Monday, December 3, 2007

Tanked and Friendless/Point Counter Point: The Ould Sod


Ahh the karaoke birthday party: right of passage, bane of existences, bi-polar bacchanalia of joy and despair. Every year around a certain date, that one friend who has either a terrific singing voice or just irrepressible self-confidence invites you all to a bar in order to celebrate their birth and butcher some ABBA and Elvis tunes. The night starts slow, with everyone giggling at the first brave souls to go up and talking about how they wouldn’t be caught dead on that stage. Three hours and six beers later, you remember how good you sounded rapping the Beastie Boys “Paul Revere” in front of your mirror in the 6th grade, and its all downhill from there.

This can all be yours on Thursday and Saturday nights at The Ould Sod on San Diego’s underrated Adams Avenue strip in Normal Heights. A bitty little Irish bar tucked amidst coffee houses, stores and other bars, the Sod aims for authenticity. They have Irish beer specials, serve Bailey’s in the proper mini-snifters and the walls are covered in Daniel Day Lewis movie posters and Gaelic signs. Once a week there’s an Irish music session. But it’s the music of a tone-deaf variety that really sets the Sod apart.

The Sod’s biggest problem is its diminutive size. Its really narrow at the front and opens into a small alcove at the back, and working your way to and from the bar – never mind the karaoke stage – can prove troublesome. It may dissuade a few people from going up to the front to belt out “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Actually, maybe its size is an asset in disguise.

Name: The Ould Sod
Location: 3373 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA 92116
(Normal Heights)
Fun Fact: You probably already knew this, but the name “ould sod” is an old Irish immigrant nickname for Ireland
State of Guinness: Fantastic! Served in proper pint glasses (bulbous at top, narrowing at the base) and one of the bartenders will draw a shamrock in the foam for you.

6 comments:

Red said...

I didn't know that's what Ould Sod meant, but I'm English and can't be bothered with knowing about Irish things.

Liz said...

You're always after me lucky charms and you know it!

Nooch said...

I think I would fly the 3,000 or so miles just to get a bartender to draw a 4 leaf clover in my Guinness foam.

Question for you liz. Is "Tanked and Friendless" a reference to Buffy?

Liz said...

Nooch, are you the only person who would get that it is TOTALLY a Buffy reference! Congrats.

Nooch said...

At least I am good for something in this world.

Did you hear that SMG (who now is SMP) isn't happy with any of the film offers she has been getting ans is thinking about coming back to TV?

Liz said...

I did not hear that. I haven't been that impressed with any of her post-Buffy films either. She should team up with Joss again!