Bar 5106
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”
They say outdoor socializing is the safest these days, so we’re going with it!
Welcome to Bar 5106. We make our own good times! Happy hour begins at 6pm sharp and dress code is optional. Casamigos Blanco tequila plus Cointreau and fresh lime, iced, shaken and served up with a side of schnauzer!
I’ve had a few “socially distanced” cocktail hours and dinner parties on my back patio or — Bar 5106 — since the beginning of the Covid quarantine. My maximum capacity is six people, all socially distanced. Mind you, it’s over 90° outside (with off-the-charts humidity), so it not exactly the most comfortable, but we do get some relief when I open the two kitchen doors and we let some of the AC out on to the patio. It’s not the most energy efficient approach, so we try to keep that to a minimum.
The space consists of our bespoke bar and square card tables from Target.com, covered with $7 white polyester tablecloths and paper supplies from Party City - including the “Reserved” sign andWalmart “silver” ice buckets.
The bar was constructed from acrylic and wood with added lights inside that glow at night. It was a surprise gift to me over a year ago, but after the tornado last October, it needed to be fully re-created. We later added the numbers from Design Within Reach, which add such a nice touch!
The only pricey item is the beautiful ice bucket my friend gave me for hosting (or trying to host) a wedding shower for her right when Covid hit Dallas. Seating at Bar 5106 consists of Victoria Ghost chairs from Design Within Reach.
Bar 5106 could not exist without a plethora of some of my favorite inexpensive finds from Target and Walmart , plus deliveries from Instacart, Amazon Prime and the Drizly App. The ice buckets,cutlery and tablecloths can all be found at your local Walmart or on their website. For an added touch of flair, I ordered decorative paper placemats from the Altoona store and use white Mercer square hors d'oeuvres plates from Crate & Barrel.
And to set the mood further our faithful sparrow sculpture, which survived the tornado unscathed, continues to watch over us in my backyard, glowing at night as we toast to what lies ahead. I found these limited edition animal sculptures by an Italian artist collective called Cracking Art, whose mission is to raise awareness of environmental issues by creating artworks with materials derived from petroleum products. Its name refers to the chemical reaction that occurs when converting raw crude oil into plastic, or the moment when natural becomes artificial.
Sadly, Covid is here for a while, and we’re trying to make the best of it. Despite the constraints, we can still be festive and safely socialize, with a little imagination and ingenuity!
Have any ideas!? I’d love to hear them!
