Our Man in Antigua

‘changes, changes…ripples in the time/space contiuum that we know as Antigua.Pangea loses neil craig today, their star/ace-in-the hole chef…the lounge,oddly enough doing a bit of biz for the better-dressed crowd…up for sale and what was a December dead-line is now…make an offer…

dos Reilly’s doing a full house early on..Henrik at the helm, keeping an eye on things…like a few others, he’s sensing changes in the local fabric but as with the rest of us, not sure WTF is going on or coming next. One of my ‘indexes’ for trade has always been the El Gato Negro hostel across the street, one of the best or certainly top two, along with Monica’s Jungle Party…they were back to being packed tonight(EGN).

‘went by and in the new deli on 4th ave sur, before Canis/Cafe Flor…picked up a business card and lost it somewhere, but the good news is that they have ‘high end’ goodies..proscioutto, serrano ham, great cheeses..and a good selection of wine…nope, didnt make it to El Muro’s ‘Ladies Night’ or Lava’s similar promotion…the dress didnt’ come back in time from the cleaners..Whisky Den? Karla H doing what she can to promote the place: as mentioned, a raffle this Tuesday…50q per pop…50? well, that’ll cut the action..for a bottle of whiskey? who knows? but, she’s plugging the hell outa it. Nelson, Hector et al scheduled tonight at 9:30…’caught ron on sax earlier..as usual, great..tomorrow night..Adan at Caffe Opera. about 8 or so…Cuban Standard time..I’ll be hanging in the door, listening…as the bar can’t make a martini to save their ass…

the salty beaver, now up for sale…attracting ‘action’…being shown this weekend to a ‘foreign investor’ and then again next week to a gringo that i know..the two local businessmen that had the inside track ought to be thinkin’ about the question: are they in or out? as always, money talks and bullshit walks.

5th norte? Frida’s doing a few tables and Studio 35? closed again and on a Friday night? Como Como open and the Med Cafe next door? closed all week..wtf? Sangre, supposedly bankrolled by bad boys..open/no action..Sobremesa having a quiet night…and about time..Alex is tired..painting, writing, cooking and…thinking up new ice cream recipes..oh..a local bar owner woke up in the street at dawn…stripped/ripped  but the DPI and driver’s license was returned…a bit too much mezcal at the infamous Cafe No Se…not that none of us have ever done that…but, once is enough, at least for me..yes, I confess that I’ve kissed the cobblestones once since i’ve been here..’sorry to see Pangea fade/fold…it was a great concept, perhaps doomed to failure with  the differing ideas with the principals and the general economic times..riki’s/el cielo reportedly on the ropes, $$ wise..what seems to be working is the ‘spa’ concept…Minoshka, who seems to have a store on every street…offering a 2X1 pedicure for $35…go to Carmen’s Salon Creativo on 2nd calle/4th ave and have a 2X1 for $20 and a helluva lot better foot massage..