Jon Lyons has been working at Mulberry St. Ristorante for 13 years, a bar that refers to itself as "Cheers West." It's a local watering hole for politicians, business people, artists, and other Fullertonians. Jon has the warm temperament of a seasoned local. The other night, whilst sipping my favorite cocktail, I grabbed a paper place-mat and a pen and interviewed Jon, to see what makes this local barkeep "tick."
Jon is a Leo, which fits with his last name (Lyons). His favorite color is green which makes sense in light of his political views, which he describes as "progressive conservationist." In keeping with his progressive views, Jon's favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, the classic anti-racist novel of the 1960s.
In his free time, Jon likes to do jigsaw puzzles and practice his comedy, which he hopes to one day perform. When I asked him for a joke, Jon looked at me and said, "You look like an Amish Jack Abramoff." His favorite quote is also comedy-related: "If you insist on telling people the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise they'll kill you."
Jon is a child of Fullerton, having attended Golden Hill Elementary, Nicholas Jr. High, and Fullerton Union High School. His history with the town has given him an affection for its people and amenities. He cited a poll from the 1990s, which named Fullerton the 34th best city in California.
When in a philosophical mood, Jon sometimes wonders, "What is heaven?" If given a chance to have any superpower, Jon would like "whatever Dr. Manhattan (from Watchmen) has," which is the ability to see all of time and space at once combined with nearly limitless power.
Jon's favorite cocktail is an old fashioned. When asked what he likes best about being a bartender at Mulberry St, he said, "The wonderful customers and the best boss in the world (Dennis Bevins)."
Cheers, Jon Lyons!
