Two decades ago, a buddy and I were eating burritos on the patio of a place in downtown Isla Vista, California, home of the University of California's Santa Barbara campus, when a sixty-something guy started chatting us up. His cheeks were leathery, and his hair, bushy eyebrows and beard were all whitish-yellow, probably from smoking. He told us he was a transient and liked staying in Santa Barbara during the winter, and that the other hobos called him John Boy — no relation to the Walton scion. But while he talked to us with a mouth too fast to keep shut, he kept an eye on the college girls parking their bikes at the market across the street.
Then he told us how much he loved to sniff girl's bike seats.
John Boy would have been salivating over my recent night at the British Bulldog (2052 Stout Street).
I hadn't planned on going to the Bulldog, which took over the historic Punch Bowl space a few years ago, but then I saw a ton of bicycles parked in front and people on the patio, and figured all that action on a weeknight had to be a good thing. But by the time I found a parking space, the bikes and the people were gone.
I went in anyway, grabbed a seat near the front door and ordered a Fuller's London Pride. About ten minutes later, another gang of cyclists rolled up on cruisers. Five guys came in and ordered while the three lovely girls in their group stayed outside, possibly protecting their bike seats.
Club scout: The Jet Entertainment Group, which last September bought the Purple Martini Tech Center (8000 East Belleview Avenue, Greenwood Village), has finished remodeling the space and just reopened it as Jet South. They'll have a big grand opening July 4th weekend.
The Warwick Denver Hotel (1776 Grant Street) has started up its rooftop poolside barbecues, which run every weekend through Labor Day from noon to 3 p.m. Although the pool is exclusively for the use of hotel guests on Saturdays, on Sundays it's open to the public from noon to 10 p.m. for $8. And from 7 to 9 p.m. on the last Friday of each month, the hotel hosts a Jazz Under the Stars poolside party with all-you-can-eat hors d'oeuvres for $25 per person. Jazz vocalist Tina Phillips kicks off the season on Friday, June 26.
Also on Friday, June 26, DJs Boyhollow and Tyler "Danger" Jacobson are throwing an eighth-anniversary bash for Lipgloss, their weekly indie, rock and Brit-pop night, at La Rumba (99 West Ninth Avenue), with Paris-based guest DJ Andy Grier of Thieves Like Us. The party starts at 9 p.m., there's no cover, and drink specials include $2 gin and tonics, $3 vodkas and $2 PBRs.
Sean Yontz, Jesse Morreale's partner in crime at Mezcal, Tambien and Sketch, is throwing his third annual Love Thy Chopper art and chopper show this weekend at La Rumba (99 West Ninth Avenue). A benefit for the Boys and Girls Club, Love Thy Chopper kicks off Saturday, June 27, with a motorcycle-themed art opening from 7 to 9 p.m. The chopper show, which runs from 2 to 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, will also feature hot rods, lowrider bikes, skateboard ramps and live music from Deadbolt, Von Hexen and Get 3 Coffins Ready.
Talk about vroom with a view!
