Do You Suffer From Dry, Cracked Hands?

Many of my fellow bartenders and I always seem to be comparing just who has the ugliest, driest and cracked hands. It's a painful badge of honor. Most bartenders don't have pretty hands. It's impossible. With all of the hand washing, constant submersion in water and exposure to citrus juice, its enough to leave one's hands extremely dry and cracked on a regular basis.

Some people call it Bar Rot. Some call it Eczema. Some just call it an occupational hazard.

I have tried prescription strength ointments, but nothing works as effective as my all-time favorite OTC treatment: Eucerin's Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

My Favorite San Francisco Bars

There are so many bars here in San Francisco that are perfectly great and fun bars, but everyone has a preference in the type of bar they like and the reason why they love them. Below are my top seven favorite bars in San Francisco and the reasons why I love them so:

#7: Pops
2800 24th Street (between Bryant St & York St)

Pops has everything a great dive bar needs: great jukebox, friendly bartenders, healthy happy hour specials, pool table, Ms. Pac Man and the best photo booth in the city. I am talking about the old school, black and white kind. I can't really say too much about the bathroom except suggest you don't use it. One should never base how good a bar is by the bathroom anyways.


#6: Velvet Cantina
3349 23rd St (between Bartlett St & Mission St)

Pitchers of watermelon margaritas. Great Mexican food. Enough said.


#5: Bourbon and Branch
501 Jones Street (between O'Farrell St & Geary St)

In the middle of the Tenderloin sits a speakeasy that requires a password for admission. I didn't really understand what all the buzz what about until I got to experience this place for myself. I have to say, I was impressed. Friendly bartenders who make delicious, labor intensive cocktails in lightening speed. Seriously, one-handed straining and fine straining. Fancy! I wish I could be half the bartenders these guys are.


#4: Gold Dust Lounge
247 Powell St (between Geary St & O'Farrell St)

One of the things I love the most about Gold Dust is not the fiesty bartenders (although I do love them), but the variety of people who come here to drink. On any given day, you can see tourists, locals and drunks who don't make any sense. The place is old and seems to have a lot of history. If those walls could talk. There is also a live band that plays on most nights. It's the perfect place to take a break during a shopping excursion in Union Square, get your drink on and people watch.


#3: R Bar
1176 Sutter Street (between Larkin St & Polk St)

Super chill spot in the TenderNob with some of the most coolest bartenders in the city. The jukebox rocks, there is a Ms. Pac Man table to play on and if you ask nicely, the bartenders will more than likely take a Fernet shot with you.


#2: The Saloon
1232 Grant Avenue (between Broadway St & Fresno St)

The Saloon is easiest the oldest bar in San Francisco, opening it's swinging doors for business in 1861. This place has a whole lot of soul. This good old bar survived the 1906 earthquake and rocks it every night of the week with a live band. Sometimes the bartenders don't have any teeth and you can be sure that there are no fancy, labor intensive cocktails on the menu here. I recommend hitting this place up on Monday nights to check out The Bachelors.


#1: Lucky 13
2140 Market St (between 15th St & Church St)

What is there not to love about this rocker dive bar, minus the attitude and cover, located in the heart of the Castro? At Lucky 13, customers can find a photo booth, pool table, pinball machines, a great jukebox with a wide selection of rock and punk songs, an outside back patio, a popcorn machine, tons of beers on tap, a Jagenator (a machine with three bottles of Jagermeister sitting on top that dispenses chilled shots of Jager with the push of a button) and super cool bartenders. If you ask the bartender nicely, you can even get free goldfish crackers while enjoying the happy hour specials that go until 8 pm every night. There is a free barbeque on the outside back patio every Saturday. Lucky 13 is also dog friendly, making it possible to include Rover on your drunken nights of debauchery.

Despite the many times I have been drinking at Lucky 13, I have still yet to see what exactly or how the random metal pole is used which just so happens to be located in the middle of the front room, right on top the bar.

Hands down, my favorite bar in all of San Francisco!

What are your favorite bars in San Francisco and why? I want to know.

One of my Favorite Bars in SF!!!

Friendly Bartenders

There is some unspoken rule here in San Francisco. Most San Francisco bartenders make Fernet their drink of choice. It's a total local, industry thing. I don't know where or why it exactly started, but I am glad it did. I heart Fernet.

I have a new favorite, local bartender. I met him last night. I got off of my shift last night early because it was slow. Instead of going home and going to bed to rest up for my Sunday brunch shift today, I went out. The club I went to was packed. I headed to the side bar only to find one bartender and a packed house. I patiently waited my turn and ordered when asked. I wish my customers would do this more often, especially the ones on Thursday nights!!

I couldn't help but like this bartender. He was friendly, had a huge smile on his face, moved fast and drank shots of Fernet with me. It was so awesome. I love meeting bartenders like him. They rule!!