Lola’s

An empty bar: the perfect setting for deep thoughts and bad decisions—no appointment necessary.

I had to introduce you to Lola’s eventually—my go-to bar here. It’s a fancy place, mostly a restaurant, but there’s a bar where you can sit and sip your thoughts in alcohol, maybe even strike up a conversation with someone new. It’s not the kind of place where you could learn about someone’s lifestyle over a couple of drinks, piecing together their story one glass at a time.

Back home, I had a similar setup—not one specific bar, but a place for every mood. Each one saw me in a different light, depending on the version of myself I felt like sharing that day. It’s crazy when you think about it. These places and the people in them only ever knew fragments of me—the parts I chose to show. Nothing more, nothing less. And yet here I am now, realizing that you already know more about me than any of those people ever could.

Lola’s is a little different. It’s fancier than I’m used to, a place that leans more toward couples or people coming for dinner. It’s not the kind of gritty, familiar spot I used to gravitate toward, but it works for my needs. It fits this new chapter of my life, this new city I’m still adapting to.

I used to go out and watch basketball to escape my thoughts. It was fun, an easy distraction, something to pull me out of my head. Lola’s isn’t the same, but I’ve learned to make it work. It’s quieter, more reflective—a place where you can think without drowning in the noise.

But why is this bar important to me? You’ve probably guessed by now, but if not, you’ll understand soon enough. When she gets here, it will be the first time I walk into my “psychotherapist” without a problem to unload, but with the solution sitting right next to me.

PS: Next time, I’ll tell you what it’s like when she’s finally here—when Lola’s sees us together for the first time, and the barstool next to mine isn’t empty anymore. Stay tuned!