As both a telecommuter and a cocktail enthusiast, I’ve been fighting the urge to visit Trina’s Starlight Lounge during their Monday brunch for a while now. Its existence is like a fresh pan of hot brownies cooling on the countertop. Tempting, dangerous. And when I heard that the Fernet bus would be parked outside it was simply too much. It was a 70 degree day in November to boot, so I quickly invented an errand in the general vicinity of Trina’s and headed out.
When I walked in at around 1 pm it was packed. I found a sliver of standing space at the far end of the bar near the garnishes and asked if my favorite drink, the Modern (cilantro-infused gin, lime, simple syrup), was still possible. As I had feared, they’d run out of the infused gin and had moved to a fall/winter menu like good in-season ingredient users. Instead I had a delicious mezcal cocktail, “El Cartel,” that contained orange juice, making it a perfectly delicious brunch drink even if it was off the evening cocktail menu.
The friendly Fernet folks were flitting about, pouring shots and setting up a camera to film Trina’s Emma Hollander making a Bonita Applebum, all wearing Fernet gear and chatting with the patrons. But what caught most of my attention was that it truly is, as Trina’s describes it, an “industry brunch.” I was happy to see some of my favorite local bartenders enjoying themselves on the other side of the bar, socializing with colleagues and friends. The vibe was great, and as an industry outsider I still felt welcome. I soaked it up, along with another cocktail and a veggie slam (the hash browns are of a totally unique species), and then headed back outside to see the Fernet bus.
It’s adorable.
In total I lost a mere two hours of my day to unfettered hedonism, but certainly gained a spring in my step for the walk home. Before leaving, I’d been told by one of Trina’s off-duty bartenders who was in attendance that I would likely be back every Monday. Well, maybe every other Monday, but yeah pretty much.
awww SHIT…When are we going back?!