I'm sure I wandered into an ALLIANCE watering hole. by AURaptor

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

I'm sure I wandered into an ALLIANCE watering hole.

POSTED BY: AURAPTOR
UPDATED: Saturday, April 15, 2006 20:34
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VIEWED: 2725
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Friday, April 14, 2006 3:39 PM

America loves a winner!

After a long day of work, I figured a nice pint and some dinner was in order. Those who attended the screenings of SERENITY here in Atlanta nearly a year ago are familar w/ a nice hole in the wall - Fuzzy's. Generally, I prefer a place " with a few miles on it". Where the lighting is a tad low, the carpets are a bit worn, the furniture is out of date, but the food is great and the beer is a priority.

But today, I was in the mood for a change. I wandered into a local Chilis bar/grill. Talk about a difference! I walk up to the door, and not 1 but 2 'hosts' greet me as they open the door for me. Before I know what's going on, I'm offered a seat at the bar. It's bright in there. The chairs are all lined up, turned outward just so, as if in formation. There's a menu placed in front of every chair, again in perfect formation. The large mirror behind the bar ? Not a spot or smudge on it..anywhere. The track ligthing shown down brilliantly, as if the beer and ice in the sub lighted plastic tubs needed any more illumination. I could go on and on..but I won't. It was just too funny, and the 'Alliance' image was something I couldn't get out of my mind.

At least they weren't wearing hats.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Friday, April 14, 2006 3:47 PM

SIGMANUNKI

I with you. Places like that got no character.

----
"We're in a giant car heading into a brick wall at 100 miles/hr and everybody's arguing about where they want to sit."
-David Suzuki

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Friday, April 14, 2006 3:51 PM

11THHOUR

... heh... heh...

Them Core Planet businesses just got a whole 'nother vibe goin' on... makes Browncoat folk a mite wary.

The Alliance takes the adventure outta life and calls it "good for you".

Me, I also like a place with some miles on it... don't mind some scruffiness either.

11th

________________________________________________

"Because teenage pranks are fun when you're about to die!" - Hoban Washburne

Firefly/Serenity Guerilla Marketing Posters ~ http://the11thhour.home.att.net

Serenity Inspired Cafe Press Shop ~ http://www.cafepress.com/11thhourart

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Friday, April 14, 2006 5:21 PM

ZZETTA13

AURAPTOR,

I'm sure you were on the video feed the whole time.

Z

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Friday, April 14, 2006 6:30 PM

EMMAZULE

On the other hand, the bathrooms are almost always pretty AND clean (hard to find combo!) and actually have hot water for the sinks which most places don't. And, most of the food is really good, even if most of it is a mite spicy. I like the eggroll things, so long as they've actually given you a lot of that sauce to cool them down.

And... the that meltdown cake, or whatever it's called. Oh. My. GOD. CHOCOLATE. HEAVEN! It's got a junk of fresh-made HOT, moist spongey-ish chocolate cake that is just about the darkest richest chocolate you could find, just DRENCHED, just SOAKED in warm chocolate sauce, topped with a scoop or so of vanilla ice cream (which really helps cool it down and keep it from being TOO rich) that hides a bunch more gooey, hot chocolate sauce, with that ice cream in turn being covered with that special chocolate sauce that forms a shell when it hits ice cream.

Best. Gorram. Desert. EVER.

Though Applebees has a version of it, too, and I think maybe even TGI Fridays does. Kind of like how they all have some form or another of Spinach-and-articoke dip now.

Which is kind of creepy, when you think about it. But it is handy when you aren't in the mood for any of the place's specific specialties.

Our local Chili's has a slightly more lived-in feel, but it does have a well-organized bar and clean bathrooms, so I suppose it's still Alliance-y.

The reason you were greeted by more than one employee, though, is probably because places like Applebee's and Chili's pool tips. They ALL want to give you good service, because the more they give everyone good service, the more tips they get.

I have to admit, most of my favorite restaurants are homey little holes in the walls. :P

Though I DO love this local "pizza place and art gallery" combo restaurant, even though it is very Alliance-y in that the space is so big and everything is clean and they have enough pizza varieties to make your head spin (all named after artists like Van Gogh or Renoir or Degas, too. Stuff that has Greek or asian ingredients, all kindsa neat stuf).

The worse ALliance-y place though?

Atlanta Bread and Tea Company. Don't let the name fool you. It's like a cafeteria meets a cafe with class, but it's very... Alliancey. Some good food, though, even if they're Starbucksian in their pricing sometimes (ah, another Alliance-y place: Starbucks. or Barnes & Noble, for that matter, which tends to have a Starbucks in the middle of it. Though I do have to say I'm in love with B&N anyway due to being a total nerd.)

Um. Have gone on a mite long, though.

Damn, I need some chocolate now! :P

~Emma

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 2:26 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
AURAPTOR,

I'm sure you were on the video feed the whole time.

Z

Oh, I'm well aware of that prospect as well. I felt like I was some guinea pig in a corporate field test for their new Customer First program. It felt strange.

And Emmazule, of course I agree w/ your points as well. The food was good,( buffalo wings), even if they were on the smallish side. And while I didn't check out the restrooms, I'm sure they were bright, clean and well stocked. Unlike the decor from some other places, who still hold true to the original meaning of 'Water Closet'.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 3:33 AM

ZZETTA13

"She awt-not be so clean and tiddy.It's a dead give away you don't belong here." Kaylee

EMMAZULE,
Thats the whole point. It was so Alliance. When things are to perfect,sumpns got to be wrong(not that I want to eat in a dirty cafe).Ppl have to (or need) some mess in their life. Look at Firefly/Serenity the actual spacecraft. It has that homey lived in feel. Heck I want to kick my feet up and rest them on a chair when watching the crew eat their meal in the galley. Try that in an Allied restaurant.

Yep AURAPTOR,sometime I know how you feel. I put in 12 hour days due to the way I work and sometime I feel like a salve terraformer.

Something I find interesting in the show is if it weren't for River, Dr.Tam would be a true,blue flag waving,rim trash stomping, core planet believing citizen of the Alliance governing body. Like his father,who pretty much has given him and his sister up btw.

And what about Book. He seems to be a turncoat to the brown side also.One thing about a blue jacket, it will turn brown and dirty if it isn't WASHed(scuz the pun) with a steady dose of Alliance braincleaning every so often.

Excuse the bitter sound, a touch of Mal in me I guess. I do have faith, just not blind faith. To accept things without question is not my way. Must keep those in power at bay. I'm a bit leery of folk who tell me that to create a "World Wihtout Sin" I must destroy or kill a certain train of thought or different points of view.

just Z

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 6:14 AM

HERA

I feel your pain, AURaptor. Just last night I got dragged to some high-brow Dallas-joint (we call 'em that in Austin when the bar is pretentious). I spent most of the time outside (the music was too loud, the people too . . . tidy) interviewing a coworker on her favorite type of watering hole. She rolled her eyes toward the entrance -- my hand to God, there were two greeters standing there -- and snapped "Dive bars. I like dive bars. You know the one we went to last month that's got the Christmas decorations up year-round? Like that." We high-fived, and departed shortly thereafter.

So, what makes the perfect restaurant/bar:
1. No TVs
2. Beer that has flavor and calories
3. Furniture you can spill on
4. Patrons that appear comfortable in their own skin
5. No TVs

Did I mention no TVs?

"Wanna?" – Mal to Kaylee, Out of Gas

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 7:15 AM

NOSADSEVEN

Was everyone working there wearing at least 15 pieces of flair?

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't. We. Just.

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 9:22 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by nosadseven:
Was everyone working there wearing at least 15 pieces of flair?

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't. We. Just.

Flair! Ha! It wasn't that bad, but near enough. One bartender was brand new, and didn't have much of a clue. He was being trained ( told when to stay out of the way ) by a 2nd generation, Tom Cruise -wanna be type character from the movie, Cocktail.

From my perch, I could check out the kitchen, and it looked more like a cruise ship than a local bar/grill. Everyone scurrying around, perfroming their designated duties, just as descriped the the employee handbook, narry a thing out of place...

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 1:03 PM

JONESTEIN

Something I've noticed with EVERY restaurant if you come in solo...they always want you to sit at the bar so you won't take up one of their precious tables that could fit at least two. (I know this because I waited tables at Chili's when I was in college)

I even had a downtown FW restaurant skip over me one time because I wanted a table and not the bar...I walked out and I've boycotted the place ever since(which sucks, cuz they had great Mex food).

Most Chili's I go to are pretty good, but Chili's isn't my kind of place for a brew...much prefer The Flying Saucer or a little hide-out in FW called Pop's Safari Bar.

My 2 cents...

-Jonestein
*************************************
OPERATIVE: ...and I'm unarmed.
MAL: Good.
(BLAM!)

FIGHT TO RE-LIGHT!!
www.browncoatsriseagain.com
www.texasbrowncoats.com
www.fortworthbrowncoats.com

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 6:41 PM

NOSADSEVEN

Quote:
Originally posted by Jonestein:
... Chili's isn't my kind of place for a brew...

A friend and I were at an Applebees or Bennigans or something along those lines, and we each ordered a pint of Guinness. They served it in a frosted glass!

To be fair though, the bartender noticed us trying to warm them up, and came over to apologise - he said they'd run out of non-frosted pint glasses when he was filling the order.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ain't. We. Just.

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Saturday, April 15, 2006 8:34 PM

OOKAMIKAWAHARA

Just had to throw out my own little fav hide away watering hole in Japan. Got to know the owner of a hostess bar, so got drinks for a really cheap price. Nice little place, just about any kinda of drink minus mixed ones, beautiful ladies to serve the drink/ make conversation, plus Karaoke. A bit of wild times there

Even managed to talk the owner into giving me a couple of bottles as gifts when I came back State side again. Anyways I would call this one more of a upscale Independence bar if you will

Sadly the locations a seceret. Don't want uncultured Gaijin messing it up. Anyways just wanted to share.
mata, Ookami yori

I ain't disagreen, I only wanted another drink
Raises a glass of Wild Turkey.

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