Colosso

Jess and I have selected our Portland watering hole for the next couple of weeks, Colosso on NE Broadway and 20th. It's a lovely tapas place with a dark, crusty interior, and hot bartenders. One in particular, who resembles a combination of two of our friends, also works at a newish bar close to My Fathers Place (where, if memory serves me correctly, you will encounter guys in their 20s and 30s who look 50. I wonder if this is related to the fact that a lot of dudes here have an eerie resemblence to the Unabomber?). We shall be stalking him there on Sunday.

There was ONE issue with one of the patrons; evidently he was friends with said bartender, but not quite so outgoing. In fact, he had that "Portland guy with a chip on his shoulder" vibe, which I guess didn't surprise me. They knew the owner of a delightful restaurant in my neighborhood (Queens Hideaway), and we thought that was incredibly cool, reacting with appropriate enthusiasm. Other Guy then just kind of sneered a bit and asked me why I was here. "My mom is terminally ill, and I'm helping with her home care," I cheerfully replied. I think that jolted him a bit.

Now, I know not all guys here pull that shit, but as a whole they are defintiely not as friendly as New York (especially outer borough) fellas. Maybe it's because New York City has the "champagne of tap waters?" Who knows.

I didn't mention the Doug Fir from last week, but the crowd seemed pretty acceptable. I did get the impression that the guys were "trying" a bit too hard, but maybe it's the overflow from the "rock n roll motel" adjacent. We will be checking this place again, as well as others. I'll also get around to more pics in the near future.