A Room With a View....FINALLY ...

Applause, Applause (lovingingly nicknamed A.A.) "A theatrically themed restaurant and lounge", seems to be one of the new homes for the Post regulars. Stephen's first day was yesterday and his happy hour crew came out in full force to support him in his new spot. The bar is right in the gayborhood at 13th & Locust Streets. Small and quaint, but looking to expand, the place appears much larger due to the wall of glass that overlooks Locust Street. A small, granite bar sits nestled in the angled front window, giving the patrons a great view to people watch as passers-by head off to other bars, restaurants and theaters down the street. Behind the bar, a wall of glass shelves displays the establishment's offerings of a large selection of alcohol for your drinking pleasure (even Mike's Hard Lemonade, which I've wanted to try for a long time). Chandeliers line the ceiling, reflecting prisms of light throughout the room. And, although it's a long walk, a stroll through the narrow room and down a winding flight of stairs leads you to a pair of very attractive bathrooms, with terra cotta colored walls and granite tilework and very cool sinks (the faucets are set off to the side of the basin and the water runs down through copper troughs).

The crowd is very mixed: gay and straight, old and young, but all are friendly. It almost feels like being back at the Post, only after a long awaited remodeling was done (and of course the manager replaced with someone who actually cares).

I look forward to many a happy hour with our "counselor", Stephen, and the fresh new feel of sitting in a bar without the worry in the back of your mind of whether or not a furry little creature will crawl up your pantleg...(at least without buying you a drink first).