The Bitter Bar: where Mindfulness and Alcohol come together.

on Nov 23, 2009

The Bitter Bar: where Mindfulness + Alcohol come together.

The other night I went to Happy Noodle House in Boulder, Colorado, for the first time in awhile.

When Happy first opened up some eight months ago, it fast became a favorite…I hosted a few parties there, and hung out in their “Bitter Bar” many a night.

Then, for some reason (summertime, and my being a workaholic, perhaps) I fell off the Happy wagon. But a few nights back, I went back, met my longtime bud Michael Ramsey and was treated to an incredible cocktail via James Lee, one of the better bartenders in Boulder—and the whole of the U.S. of A.

The experience reminded me that mindfulness—doing the right thing—living a good, meaningful life and helping others—what elephant is all about—and alcohol can intersect.

Leave behind the red Solo cups, the cheap crap alcohol and the swilling and bingeing…make a proper drink, mindfully, and it can be an incredible way to relax, to breathe out the stress of the day, to enjoy your evening and the company of a friend and your community.

It might seem obvious to my friends, reading this, that alcohol ain’t necessarily a vice—but too often in the yoga and Buddhist worlds that I grew up around, and in, peeps tend to regard alcohol, understandably, as a dangerous thing.

It is. But done mindfully, moderately, with proper attention and enjoyment, it’s the kind of vice we all can get behind.

PS: I suggested James write an Art of the Cocktail column for elephantjournal.com, now at 83,000 unique visitors a month, and top 12 in the world in green on twitter. Cross your fingers!

Founder of elephant magazine (founded: 2002, went national as indie magazine, & successfully transitioned online in 2009 [because mainstream magazine distribution is wildly inefficient from an eco-responsible point of view]) is dedicated to "bringing together those working (and playing) to create enlightened society." It's about anything that helps us to live a good life that's also good for others, and our planet. elephantjournal.com (named Top 10 in the US by over 40 sites) and host of "Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis," a national “top ten ‘green’ video blog," Waylon was born in Boulder, Colorado, raised at a Buddhist meditation retreat in Vermont, graduated from Boston University’s top-ranked magazine journalism school; and is a top columnist for Huffington Post, daily bike commuter, workaholic, mediocre climber & best friend of Redford (a rescue hound). His goals in life: to take a long bath tonight with Dwell, The Sunday NY Times, The New Yorker & a glass of Talisker with one ice cube; publish a best-selling novel (and get filthy rich); have 12 red-headed chil'n (and only one wife); run for President (and lose) & have fun all along the way. ~~~ founder: elephantjournal.com | host: Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis. Ft. on 20 sites, incl. Huffington Post. ~ 200,000 unique visitors/month: Google Analytics. ~ Treehugger: Reader's Choice "Eco Ambassador in Culture & Celebrity" + 2010 "Changemaker" ~ Discovery Network's Planet Green: "Green Hero" ~ Shambhala Sun: "Prominent Buddhist" ~ Naturally Boulder: "'07 Entrepreneur of Year" ~ 5280 Magazine: "Top Single '09" ~ MNN: Top 10 US Green Video Blog ~ Beliefnet: Top 10 Buddhist Blog ~ Shorty Awards: #1 Green Twitter in US ~~~ To connect: "elephantjournal on Facebook" "Waylon Lewis on Facebook" & "Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis" on Facebook On twitter: twitter.com/waylonlewis and our award-winning twitter account, named #1 nationally in green: twitter.com/elephantjournal

Michael Levin says:

November 24, 2009 at 00:57

Fingers crossed…

Bruce says:

November 25, 2009 at 01:52

I was at bitter bar last week and left with one of the best evening of drinks I've ever had. They make a brilliant sazerac and even better was the passion Mark Stoddard (our mixologist for the eve) showed for his trade and craft. Lengthy discussions about the merits of absinthe, different kinds of gin, and molecular mixology made it fun, interesting and deeply engaging. I can't recommend the place enough.

Dave Query's The Bitter Bar at Happy Noodle, in Boulder, Colorado. | elephant journal says:

February 3, 2010 at 23:21

[...] the third rule at The Bitter Bar’s Happy Noodle is, don’t take flash photos (an homage to speakeasies of yore, James [...]