happy Hour crowd.  So, outside the 10 of us sat.

Five dollar martinis can’t really be beat, can they?  Especially when the selection is as wide as certain bedunk-a-dunks and pretty damn tasty.  Hopper Sarah mixed it up with first going with a lavender martini (‘made me feel like I should be in Seattle with all its organiciness’) and then a coconut martini (‘which made me feel like I should be on a beach”).  My pink martini was supposed to have a rose flavor to it but I didn’t get that.  All I know is that I don’t usually like martinis and I had two of those.  Other options people liked were the Whitehorse, Milkman’s Daughter, Sassafras (‘nice but a bit too sweet’), the mojito and Cat’s fruity explosion.  Cat, what was that called?  Hopper Jeff said the drinks were like heaven as opposed to the mussels which ‘taste like urine’.  Sometimes you guys worry me with your descriptions.  Moving on…The atmosphere outside was ‘eh’ and that was it.  Sometimes is smelled like pot, other times like yeast, and then like city air.  Yeah, weird.  The bathrooms were undercover although everyone rated them solid but Susie described the adventure best by saying ‘that you have to stand outside for a second and wonder if you were in the right place. Not fun.’  For future reference it’s a grey door with ‘MW’ in the top left corner of it.

So, we stayed there for almost 4 hours just talking amongst ourselves.  Actually the company and conversation got more rave reviews than the drinks.  Mitchell, our server, sucked and was lucky to get the automatic tip for a large party.  In summation, great drinks, I ‘by mistake’ felt up Susie, and we had to make signs for our server saying ‘We run a blog judging YOU!’ and “We’re interested in OUR CHECK”.  Check it out!

Judgings:

Drinks: 4.5 Stars

Bathroom: 3 Stars

Mitchell: Try a little harder

Food: 3.5 Stars (except for the mussels)

Company: 5 Stars!

So, a little before ten people decided they had to go home and sleep because they had been drinking for 4 hours (but nobody was drunk!).  We parted ways and then Hill Hopper Sarah and I went to Poco Wine Room (1408 East Pine).  They bill themselves as ‘an intimate retreat for friends, lovers and the wine-curious’.  Poco is a small wine bar in a two story storefront of a new condo complex.  The space itself is miniscule and I think most of us would complain if that was  our apartment.  The downstairs is just a bar with a few stools following its curve to the stairs in back.  Upstairs is really a loft with a long bar you can sit at which allows you to look at the ceiling lighting.  There are some couches and spaces which allow for some larger groups or just you plus one to sit.  The lighting was dimmed and with the dark furniture and wood decorated walls (as in decorated with wood) and it made the place feel cozy despite the fact that we were in a modern space.  It would be great for Belltown.

Sarah and I each went for a glass of red.  Mine was a $9 from Spain called Saludo and Sarah went for a $7 Chilean which we can’t remember.  Both of us liked our drinks a lot and probably would have tried some others if it didn’t drain our wallets doing so.  The vibe was relaxing and we sat there for a long time chit chatting.  It was a solid place but I don’t see myself running there anytime soon.  

Judgings:

Wines: 4 Stars

Ambiance: 4 Stars

Server: 4 Stars (perfect amount of attentiveness)

And with that we wrapped the night.  Chapel was a total good time and I would suggest it for Happy Hour (or else you pay AT LEAST $7 per drink).  Seating can be a pain in the toches to get so showing up early is key.  Poco Wine Room turned out to be a solid bet if you want a good glass of wine to match with conversation.  Don’t try people watching there since really only 5 other people could fit in the place.  Thanks, again, to the Hill Hoppers who came out this week.