28. November 2008 by Matt.

Since I’ve changed jobs, I am much closer to 419 West and frequently will drop in for a beer or three after work.  The server is top-notch and the prices are really decent for a semi-upscale, yet casual dinning experience.  I’ve never actually sat in the restaurant side, but frequently pass by on my way to the restroom.

I love to order the boneless chicken wings.  They have to be some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever had.  They are smothered in a tangy hot sauce with blue cheese dressing on the side… and of course, a plethora of celery sticks.  The portion is perfect if you’re hungry, but might be a bit much if you’re not so much.

The bartender, Chad, is second to none!  He knows what you want to drink when you sit down.  He’s on top of his game and an asset to this business.  I hope they never piss him off, because he would be very difficult to replace.

I highly recommend 419 West for atmosphere and service in a casual environment at a decent price.  If you haven’t been there, you should check it out soon!

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16. August 2008 by Matt.

Got out with some friends last night. After driving around for about 10 minutes and not being able to locate a free place to park, it was 9PM, so we ended up parking in the Wachovia garage. It is free to park there after 9PM. The woman operating the gate had it down to the second, too!

We end up at the Irish pub on Jefferson - can’t think of the name - and got something to eat and a few drinks. After enduring about an hour or bagpipes and this one woman playing the air drums, we decided to head on over to Martins.

Martin’s appears dead from the cars outside, but was pretty busy once we got inside. The bar area and all of the sitting spaces on that side were taken. We caught a seat just on the other side of the partition (the restaurant side). We sat there for about 10 minutes and no one ever approached to take an order or anything, so we ended up having to get our own order at the bar. Seems they would cordon off that area if they do not intend to service it or have enough wait staff available to maintain it. Nonetheless, I got my Magic Hat 9 and all was good.

Ran into a friend from work, but didn’t see anyone else I know. Well, someone’s cousin with this douchebag of a boyfriend. I don’t even know him, but he really is one of those guys that you can just tell from afar - without ever having to meet them! Crazy, I know. Other than that, it was your usual random debauchery and hook-up scene. There was this Reggae band playing that, well, sounded very “Reggae”. Every tune would start out a little different or quite different, but ultimately end up sounding just like the rest of the tunes.

There was this one girl there dancing up front by herself. Finally, someone else joined the scene, and then another, but there wasn’t a whole lot of that happening and probably just as well, considering the potential “dancers”. She was cool to look and maybe another, but certainly not the majority.

I enjoy going downtown. There’s always a great mix of people and you’re bound to run into someone you know - eventually. Parking is the big issue with me. I realize I can park in the Wachovia garage for only $2 prior to 9PM, but WHY? I’ll just find a spot on the street or go down there after 9PM. There ya go. The really interesting part of seeing so many people out there like that is how it speaks volumes about our economy. I’m not going to go off on a tangent, but we certainly don’t have that many Roanoke visitors and I can assure you that most of them are not that well off. So, how is such a crowd so large with the economy and gas prices what they are? Good question. Other than a lot of my own debt that I mostly created and gas prices, I’m not doing so poorly. It is all about managing your money and avoiding the stupid spender syndrome.

Anyway, I will leave you with this. If you are not a downtown type, you should check it out sometime. I really need to explore more of the places that don’t like to stay open very late. Downtown Roanoke is very rich with variety - it is just finding the time to get into the thick of it. If anyone is headed down that way , let me know; I might catch up with you!

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