FauxHo Exposed!

The PI got all Mossback on Seattle's newish crop of shiny shirt enclaves today with an article entitled, "Classy clubs or cheap imports?"

You know the places.
Mod minimalist interiors, stylish seating, low lighting, $12 martinis and lots of eye candy. After the initial shock passes, the brain tries to process -- are we in a mirror universe? Los Angeles? SoHo?

FauxHo, more like it.

In a city surrounded by natural beauty, filled with Pacific Northwest comfy casual wear, these places scream: This. Is. Not. Seattle.

The bars they're talking about are really not Seattlest's speed, but you won't hear us ranting about how this. is. not. Seattle. We really don't get the writer's hostility towards Ibiza Dinner Club or Bada, considering most of the sources used in the article seem to love these places. For those of the opinion that 1st Ave in Belltown is a beachhead in the SoHo invasion of Seattle, calm yourselves. The Blue Moon isn't going to get white and curvy on us anytime soon.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dan in News on May 31, 2005 3:18 PM

Comments [rss]

Denise

The very idea that there should be only bars that fit an "authentically Seattle" archetype in this city is ridiculous. Save your indignant energy for real problems, people! Either that or get some like-minded investors together to develop a SeattleBar(tm) franchise; ideally these would serve only microbrews, replicate rapidly, and stamp out all other kinds of bars in this town before moving on to infect NY and CA. We get a blue-state rep for tolerance all the time...yet the Northwest is a hotbed of place-ism.

Scott

I grew up in Montana and lived in Seattle for a number of years (loved it). I now find myself in LA (God help me!). When I think of a classic Seattle bar, I think of the Virginia Inn. My new favorite place up there is Sambar in Ballard. I think that is a good example of homegrown Seattle

hip. It's sophisticated, elegant, arty, yet not over the top.

Editor DFPS

Well that poses the question what would a "Seattle Bar" be?

We are sort of colonizing the rest of the world via Starbucks, SBC and Tullys

I think a Seattle bar would have

1. The Stranger on hand

2. Subpop Singles filling the jukebox

3. Rubber mats at the front to stomp the rain off your feet.

4. Free Wifi for the Microsofties and various nerds

5. Redhook IPA, Pyramid Heffeweisen and Mac & Jacks on tap.

6. Obscure fliers for bands that you never heard of and obscure monorail related political causes.

7. Actual espresso that you would want to drink with a gender bender Barista that can't pass through a metal detector at Sea Tac without a personal wand down.

Dan

But there are a lot of people in Seattle that grew up in or spent time in NYC or LA and what harm does it do native-born Seattleites if they set up a few bars in their own image?

Editor DFPS

Well we native born Washingtonian have a genetic predisposition to snub our noses at attempts to colonize our fair state by the Californians and real estate developers. Sure it is fun to go to a club that does not look like a generic Grundge beer bar but just because things are hip in LA does not mean that Seattle is expected to hop in line