The fine old House of Shields happens to be next door to my gym on New Montgomery, so I've been watching the progression of its rebirth from the outside: The original sign has been refurbished and the exterior has gotten a paint job. But today, chef-owner Dennis Leary (of the Sentinel next door, as well as the new Golden West) was standing at the door with some of guys in charge of all the hard labor and he let me take a peak.

It looked a little bit like a church in there this afternoon, all gorgeous wood aglow, now that it's been stripped and refinished. It was also dark, barring a shaft of light coming from the high windows, the sun illuminating the construction site's dust.

Leary promises that this will not be a mixology kind of bar, but more of a straight forward place that pays homage to the good old days when people knew how to build a beautiful bar. I see holiday parties and good cheer taking place when it finally opens in a couple months.