Live Tunes: Music at the Par Lounge

Colleen Doulgeropoulos grew up in a hospitality family—her dad was a chef and owned family restaurants. They had a family catering business in Orange County for 30 years called “A Special Occasion.” Doulgeropoulos went to school for hospitality, and she always worked in restaurants. “It always pulled me back,” she says.

She was hired at the San Diego Country Estates Association on June 20, 2001, as a bartender and has bartended for 22 years. In 2014, she was promoted to Lead Bartender; in 2016, she was promoted to Bar Supervisor; and in 2021, she was promoted to Food & Beverage Front of House Manager. She still fills in tending bar when needed.

She and her husband of 30 years, Tim, have lived in the San Diego Country Estates for 25 years and raised their children here. They moved to Ramona when their twin children were four years old, and Doulgeropoulos says it’s a great place to live.

Doulgeropoulos, whose maiden name is Flaherty, says her Irish roots contribute to her love for music. The melody carries over to her job; she is responsible for booking all the music for the Par Lounge, which has evolved over the years. They used to have music every Friday and Saturday night. But life was different after Covid, and so was the music scene.

Now, the Par Lounge offers live music on the first and last Saturdays of the month, and Ashley Norton plays every Wednesday night. The music has shifted to an earlier time, playing from 7 pm to 10 pm, whereas in the past, it played from 9 pm to 12 am and before that, 8 pm to 11 pm.

Doulgeropoulos tries to book as many Ramona bands as possible at the Par Lounge because they have a following. She has booked bands from down the hill in the past, but they don’t have as much of a following here as the local musicians. “I tried to pull in as much Ramona talent, including Ashley Norton and John Hasz,” says Doulgeropoulos. These two created the Ramona Music Alliance in 2022 to unite and support the music scene in Ramona.

She features different genres of music and finds that Classic Rock is popular at the Par Lounge. She says that Steal Dawn brings a lot of people in when they play here a few times a year. B-Side Vibes is also a lot of fun and they have music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Dirty Confetti is another band that brings a lot of people in. Tony Matoian, an SDCEA homeowner, also plays the saxophone and DJs sometimes on Fridays and for special events like Valentine’s Day.

When selecting bands to play at the Par Lounge, Doulgeropoulos must consider how many members are in the band. The venue is small, so she likes to look for bands no larger than four people. She also selects bands based on the genre they play and likes to mix it up among Blues, Country, and Classic Rock. Another important factor is, of course, the quality of the music.

Doulgeropoulos’ vision for the Par Lounge in 2025 is to have bands playing every Friday and Saturday night. She wants to share the wealth, engage guests, and experience something special in Ramona. She thanks Ramona for their support and encourages guests to keep on listening and dancing.