drinks with nerds
Oct. 19th, 2019 09:50 amOver the last few months I've gotten phở several times with ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
speedie316 because social. She'd been trying to get me to come to AFK Tavern with the gang for ages, which I'd never done before* because a) it's further north than our usual phở joint, i.e. near the center of Everett, WA and b) I'm usually riding the bus, which is both time-consuming and, after 2100 on that route, sketchtacular.
Luckily, my ex is in Mexico with old friends, so I'm putting her car to good use. First of all, AFK on a Friday night is jumping: their big parking lot was nearly full when I showed up at 2030. The bartender was a trans man. One ofspeedie316's friends was having a birthday party and asked people to show up in their Renfaire garb, which they did in considerable numbers and with admirable elan. Karaoke ensued.
But what really makes AFK for me is the decor: gaming, sci fi, and fantasy references abound, all over the walls. I found a small piece of Subgenius propaganda almost hidden in one corner. It was a little disappointing to me thatspeedie316, the bartender, and I were the only queers known to me - yeah, a lot of women had male dates - but hey, they hung a Pride flag above the DJ, who was playing mashups when he wasn't playing karaoke.
I looked at their cocktail menu. It's terrifying in both length and content. I stuck to mead.
In other words, AFK was nerds at their most lovable, performing tribal rituals. It pains me that this place is a good 45 minutes from home by car even in light traffic. If I remember correctly there was one in Renton for a while but there is no more. A nerd bar paying rent in Seattle is apparently out of the question.
Oh yeah: At the front door is the restaurant area. When I arrived I stood where it says to wait to be seated, looking for people I know. I droppedspeedie316's name to one of the staff, and she knowingly directed me to the bar. The staff knows the regulars by name, which I find surprising as sunrise. It's Cheers with hoods, cloaks, and oddly-shaped dice.
*I'd been there during the day for a meal while traveling, but I'd never experienced what makes AFK AFK.
speedie316 because social. She'd been trying to get me to come to AFK Tavern with the gang for ages, which I'd never done before* because a) it's further north than our usual phở joint, i.e. near the center of Everett, WA and b) I'm usually riding the bus, which is both time-consuming and, after 2100 on that route, sketchtacular.Luckily, my ex is in Mexico with old friends, so I'm putting her car to good use. First of all, AFK on a Friday night is jumping: their big parking lot was nearly full when I showed up at 2030. The bartender was a trans man. One of
speedie316's friends was having a birthday party and asked people to show up in their Renfaire garb, which they did in considerable numbers and with admirable elan. Karaoke ensued.But what really makes AFK for me is the decor: gaming, sci fi, and fantasy references abound, all over the walls. I found a small piece of Subgenius propaganda almost hidden in one corner. It was a little disappointing to me that
speedie316, the bartender, and I were the only queers known to me - yeah, a lot of women had male dates - but hey, they hung a Pride flag above the DJ, who was playing mashups when he wasn't playing karaoke.I looked at their cocktail menu. It's terrifying in both length and content. I stuck to mead.
In other words, AFK was nerds at their most lovable, performing tribal rituals. It pains me that this place is a good 45 minutes from home by car even in light traffic. If I remember correctly there was one in Renton for a while but there is no more. A nerd bar paying rent in Seattle is apparently out of the question.
Oh yeah: At the front door is the restaurant area. When I arrived I stood where it says to wait to be seated, looking for people I know. I dropped
speedie316's name to one of the staff, and she knowingly directed me to the bar. The staff knows the regulars by name, which I find surprising as sunrise. It's Cheers with hoods, cloaks, and oddly-shaped dice.*I'd been there during the day for a meal while traveling, but I'd never experienced what makes AFK AFK.
