There is an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Larry David visits his dad in a nursing home and joins him for a game of bingo. Larry quickly fills his card and shouts an exuberant, nearly in-your-face Bingoooooo! But when his card is checked, the caller says she never called one of his squares, and one of the elderly residents snatches the bingo prize. Larry protests that the game is fixed, and causes a riot of fist-waving blue-hairs, flying walkers, and jabbing canes. Great stuff, but it is not the scene you will find when you head to The Standard for Bingo Night every Sunday. What you will find are cool, artsy, hipster types chillin on the retro sofas in the lobby of the renovated hotel, while a DJ spins an eclectic mix of Air, Al Green, the Flaming Lips, and Radiohead. The calling begins around 8:00. There is no charge to play, and prizes are awarded. And, no, the games are not fixed. Call 305-673-1717, or visit www.standardhotel.com.
Sundays, 2006