Bar #14: Manja

Different people see hipsters in different ways.  To some, hipsters are lazy people that apathetically like old clothing and random things ironically.  To others, hipsters are people that pay attention to what is cool before the mainstream knows about it and what should be cool again.  Manja is known as a hipster bar but is it cool or is it simply ironically bad.

There are rules to follow when going to a bar. Rule #1, don't show up to a bar the minute they open. To be a hipster you need a certain nonchalance. You can't be nonchalant during an hour defined by being happy. Manja rejects so called "happy hours", not only by having beer prices competitive with the other bars temporary price drops but by rejecting the happy hour time block altogether. Manja usually opens around 9. Unfortunately, I start work every morning at 7:15. Staying out late on weekdays is rarely a good option. This brings us to why I broke rule #1, I wanted enough time to get a good feel for the bar and catch, at least the beginning, of the comedy show that night.

We were the only people in the bar for the first hour. We talked with John the bartender while we drank our first beers. He had two pythons, one of which is recently deceased. The snake's sibling may be acquired, you'll find a sign with a picture in the bar.Manja is a great mixture trendiness and college dorm room. This is seen by comparing the designer bar and hanging lights with the vintage couches and painting of Kramer. Pink Floyd was prevalent on the speakers but you can pick the music.

Some would say that a bar named Manja must have amazing food. However, Manja is so ironic that it offers nothing to eat all. Most of the beer options are working class cheap beers like PBR. I added the renowned Yuengling to my beers on tap list. Yuengling had been one of the most sought after beers to move to Ohio. The demand was so high that it was unable to handle starting sales to our state. A year ago Yuengling decided that was enough and opened an entire factory in Kentucky just so that Ohio could partake. It seems to be a success because I rarely can find a bar that doesn't carry it. It's probably my favorite of the mass produced beers of the US.

After our talk of John's snake, we moved on to the Sociability Center to play Foosball. As mentioned previously, I am not good at Foosball. I did come up tied playing against Johnny 1 game to 1. John, paid for our games and also for the two games we played against him. Bar Rule #2, do not play the bar game against the bar owner; you will lose. I was happy that I scored a point, but after only scoring 1 point you can never accept the "good job" by your opponent without a scowl. The owner may be a vampire, which would explain why the bar isn't open while the sun's out and his lightning fast reflexes on the Foosball table.

Around 10, people started showing up, including the funny people. By 10:30 the bar had a nice crowd but the little voice in my head start complaining that I had to wake up in 7 hours for a 13 hour day. Unfortunately, I had to leave with the night obviously feeling unfinished.  I'll leave you with a To Be Continued on the tale of Manja so that I can go there while people are around.

Obviously, I would go back to Manja. It's got a hip and friendly atmosphere and crowd, cheap beer, and a great downloaded list of songs on the giant pay ipod.  Once you're tired of your old bar head over to Manja where the party's just beginning.

Awesome: Customer Service, Atmosphere

13373 Madison Ave

216-221-5445

Manja on Facebook

Bar #7 Around the Corner

Every bar isn't right for every person. There are bars that specialize in sports, age groups, sexual preferences and even beer. Obviously everyone won't want to go to every bar or at least won't like them all. But Bar #7 doesn't give you that choice. I was going to put it off, the normal crowd is too young and wears too much Axe Body Spray. I instead have been there three times in the last month and it's right Around the Corner.

Around the Corner is a huge bar that's a combination of three bars with two places for live bands and a stage. It's part tavern. It's part dance club. It also has a large patio. They've put a lot of work into making it a nice looking tri-bar. The service is usually good and deals with its crowds well.

The food is good. Get the pizza, it will make you happy. As many of you saw this last weekend their wings are some of the best in town. The black pepper wings can stand up to just about any wing you're going to find.

They have a good enough beer selection. My plastic cup of Yuengling costed $4.50 which would be pricey if they were just a bar. Around the Corner is more of dance club/special events location and they are priced accordingly. Except of course when their event is cheap beer (like I said they have a reason everyone will visit.) That's why you are going to come here; there is always something awesome going on and you'll have great things to eat and drink.

A recap of my adventures:

All Dog's Heaven's Chili Cook Off. There was a lot of good chili. The best was made by an orthodontist that spent 3 days cooking his to perfection. The only down side to the event was that a hand full of the cooks ran out before I got my chili.

2012 Body Paint Fashion Show. On a downside, it started over an hour late and some drunk dude decided that the proper place to watch from was directly behind me with his excited junk pressed up against me (I quickly moved to a new location.) On a upside, there were a bunch of mostly naked painted women walking about and showing off their artist’s work. A friend of mine, Brian of Rockport Woodworks, also got the difficult job of being a judge and had invited me out.

Fireside Concert and Lakewood High School Soccer Fundraiser. The band played a lot of good classic rock and it looked like the fundraiser had a good turnout. Sadly, we didn't win anything. John and Katy had invited some friends out with us including two of John's colleagues from Taiwan. I learned that the dragon eye ball soup I had when I was in Taiwan, that includes rice dough balls that resemble a soft white rubber, is a dessert soup. Hutta means cheers. Also Katie is a vegetable but in a good way.

2012 Pillars Wing Crawl. I was one of the first people in line and it was my first bar of the day. Their black pepper wings exceeded expectation and their service was on the ball.

On those rare days when something isn't going on then the bar is still busy and the dance club is running. I have passed that invisible line where you suddenly realize that this is all sweaty and awkward. In my early 20s I think it was still awkward and sweaty but being younger, drunker and singler let me ignore that. After the Fireside concert and soccer benefit we got to watch the pain of the first people on the dance floor. That time when some brave and/or drunk people break the seal of the empty dance floor and are stuck being on display reminiscent of middle school dances. The girls just jump between barely dancing and the “dancing as if nobody's watching,.” The guys however, are all obviously aware that they are more in the spot light then they want to be. They dance in three ways:

You have your standard slightly move and hope nobody is paying attention.

You have the guys that only move if in direction contact with a woman, like those Pepsi cans that start dancing when the music plays.

Lastly, you have the funny guys, they take over the spot light by dancing poorly but in a funny way. This is usually to hide that if they weren't being funny they would probably still be dancing poorly....I was of the third category.

I have had a good time every time I've been to Around the Corner. If this sounds like the bar for you, then you need to go there. Everyone else, you'll have to go there eventually too and you'll like it.

Awesome: Events, Patio, Dancing, Size, Live Music

18616 Detroit Ave

216-521-4413

www.facebook.com/ATCcafe

*Pictures that I didn't take are from Around the Corner's Facebook page.