Jamaica

Jamaica bar. A black and white image. An old song. A poem. Laughter, hopes, alcohol and cigarettes vanish in a cloud of smoke to become an unforgettable memory. Young faces overlapping from the 1900’s ’til today, mirroring our lost youth but nonetheless full of hopes and dreams. The white tiles of this timeless place is filled with these images.

The Jamaica, bell in the center of a Milan that doesn’t exist anymore, but still does, just differently. It’s a modern contradiction. The modern Brera, a conceited window of the posh Milan, is nowhere near the way it was at the start. Post-war years, uncertainty, hard times, problems that really gave it the name it deserves.

It’s that same strong-spirited, self-assured character of the family line that lives on in three determined and decisive women… real people! If you’re expecting something slick, sorry, wrong place! Here they are: Michi – at the bar during the day – switch her turn with Carlina, director of the night. At the restaurant from Thursday to Saturday Lucy!

They know it well and say it over and over: “you come to the Jamaica for the atmosphere!” If you’re snobby or uptight better just stay away! If you’re worried about being told off then here’s a tip… you should be! But if what you really want is to unwind, gather ’round and get an appetizer or dinner in the real Milan, then this is the place to be!

You can go to the Jamaica alone, as a group, you can meet-up or break-up and, like it or not, see people you like or would really rather not see at all. You’ll know it if you live in Milan. Everyone goes through there. Today just like yesterday. Lovers and even haters, they’re all there. There’s gotta be a reason the place is always packed – day and especially at night – when the curtain is up on the sweet folly of senseless nights where the only object is to drink away an unexpressed desire, a bad day, a broken heart.

The moon sets and a new day rises, day after day, the story goes on in this slice of province, whose very soul lies in a city that carries with it names of the famous men who made it an institution.