Good vibrations
2026 openings, Napa spas, Hook Fish Co., Stephen Moore Home, Stateline Road Smokehouse, MORE
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Generous pour
KENDRA HADA • bartender & brand ambassador • ABV, Nikaido Shochu
Neighborhood you live in: Berkeley
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Wednesday mornings are chill, and basically my Sundays. I work as a full-time bartender at ABV cocktail bar in SF, and Wednesday is my last day off before the long weekend grind. Sometimes I’ll head into the city for what my bar calls our Bar Lab, which is held every Wednesday before we open. This is where we come together as a staff and taste whatever projects we’re independently working on, host educational seminars, and taste sample products that are dropped off.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Because I live in Berkeley, I have the very great privilege of living close to Berkeley Bowl. I honestly feel like that’s when I realized I am an adult: the moment I felt genuine excitement over a grocery store. I really enjoy cooking, and Berkeley Bowl has just about everything, so that’s how I spend a good chunk of my nights off. If I’m going out, I enjoy simple pleasures, from grabbing a good fish burrito from Hook Fish Co. (and eating it on the foggy shore at Ocean Beach) to checking out restaurant spots like Mr. Pollo in the Mission.
Any weekend getaways?
Especially at this time of the year, driving up to Wild Willy’s Hot Spring at Mammoth Lakes is a chef’s kiss of relaxation for me. Mammoth Mountain ski area is near there too. I recently learned how to snowboard with a friend of mine. I’m not great yet, but I can get down the slope without falling. It’s also nice to get away and drive up toward Muir Beach. There’s this old pub up there called the Pelican Inn, which has this amazing homemade bread that is to die for after a long hike.
What was your last great vacation?
Back in 2018, I started this tradition for myself — you can call it a New Year’s resolution, if you want. Basically, at the beginning of the year, I pick one place in the world I want to go to, and then purchase plane tickets at the beginning of the year for the end of the year (with travel insurance, of course). That way, tickets are generally much cheaper, and I have something to plan for and look forward to during the year leading up to the fall season. The first time I did this I decided to backpack through the Swiss Alps. I did the entire Tour du Mont Blanc. I’ve also traversed the entire southern and western coast of Ireland, starting in Dublin, of course, and going down and around all the way back to Belfast. All of these were solo trips, mind you.
The last great one I did was after my sister’s wedding. Her husband is Scottish, so they got married in Scotland. I was already abroad, so I figured why not hop over to London. It was wonderful. I just walked and explored everywhere, and ate all the street food I could find. Brick Lane Beigel’s salt beef bagel gave me life. I went to a few classic bars too, such as Lyaness and A Bar with Shapes for a Name. Three Sheets bar in London was also wonderful.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I bought my first motorcycle. It’s a 2022 Husqvarna Svartpilen. A perfect starter bike that I can grow with, and not get tired of too quickly.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I am an avid fan of getting massages. I recommend a personal day at least once a month for everyone. I love going to Kneading Wellness in Berkeley, not too far from where I live. Sometimes you just need someone to walk on your back.
RESTAURANT LINKS: The Embarcadero’s historic Waterfront Restaurant goes dark • Berkeley’s Fieldwork Brewing Co. plots Mission Rock outpost • Welcome to alcohol’s slop era.
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