Paradise lounge on the strip. Expense it, bad boy!
Fretting over Gapification can be such a bore! From time to time I crave a
kind of honest to goodness urban sprawl that has grown comfortable with itself,
one that dares to celebrate to excess.
When I get this urge to drive to Reno or L.A., I don't. Instead, I head down
Hwy 280 about 40 miles to Cupertino and pull off onto the De Anza strip.
Located next to such Silicon Valley behemoths as Apple Sun and IBM is a place
highly recommended for its complete disregard for modern, No Cal sensibilities.
It's a place that, for reasons unclear, calls itself the Peppermill.
Sure, it may look like Cocoa's on the outside, but within the coffee-shop with
a Kon Tiki-esque exterior lies something most extraordinary. It's a Warsaw
Diskotek circa 1989 but without the teenage strippers. It's a Nirvana of Neon
with a display case full of Certs, cocktail waitresses brimming over their
sequined v-necks. It's cherry trees hiding hushed tête-à-têtes in sunken
lounges.
Paradise.
But you must be hungry, darling? Care for a breaded chicken strip with a pina
colada dip? Or perhaps an artichoke bottom fried to perfection? Here, let
bring you a drink. How about a strawberry daiquiri topped with whipped cream?
Or, let me guess, a scorpion pour deux! Now you're headed for a heart-attack.
And what could be a more apt setting for the summation of your existence?
There you are, in the fireplace lounge, a semicircle of strangers surrounds
you. In the middle, a lukewarm tub, whose gurgling waters beckon you to dunk
your toes. But wait! There's a fire burning in the center of it all.
Mezmerizing.
Here comes another round.
And you'd never guess it's 2:00 in the afternoon.
Besides Cupertino, the Peppermill chain is located in these fine getaway
locales: Daly City, Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Concord, Fresno, Santa Clara,
and of course, Reno!
Open till 12:30 on weekdays and 2:30 on weekends. For reservations in the
fireplace lounge call: (408) 996 7750. Address 10690 N. De Anza Blvd. No URL.
