MAGIC AND MYSTERY ((Thread with sarah_branigan))

The Wonderbar, though it does serve alcohol, does not give off the appearance of a sleazy place. Rather, it seems to revel in its own eccentricity, showing off pictures of several unusual acts it's booked in the past as well as a generous assortment of musicians. Anything goes here, from ventriloquists to country singers to a trio of old French ladies who played common household appliances.

It's here that Phoenix leads Sarah. The decor, which at one time had given him pause, is something he hardly notices these days. He's gotten to be a real regular here.

"Well, this is the place. Show should be starting soon," he says, sitting down. "Care for a drink?"