Goodbye to Lawless

Of all the cocktail places in the Twin Cities, Lawless has always been home.

From the first time we walked in there, when Adam took us under his wing and gave us incredible experience since "I know you'll be back," to being handed down from him to Jeff to Olivia to Ethan, we've been there every time. For the first "Miracle at Lawless" (above, originally set up due to bored bartenders) to "Beach Club" and more, we've had out share of pink gin shots.

Because it's always been a special place. Where we have always been "somebody," for no particular reason. We were not in every night or anything. We were just, somehow, part of the DNA, whether that was sitting at the end of the bar or with cocktail kits during the pandemic or red Solo cups on the patio with an inspired playlist.

When it re-opened, it was never quite the same. For the first time, we were not handed down from one bartender to another. Our experiences were...transactional. There was not a connection, a sense we belonged. We were just another couple of people getting drinks, as we could anywhere else in the city.

And so we stopped going, as did, apparently, others, as they announced the other day they were closing forever.

So today, we stopped by for one more round.

Technically, two more rounds.

And one more shot of pink gin. Adam once sent us home for the makings for pink gin (actually from Martina), when it became clear the pandemic was bearing down.

Today was true to recent experience. It felt right to be there, but...transient. Like it was no longer our place. I told Patrick that I would likely want to go back on Thursday, and he should not let me. We're done.

We need a new place. And right now, I am mourning the past, a lot.

ETA: True to form, Patrick wrote a far more eloquent piece than I: https://www.patrickrhone.net/an-ode-to-lawless/