My world revolves around two bars in the same downtown Portland, Oregon, building: Clyde Common and Pépé Le Moko. Clyde Common is a European-style tavern, a place where the food and the drinks are co-stars, rather than one being the lead. Pépé Le Moko is more of what you’d think of when you think of a cocktail bar: dark, intimate, and a place where the drinks are the primary focus.
The contrast between bar and restaurant has fascinated me for the majority of my career. It has uncovered a host of opposing moments that are typical of my daily life behind the bar and managing both establishments. Some of these moments could be seen as mundane, but all of them, on closer inspection, are special in their own unique way.
