Harvard & Stone

OUR ARTICLE

You know those films that show you a glimpse of the ending and then rewind to the beginning to lay out enough context that you’ll understand the intriguing scene you just watched?

THE PATIO: 

You suck down the last of your cigarette like it’s the last one you’ll ever puff. You imagine you’re Jack Nicholson, it burns and smokes. Maybe you’re Marcellus Wallace’s wife, no woman has ever looked sexier with white paper to red lipstick. The outdoor smoking patio is narrow, but it fits – it’s a smoke break, not the main attraction of the night.

You walk inside just in time to hear it. The electric guitar. It’s the Black Keys’ “Thickfreakness,” or Jimi’s “All Along the Watchtower,” it’s a cover but it’s rock ‘n’ roll,  it’s distortion, it’s loud and it’s perfect.

The second floor of the bar has been visible the entire night, but no one pays attention to something that’s not being used… but now, people gather. In a harmonious act, a sexy guitar riff synchronizes with the pop of necks turning as eyes glue to the pair of red heels that captivate an entire room from the top of what can only be acknowledged as a stairway to heaven.

Opening credits: HARVARD & STONE

By The Houston Brothers

THE BEGINNING:

Titled after its cross street (Harvard) and the exposed stone of its exterior, Harvard & Stone is an intoxicating stay in a factory-like space. A metal staircase and ladder, exposed ducts, and brick walls beam you up off of Hollywood and spit you into a narrative that truly belongs in black and white with hints of red and bright orange.

Finding something to sip on is always the first task. After all, by this point, we all know something looms in the future. Or is it… someone? Make your way back to the R&D bar – one of the multiple bars housed at this location – and order from their inventive menu. We suggest that, unlike this story, you start from the beginning and work your way down. Their cocktail menu is constantly changing, and you can look forward to unorthodox names and creative vices.

COSTUME DESIGN:

If you couldn’t tell yet, Harvard and Stone BLEEDS style like blood in a Tarantino movie. Their website says it best: “Shiny shirts, shorts, sports gear, logos, flip flops, most hats, and loud colors are highly discouraged.” We’re not suggesting your Sunday’s best. Instead, think, “What would I wear if I were going on stage with Kings of Leon?” Even the barmen get it. Cocktail bar, yes. Flat hats and suspenders, no. Think beard, rad threads, some tattoos, and a Stetson. They prefer their bartenders to look more like Doc Holiday than a 1920s Halloween costume.

THE CLIMAX:

And all of a sudden, you’re not in Hollywood. You’re now in a chapter of Frank Miller’s mind. You are Marv about to watch Nancy Callahan take the stage. This is the part when the film catches up with itself – the big reveal. Live music plays as the pair of red heels captivate an anxious crowd. No matter your gender, your company, or your sexual preference, your eyes are glued to the burlesque show that seductively captures the entire bar. The metal fence on the second floor, the steel staircase, the bar – it’s all theirs. The cigarette smoke in the alley, the cocktails you’ve ingested – it all led to them. If you still think you’re living in a MAN’s world…you need to open your eyes.