Located on the Av. San Martín 1062, just one block down from Av. Sucre and across from Av. Vivanco in the beautiful and tranquil residencial district of Pueblo Libre.  This is the bar I managed to stumble on during one of my many photowalks through the city.  Tucked away in the vast urban jungle that is Lima, I practically stumbled upon this famous watering hole around mid day one Saturday weekend (looking back it was the same day that my intraocular lenses decided to come loose, but that's another story entirely).  The sky was grey and overcast and I had just trekked all the way from Av. Canada near the Via Expresa, which for those who don't know is a fairly long walk, especially since I passed through two districts to get there (about a hour and a half walk).  The mere sight of this ancient corner tavern literally packed and overflowing with inebriated patrons.



As I drew closer the roar of laughter and loud conversations echoed through the opened windows and doorways with an alure all to powerful for the regular drinker and bar hopper to pass up.  Walking into the bar through the old saloon doors my seemed to gravitate towards the bar and before I could really realize what was going one I had some how managed to ask the bartender for a house drink, only to find my hand clentching this ice cold refreshing drink.  One taste was all it took for me to render my verdict, I was hooked the Chilcano de Pisco that I tried was beyond delicious and had somewhat classy presentation that could be given a place alongside other sophisticated drinks like gin and tonic.  The drink was served in a high ball glass with the tavern's logo etched in gold on the side.  I would think it was safe to say that the bartender gave a more than generous help of Pisco in my drinks as I began to quickly feel it's effects, and boy did I like it....total relaxation!  As I let the sweet alcohol work it's magic through the inner confines of my body I grabbed the closed available seat I could find and began to absorb my new surroundings.  The tavern's environment is so inviting that you feel like you've been there many times before, something similar to the feeling you get when you share a few drinks with you best friends in your hometown bar.  You feel welcome in it's environment to the point where time just seems to fly, what makes this amazing is that I wasn't even with anyone, I was alone, imagine what one would feel if they had gone with friends and/or family.




El Queirolo is one of Lima's most famous and older bars and has maintain a large following over the years.  Here you will find both men and women of varying ages from both young and old alike all present to enjoy the warmth and inviting comfort of the wonderful antique atmosphere, the outstanding drinks and food, and above all with most popular bars in Lima, a great social environment.  Speaking of food El Queirolo offers a variety of food options from typical and traditional meals to the popular and widely sought after sandwiches made up of delicious meats like Jamon de Pais among others.  The drinks are amazingly good and a recommended drink would definitely have to be their Chilcano de Pisco.  This refreshing drink is made from their very own Queirolo Pisco mixed with ginger ale and a few squeezes of lime juice, making it the perfect refreshing summer drink that's actually great just about anytime of the year.  Their Chilcano de Pisco is recognized by many Limeños to be the best in the city! 


El Queirolo has won such recognition in the eyes of the citizens of Lima that it is a highly frequented and recommended location.  The old tavern is seen as a cultural and social hub where people can gather to pass the time with friends and family where they can have that experience of being in a bar that is literally frozen in time from an era long forgotten.  The feeling that you get when you first walk into the tavern is that similar to stepping back into the past, as the decor and old wood floors, furniture and ceiling along with the many antiques that embellish and adorn the place.  Some of the antiques that will catch your eye when you first walk into the tavern will be the old cash register and phonograph, but what really stands out is the old telephone near the front entrance of the tavern.  This telephone is one of two very first telephone's to ever be installed in Peru!  It's even more amazing to see all this antiques still in their preserved state.


 

El Queirolo's history is an intriguing one which dates back to the year 1880 when the Queirolo family first arrived it what was once called the district of Magdalena Vieja, which is today named the district of Pueblo Libre.  The name Pueblo Libre was given by the famous "Liberator" General Don Jose de San Martín in 1821.  The Queirolo family was a traditional winemaker family whom upon arrival to Lima set up and founded the "Bodega Santiago Queirolo",  this was to be the very first location of the families vineyard.  It's important to for the reader to understand that in those times Lima was a much smaller and centralized city that it's much larger and gigantic iteration.  Many of the outlying districts that surrounded the central city hub were known for being the location of many vineyards, plantations, and farms all of which are long gone in today's modern version.  As the city of Lima began to grow throughout the first have of the 1900's so did the Queirolo families need to relocate their operational facilities and in 1963 they did just that by moving their vineyard operations to the southern coastal city of Cañete (which is one of many wine producing cities along the souther coast).  Today the wine-making tradition continues as future generations of the Queirolo family continue to keep the family practice alive and well.  Their wines and Pisco's are among the most popular and respected in the country and can be found and purchased in many of Lima's supermarket's, liquor stores, and especially at La Taberna Queirolo.


The Queirolo family business maintains an amazing company website which offers very interesting and useful information about their wines and Piscos for those interesting in learning more about the process of production. 

I highly recommend this bar/tavern and give it 5 stars out of 5 for it's over the top service, drinks, food, environment and overall excellence which is hard to find in a city of 9 million inhabitants.

In celebration of Lima's anniversary this Sunday a group of Pisqueros (chefs, gastronomes, pisco lovers, and  companies that produce the National drink of Peru, Pisco) have put together what their calling "La Semana del Chilcano" (the Week of the Chilcano) that will run from Monday of this week til the 17th.  The celebration is an collaborated effort to promote the consumption of Pisco and to raise awareness about the drink Chilcano de Pisco.  

The cocktail Chilcano de Pisco is a popular one among Peruvians much like Pisco Sour, although considered much simpler to prepare.  While the variations to the Chilcano may vary among bartenders everywhere in Peru the core ingredients remain true.

"What is in a Chilcano de Pisco?"

The Chilcano is an alcoholic beverage that uses Pisco (which kind depends upon personal preference, Quebranta being the most commonly used).  The ingredients required to make a Chilcano are simple and can be easily obtained both in Peru as well as in the US.  The ingredients used consist of the following:

• Pisco Peruano (Which is the REAL PISCO, not that imitation Chilean Pisco)
• Ginger Ale
• Fresh Peruvian Limón Juice (For the US substitute with Key Limes)
• Ice

In celebration of La Semana del Chilcano, many bars, restaurants, discotecas, hotels, and taverns in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa and many other cities will be celebrating the event.

"Chilcano de Pisco Receta / Chilcano de Pisco Receipe"

For those interested here is the recipe for making Chilcanos de Pisco:

Ingredients for a Chilcano de Pisco

• Peruvian Pisco Brandy
• Lemon Juice
• Ginger Ale

Quantities for one drink:

• 2 oz Peruvian Pisco Brandy
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 4 - 6 oz Ginger Ale

Blending Instructions:

• Pour the Peruvian Pisco into a highball glass filled with ice cubes
• Add a spoonful of lemon juice, then fill with ginger ale
• Serve

Ocucaje, a Peruvian Pisco manufacturer located in Arequipa has a page that offers other great drink recipes using Pisco.  Check it out here!

"Where can I find a good Chilcano de Pisco in Lima?"

One restaurant/bar that I would highly recommend for Chilcanos would be that of "El Bolivariano", located in Pueblo Libre, Lima.  They sell a great Chilcano that you the patron can prepare to your personal taste as they bring a bottle of pisco accompanied by ginger ale and ice.  The environment there is great and their food is excellent.  On Friday and Saturday nights El Bolivariano offers music in their large dinning hall where the customers can enjoy a great drink followed by a night of great dancing.

Here is a video illustrating the Chilcano that they sell at El Bolivariano:



I should also mention the famous and very old bar and cafe "El Cordon" located in the center of Lima in the historical district, near the Plaza de Armas.  There they are well known for their sandwiches and of course Chilcano de Pisco.


El Comercio (Peru's National and Oldest Newspaper) has posted a list of places offering discounts along with a detailed description of the discounts.  The list is provided below:

Heladería Quattro D
Chilcano de Pisco flavored ice cream / Helado de chilcano de pisco.
Bravo Restobar
Second Chilcano half price / Segundo chilcano a mitad de precio.
Caplina
The first Chilcano for only S/. 3, the second one at S/. 6 / El primer chilcano a 3 soles; el segundo a 6 soles.
Chepita Royal
The second Chilcano is FREE!!! / El segundo chilcano es gratis.
El Cheff y el Mar
2 x 1 deal on Chilcano de Pisco / 2×1 en chilcano de pisco.
El Escondite del Gordo
For every tiradito, client recieves a courtesy Chilcano.  Additional Chilcanos at 25% discount / Por cada tiradito, un chilcano de cortesía. Chilcano adicional con 25% de descuento.
El Pez Amigo
50% discount on Chilcanos / 50% descuento en chilcano.
La Vaca Loca
50% discount on Chilcanos / 50% descuento en chilcano.
Hanzo
2 x 1 on Chilcanos / 2×1 en chilcanos.
Brujas de Cachiche
2 Chilcanos for S/. 22 / Dos chilcanos por 22 soles. Además, tabla de cebiches para dos o tiradito Brujas de Cachiche para dos, con dos chilcano, por 65 soles.
Ristorante Fratello
2×1 en chilcanos de pisco Italia, Quebranta y Acholado, con piqueo de brochetas.
Trattoria dei Pratti
With purchase of Chilcano, receive a complementary antipasto / Por un chilcano, de cortesía va el antipasto.
Xcess
Chilcano de Pisco for S/. 10 and on the 13th, free Chilcanos for the ladies (until 12pm) / Chilcano de pisco a 10 soles. Y el miércoles 13, gratis para las chicas (hasta las 12 p.m.)
Cepas Restobar
Receive a Chilcano with the purchase of an appetizer / El chilcano viene con piqueo.
Pisco Bar
2×1 en chilcano de pisco.
Capitán Meléndez
2 Chilcanos for S/. 22 / Dos chilcanos por 20 soles.
Depeche Order
Second one at half price / El segundo es a mitad de precio.
La Pisquería de Don Luis
Con cada chilcano, gratis un piqueo de aceitunas o quesos.
Bar Inglés (Hotel Country Club)
Dos chilcanos por 26 soles.
Swissôtel
2×1 (Dos chilcanos y un piqueo criollo a 50 soles).
Bohemia
Dos chilcanos y piqueo de cortesía por 25 soles.
Hotel Los Delfines
Seis variedades de chilcanos con piqueo de cortesía.

*first photo taken from Living in Peru website
**Second photo taken from Ocucaje.com website

Here is a list taken from Living In Peru's article of the places that will be offering discounts for the drink this week:

Lima	Asia	Cusco	Ica
Astrid y Gastón Bravo Restobar Cala Pescados Capitales Punta Sal Picas Antigua Taberna Queirolo Tanta Hanzo Fiesta Brujas de Cachiche Scena Fusión Bar Inglés del Country Club Huaringas Casandina Swissotel Caplina Costanera 700 Ristorante Fratello Trattoria dei Pratti Pisco Bar Capitán Meléndez Junius Depeche Order Quattro D El Grifo Mayta Alfresco Chepita Royal El Chef y el Mar El Pez On Lomo de Mar El Bolivariano Chala El Rincón Que No Conoces Rinconcito Arequipeño Barajas Restaurant & Lounge 550 Xcess Santos Bar Cepas Restobar El Dragón El Escondite del Gordo El Pez Amigo La Vaca Loca Aca No Más Bar La Pisquería de Don Luis	Acquavit Hotel & Casino Bubba Lounge Play Club Punta Sal Depeche Order	La Chicha Cosa Nostra Bar Cusco Inka Grill Limo Inkanto Pacha Papa Zu Lounge Bistro 470 Hotel Monasterio Andean Wings Hotel El Pisquerito	El Carmelo, Hotel y Bodega

After what was a long week here in Lima, a few friends of mine and I decided to get together for drinks last Saturday.  Zdenka and I arrived at Albazo's around 9:30PM, where I had told everyone earlier to meetup. 

Albazo's is this small little bar on Av. Berlin, located just around the corner from the Calle de Los Pizzas in Miraflores.  The thing I enjoy most about this bar is that it's usually never croweded which, makes it a great spot for gatherings with friends.  The place serves a wide array of alcoholic beverages at reasonable prices for being located in Miraflores.  I usually prefer to order my 1 liter bottle of Pilsen and at S/.11 it's a great deal.  The music at Albazo's pretty much says alot about the people who frequent their, nothing but good 90's and 80's music, for me this is a nice change in pace from all the latin music that I hear regularly (not that I don't like it either). 

for those of you who are interested here is the address: calle berlin 172, Miraflores

Sitting there waiting for my friends to show up we decided to have a few drinks and enjoy the loud drunken shouting of a group of guys who were rocking out to Los Heroes del Silencio.   Unfortunately for us the DJ (or who ever the hell was in charge of the music) decided to humor the group by playing a marathon of "Heroes", which only meant a continuous, almost never ending roar of off key singing.  I should also probably mention that Zdenka had been and continued to suffer from a tremendous migrane of epic proportions that not even 4 excedrins, 2 cups of mate de coca, and an almost empty bottle of beer could cure.  It would be an understatement to say she was in pain, yet being the trooper and awesome girlfriend she decided to stay inspite of my attempts to call it an early night.  When the music had finally switched gears and all the shouting had come to a lull, my friends came waltzing in one by one through the door.  Orgasms, Vodka/Tonics, Pilsen, and a side of french fries were ordered as we put our still sober heads together to come up with a game plan for the night. 



A decision was made and dancing was elected as the designated activity for the night.  Walking down the crowded Calle de Los Pizzas we found a club that was decent enough without being ridiculously packed.  The music was varied but wasn't any different from you hear at just about every other club (with the exception of electronica and techo...That GOD).  More beer was consumed as is custom as well as law in such places.  I did my fair share of dancing, though in all honesty I could have danced more.  Everyone appeared to be having a good time and the night was starting to wind down.  It was roughly around 2AM when Zdenka looked over at me and visually threw in the towel.  I said OK and we said our goodbyes to everyone and were quickly on our way home.  Thankfully I was sedated enough to not really care about sleeping on the couch but in all honesty I can sleep on just about any surface if the situation calls for it.

While working in Barrios Altos today I headed over to La Parada, all of which is located in the district of La Victoria.  There I came across this old lady selling what at first sight was a huge burlap sack of leaves.  It took a few seconds after I walked by to realize she was selling coca leaves (the very same leaf that provides so many of our worlds addicts with that extra pep for their step......you know C.O.C.A.I.N.E.).  Having realize what the old woman was selling I thought it would make for an interesting photo so I headed back to her stand and politely asked her if I could take a photo of her and her merchandise.  I laughed as she responded by saying:

Not really sure at the moment what I would do with a bag full of coca leaves I decide to purchase S/.1.00 of leaves.  She then asked me which kind of coca leave I wanted to which I looked at here with a puzzled expression.  Apparently there is more than one type of coca leaf, and here I thought they were all the same.  The two types she had for sale ended up being from two totally different regions, one sack of leaves was from the jungles of Huanuco (a department in the North Eastern region of Peru) and were smaller in size.  The other sack of leaves came from the sierra of Ayacucho and were much larger in size and had a brighter green color.  While she bagged my purchase I took the opportunity to take a few pictures:


With my coca leaves in hand I started to walk away when the old lady stopped me to say:  "one sol!", I had forgotten to pay her.  With coca leaves in hand carefully wrapped in a plastic bag I couldn't help but feel a little bad, afterall I was in posession of a product that is deemed illegal in the United States as well as many other countries.  It's moments like this I wished I had brought my Ipod so that I could rock out to Eric Clapton's famous hit song "Cocaine".  Luckily I was not violating any law by having coca leaves in my possession since it's not considered illegal to consume them/drink them/chew them/smoke them.  I am aware that many people in Peru grow coca leaves and am not entirely sure how the government deems coca leave production as legal or illegal,  it's rather a very controversial topic here in Peru so I won't even bother trying to go into detail about it at this time.

Not really sure what to do with the leaves I had pondered giving them away since but before I could make any kind of donation a thought came into my head in the form of a question.

"Can coca leaves cure a hangover?"

Knowing fairly well that tonights events will require the irrational consumption of multiple alcoholic beverages for the sake of entertainment, I pondered wither or not taking coca leaves the next day (either in tea form or just chewing them) would help to cure the inevitable hangover that is surely awaiting me.  For those of you who don't know coca leaves contain many different alkaloids one of which, Cocaine is very commonly relied on for its effects.  

Cocaine also known as benzoylmethylecgonine (for the biology/botany geeks), is classified as a stimulant as well as an appetite suppressant (perfect for those wanting to lose a few pounds).  Is cocaine addictive? Yes, it is but so is nicotine, coffee, alcohol, gambling, sex, pornography, and just about any other good time sin you can think of thats legal in most countries.



Coca leaves have been used for their nutrients and chemical properties for hundreds of years and were originally consumed by the indiginous groups of South America.  Since then the use the coca leaves properties have been exploited by man for profit and experimentation purposes making it one of the world's most popular plants.  The substance was even used as wonder drug to cure even the most common ailments like a toothache (where was this stuff when I was a kid?).  Does Coca-Cola ring a bell to anyone?

That's right folks, tomorrow is Halloween and for most of us this means an annual party where we all get to dress up in ridiculous costumes and get really drunk.  For the ladies this is an opportunity for them to dress sluttier than they would normally dress and there are no concerns on their part since no male is really going to object.  For us guys it's just another opportunity to get drunk with the added bonus of getting to see women in slutty outfits. 

If I were in Portland right now I would be definately be helping my sister and her husband Tyler to get the house ready for my annual Halloween Kegger.  A popular event that was started in my first year of college and was gradually adopted by my brother and sister.  According to my sister this year's party plans to be much larger than last year with three times more alcohol.  If you currently reside in Portland, Oregon and are looking for a good Halloween party with beer kegs then you should definately go and check it out. 

Starts at 10pm
Bring money for the keg and other alcoholic beverages!!!!
Address: 3312 SE 23rd
Located on 23rd and Powell Blvd.

The party is well known among PSU students and should be a blast.  It's too bad I am in Peru, oh well.  Fortunately I have plans of my own for Halloween.  A bunch of my friends and I are going to be going to the Cameo Bar in Miraflores on Saturday because they have this awesome special, but it requires that you reserve for a group of 10 people minimum to really take advantage of the offer.

Here are some more details regarding the clubs Halloween special:

*Entrance Cost is S/250.00 (soles) for up to 10 people.
*Entrance includes: Exclusive Zone (some kind of VIP), 2 bottles of Johnny Walker Whiskey Red Label, and Soda/Cola (however you called it).

The Cameo Bar is Located at : Calle Bellavista 247 – Miraflores

I have no idea what kind of music will be offered there but from the looks of some online flyers that I came across it looks like (UNFORTUNATELY) electronica/techno :(


I really don't care for this kind of music so I am really hoping that it won't be electronica or techno, otherwise two bottles of JW just won't be enough.  I have decided to nix the costume this year since I believe Halloween to be an American holiday (if it isn't please let me know) and to celebrate it in Peru just feels so out of place.  Personally I would rather go to a Peña but I have been told that most are already sold out, so I guess I am S.O.L.

I will keep you guys posted on how my evening goes with tons of raw footage of the druken dubachery that is sure to ensue.  

Ok, I had to post this when I read it the other day.  A black bear in Hayward, Wisconsin walked into a local grocery store, as freightened shoppers witnessed the bear head straight to the beer cooler. 


It looks like Hamm's Beer decided to take their promotional marketing to the next level and bring in the live talent instead.




Here is a link to the article posted on MSNBC 

*photo taken from MSNBC site

Ugh, I just stumbled out of bed at 10:40am and feel a little light headed.  You know you have partied hard when you wake up the next day still drunk.  Last night Zdenka and I met up with my father at Milenium Karaoke located on Av. Aviacion near Av. Javier Prado in San Borja.  My father decided to meet up with us after having just returned from a wedding in Chaclacayo.

Milenium is by far one of my favorite karaoke bars in Lima, though I must admit the karaoke bars here don't have the same charm as Suki's or the Cheerful Tortise in Portland.  We ordered a bottle of Johnny Walker Red Label (it's one of the most popular brands of whiskey here in Peru,  I miss Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, and Crown Royal) which is brought out with a bucket of ice and a small pitcher of water, very classy.  I did my best to sing Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" and did alright I think.  After about 3 hours of karaoke goodness we headed off to Pueblo Libre to pick up Zdenka's sister Almendra who was at some house party.  In our inebrated state it took us like 25 minutes to locate the street where the party took place (well more like 40 minutes if you count the small fight + pistol whipping that broke out over a controversial photo I took of a certain someone publicly urinating).

After we finally found her we the munchies finally took over and headed to a late night Anticucheria for some anticuchos and picarones.  I ate like four HUGE anticucho skewers and most of Zdenka's picarones, BEWARE of the hungry drunk skinny guy!  Bellys full and late night desires satisfied we dropped Zdenka and Almendra off at their home around 4am and head home where I would crash half naked on my bed only to awake the next day with half my pillow in my mouth with face covered in droll/saliva.  GOD I love Saturday's.

On a side note, I came across this video on JD's Man Stories, one of my favorite websites.  The video is fairly PG13 so it shouldn't offend too many people.  I don't normally get British humor but this sketch definitely made me laugh.  Enjoy!

Last Saturday I was with Zdenka and we decided to go partake in some sin and go gambling at the Atlantic City Casino in Miraflores, which by the way sucks because instead of giving you coins they give you this stupid ticket, but I won't go into details about that.

We hailed a cab on the Av. Arica in Breña at roughly 10pm and within only 2 minutes of entering a loud thump was heard coming from the back of the rickety Tico. At the time we barely remembered seeing a man pass the car and it was then that we realized that he had hit our parked car and had passed out. That's right, having exited the vehicle to inspect the scene of the crime I found our victim sprawled out on the pavement. I had to act fast since there was oncoming traffic approaching over the horizon. Luckily there was a female cop at the scene who assisted by doing absolutely NOTHING,...wait what? That's right, she just stood there and watched the entire accident and rescue attempt unfold all while wearing what I considered an ironic citizen's police vest. Apparently in Peru the police couldn't give a damn about helping drunks and homeless which was fairly apparent and as my father confirmed, they really don't give a damn. NOTE TO SELF DON'T GET DRUNK TO THE POINT THAT YOU NEED POLICE ASSISTANCE, IT WON'T COME.

In an attempt to aid the downed citizen I and two other individuals proceeded to carry the limp body towards the sidewalk. I felt bad about leaving him lying in the middle of the sidewalk so I picked him up and sat him up against the wall of a pharmacy building. It wasn't until that moment that I realized he was totally drunk of his ass (as the details of this story will obviously prove).



I felt bad leaving the guy there knowing that he would more than likely be the future victim of robbery (which upon returning later the next day proved to be an accurate assumption as we found him lying in the middle of the street without shoes!), however I also had little sympathy for him since he chose to let the good times roll a little too hard.

Having conducted my good Samaritan deed for the year I reentered the cab and headed off to go gamble away the guilt of leaving a drunk man vulnerable in the streets of Lima, Awww LIFE!

Last Saturday I was hanging out with my girlfriend Zdenka at my place watching movies when we decided to go out and have some fun. We usually discuss what we want to do and plan out our night a little but not this time. I believe we spent roughly 30 minutes asking each other what each other wanted to do (you know the stupid back and forth that happens when two people have no idea what to do). Finally I said F-it (that's right I just censored myself, I Know I'm shocked too) and we decided to wing it, college-style.



I had the cab driver drop us off at Larco Mar in Miraflores. Once there we happened to walk by the Marriott Hotel's Majestic casino, surprisingly I was intrigued. Know the last time I can remember gambling was back in college when I was a student at the University of Portland, but that was just your average dorm room poker. In all honesty up until that night I had never actually played in a casino.

Seeing all those bright colorful lights drew me through the front doors (and past the hired muscle), like a fly to bright light. All the different sounds, lights, smells, and embellished carpeting seemed to heighten my senses. I was excited and nervous, I had been a long time since I had gambled and the fear of performance anxiety made my palms sweat. My fears are subsided as Zdenka takes my hand along with my S/.10 in coins, she's not afraid, she's been here before. She guides me too a slot machine and I ease into the drivers seat. I am instantly confused by all the buttons and on screen commands. The slot machine has an Asian theme with several recognizable (A.K.A. stereotypical) images. Zdenka explains how the game works and I do my best to pretend like I understand what she says. The first coin deposit is always the hardest but I reminded myself that I was here to have fun not invest in my future children's college fund (yeah right, like that's going to happen. That's what scholarships and student loans are for).

Anyways long story short, I started winning money (it's a good thing) and managed to walk away with a reasonable chunk of change (S/.90 to be exact, and that's from my initial S/.10). Knowing when to quit while I'm ahead (thanks Kenny Rogers) I decided to cash out. Feeling good about my win I asked myself: "self what does a person who has just won S/.90 do with that money?", the answer was simple "blow it on booze and food, duh".

So off walked Zdenka and I up Av. Larco where we passed a sports bar called "The Corner", and it was even on a corner too. I instantly like the idea of it being a sports bar and Zdenka was down for pretty much anything (A woman who will watch sports, drink beer all while in a rowdy bar full of drunk and obnoxiously loud males is a keeper in my book).

The Corner at first glance is a small sized bar with a warm interior full of sports paraphanilia and tons of flat screen tv's. The place a big bar and all the tables were high with comfortable stools. I found The Corner to be fairly comfortable with a fun atmosphere that made me reminisce about my college years and my Phi Delt brothers.




So we sit down in this packed bar full of mostly late 20's to late 30 year old's and I spot what looks like a hugh tube sitting at the table across from me. One of the guys moved his head and I realized that the tube was full of beer and it reminded my of a beer bong (aw..college what didn't you teach me). I was interested and I had to order it. On The Corner's menu I saw that it was called The Tower and it is basically a tall bong full of 3 Lt. of beer that is accompanied by an order of Taqueños w/guacamole. At S/.57 I was sold, so I ponied out some of my winnings and basked at the task ahead. I looked over at Zdenka who was at awe at the prospect that lied ahead and told her that the night was just beginning (it was 11pm).

While waiting on the Goliath of a beer I noticed that my sports viewing options were fairly narrow which disappointed me a little. The choices that night were a boxing match between some dude from Mexico V. some dude from the US (the guy from the US won, take that MeJico!), a soccer match, and ESPN highlights covering the weeks College Football Games. I chose to watch the ESPN highlights figuring I could catch up on all the football I was missing (Great to see UofOregon doing good but even better to see that the Washington Husky's beat the crap out of USC, their overrated even if they have talent).






Finally the Tower was brought to our table and the drinking was commenced. The taqueños were awesome by the way, a perfect snack to accompany a nice cold beer. Zdenka and I then dedicated the next 2 hours to chugging down an unidentified beer in the comfort of what eventually became an empty bar. The first 2 Lt were solid for the both of us both, as we both felt fine, except we weren't (as a veteran party animal and alcohol hobbyist, I should have seen the signs of my impending intoxication). The last remaining liter of beer proved to be the final nail in the coffin and before I new it I was frenching the Tower and milking it of it's sweet malty nectar. 30 minutes later our task was accomplished and in our inebriated state we said our goodbye's to our new friend The Corner, knowing that one day we would return.



The rest of the night turned out great and I wish I could comment on it because the details are still kind of fuzzy (all I can say is that the night continued to get better. I'll let you make your own conclusions). What I can say is that The Corner while not cheap is great place to hangout, drink, watch sports, and make an ass out of yourself. I will definately be going back there again.

NOTE: also they have a great food menu.

Here is another great review of The Corner by Ben JonJak

The Corner Sports Bar and Grill
Av. Larco 1207, Miraflores.
444-0220.

So Sunday was a fairly uneventful day given the fact that Saturday night I spent it drinking and dancing with my girlfriend and some friends of mine in Barranco & Lince. We partied in Rustica (not my favorite of places, but the drinks are reasonably priced) which was pretty fun until I was harrassed by one the security guards.

Try to picture this if you will. Here I was, this poor buzzed guy just minding my own business trying to take two full Chops (they are these huge 1L mugs filled with beer ofcourse) to our table when out of nowhere comes this huge dude in a suit and tie. He tries to pull me to one side and actually grabs me which, I was not a fan of by the way. I asked what the problem was and he asked me where I was going with my newly purchased beers? weird question when your inside a bar/club. I told him I was following some friends to our new table. He asked me where that was but unfortuantely for me I didn't know exactly where that was, so I told him "that I didn't know and that I was following my friends there".

By this time the guy was getting pretty impatient with me and just kept asking me over and over again where my table was, this really started to piss me off so I told him he should stop talking and try listening since he obviously didn't here me the first time. Finally after 5 minutes of ridiculous back and forth nonsense, my girlfriend shows and with two other guards and some wait staff. They all asked what the problem was and before you know it what was once an arguement between two became a huge orgy of a argument. I finally got fed up and handed the two chops to the idiot of a guard and told him to take them to the table. This must have really pissed him off because he looked like he wanted to beat the crap of me ( he probably could have too). Finally some manager type comes along and escorts us to our table and the whole thing was finally ended in a very anti-climatic way.

After a few hours we left that joint and headed to Voce which is a pretty swanky club in Lince on Av. Petit Thours. The place charges a S./20 cover which is fine I guess. The drinks are actually quite expensive for what you get. The same beer in Rustica costs S./7 more making it fairly uneconomic in comparison. The dance floor is fairly big but that doesn't really mean anything in Lima since by 12am - 2am the dance floors are usually so packed you can barely move. We hung out at Voce for a while and the headed out around 3am.

The next morning I woke around 11am, still in a bit of a fog from the night before. My father and I hungry headed out to Lurin a town located just south of Lima near the Pachacamac ruins. According to my father Lurin has some of the best chicarron in Lima, even though I find the chicarron in Chancay to be better. Along the way I happened to come across some horses that were grazing along the side of the road. There is a place right next to the Pantanos de villa which is located by Av. Huaylas right before it merges with the Panamericana Sur (south). There you can go horseback riding along the beach for a reasonable price (I can't remember how much exactly). I do remember it being a lot of fun the last time I did it with my friends and family.




The above picture was taken yesterday when I was driving down Av. Sucre in Magdalena del Mar yesterday when I drove by this huge church/monestary, not really sure which but I really grabbed my attention. I chose black and white because I thought it would make a more dramatic photo. The colors were to washed out which is why I chose to take the photo in B&W.