As I wrote last week on our blog Spew, there’s a new/old joint that I hope you’ll check out:



1022 South.



This bar was formerly known as The Monsoon Room, and its location makes it such a wonderful sister to the Hilltop’s very own hip, darling and eclectic Tempest Lounge.

Recently, Neil Harris, the buddy who brought us the New Frontier, purchased the Monsoon space, named it 1022 South and redeveloped it into something that is quite special.



What’s even better is that Neil brought Chris Langston with him to manage the space. He and Corey Lund (yet another 1022 employee, and an excellent cuddler) came up with the drink menu, which is a unique treat because these bros can pull together titillating concoctions:

• 1022 Sidecar: Clear Creek Pear Brandy, lemon, Cointeau, $8.


• The Sorrows of Empire: St. Germain, grapefruit, Barbados Rum, $10.


• Garden of Forking Paths: El Jimador Tequila, mint, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, $9.


• 1022 Sazerac: Rye, orange bitters, Pernod Absinthe, $10.


• A Rebours: Aviation Gin, Campari, St. Germain, $10.


• Death in the Afternoon: Zardetto Cuvee, Pernod Absinthe, sugar, $10.


• Candle in the Dark: Zardetto Cuvee, Clear Creek Pear Brandy, lemon, $9.


• Pierre Menard: Zardetto Cuvee, Aperol, orange, $7.


• The Bluebird: IPA/Jim Beam bourbon shot foated with Tuaca, $9.


• The Black and Seamless Sea, dark ale/Becherovka and Fernet Branca shot, $8.


• Hilltop Uber Alles: Rainier/house whiskey shot, $5 (yah!).

Sure, 1022 has reds, whites and sparklings, too. In the way of food, just expect nibbles: pretzels and mustard, $3; garlic sesame sticks and wasabi peas, $3; and an assortment of Amy’s Organic Microwaveable meals.



Outside of the food and out-of-this-world cocktails, I hope you’ll support 1022 for more reasons than just what’s above.



Here’s why:



What I’d like to submit is that it has to be our Hilltop, again, OUR Hilltop.

As an Eastside resident, I have nothing but respect for everything that all of the community members have done to take back the Hilltop streets, which is what we’re working to do here on the Eastside.



Now, when you walk on MLK, you’ll rarely run into problems that once haunted this major corridor.



But the neighborhood will continue to turn around only if good people like you continue to occupy awesome spots including 1022 South, Tempest, Le Le’s, Quickie Too, and any other business that will bring life back to the amazing Hill.



[1022 South, 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday-Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1022 S. J St., Tacoma].