Barfly wins “best column” in California!
Barfly wins 1st place in California Journalism contest (mailchi.mp)
Off to the races
There was no fanfare when the four of them arrived. Which felt strange because two of them were wearing crowns. Literally. Well, actually figuratively, because literally…
Some misconceptions about celebrity chef owned restaurants
“See you tomorrow,” said the celebrity chef who I worked for. At that point he had four restaurants, one cookbook and so many television appearances that…
Retired Marin surgeon wins prestigious homebrewing award
Ed DeMayo, a retired orthopedic surgeon in San Rafael, pulled in the top honor at this year’s World Cup of Beer, a home brewers competition put…
Happy Birthday Barfly! Celebrating 20 years of writing this column
“Hey, Charlie,” I said. “Hey, Jeff,” answered Charlie. It’s what started many of our nights together. Charlie was a regular. And he was more regular than…
Some people thrive on chaos
It had been a hectic day, running from one errand to the next. The last thing I needed was the stress of making myself some lunch.…
Hot drinks for Spring? Yes please!
“April is the cruelest month,” once wrote T.S. Eliot. “Breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”…
Bartenders have seen it all
The foursome didn’t really come in hot. And they weren’t really coming in happy either. It was odd from the get-go — for me and eventually…
The danger of speaking in absolutes
“One hundred percent,” said the kid behind the counter, which made me doubt him almost immediately. There are no absolutes in a complex world. And I…
3 new products to sip and savor
If April showers bring May flowers, then what does an April torrential downpour bring? I guess we’ll soon see. Spring is always a time of new…
Brunch ain’t for sissies
The threesome plunked themselves down at the bar immediately upon opening. The early bird gets the worm they say, and I always laugh when I hear…