Outside Building on Bond *B.O.B. pictures from Yelp* Sorry, last night was a cameraless night!
Last night I went to a Very Good Comedy Show hosted by a guy who gets funnier every time I see him, Yannis Pappas. Even better news, the show was a great bar I had never been to before, called Building on Bond. Located on the corner of Pacific and Bond Street, Building on Bond is sweetly inconspicuous from the outside and beautifully odd on the inside. The decor includes, antique filing cabinets, windows lined with glass jars, old electric-style lights, a wall that looks almost papier-mached, and a skull (I’m going with cow?) hanging in the back. There’s definitely an apothecary feel to the place, but it’s subtly beautiful and the sleek lines and a thick wooden bar keeps the place modern. In addition to the decor, Building on Bond boasts a simple but oh-so-effin-good menu. Veggie burger to die for. I’m not sure why Menupages has them at three dollar signs, because prices are decent for such great food.
After the show I did a lap around the block looking for another bar to go to for my daily interview, but saw nothing, so I had to admit to myself that Building on Bond was fabulous and head back. When I got there the crowd was heading out, a few of which I knew (from my increasingly pathetic comedian semi-groupie status). For some reason I have no problem going to bars alone, but it feels a little weirder being at a bar where everyone I know is leaving and I’m left stalking down the remaining strangers with my note pad and drink in hand. Still I’m a professional, a professional drunk that is, so I got to work and approached the trio in the corner. Lucky me, I hit the jackpot and met B.O.B. owner John. John was having some post-work drinks with his wife, professional painter Michelle, and his bartender/interior designer-to-be Felicia (at least I think that was her name, I kept saying Felicity, or thinking Felicity, and then we were talking about the character Felicity who lives in the neighborhood… ahhh tangent).
Bar Fly: So, when did you open this bar? (frankly, it’s a restaurant too)
John: A year and a half ago.
Bar Fly: Why? Do you have a drinking problem like me?
John: We have a design construction company who builds bars so we built this design studio downstairs and it was on the corner so we combined the spaces and put a bar up here.
(At this point John’s wife mentions I’m lucky he’s in “Share Mode”)
Bar Fly: What’s the company called?
John: Hecho
Bar Fly: How do you spell that… Oh just give me your card God, damn it. (He does.) Wow, you’re definitely the most official person I’ve interviewed so far. So, what other bars have you done?
John: The Box, The Knitting Factory, Watty and Meg, Stanton Social we built, Spitsers Corner, Fat Baby, Hill Country, Full Circle, Delicatessen…
Bar Fly: Impressive. How’d you get into this?
John: I don’t know… I moved back to the city from Paris with my boss and we opened Suba. We built it and managed it and then after we left it we just kept on building bars and since then I guess there’s been like 50.
Bar Fly: You do a great job. (I looove this place). So, do you drink a lot?
Michelle, John’s wife: Let me answer this one: Indeed.
John: I know my business.
Bar Fly: What do you drink?
John: I like pilsner and whiskey, but not at work.
Bar Fly: Good, good.
John: Are we done? (owch)
Bar Fly: I just need to know something embarrassing.
John: Ask my wife…. we met at a bar.
Bar Fly: So you can meet a nice girl at a bar! (This proves my past interview Tony wrong-o!)
Michelle: We met at a bar and we’ve been married for three months.
Bar Fly: Did you take her home the first night?
John: My mom’s going to read this!
Bar Fly: You’re mom is going to read my blog?
Michelle: John’s mom Googles him. (Hi, John’s mom!)
(At this point the three of them are all talking at once. I hear something about tequilla and something else about a fence, but John shh’s them and decides not to go down memory lane)
Bar Fly: Ok, Ok I think that’s enough. Thank you, John. Do I get a free drink?
*John takes my notepad, reads it over, corrects some of my spelling mistakes and makes sure I didn’t write down anything wrong. Then he writes: YES.”
Great interview. Cute couple. A guy who is obviously a little bit of a perfectionist, but successful for it. The night ended with a free Jack and Ginger and I had to slurp down the last sips fast to avoid being the last customer in the bar. Close call.
Bar Fly… loves what she does.
P.S. Jack + Ginger = No sleep. Never expect a 7am post again.
