XL Public House
127 Main St., Salinas, (831) 754-2337
Here’s a list of some of the so-called “soft powers” of diplomacy: Mao Zedong and Richard Nixon’s ping-pong games, state dinners and beer o’clock. A good beer can chill tensions between warring parties, can calm the nerves of political underdogs looking to reorganize. Luckily for both situations, this Salinas institution’s expertise lies in perfect pours from craft brewers like Lagunitas, Allagash and Port Brewing. It’s a regular hang out of some community organizers, like East Salinas Building Healthy Communities, and was visited by civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and Bernie Sanders supporters Shailene Woodley, Rosario Dawson and Kendrick Sampson. The bar has also been a recording studio for social and political podcasts, including Salinas Underground Podcast.