BU-Bar University

Whether it is the state of the economy, the over abundance of college educated people, vs the available job market(especially for those who are creatively inclined), or simply because those of us who are free thinkers and creators of all kinds(painters, poets, musicians, filmmakers, philosophers and literature nerds and writers-same catagory, etc etc etc) are just naturally attracted to the frenetic, dynamic and rockstar lifestyle of the bar and restaurant industry, or perhaps a little of all three, todays bars and restaurants and nightclubs and coffee shops are staffed by the most intelligent, articulate, creative population of any non-creative driven job sector in this country. Possibly in the World. I will get back to you on that after some of this creative shit pays off and i can travel a little more.

The last Bar that had the pleasure of calling me their Resident Keep, Bar-star, comedian, mixologist extraordinaire, or as i like to say LLSB, was nestled in one of the newest, most popular art districts in the pacific northwest, also one of the most pretentious, conspicuous consumer obsessed, douche bag laden parts of town. In other words, a gold mine waiting to be exploited. And they are practically standing at the mouth to the mine with carts already loaded with the gold for you come up and ride off into the sunset with, if only you know the way or are the lucky possessor of a treasure map.

Now, aside from being famous as a place to hook up or go DB hunting, this wonderful little experiment in avant garde culinary cross pollination and incredible local and international wine happens to be home to the smartest and funniest restaurant crew i have encountered. And they have a slew of degrees to prove it: A masters in literature, a phd in philosophy(no, i am not kidding), a BS in anthropology, biology(premed), two painters, two proffessional photographers, a filmmaker, published writers(and many unpublished, but prolific), an elementary school teacher and a real estate broker just off the top of my head.

And so it seems that the the modern day meeting place of the great minds of the artistic, creative and intellectual world is not the university, not the elite private clubs, but the place you go to relax and unwind after your long day at the office, or week at the job site. The person shaking up the best mojito you have ever tasted, or serving you the coconut prawns appetizer(only 3 dollars on happy hour!), or opening your bottle of 150 oregon pinot noir might well have written one of the books on a shelf at your home, collaborated on the movie you are going to see after your margarita runs out of salt, or taught you or your kid intro to existentialism at the state university. Leonardo de Vinci and Van Gogh are the bartenders, Jack Kerouac is the barback, Margaret Mead and JK Rowling are the cocktail waitresses, Francis Ford Coppella is cleaning the tables,  Maya Angelo is the head server and this is the modern day Bar. welcome to BU, bar university. Enjoy your stay and get all you can out of the classes, because someday you will have to enter the dreaded "real world"