When chic trumps comfort
Check out these cute orange chair/stool thingys!
That was my first thought when I saw the bar stools at Meli. They are undeniably chic, and fit the feel of the stylish Fells Point restaurant/bar precisely.
Then I sat in one. It was kind of the worst of both worlds -- not quite a chair, not quite a stool. And the little six- or seven-inch backs cut into my back when I tried to lean back on them.
In the grand scheme of things, it was a minor inconvenience -- wait until I tell you about the martini I had there -- but it got me thinking about the times when chic trumps comfort at bars and restaurants ...
Think about all the times you've walked into a bar or restaurant and noticed the cute little tables, only to have to sit at them while the server tried in vain to find room for all your food and drinks. Two plates won't even fit!
Thankfully, Baltimore doesn't have many bars and clubs that favor looking trendy over serving food and drinks.
Can you think of any other places around town where chic furniture and decor trumps comfort?
(Photo by me)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Good to know.. will not wear shorts or short dresses to sit at that bar... nothing like weave prints on the back of the leg to bolster attractiveness.
Posted by: Samantha | April 20, 2010 12:15 PM
Forget where i was, but they had the then fashionable "hard circle" bar stools, meaning that the edges of the seat were not planed to a round. Looked clean , modern and chic.... and completely dug into the legs in the comfortable fashion of the Grand Inquisition. Probably can't remember because I never went back.
Posted by: Meekrat | April 20, 2010 1:02 PM
@Samantha - Depends on who you're trying to attract
"Mmmm...waffle fries"
Posted by: BC | April 20, 2010 1:24 PM
@BC duly noted. Is it time to break out eau de fry oil?
Posted by: Samantha | April 20, 2010 1:49 PM
Any barstool without a back.
Man, I'm getting old.
Posted by: Jay in Fells Point | April 20, 2010 3:06 PM
Hey Sam,
Check out 13.5% Wine Bar. Very similar seating at the bar. Plus they're orange too..woot woot. Orange making a comeback.
The one nice thing about them is they have this little hydrolic spring type thing so it isn't too ridgid, but has a little back support that hurts when you lean back.
Posted by: Patrick Graham | April 20, 2010 3:15 PM
Try staying on the weirdly butt-shaped ceramic stools at B&O Brasserie after a couple of their signature cocktails. As added plus, they are so heavy that if you do topple over, the stool will crush you to death falling on top of you when you go down.
Posted by: mkand | April 20, 2010 3:50 PM
Any tall barstool! I'm sure they're aesthetically pleasing but us short people have to practically get a running start to get up on one, and getting off of them is almost as hard.
Posted by: baltimoregal | April 20, 2010 6:01 PM
Any tall barstool! I'm sure they're aesthetically pleasing but us short people have to practically get a running start to get up on one.
I'd like to see that. Maybe they could provide a mini-tramp.
LOL. I agree, but because I have a very long torso and have to lean down too much. Side effect, I look much taller than I am, so people are less likely to want to punch me (I don't know why) than if we were standing.
Posted by: Owl Meat G******* | April 20, 2010 7:28 PM
I may be short, but I am no mini-tramp, sir!
Posted by: baltimoregal | April 21, 2010 9:00 AM
I was just at 13.5& Wine Bar in Hampden (aka the city's worst named wine bar) last night, where I sat at one of those cool-looking round plastic bar stools. When I was finished my cocktail, I hobbled out of there. And yes, I went to 13.5 for a cockail, and not a glass of wine. But I did take home a bottle of Aglianico.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | April 21, 2010 11:18 AM