TSI

I am not a club person. There's typically very little beyond the noise, the smoke, the plastic cups, and the chest thumping that would actually make me want to go, particularly at such a late hour. However, as with all things in life, there are bound to be some exceptions to your general rules.

TSI is not your typical club. First and foremost, for an aspiring snob like myself, they have an impeccable draft beer selection. While not as great in quantity as you would find in a good pub (I think they number in the teens), those that get valuable tap space are top notch. There's a handful of great wheats too, a favorite style of mine, which definitely earns them bonus points on my imaginary scoreboard.

Not only are the beers good, they're also served in actual glasses, not plastic cups. Anybody who appreciates the quality of a good fermented beverage; anybody who values the flavor, feel, and overall craftsmanship far more than the buzz, will tell you that glassware matters. As part of my aspiring snobbery, I've decided to refuse to drink at places when they're serving out of plastic cups. A man needs to have principles.

Another of TSI's pleasant qualities is the abundance of music that doesn't turn my stomach and make my ears bleed. My beer snobbery may be a relatively recent phenomenon but my music elitism goes back years. You don't come to this place to drink Bud Light and listen to Top 40 hits, you come for Erdinger Weissbier and indie dance mixes. Before you call me biased for having my tastes pandered to, they definitely don't play "my kind" of music. However, they do at least play music that I can respect and enjoy.

Overall, in terms of the night club scene, TSI is just a unique and fairly classy place. Does it get smoky, is it loud? Sure, but that just goes with the territory. If you're looking for a late night with drinks and perhaps some dancing, consider it a welcome deviation from the standard bro-fests. Did I mention they have an excellent beer selection?



Club TSI
333 East Bay St
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 424-3531

Cafe 11

I am a creature of habit. Given the choice between: A. a restaurant I know and love and B. an interesting new place I have yet to try, I invariably choose A. Which, of course, is one of the main reasons we decided to start this blog; repetition is a catalyst for boredom. Unfortunately, in our quest to find new and interesting places to go to in the area, I think we have managed to over look some of the places we formerly visited quite regularly, one such place being Cafe 11.

Located on A1A in St. Augustine Beach, Cafe 11 is a favorite amongst locals and tourists alike. They offer a wide range of items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a weekend brunch. Every time I've been, and that has been many a time, I've spent at least five minutes perusing the vast menu, even though I have always ordered the same thing. No, really... I've been to Cafe 11 more times then I can count. And in all of those visits, I have never ordered anything except the Chicken Tomella sandwich. This is not to say that I don't find the other dishes appetizing; it's quite easy to find something else that I might order, if I were not completely and hopelessly in love with the Chicken Tomella. It really is that good.

Cafe 11 not only serves great food, but also regularly hosts bands from all over the country. I've seen some of my favorite bands play there over the years and love the intimate setting which is greatly enhanced by the low stage.

Whether you're just out for a quick bite to eat, a pint of beer with some friends, or a night of live music, I'd highly recommend a visit to Cafe 11. And if you, too, become highly addicted to the Chicken Tomella Sandwich, don't say I didn't warn you.