Our Man in Antigua

tag line of an old joke…I know too many, I suspect…twas a noche tranquilo in A-Town….a concert/show in front of the Cathedral, some kinda ‘cultural’ thing at the Posada Don Rodrigo, with a couple of large shuttle vans in front…’yep, they’re bringin’ in customers…

I’m starting to harbor some doubts about the viability of a couple of places on 4th Calle…slow, dead, closed(eateries)…709, next to A’s Fusion 2, is already in rigor mortis…and yes, the ongoing saga of Caffe Bourbon ain’t over…I heard a number(sales price)tonight…the ol yardstick of gross $ times a multiplier…add up a year’s worth of gross sales, ok? multiply that by a typical Antigua sales price, assuming that you can get real numbers/data…hmm, ask to see the books or what they actually declared, tax-wise…figures don’t lie, but some liars figure…nope, i’m not casting stones/aspersions here…i’ve just done too many appraisals for Hindu hotel owners(with three sets of books)…it’ll be a while before the ‘dust’ settles on this deal…and some bitter feelings all around…only the attorneys will win(as usual).

Ocelot’s Halloween decorations are up..and looking good..the very urbane Wayne Hooper checking in before doing his gig at PV…Luke passed thru…Plumb Bob on the patio, just like the old days…Ryan the Wheeler at Ricardo’s Tabacos y Vinos, buying a couple bottles of red to go…and yes, ‘she’ was there…in black tonight..Ryan’s starting again at dos Reilly’s, working the day shift..dos Reilly’s doing a decent crowd…it was quiet everywhere..

‘figured out what I really like about Lava…their lighting..the colors..unlike the lower hell of IxNay…again, once more…how could experienced restaurant owners screw up so badly? absentee Texas folks with 16+ years in the Tex-Mex biz? a crepe place, with an existing crepery(Luna Miel)that kicks ass every night of the week?…Hector’s? minus the H but he’s gotta new lady…party of six and a couple deuces..it runs on auto-pilot..Sangre, Studio 35 doing the ‘all you can swill and Ladies drink for free’….no takers…Edy’s Lounge tried this..Cashbar lit up, waiting for action…and waiting…and waiting..Gaia empty…bring in some hookers for the hookahs..that’d stir up things…i’m gonna stir up another scotch..