Senior Citizens Belly Up to the Bar

In a magnanimous attempt to brighten the social lives of those around them, Javier A. Valle ’04 and his Adams Senior House roommates throw it down as best they can each week, welcoming friends and guests into their newly-painted living room for “Strong Island Iced Tea” and “Edward Forty-Hands”-themed parties. The one catch: Valle opens his doors only to members of the Class of 2004. Freshman girls will have to find their midweek booze fix elsewhere.

At the beginning of the semester, Valle, discouraged that Adams had yet to host a senior bar night, decided to bring the party to his four-person suite (an actual house situated behind Claverly) each week. He assembled an e-mail list, now 60-strong, and encouraged friends to initiate some “word of mouth advertising” among seniors in Adams and around campus. “Everyone contributed like $25” for the slush fund, says Valle, and Senior Bar was born.

Though he admits that “Edward Forty-Hands” night got “a little out of hand” after one senior chugged his entire forty, Valle claims that Senior nights are generally of the highest decorum. Each week, new friends arrive, willing to pitch in to enjoy kegs and cocktails in a classy scene.

Not one to miss an exclusive party (but conspicuously clutching a notebook and pencil), FM headed to the house for “Sex on the Beach” night.

Sporting a red floral print skirt, tank top, and martini-glass-shaped sunglasses, Senior House regular Diana K. Bowen ’04 has been named a Senior Bar “All-Star” more than her fair share of times. The “All-Star” is an award bestowed upon those who “go above and beyond the call of duty” according to Valle (read: get really, really drunk). She is one of the first guests to arrive.

With an aloha shirt unbuttoned down a wee bit too far, Reid M. Bolton ’04 is happy to arrive early and grab a drink from Valle’s full bar. He says he hopes that the new event becomes an “institution” for Adams’ seniors. Valle, sporting aviator sunglasses, is happy to serve Bolton and others who have just started to trickle in, some of whom clearly started their own party before they arrived.

As the room begins to fill and the music gets louder, Valle’s roommate Tom J. Crahan ’04 sashays down the stairs clad only in a Speedo and glasses. FM is slightly unprepared. Crahan, unwilling to comment but offering his status on the swim team as an excuse, later pulled on a regular bathing suit, though he flashed the revealing garment underneath an uncomfortable number of times throughout the evening.

Despite (or perhaps, because of) the shenanigans, most of the attendees welcome a midweek respite from the doldrums of academic life. “It’s a good opportunity for seniors to meet one another,” says Valle, while pouring tequila shots for Vanessa N. Fajans-Turner ’04. Along with many other celebrants, Fajans-Turner has just wrapped up a thesis. “I started drinking at the [thesis] reception,” Fajans-Turner says. She then made her way to a bar, and is now ready for part three of her celebratory evening.

FM, concerned about putting other callers to shame by flashing its dance moves, departs as the revelry picks up. However, with theses done and work at a minimim, the Senior Bar mood is friendly and lively. Valle, who is very welcoming to any senior, requested that FM not disclose the day of the party. In the name of class unity, he and his friends are willing to put aside the freshman girls—at least until the weekend.