The Blue Café, a nightclub, bar, poolhall on The Promenade in Long Beach was once home to live Blues, Blues/Rock and Swing music. Opening in 1992, it featured an impressive stage on the first floor where you would find live music almost every day of the week. The dance floor was tiny and often packed.
Upstairs was a poolhall with its own bar.
Covers, food and drinks were cheap and you could rent a pool table for just $5 an hour.
I was a regular for years. In addition to going to see my favorite bands, I often went to “Hot Rods and Harleys” Sunday breakfast. One feature of this event was the row of motorcycles, all parked facing out with front wheels all turned the same direction, that lined the Promenade across from the club. On a good Sunday, you could count more than 100, mine among them.

The Blue Café played a significant role in our family history on two occasions.
First, this was the site of Carrie’s and my first real* kiss. It was Carrie’s first visit to the Blue Café and we were playing 8-ball. On about our third game, we made a bet. Whoever loses has to kiss the winner. Pretty smart, yes? I think I lost. But I didn’t.
Second, this was the site of our wedding “reception”.  After our friends and colleagues learned we had eloped to Las Vegas in February, they were lamenting having missed the wedding, or more importantly, the Reception. It was too late for a Reception, but not too late for a Party. We rented a private portion of the second-floor poolhall for a Saturday night in May. Our invitations were a box that included a beer mug, pool chalk, drink coupons, a book of Blue Café souvenir matches and printed instructions on where and when they were expected to use this “kit”.
It was a great party. Not the traditional wedding reception, but fitting for us. There was little pressure on Carrie and me as the Blue Café provided food and drinks, and everyone was free to play pool, or go downstairs and dance to the live music, or just hang out. So we were free to relax and enjoy being with friends. And there was cake.

*Our first kiss (that we decided didn’t count) was at midnight on New Year’s Eve. It caught Carrie by surprise and it was awkwardly less than romantic. We’ve compensated.