I met up with some friends from my hometown last night and we ended up at a bar on H Street that I had never been to. The Pug is a bar. Plain and simple. In fact their website describes the place as, “No idiots. No bombs. No shooters. No specials. No politics. Relax. Drink. Be cool. Behave.”
Me with Chaz from The Pug
What they don’t tell you is that you might have to wear this ridiculous hat. Yep, that’s me on the left sporting the obnoxious Cat In The Hat style hat. This photo doesn’t due it justice as the long top of the hat has fallen over and isn’t really visible.
The guy next to me is Chaz, a bartender there. My cell phone was dying (this happens all the time since I have an ancient Samsung S2) and I asked Chaz, who was standing steadily behind the bar, if he might be able to charge my phone. “Absolutely,” he said with a grin that should have warned me, “but there is a condition.” He explained that I had to wear that hat the entire time the phone was charging. “If I see you not wearing the hat, I unplug the phone. Got it?” I laughed and agreed.
The weird part was that despite being packed, not a single person in the bar asked me why I was wearing the pitiful head piece. I didn’t even really catch anyone staring at me.
So if you’re on H Street in DC and want a no frills, good time bar that doesn’t try to be anything that it isn’t, you’ve found your home at 1234 H Street. Cheers!
I found this in my pocket the next morning. It’s a Trivial Pursuit card from The Pug. I included it in my note to Chaz.
Chaz,
Great to meet you last night at The Pug – I appreciate you charging my cell phone and was honored to wear that ridiculous hat – very clever of you guys! I’ll definitely be back the next time I’m out on H Street.
Cheers,
Reed Sandridge
