Stop 1
FIRST communion
• 4pm to 5:15pm •
Stepping away from town, passing relics of bygone eras you almost miss your first destination on a side street. From the outside Communal looks unassuming but within the hour it will pleasantly surprise your taste buds. It’s early so you have a private restaurant, attentive waiters and all the happy hour goods you need. A build your own foodie adventure ensues as you scan the menus. A red wine paired with the succulent bone in pork roast or a local IPA sipped with the cheesy house named burger. Regardless of the road you take this one is en route to the Promised Lands of Ireland.
Stop 2
A local sampling, with the locals
• 5:30pm to 6:30pm •
South Pasadena exposes her quaintness as you turn onto Mission Street. The calm nature of the street turns a corner as you walk into the surprising Mission Wines. Three quarters wine shop, one quarter bar hang out this special corner of the town collects local “sommeliers” on their days off and weekends to sip and discuss the weeks flavor. Buy a bottle to share with no corkage fee or get a sampling of the beers of the day. Hang by the bar, rest on a barrel or score the big table in front while you indulge your taste buds. The mood is cheery and pleasant but after a few drinks it will be time to turn it up a notch. Settle up at the counter and get moving to your Manifest Destiny.
Stop 3
céad míle fáilte, A HUNDRED THOUSAND WELCOMES
• Post Tasting •
An instant transformation takes place as you set foot in Griffins of Kinsale. The low tables, low lighting, and high mood…it’s as if County of Cork had it’s own little island right here in Pasadena. A band in the back yarns Irish folklore as the well-served patrons mumbled discussions meld together with the music. The busy bar is run by the well mannered and finely trained Griffin family who produce healthy cocktails with a friendly smile. Melt away in the moment with a pint in your hand making friends with those around you while moving your feet to a jig you never heard. Close your eyes and your there, the land far removed but close to the heart, the land that bore this beautiful mood…the land of Ireland.