On the Town with Stefani Dias: The Bull Shed
| Wednesday, Jan 11 2012 05:16 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jan 16 2012 12:41 PM
THE BULL SHED BAR & GRILL
Where: 2300 Camino Del Rio Court (next to Hotel Rosedale)
Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Happy hour: 4 to 7 p.m. daily, with drink and appetizer specials
Information: 327-0681 or bullshedbarandgrill.com
What to wear: Although cowboy hats and boots aren't required, they're prevalent. Jeans are a good bet.
What to drink: Domestic beers are popular -- by the bucketful ($10 for five) or pint ($2), both happy hour specials
Stay entertained: Pick up the mic for karaoke on Thursdays, try your hand at beer pong on Wednesdays, dance to DJs on Fridays and Saturdays or bands on some Saturdays.
About On The Town
On the Town is an occasional Eye Street series that highlights the many nightspots, family venues, festivals and more that keep us entertained in Kern County.
Images
Stefani Dias rides "Dolly" at The Bull Shed.
Bull Shed Bar & Grill bartender Cora Tzin perpares shots for a customer.
Randy Emmett joins patrons on the dance floor as he and his band Bluetooth Cowboys perform at The Bull Shed Bar and Grill.
Kristy Webb tries her luck on "Dollyl" at The Bull Shed Bar & Grill. Webb was celebrating her wedding anniversary and job promotion with her husband and friends.
Maxmie Bornstein plays pool with her daughter at The Bull Shed Bar & Grill.
Kayla Brown rides the bull at The Bull Shed Bar & Grill.
Bull Shed Bar & Grill bartenders Jackie Jackson and Stephanie Thomas are kept busy last Saturday night.
I'm gonna ride that bull."
Although I didn't have as much conviction as Sissy (Debra Winger) telling Bud (John Travolta) the same thing in "Urban Cowboy," I would end up riding a mechanical animal by night's end at The Bull Shed Bar & Grill.
Even after enjoying a Topless Brewnette and a couple of Fat Tires, both beers on tap, I was on the fence about testing my luck against "Dolly," the bull that resides in the bar's front patio.
The decision to ride came down to two factors: our photo editor Alex Horvath showing me images of women he photographed riding earlier in the evening (we were both on assignment) and an inspirational quotation posted in the bathroom. After struggling to keep the bathroom stall door closed -- it didn't lock due to the inch gap from the door jamb -- I spotted a framed quotation on the wall: "Live your life now, not tomorrow." If riding a mechanical bull in front of a bunch of drunken strangers isn't living, then I don't know what is.
I signed the waiver (a requirement to make sure you don't sue for possible injuries) and waited my turn. First up was a visibly drunk gal who was flung off twice, quickly. With her pride possibly more injured than her backside, she declared, "This bull sucks," before being tossed a third time. (A sign stated three rides for $5, but it was free for customers that night.)
Next up were two women from a bachelorette party, then me. If I were to die, it would be without my boots on as I was required to remove them before climbing into the inflated square. I indecorously hauled myself onto Dolly ("graceful," my camera-toting colleague smirked) and waited for the start. The bull jerked, then started to spin. I hung on, swayed to the side a bit but regained my hold. That's when the operator decided to speed things up. Determined to last eight seconds or more, I gripped the rope, which moved to the right as I leaned too far to the side. With more speed, the bull sent me to the mat. A second ride was cut short since I couldn't readjust the rope, and I opted out of the third.
In the classic movie, Wes (Scott Glenn) tells Sissy, "Don't think about anything but the ride," and that was more the case for me after it was all said and done. I hung on as tight as I could, with one arm when possible and two when I didn't want to give up. (I've heard of some women wrapping their arms around the bull, which I think defeats the purpose.)
Nothing actually prepares you for being on a mechanical bull -- unless you're a professional, in which case, come show us your skills! There's no reason to ride if you can't laugh at yourself, which I did plenty of (more so after Horvath showed a photo of my rather ungraceful form to others editors). If I rode again, I would wear sneakers, which are allowed on the inflated mat, rather than my heeled boots, which are not. I would also go for that third ride, even if the operator had to fix the rope I twisted around the bull.
But if no amount of courage -- liquid or otherwise -- could get you up on the bull, don't worry. Despite the establishment's name, The Bull Shed isn't just about "Dolly" It's also about Dolly, as in Parton, whose "Jolene" was performed admirably that night by a female singer jamming with Randy Emmett and the Bluetooth Cowboys. As a bride and her attendants came in from Hotel Rosedale, the band kept things lively as some line dancers took to the dance floor.
But the mechanical bull, line dancing and country tunes weren't the only tip-offs that this is a cowboy-friendly bar. Saws, ropes and other western memorabilia (most notably an autographed photo from "Tombstone") line the wood-planked walls. Many patrons, me included, donned boots, and you couldn't scan the room without spotting a few cowboy hats. Still, this wasn't a rowdy crowd.
For those with an appetite, The Bull Shed has a menu to satiate the hungriest cowpoke. I tried the chili cheese fries, which were more than enough to share but missing the onions mentioned on the menu (perhaps the kitchen staff's choice to help customers stay fresh on date night) and the cheesy cheese bread. Sandwiches, burgers and an assortment of fried goodies can also help soak up the alcohol, including Rocky Mountain oysters. (Though I took the mechanical bull by the horns, I had to pass on eating the real deal's fried testicles.)
Comely women bartenders, who included a 6'4" blonde (6'6" in cowboy boots), stayed light on their feet serving drinks to a largely male crowd around the indoor bar.
The two pool tables were occupied much of the night, one by a woman challenging her mother, who plays professionally and brought her own cue.
The Bull Shed is a pleasant alternative for those over the downtown bars who don't want to venture too far west into Rosedale. With karaoke twice a week, beer pong Wednesdays, dancing on Fridays and Saturdays and bull rides daily, there are plenty of reasons to give the hotel's bar a try.
