Don’t Miss Atlantic Crossing’s Halloween Spooktacular!

SPOOKTACULAR!

Remember that Atlantic Crossing? If you watched the World Cup, the Espys or read our last post on their epic sandwich board art – you know em. If you haven’t here is a good way to get acquainted.

Joe Meitl of Atlantic Crossing Pub hasn’t stopped painting since our last article showcasing his sandwich board masterpieces. In fact, his sandwich boards apparently weren’t big enough, he had to move over to the actual pub windows!

Joe has allowed passerby’s and patrons an opportunity to scare the crap out of the public with their own ghoulish paintings in an encompassing mural on Atlantic Crossing’s front window.

Oh, and if your a Justin Bieber hater, wait til you see the other window! Get down to Atlantic Crossing Pub on Saturday night for costumed karaoke and dance your bloody face off!

The bar is throwing a Halloween party on Saturday night, starting at 9 Pm and going until they toss you out. There are prizes for the best costume, so make sure to dress yourself for the occasion.

For now, here’s a bit more sandwich board art from our favorite pop in and grab a bit artist, Joe Meitl. This one is actually a window mural.

Window murals are just as cool, eh?

Today’s Special: Atlantic Crossing Pub, Seattle, WA

Bless You! - Illustrations by Joe Meitl and Jonus Brown

**Today’s Special comes from our good friend at Odin Brewing, Mark Leavens. Mark’s great discussion with Joe Meitl, Kitchen Manager at Seattle’s iconic Atlantic Crossing Pub, is the basis for today’s article. You might have seen the AC on ESPN during the World Cup? Yeah, its a pretty big deal.***

What catches your eye in today’s fast-paced, materialistic, and consumer driven society?  Is it bright colors or catchy slogans?  What about somebody dressed up like a stupid fucking gorilla?  Yeah, maybe you look, but most likely you hate obnoxiously fake primates and get the hell out of there.

But once you’ve regained composure and a leisurely stroll down the sidewalk, you’ll then pass numerous sandwich boards featuring that establishment’s latest pitch to get you inside:  ‘Happy hour 4-6, trade your gold for cash, buy one foot get the second foot free pedicure.’

Boring!  I don’t read those and I can’t imagine many of you do either.  I’m American and I’m struggling with ADHD or just too damn busy to be bothered by a sandwich board!  But the other day I ran into a board that actually got me to stop, AND read, AND then enter the building!

Brilliant!  An astronaut floating in space and sneezing blood all over the galaxy after their mask implodes.  Now this is what it takes to get me to stop AND focus AND read the other side AND go inside.   I had to meet the creative genius behind the board and have a beer, of course.

Joe Meitl of the Atlantic Crossing Pub works as the Kitchen Manager and has a direct line of sight from the kitchen out to his eye-catching work of art:

“We originally got the board as a way of promoting our daily specials and events, and for a while we were using it for exactly that.  I used to get frustrated at how few people actually stopped to read it.

At first I started adding little notes to the bottom, just to see if anyone would catch it.  ‘Arm wrestle the bartender for a free glass of water’, or ‘Stripper Pole is getting installed this weekend!’ and still I heard few comments on it.

I was eventually convinced that no one was reading it, not even the bartenders.  That’s when I decided to start having fun with it.

Where's Your Button? - Illustrations by Joe Meitl and Jonus Brown

My sous chef (Jonus Brown) and I started drawing comics, writing song lyrics, and insults.  One of my favorite boards was a response to the sandwich board that the pet store just a few doors up from us, puts out everyday. They rarely change their board and I was tired of seeing, ‘Lots of Baby Budgies and Cockatiels for Sale,’ and so my next board’s response was, ‘Beer Battered Baby Budgies and Cockatiels for Sale.’  No one said anything about that one either.  At that point we had essentially stopped posting specials and were just having fun with it.

Since then, I have noticed more people stopping to read it, which feels good.  We get a lot of foot traffic on this street and if I can make a few people smile on their way to work then it is worth the time.

It does take time though, and a hell of a lot of creative energy.  I sometimes feel like I am simply building sand castles, because everything I create is either eaten instantly or erased within a week.  I’m lucky the owner, Gareth, has an open mind and a busy schedule, that the bartenders here have a good sense of humor, and of course my favorite amendment is the first one.  I’d like to think I’ve offended at least a few people, and of course I’ll keep trying.”

No Regrets? - Illustrations by Joe Meitl and Jonus Brown

Please do Joe, because if being people are being offended, they probably deserve it.  Plus, we all need to slow the hell down and laugh a little bit more.  So thank you for slowing me to a stop, and drawing me into the Atlantic Crossing Pub.

If you’ve never been to this Roosevelt neighborhood pub, you may have already seen a clip from the latest World Cup that was shown on ESPN and won an ESPY for best reaction shot.

I recommend checking this bar out and grabbing a bite to eat.  They serve the full menu until ONE A.M.!  And as Joe would say, “we have smoking hot bartenders!”

And at the very least, avoid the gorilla and check out Joe and Jonus’ sandwich board!  Who knows what they’ll come up with next?

Beer Blotter’s Guide to Drinking Beer and Watching the World Cup

The biggest dance there is.

Friday June 11th marks the first day of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  The ultimate competition in the world’s game.  The pinnacle of all beautiful dances.  The most watched sporting event on Earth.  Yeah that’s right, we are talking about the month-long soccer tournament that happens only once every four years.  32 nations competing for a place in history.

On July 11th, after finishing in the top two of the group stage, then going unbeaten through the knockout stage, the best soccer team in the world will raise the World Cup Trophy, and along the way, we will raise our glasses and cheer along.

For the biggest soccer fans out there, like myself, nothing else will matter from June 11 to July 11.  All normal activities, sleep included, will cease.  To borrow from one of Seattle’s greatest soccer pubs, The George and Dragon, “Please do not plan weddings, births or vacations June 11 to July 11″.  The Olympics is really the only other sporting event that would rival it for supremacy, but in this writers opinion, it’s not even in the same ballpark, or should I say pitch.

For all of us lucky West Coasters, the first game of the day, at least during the group stages, begins at 4:30 am.  The second game is at 7:00 am, and the last, 11:30 am.  My plan is to watch the first, and a large majority of the second each weekday before leaving for work.  Of course, this will require either a large bit of rearranging of my evening schedule to accommodate an earlier bedtime, or, more likely, a pretty serious lack of sleep.  A small price to pay for the love of the game.

Yeah, the soccer is going to be great, but here at Beer Blotter, we need beer too.  Believe it or not, some local bars will be opening in time for the 4:30 and/or 7:00 games.  For those opening for the 4:30 matches, alcohol cannot be served legally until 6:00 am.

Having a drink before noon is sometimes considered bad form, something reserved for the problem drinkers.  How about 6 hours before noon?  At that point it’s almost as though you are still drinking from the previous day!  OK, maybe that’s a stretch.  Call me a hooligan, but it sounds like a blast to me!

I think you get the point.  We love the beer, we love the soccer, we love the combo.  We also love enriching the community, and if you have ever been in a bar packed with fans, of any sport really, where everyone has their eyes on the screen, waiting on the edge of their seat for the next great flash of athletic brilliance, you know just how powerful that sense of community feels.  With that in mind, we would like to offer our thoughts on where to enjoy the World Cup in Seattle, with pint in hand.

I must state, for the record, that one should expect that all of these bars will be extremely packed for any and all games.  For the biggest games, especially those involving U.S.A, England, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Italy, etc, it is highly recommended that you attempt to arrive early and be prepared to wait in line. Also, do not expect to be accommodated as though you were in your own recliner next to the kegerator at home.

The big draw here is the atmosphere.  The people.  The elation that comes with every Christiano Ronaldo crossover, every Robinho spin move, every picture perfect pass from Cesc Fabregas, and every brilliant finish from Didier Drogba.  Don’t be afraid to offer high fives and joyous hugs to people you have never met before when the U.S. pummels England on June 12.  Then buy your Brit buddies a few pints of good American craft beer to rub it in.

As always, we strongly encourage dialogue.  If you know of a great place to watch that we missed, let us know about it.

It's going to be a madhouse.

The Soccer Bars:

The George and Dragon Pub in Fremont:  We might as well start at that great English pub that I have already mentioned, “The George” as it is often referred to as, is a Mecca for soccer fans.

Though I was not living in Seattle at the time of the previous WC, I was here to experience the Euro Championship.  I would imagine that the atmosphere in The George was very similar.  It will give you goose bumps.  I promise.  From their site…

2 PATIOS WITH TELLYS ON THEM…. FOR BIG GAMES THE PARKING LOT BECOMES A FENCED IN BEER GARDEN WITH PORTA POTTIES REFRIGERATED MOBILE BEER TRAILER & OF COURSE TELLYS …

A few extra tidbits that we shouldn’t glaze over when discussing The George: They are hosting a World Cup Eve celebration on Thursday after the Sounders game.  They have been listed in the top 10 places to watch soccer in the U.S. by the U.S. Soccer Federation and GQ Magazine.

The owners are opening up a second location in Ballard called The Market Arms at 24th and Market.  They are hoping to have it up and running in time for the start of the tournament.

What to drink:  If you want to go with a local craft, grab an Elysian Immortal.  If you want to drink like a Brit, grab a Fuller’s ESB.

Fado downtown:  Though this is a chain, the Seattle pub was named the “Best Soccer Bar in the Country” last year by the U.S. Soccer Federation.  It’s an Irish themed place, but since the Irish failed to qualify for the tourney, expect most to favor the only U.K. team in it, England.

What to drink:  You are in Ireland town, grab a Guinness.

All Nations Soccer Bar in Bitter Lake:  This place is kind of in no man’s land up north of Northgate, but it’s worth a visit.  All Nations is a South American themed soccer bar, so check this place out for the big Brazil or Argentina matches.

What to drink:  Grab a Xingu from the bottle.  It’s a delicious dark lager from Brazil.

Azzurri Vino Bar in Fremont:  This is a fairly new Italian themed soccer centric bar nearly directly across the street from The George.  The Center of the Universe is going to be hopping with soccer junkies.

What to drink:  When in Rome… a Peroni.

Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub downtown:  This is another Irish pub with a strong reputation for taking care of the soccer fans.  Eat, drink, cheer, get rowdy and take the party into the alleys of Pike Place Market.

What to drink:  Can’t go wrong with a good old Smithwick’s

The Attic in Madison Park: A quick click over to their homepage will surely give you a strong inclination of just how excited they are for the WC.  Here’s hoping that the folks over in Madison know how to get down.

What to drink:  Boundary Bay IPA is on the draft list online right now.  That’s a damn good IPA!

Fuel downtown:  This is a major Emerald City Supporters hang out, so we can assume they will be keeping the regulars happy with plenty of WC coverage.

What to drink:  Ask if they still have some Big Al Brougham Bitter.

Atlantic Crossing in Roosevelt:  Yet another Irish pub with soccer on the mind.  It looks like they are only opening in time for the 7:00 games when the U.S. is involved, but they will be showing the replays each night on taped delay.

What to drink:  Start up your session with a Harp.

Cafe Presse in Capitol Hill:  This is a small, French themed joint.  If you are looking to get out of the house to catch a game but want a more laid back atmosphere, this is your place.

What to drink:  How about something French.  Tilt back a Kronenbourg 1664.

It has it all.

The Beer Bars:

The Dray in Phinney:  If you read our site, you know we love the Dray with all of our hearts.  If you want a great beer selection, hot espresso, soccer, and a cozy atmosphere, this is your place.

What to drink:  One of the best parts about The Dray is that, though the draft selection is fairly small, it’s one of the most cleaver in the city.  Close your eyes and point at the board behind the bar, you won’t be disappointed.

Brouwer’s in Fremont:  The great Belgian Cafe of Fremont is pretty much beer heaven.  As it turns out, they like soccer too.  Their site states that they will be playing several of the games with the sound on during normal business hours.

What to drink:  Are you kidding me?  You don’t need help with this one.

Die BierStube in Roosevelt, Prost! in Phinney and West Seattle, Feierabend in South Lake Union:  These German pubs are all owned by the same folks and are pretty similar in a lot of ways.  Two of those ways come in the form of good German beer and a strong love of soccer.  Germany games should be a blast here.

What to drink:  Paulaner Salvator, by the liter.

Elysian Fields in Pioneer Square:  With its proximity to the stadiums, this place is a great pre-Sounders/Mariners/Seahawks game stop.  But you know what, it’s a decent place to watch a game as well.  It’s an even better place to get a beer.  Their site has a calendar of what games will be played when.  It looks like they will be opening at 6:30 am for select games.

What to drink:  Ask about what’s new and exciting.  There is always something new and exciting at Elysian.

The Sports Bars:

Kangaroo and Kiwi in Green Lake:  Quite obviously, this is an Australian bar.  Aussie football and rugby are normally the main attractions here, but the Soccerroos made the tourney, so you can expect a wild scene for any of their games.  New Zealand games have the potential to be interesting as well.  If things go sour, you can always walk up the street to either Duck Island, Uber, or the next destination on our list for a tasty bit of boozy relief.

What to drink:  Tilt back a Cooper’s and make like you are down under.

St. Andrew’s in Green Lake:  This is a Scottish haunt.  Though Scotland is not in the WC this year, there is a note on their calendar that says…

World Cup starts tomorrow.  You win a free shot for every goal Scotland scores or any goal scored against England.  Good luck.

This is quite humorous.  With English defender Rio Ferdinand out with an injury, I’m inclined to catch an England match here and sip up some free shots.

What to drink:  St. Andrew’s has one of Seattle’s biggest scotch selections.  Order one and drink slow.

Some other notable sports bars that could offer exuberant celebration include Spitfire, Fox Sports Grill, Sport, Paddy Coyne’s, and The Dubliner.

And finally, filed under “miscellaneous”, Nord Alley near Occidental Park has the potential to offer some interesting outdoor viewing experiences.  Check out this link for more details.

Enjoy the world’s greatest sporting event while it lasts, for it will come and go before you know it, and then it’s another grueling 4 years of waiting.