 |
| The Hotel Foster. |
So I’m beginning to think that the lounge concept and all of its interpretations (creative or otherwise) is staging a coup d’état against my career as a bar blogger because once again I found myself judging the execution of a lounge idea. The Hotel Foster (2028 E. North Ave.), once home to Live! on North, was rumored to have fashioned itself after a 1920s hotel lounge bar. I initially found this peculiar because the ’20s was a decade infamous for people ordering their drinks in a whisper due to prohibition, but not everything in life is black and white. Unless, of course, we’re talking about the array of old-time portraits decorating the walls of this juice joint; all redolent of those awkward family photos my mom made us take on our visits to the Dells in which we cloaked ourselves in feather boas and held toy pistols. Someday I will seek my revenge, but till then…
Victorian was more the vibe as I ordered my drink from a bartender exhibiting a mustache eerily similar to one of the ancient fellows in the surrounding artwork. If done on purpose, kudos for executing a theme to its fullest potential. If done in some “I only like things ironically” hipster fashion, well I hope at least your mother is proud. Daily specials include a $4.50 house cabernet, $3 Pabst tallboys and $2 drafts of Old Milwaukee, which are served up in preserving jars. Silent films are featured on the projection screen above the existing staircase, and the drink menu is printed on browned paper similar to the stuff I made using coffee and a paint brush in elementary school. I had to craft a wanted poster for a project involving the Oregon Trail computer game.
Low tables and a cushy couch have replaced the front stage while ornamental chandeliers and antique sconces provide a soft glow, but there is still a certain chill to be felt. Perhaps it’s the sepia-toned portraits and their ostensibly wandering eyes that gave me the heebie-jeebies. Renovations on the back room had yet to be completed, but from what I could tell, there is a plethora of Victorian furniture swathed in vibrant velour yearning to be made available to The Hotel Foster patrons and hopefully adding that welcoming hotel warmth.
Local bands Wildbirds and Shoot Down the Moon played at the Grand Opening April 30, and it’s the establishment’s intent to support resident music and art. Follow The Hotel Foster on Facebook for information on upcoming events, and be on the lookout for a developing website, thehotelfoster.com.
Although alcoholic beverages are usually my calling, it should be noted that The Hotel Foster will also function as a café during the earlier hours, featuring espresso drinks and imported teas. A bonus for designated drivers and those of you who don’t deem it appropriate to imbibe before sundown; both categories in which I hope I never fall.
*
Need more? Follow Rebecca on Twitter @RebeccaRinn.
