San Francisco icon The Tamale Lady has been told she is no longer allowed to sell her tamales in the spot that put her on the map. Virginia Ramos otherwise known as The Tamale Lady has been selling her tamales to drinkers in San Francisco "biker" bar Zeitgeist for over 15 years and was notified by the bar she is no longer allowed to sell her tamales there.
The Tamale Lady is a fixture of San Francisco bar life for decades pushing her trolley with her home made tamales. Zeitgeist and The Tamale Lady went together like Captain and Tennille. Who could imagine a day when the call of "Tamales tamales" wouldn't be heard in Zeitgeist's beer garden.
There has always been a certain uncertainty about the legality of The Tamale Lady's business but San Francisco is the kind of city that has always taken a blind eye to legal issues. How un-punk rock is this!
Zeitgeist released a statement putting the blame on the city of San Francisco. One can only hope that it is true. Zeitgeist has its own kitchen couldn't they have worked out an arrangement with Ms. Tamale Lady? Zeitgeist won't be the same without her there.
The Tamale lady will land on her feet she is a survivor. You don't sell tamales to drunk punks for 20 years without getting a bit of street smarts. Not only does she sell excellent tamales but she also has a line of t-shirts and other memorabilia.
The Tamale Lady may be down but she isn't out. She is looking into new spots to sell her tamales, perhaps to office workers at lunch or maybe trying to find the funding to have a place of her own someday.
Power to The Tamale Lady!
It's a hot day in LA and you are on the east side and its 4pm what better place to swing by but the Tiki Ti? Opened 52 years ago in a box on Sunset Blvd. where Los Feliz, Hollywood and Silverlake all collide the Tiki Ti has been an owner operated (read smoking) bar since 1961.
Don't expect a martini or a beer at the Tiki Ti just order one of their over 80 Tiki drinks and you'll be alright. This is a Tiki Bar get into it or hit the bricks. This is also an old school bar so bring cash damnit. Well yeah if you do need more cash there is one of them new fangled ATM's by the toilets.
Oh yeah you can smoke there at the bar so if you are one of those "I hate smoking" people please refrain for popping in; no one wants to hear your bellyaching; so move on.
The locals and regulars are the real color of the bar they totally out shine the world class Tiki chatskas! One regular changed a hundred for a friend when I was recently there. The register had just opened so the bar couldn't but a patron could. That's a friendly crowd! The music alone is worth the trip for teetotalers. Obscure Tiki music is mixed with classics. A record was playing when I was last there., that's old school!
So if you are looking for the real thing head to the Tiki Ti.
When you find yourself in Vegas and sick of Vegas there is only one thing to do and that is hit the Double Down Saloon. Go on by whenever you feel like it; they never close. This down and dirty at its very best! Be you a lesbian biker, an in cognito rock star, rock a billy greaser, auto mechanic or hipster you will fit right in. Not attitude just free bands and cheap drinks. There are no frills at the Double Down unless you consider indoor plumbing and electricity a frill. There are good bands though!
The Double Down is naturally not on the strip and if that is all of Vegas that you have seen its another world. Anti-Vegas at its most anti-Vegas-est is the best way I can describe it. There are gaming machine that are more or less ignored by the clientele. Its the drinks they are there for and to meet up with everyone else sick of the Vegas strip and strip malls. The Double Down is not the only great dive bar in Las Vegas but it is the most rockin' one I have discovered.
Then there is Ass Juice their signature cocktail. One really shouldn't ask what's in it as it is probably better not to know. The only thing you need to know is it comes with a warning that if you puke it up you clean it! Their other signature cocktail is the Bacon Martini. I can't personally recommend or dissuade anyone from having one as I have never been in the mood for either but a Bacon Martini might be nice with a side of Bloody Mary for brunch.
The Juke box is always playing if a band isn't. The juke box at the Double Down is a star. If you can't find a song on it you like you might want to go back and get those Celine Dion tickets you talked to the desk clerk about. This juke box rocks and rocks hard.
Bands play most nights and there is never a cover. You won't see famous bands but you will some good ones. To be honest you might see a crappy one here and there but the sets aren't long and you can easily ignore them for a few minutes. On an upcoming saturday night The Double Down was recently advertising the following line up Evil Beaver, Kittenhead, The Pancakes and Mass Distractors. Who wouldn't find that line up to be appealing?
So when in Vegas get off the damned stip and head over to Paradice Rd not far from the horrible Hardrock Hotel and check out The Double Down. Just Shut up and Drink.
