Charis Churchill
Bartender
The Fireside Room, Sorrento Hotel

You get a lot of out-of-town hotel guests in here. But why do you think the Fireside's not more popular with Seattleites?

"I think locals forget about hotel bars sometimes. It's so peaceful here... a quiet, calming atmosphere. It's really the perfect environment for a recluse."

You probably get your fair share of regulars, though.

"Oh, sure--people who don't like to fight crowds. And it's so romantic here. I also get a lot of people who come here for long chats, old friends who haven't seen each other for a long time."

Do you ever get obnoxious assholes in here?

"No... the only time we get worried around here is when there are big weddings, and they come down [to the bar] after drinking at the party upstairs. But what's funny is when grooms will come in before their wedding ceremonies and have a drink with the other guys. It's for support, like one last drink at a bar as a single man. But not the brides. They stay upstairs in the room, and order champagne from room service."

What's the most annoying drink you've had to make recently?

"Someone asked me to make a 'Bloody Brain Hemorrhage': chilled peach schnapps, chilled Baileys, and grenadine."

MIN LIAO

 

Lance Phelps
Bartender
The Cloud Room, Camlin Hotel

How long have you worked here?

"Four years."

What's the main clientele? Tourists or locals?

"I'd say locals. It's mainly people who want to get dressed up and pretend that they're jet setters."

Ever throw someone out?

"Yes."

Why?

"I threw out that guy who was on MTV. That little guy who was in Seattle doing promos, talking about the Doors and Hendrix. He was up here one night pissing me off."

Do you remember his name?

"No. I don't."

What's your least favorite drink to make and why?

"Pink up drinks for men. There's just something really offensive about a big, strapping guy drinking a cosmopolitan."

BRADLEY STEINBACHER

 

Adam Quintana
Bartender
The Bookstore Bar, Alexis Hotel

You have a lot of fine cigars and a lot of great whiskey here. Do any of these people actually know what they're talking about when they're ordering?

"Uh, no. We can pretty much sell them whatever. People always ask me, "What's your favorite?" Usually it's after they've already had a couple of beers."

So you try to sell them the most expensive thing.

"No, no, I don't do that at all. I have single malts that are $6 and I have single malts that are $30, and they usually go for the $15."

What made this bar choose the 45-to-55-year-old white male as the target customer?

"I don't think that was chosen, it just progressed. A lot of Immunex and Microsoft guys stay at the hotel. I think that kind of spawned it."

Ever had to throw out a drunken customer?

"Oh yeah. I had to remove this guy the other day, this guy in a wheelchair. He came in and starting accosting these people. I said to him, 'You're loaded, and you can't be in my bar right now.' And he said, 'Well I'm not leaving, unless you know how to operate one of these things.' He was one of the easiest drunks I've ever had to kick out. You can see how the floor's sloped. The doorman opened the door and I just pushed him away."

He didn't roll out into the street, did he?

"No. He rolled really sloppily out onto the sidewalk. That was like two weeks ago. It was hilarious. The whole bar was cracking up."

PHIL CAMPBELL

 

Dominique Valdizan
Wine Steward
Brasserie Margaux, Warwick Hotel

Is your French accent real?

"No."

What is your favorite drink?

"A rusty nail, which is two parts Scotch, one part Drambuie."

What do you do here?

"I'm the only person paid to drink in the hotel. All the other employees want to drink, but they have to be sneaky about it."

Are your favorite customers the ones who buy the most expensive wine on your wine list?

"Buying an expensive wine doesn't impress me. Any fool can buy expensive wine. The smarter person is one who comes here and knows the deals on the list. They can see that this wine is good and is going for a good price. For example, this pretty bottle of Italian wine over here, Luce della Vite, by Marchesi de' Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi, is a good deal for $125."

Have you always been a wine specialist?

"No, I'm not even from France. My mother is French and I lived there from ages three to 19, but I was born in Washington, D.C. I began working here a year ago as a waiter, and when the position for the wine steward opened, I applied for it and got the job. So now I'm the wine person."

No experience, no hard knowledge of wine. Did you get you the job because of your French accent?

"Yes."

CHARLES MUDEDE