The entry below this one details my last visit to the Park. This entry details the hour or so that afternoon in which I said farewell to the Lounge.
Naturally I was compelled to enjoy an old standard that welcomed me to this (once) tranquil place years ago.
The ambiance of the place had shifted on me, solely because of the number of people who pour into the Lounge the moment it opens. It is not abnormal now for a queue of people to stand outside - throughout the day - and wait for enough space to open up for them to be allowed inside.
There was a time when I would while away the hours in the Lounge, practically the place to myself, rarely more than half full. I would sit at the bar, scribbling in my notebooks, perhaps chatting with the bartender and swapping a few stories. Those were the days.
Anyway - right - I was hungry. I am happy to report that the Lounge menu finally has a snack (as of this writing) that I find delicious and irresistible (after the sad disappearance of the Moroccan Meatballs; how I miss them still).
"Tostaditas." Mole Verde-braised Pork Cheeks, Avocado, Queso Fresco & Hibiscus Sorbet.
So good. The cooks in the downstairs Lounge have always been on their game. There's probably a logical explanation for why the food upstairs has always been pedestrian in comparison, but that information has never been known to me.
The last taste of the Lounge I wanted to enjoy was a Brandy Alexander, for two reasons: 1. Its creaminess and hint of nutmeg practically makes it a desert. 2. I doubt I will ever find another venue that will make another for me.
An intonation I hear in my head not infrequently of late is "those were the days."
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