Toasts of the Town 2
BY ANNETTE CINELLI, SASHA HNATKOVICH AND KEVIN HYZAK
 April
2005 - Last year, thePULSE held its first ever Favorite Bartender
competition. The response was enormous and as the votes poured in, we
discovered that thePULSE readers take their bartenders very seriously.
This year, we again asked you to help us choose Worcester County’s
Favorite Bartenders. Our mailbox and inbox were flooded with nominations.
It was not an easy decision, but we’re excited to announce this
year’s winners: Jared Brown of Foo Bar (you many remember Jared
as our Best Bartender pouring contest winner in August at Foo Bar, too!)
and Laura Archibald of Victory Bar & Cigar.
Join us as we toast your favorite bartenders!
“The Best of the Best The Best of the Best
Jared Brown and Laura Archibald arre tthe PULSE’’s 2005 Favorite
Bartenders
 Jared
Brown
Foo Bar has always been a favorite with the Worcester college crowd. But
it’s not just the music, dancing, pool tables and wide-screen TVs
that keep people coming back for more, it’s their cool bartenders,
especially Jared Brown.
Laid back, talkative, funny and polite, it’s easy to see why this
bartender is so popular. He says he is at the bar for the same reason
as are his customers, “I’m there to have fun, not just to
work.” And he does have fun – over the past two years, many
of his customers have become his friends.
A bartender for nine and a half years and currently working at three different
locations (he also tends bar at Red 1888 and J.J.’s Sports Bar),
Jared is a seasoned bartender. He started off as a waiter for TGIFriday’s,
begging that they give him a chance to bartend. They finally did let him
behind the bar, where two of his co-workers taught him to flip bottles,
amuse customers and make drinks.
Years later, Jared can definitely tell you the keys to being a successful
bartender, from always being attentive to the customers to being able
to take multiple drink orders simultaneously. Perhaps the most important
thing in bartending is to know drinks – lots of drinks. When he
first started out, Jared had to know 250 drinks, but now he can make about
500.
One of his favorite drinks to make is Skully Punch, a favorite among customers
(mostly women) who come in and ask him to “…make me something
fun and fruity.” The recipe came from a friend who went to Hawaii
and returned with this drink recipe that calls for top shelf liquor. Jared
is one of only five people in Massachusetts who knows how to make it!
When asked what’s in it, he smirks and says, “There’s
a little bit of everything and a lot of love.” When asked what drink
he would be, Jared says that it’s not the fun and fruity Skully
Punch, it’s a Foo Bar body shot.
Jared, like all bartenders, has tons of interesting stories and great
memories. One that stands out most for him happened in 1998 when his friend
and co-bartender at Friday’s, Joe Periera, competed in and won the
World Bartending Championship in Texas. All of the workers had gone down
to cheer him on and it was a 3-day trip Jared will never forget.
There is a lot Jared likes about working at a bar, from the stress-free
environment to the flexible hours to the relaxed atmosphere. But a much
as he enjoys bartending, there are a few things he doesn’t like,
too. Having to kick drunk people out or cut them off is never fun. And
while bar brawls in the movies always look exciting, in real life they
are a pain to break up.
When he’s not bartending, you can find Jared snowboarding, working
out, or playing video games. He is also an excellent cook — one
of his specialties is lobster ravioli in a balsamic cream sauce. Another
thing you would not expect is that Jared is a self-proclaimed computer
nerd. He builds and fixes computers and is a Microsoft Certified Systems
Engineer. The next time you’re looking for a place to drink and
a great bartender to serve you, stop by The Foo Bar, Red 1888 or J.J.’s
Sports Bar and get to know one of Worcester’s favorite bartenders.
 Laura
Archibald
New to the Worcester bar scene, Victory Bar & Cigar on Shrewsbury
Street is a comfortable, friendly lounge where you can enjoy a large selection
of cigars and fine spirits and even order an “El Tiante’s”
Grilled Cuban Sandwich. However, Laura Archibald, 26, is one of the main
reasons that many customers return time after time. Laura loves working
at Victory. “It’s an older, more laid back crowd with a lot
of regulars,” she says. “It gives you the chance to really
get to know the people who come in.”
Surprisingly, although she works at a cigar-themed bar with the largest
walk-in humidor in the area, Laura has never smoked a cigar. “But
I know everything about them,” she says. “I read a lot and
I’m always talking to customers about how certain ones taste, why
they are shaped certain ways…”
Laura doesn’t find it strange working in the only bar in Worcester
where smoking is allowed. “The smoke doesn’t bother me –
it’s not really heavy and the cigars give the bar a nice aroma.
Since the smoking ban it’s gotten a lot better, too – there
are fewer cigarettes around. Plus, there’s the ventilation.”
What cigar would Laura recommend? “Rocky Patel,” she says.
“It’s a mild cigar with a madero wrap. It has a good blend
of a lot of flavors without heavy hints of any one – and it smells
good. I always recommend it to customers and everyone who tries it loves
it.”
She suggests cognac, brandy, or Scotch to go with the cigar. “But
if someone asked me, I would tell them to get a well-aged Scotch. That’s
a good staple drink to order.”
Fitting for the young bar, Laura is new to bartending, starting last November
at the Victory Cigar in Sudbury. “I had just come back from university
and was just looking for a part-time job to make some money,” she
says. “I had never really planned on becoming a bartender, I just
fell into it. But the people I work with are great – they make it
easy to go to work.”
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Laura returned there to attend Concordia
University ten years after her family had moved to Worcester. “That’s
where I was born and I love it there,” she says. “When I had
the chance to go back there for school I did.” Now living in Northborough,
Laura has a daytime job working in sales and marketing. Although she wants
to continue to build a career in marketing and loves bartending, her real
passion is for charity work. “Even though I have my day job and
I bartend at night, charity work is the one thing will always make more
time for,” she says.
Currently, Laura is helping organize a charity race to benefit the Worcester
Youth Center. Called the Race for Worcester Youth, the event will be held
April 9 at the F-1 racetrack in Boston. “We’re getting twelve
local businesses to sponsor cars, it’s going to be an endurance
race.” For more information, go to www.victorycigarbar.com/race.htm.
When Laura gets a little time to her self she likes to snowboard, run,
rollerblade and spend time at One Eleven Chophouse. If you catch her there,
buy her her favorite drink, a margarita, and toast Worcester County’s
favorite female bartender.
 Erin
Walsh
Bar: Tammany Hall, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: “Going to work is like going to
a party! It’s a good time all
the time.”
If you were a drink, what would you be?: A Cosmo
Interesting fact: Erin was a ballet dancer for sixteen years.
Best pickup line: A guy once came into the bar and asked to buy her a
drink. He then toasted her by saying, “This is to you being cute
and to me being cute.”
What do you like to do when not bartending?: Erin enjoys going to see
live music and goes to Northampton a lot. One of her favorite bands right
now is Craig, who play at Tammany Hall on Wednesday nights and are always
a good time. She is also a student at Worcester
State, majoring in Communications and Media.
 Kim
Casella
Bar: Quarter Keg Pub, Charlton
Favorite thing about bartending: Kim’s favorite thing is the people,
especially her regulars. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t
be in the business. I’ve met a lot of my friends through working
at the bar. Plus my boss is one of my best friends.”
What’s your favorite drink?: Margaritas
Interesting fact: Kim sings Italian songs for her customers.
What do you like to do when not bartending?: Kim likes to play cards,
especially poker.
Do you have another job?: Along with bartending, Kim paints the interiors
of houses.
 Harry
Richardson
Bar: Jeff’s, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: “I would have to say constantly
meeting new people. I just love the fast-paced social atmosphere”
If you were a drink, what would you be?: “I’d be a shot of
tequila, ‘cuz you never know what you’re gonna get.”
What do you like to do when not bartending?: “Hang out in bars...
Just kidding, I’m a big mountain biker.”
Do you have another job?: Harry is a full-time Budweiser salesman.
Anything you don’t like about bartending?: “Not being able
to have a drink with my favorite customers.”
 Hanh
Nguyen
Bar: Red 1888, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: “I’m always meeting interesting
people.”
If you were a drink, what would you be?: Blue Kamikaze
Interesting Fact: In addition to being a bartender, Hanh is a full-time
manicurist.
Best pickup line: “Can I be your friend? Will you call me?”
What do you like to do when not bartending?: When she’s not working,
Hanh likes to go out with her friends.
Anything you don’t like about bartending?: “Dealing with people
when they’re drunk.”
 Kim
Golenski
Bar: Copper Fox, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: “I’m a total people person,
so I love the people.”
If you were a drink, what would you be?: “Something fruity, but
fizzy.”
Best pickup line: “I need a dime really bad, I gotta call heaven
‘cuz they lost an angel.”
What do you like to do when not bartending?: When she’s not working
at the Copper Fox, Kim
likes to relax at home with her kids
What other job would you want if you weren’t bartending?: If she
were ever to get into another field, Kim would be an attorney.
Fun story: One time a girl was dancing on the bar and she pulled the ceiling
down. Kim had to have people hold the ceiling up until they could find
someone to fix it.
 Eric
Godin
Bar: Lucky Dog Music Hall, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: Eric enjoys the interesting people he
gets to meet. “It’s nice to actually get to talk to everyone
and be friends.”
If you were a drink, what would you be?: “A nice Kentucky bourbon
whisky, straight-up.”
What do you like to do when not bartending?: As one of the co-owners,
Eric is at Lucky Dog Music Hall pretty much every day. When he’s
not serving drinks at the bar or doing administrative work, he likes to
work around his house.
What other job would you want if you weren’t bartending?: Eric would
like to work more on his art. He also “…wouldn’t mind
being a booking agent for a larger venue or national company.”
Anything you don’t like about bartending?: “Cleaning up at
the end of the night!”
 Kim
Rossi
Bar: The Lights Sports Pub, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: Kim is very outgoing and enjoys the people
she meets.
If you were a drink, what would you be?: A Cosmopolitan
What do you like to do when not bartending?: When not working at The Lights
Sports Pub, Kim enjoys scrap-booking.
Do you have another job?: Along with bartending, Kim is a creative memory
consultant, which she says is so much fun.
Fun story: “With all the memories I have, it’s kind of hard.”
One night that sticks out in her memory is when the Red Sox won the World
Series.
 Keith
Mahan
Bar: Rovezzi’s Ristorante, Worcester
Favorite thing about bartending: Keith loves to make drinks. And Rovezzi’s
isn’t a beer and shot place, so there are always lots of fun drinks
to make. He also loves interacting with the customers.
If you were a drink, what would you be?: Rum and Coke
Interesting fact: “A lot of people don’t even know I have
children and how important they are to me.” He also loves going
to the gym.
What do you like to do when not bartending?: Keith works at the bar pretty
much every night. But when he’s not working, he likes to spend as
much time as possible with his kids.
What other job would you want if you weren’t bartending?: “If
I weren’t bartending, I’d like to
be a personal trainer.”
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