• That’s hot: Rani Dirani is originally from Dearborn, Michigan, where he says there are hundreds of hookah places popping up. In fact, there are hundreds popping up in every college town. Spelled a variety of different ways, sometimes even with a different name, the hookah’s a glass water pipe that you can smoke a variety of things in. Well, at the Hooka Hot Spot at 60 Franklin St., which opened June 26, you can choose from more than 25 flavors of tobacco to puff on with your friends. Christian Desrosiers, who opened Hooka (he left the “h” off to make it more American looking), says it’s like Starbuck’s meets your local pub. “It’s got a modern look with nice colors — kind of a subdued, jazzy feel,” says Desrosiers, “but it’s a commercial build-out and totally renovated. We’re all about the social experience. You can enjoy times with friends, order baklava, nachos and chips, pastries, beverages, smoothies and hang out and relax.” Spiritual Haze on Park Ave. is already serving up hookah, and the Morocco on Shrewsbury Street is struggling to get its tobacco license. Desrosiers, who grew up in Grafton but lives in Providence, says they chose Worcester over other areas because of the many colleges, and an attractive package and selling points presented to them by Glickman Realty, which handed them a brochure about The Mayo Group’s renovations and the CitySquare project. “It was the first place we looked at and we said, ‘This is the place,’” he says. Roughly, it’s open noon to midnight daily. Call 508-753-8300 or visit hookahotspot.com.
• Take a stroll through the gorgeous new beer garden: Bartender Alec Lopez took the place over about five years ago, turned The Dive Bar on Green Street into a beer lovers paradise — and a cool place to be. Wedged on the corner of Green Street, near the bridge, the place is marked by a long bar, dark wood, and a ton of good microbrew. Now Lopez lets the suds spill out into the back parking lot, where he’s opened a beer garden, allowing folks to enjoy their pints — and some food — outside. It opened softly a few weeks ago, but will celebrate more officially this weekend, as the Electrolux Combo plays out there on Saturday evening.
• Club notes: Thursday, it’s the second Worcester Magazine Turtle Boy Thursdays night, featuring live acts up, down and around Green Street. If the venue’s in the Canal District, chances are it’s got an awesome act, and it has no cover. On Friday, The Chicken Slacks head back to Gilrein’s; The Radio Knights tune in to Tammany Hall; keyboardist Paul Provost goes solo at The Salem Cross Inn; and Fourth Gear pulls into The Blue Plate in Holden. On Saturday, Model Citizens rocks Speakers Nightclub in Marlboro; Edgardo Lopez and his Salsa Libre Orchestra get spicy at London Billiards; Hell’s House Band and Mocha Java split the night with Go Gadget Go at The Lucky Dog; Geezer does the later show at The Acton Jazz Café; Professor Harp leads his band at Gilrein’s; The Cosby Sweaters do acoustic ’80s at The Galway Bay; and Old School does classic rock and the like at Greendale’s. Route 66 takes care of both weekend nights at The Kaz Bar; Doctor Robert returns to Sakura Tokyo; and The East Coast Assault Bash brings in more than 10 bands each day/night at Ralph’s. Phil Vassar is this Sunday’s act at Indian Ranch.
E-mail Charlene at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 508-749-3166, ext. 245.
