The Fresnan

I Enjoy, Drinking

I’ve always had a thing for a proper drink. I’ve also got a jones for local art. It’s for this reason that when approached to take part in Creative Fresno’s bartender challenge I immediately said yes. Of course that was back in 2007 when in the midst of a good karma streak I felt confident and ready to take on the world. Fast forward to 2008 and what you have is an entirely different bird. But that’s beside the point, so I’ll move on.

The challenge training took place on the Sunday preceding the event at Donavon’s (the lead organizers) home. Miriam (bartender extraordinarie) from The Landmark was our trainer. She really knows how to make you feel like you can handle a shaker at the end of two hours. I may have gained a false sense of security that afternoon. Donavon’s place was full of funny, smart and as the name suggests damn creative people. So of course I relaxed instantly and began to gauge what I thought things would be like in the actual setting.

But I gotta tell ya. Once I was at Palomino’s behind the bar with only Sunday’s two hours to prepare me, I was all thumbs. No sooner than I had gotten myself set up did someone roll up and ask for a Mojito. “Really…are you sure”? “Yep, strawberry please”. Just like that I had to dive right in and muddle on my very first try. Paul Palomino might just be the coolest man I know. He never once got mad at me for asking the same questions over and over and for stepping on his big toe. In fact at one point while Mike Oz was spinning (by the by, dope sets Mike and Tory) he leaned over and asked what night me and my boy (Mike) wanted to host our own night. Can you believe that? I’m making a mess all in the name of art in my neighborhood and he wants to know when I’ll come back? You gotta love it.

Vons: Ingredients for drunks

You know when it's two in the afternoon and you're too sloshed to go down to the store and get more booze?  No?  Oh yeah,  totally me neither.  But for those who like a good afternoon-at-home buzz, but didn't stock up enough to keep your personal party going, Vons has your solution; and it doesn't involve having to see this.

Vons now does home delivery to most areas of Fresno.  Yes, that includes booze.  And yes pothead, that includes Lucky Charms and all Hostess products.

[Disclosure: I once worked for Vons.  Much love to crews from stores 25, 506 (pictured right), 182 and 180.  All the stores are now closed...sigh]

Monday Hangover: Not enough Sudz in the City

Didn't they used to give you like twenty drink tickets for twenty bucks?  It wasn't that long ago was it?  When it was held near the Water Tower, I think.  Those were the days.  Saturday, it was thirty dollars (day of) for eight little glasses of beer.  To me, what was worse: no bands of note played - sorry every blues based band in town that performed.

I suppose the thirty bones is fine if you wanted to donate to the Downtown Association anyway.  That's where the proceeds went.

The Fresno Bee's Paula Lloyd gave a great statistical rundown of Saturday's Suds in the City event - there were 4000 drinkers at The Chuck.  By the way, the Bee is damn lucky to have Paula.  I really love the stuff she writes and hope they keep upping her profile.

Monday Hangover: Saki Bombed

Fresno is getting so jammed up with places to get sushi the awesomeness of the 80's are getting involved.

Have you tried Sushi 80's, West Shaw, yet?  You should.  Good food, service, atmosphere, location and laser disc displays.  Other customers disagree.  A quick picture review to kinda-sorta prove our point:

Enough Tasting Already

The Taste & Toast of the Tower sucks for non-winos.  Yeah I said it, big whoop, wanna fight about it?

But I guess it's not meant for the beer folk.  That's in a couple Saturdays.  Yes, there was food and tea too, but when you've already tasted the tower (many times), you just want to sit and have a real meal.

It was still fun though, seeing new and familiar faces roaming the district and enjoying themselves.  Plenty of pics and a small vid'  from Thursday, after the break:

Locally owned restaurant submits

In the continuing struggle of local businesses in a shit economy, there's another closure  to report.  Fahrenheit 5104 has shut its doors for good.

I always had a good experience there, I don't know why it didn't click with more Fresnans. 

Maybe it IS just an economy thing like part owner Raffy Check' believes [taken from Raffy's blog]:
"Well, it finally happened. On Friday, April 25, 2008, we had our last night at Fahrenheit 5104. Unfortunately, we try our hardest to withstand the wrath of this disgusting economy, but we weren't able to."

Monday Hangover: Sushi Bunnies

Besides a way too early Easter, some other things happened over a Fresno weekend:

• The Lady Dogs went down...hard.  But at least Fresno didn't catch them in the act.  Comcast blows.
• The Fresnan and Dorktown are losing the Famous Choice primaries and maybe should pullout for the good of the Fresno Blogsphere.  Orrr, there should be an investigation into why the fuck Dumb Drum and Free Thought are leading for local blog and podcast...not bitter, you know, or anything guys...just sayin'.
• Finally went to Mr. Sushi.  Food was fine, service needs some more experience and atmosphere needs some tweaking- uneven lighting is the first thing that needs work.  But I highly suggest you go and check it out yourself. (pics above and a couple below)

Fresno Focused #1: Graffiti Carne

Gangs now control Cuca's crapper.  It's true.  Just take a look at the bathroom door from Cuca's Tower District location.  Love the food there, but come on guys, ya gotta at least try and keep your doors graffiti free.

But keep the Carne Asada dinners coming.

[This is the first post of a new segment for The Fresnan called Fresno Focused - hopefully a better name is coming.  We'll just take some random picture of something in Fresno and post it.  Sometimes we'll write about it, but most of the time we'll just be lazy and let the picture speak for itself.]

No Cookies in the Tower District

Nothin' like a good kick in the cookies to start your morning.  So Fresnans, like myself, open up the front page of the Bee Thursday morning to find out the Tower District's Lauck's Bakery is closing.  The rent has become to damn much.

This just kills me.  One of my top Fresno childhood memories is regularly going down to Lauck's with my mom and getting a free peanut butter cookie.  Damn those cookies were good.

Sad stuff man.  Tower landlords better watch it.  Yes, like Bethany Clough's article says, even with higher rents, the Tower District is still lower than North Fresno.  But it could get to a point where local start-ups won't be able to afford Tower and you'll be left with more Starbucks, Dollar Stores and Blockbusters.

And they'll be nobody around to hand out free cookies.

Tomodachi - A review...sorta

The Fresnan isn't the best at reviewing stuff...yet, here we are. Went to a semi-new place in Fig Garden Village called Tomodachi. It's a kinda Japanese fast food place.

Several dishes on the menu, mostly involving chicken and rice bowls. Mine was perfect and you can see it in the video. But, apparently, they've just changed the menu and that particular bowl is gone. That sucks, you Tomodachi sons-a-bitches.

Ahh well, check out the video anyways. (Told ya we suck at reviewing)