Drinking in Union Station (and LoDo)

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“I think we should drink through Union Station today,” Kelly mentioned to me that morning over toast.

I nodded in agreement. It was an excellent idea since the historic Denver station and landmark had recently reopened. Union Station has been serving the city since 1881. Of course, it’s also been on the decline for many years as newer and faster methods of transportation became more readily available. With the renovation of the Lower Downtown area over the last 20 years (and the current weed boom also certainly helps), though, Union Station has gotten a facelift and a new lease as it recently reopened as a hotel, a few restaurants and bars, a small shopping area, and the continuation of Amtrak train service (if you still find yourself interested in that).

Of course, Kelly and I were more interested in the beer and cocktail service. So off we went…

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First Stop: Kitchen Next Door (1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202)

Our first stop was a seat at the bar of the ‘Kitchen Next Door’, an overly cute name for the restaurant at the western end of the Union Station complex. Just at a glance, the place seemed to be part diner, part high end restaurant. There was a small patio outside and long community tables inside for sharing. A blackboard on the far wall proclaimed the establishment a ‘community pub!’, so, instead of happy hour, there was ‘community hour’. Nice touch, I guess. Kelly was more impressed with the old Union Station Restaurant neon sign that was lit up behind the bar, giving the place a nice touch of historic class.

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It was still early, so we ordered a couple beers and lunch. As it was right in front of us, my eyes were drawn to the series of blank taps along the bar. Obviously for beer, but how did the bartender know which was which?

“Oh, it’s pretty easy,” the bartender mentioned to me. “The last couple on the far left are our beers, then the ones on the right are for wine and cocktails.”

“Wait… you have cocktails on tap?” I asked, slightly surprised, feeling a worrisome itching of trepidation starting down the back of my neck.

“Sure. All the house cocktails are pre-mixed to save time. We have a Margarita, a Moscow Mule, A Manhattan, and a Negroni. All on tap.”

Kelly blinked at me, and I then made a mental note to avoid the house cocktails in the future. Sure, it may save time, but where was the love and care? The craftsmanship? Such is the easy way of the world. Kelly and I finished our lunch and ordered another beer.

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Second Stop: The Terminal Bar (1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202)

Our next stop was the Terminal Bar in the main hall of the renovated Union Station. One of the glorious things about being a bar in a train station is that you are almost like a hotel bar: the clientele is transitory and always different, and quickly moving through. You sit down, have a drink, meet people, swap stories, and then move on, rarely meeting again.

Now, I have been told many times by Denver locals (often with a wistful gleam in their eyes) of the great old Terminal Bar that had been about a block away from the station, which had once served the railroad workers back when Lower Downtown was a much different and sketchier place. That location is now a sushi/oyster restaurant, which only serves as an example on how much the area has changed. It was only fitting, however, that (with the new revamped Union Station) the main bar in the complex would take the old Terminal Bar name.

Although I never knew the old Terminal Bar, I can safely say that this new bar is nothing like the old one. The place is pretty classy, with dark wood, tile, and an overwhelming ‘railroad’ theme (for obvious reasons). I’m sure that some of the old workers, derelicts, and passersby from the old Terminal Bar would not even be able to afford a drink in this place. The décor did cause Kelly and me a few raised eyebrows – we’re not slaves to the past and are always in the mood for a good cocktail lounge – it was just slightly head-scratching that they took that name.

Of course, we didn’t do that (what’s the point of going to a bar if you aren’t going to drink in the bar?)…

Once inside, there was a small television at either end of the bar, which was nice and discreet since nothing ruins a bar faster than people gaping at the images on the TV and ignoring each other. However, both tvs that afternoon were turned to NASCAR (so knock a couple points off for that.) The one other thing that caught our eye was how the Terminal Bar used their old ticket window. The main area of the bar is not that large, so you are welcome to take your drinks and enjoy them in the main hall of the station. So, the old ticket window is used pretty much as a ‘To Go’ window. Customers line up, order their drinks, and move on through the station after receiving them.

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Of course, we didn’t do that (what’s the point of going to a bar if you aren’t going to drink in the bar?) and were able to find a couple seats at the far end of the bar. Flipping through the menu, there were lists of beers, beer cocktails, low alcohol cocktails, and your standard cocktail fare. There were up to five people working behind the bar, all seemed franticly busy… busier than it seemed necessary for a half empty bar with plenty of room at the tables. It was slightly difficult to get anyone’s attention to place our first round of drinks. Kelly got a Telluride ‘Face Down Brown’ while I went for their ‘Timeless’ Old Fashioned (as I have always said that an Old Fashioned is an excellent test of the quality of a bar). This house version of the cocktail was done pretty well, but I was confused on what made it ‘Timeless’ compared to the original cocktail. It seemed in the end that the bartender simply didn’t muddle anything and added a lemon instead of an orange.

After a little while (and on our second round as I downshifted to Crazy Mountain ‘Horseshoes & Handgrenades’, an American ESB – I’ll admit that I was at first curious about the name, but it was a very good pint), the bar slowly filled up with a lot of people in Rockies jerseys. Must have been game day. The place was also filling up with several wedding and birthday parties and started feeling uncomfortably crowded. So after finishing up our second round, we decided to move on. We had planned on hitting the Cooper Lounge next, but were told that it did not open for another hour or two, so we left Union Station for the moment and find our next destination out in Lower Downtown.

After visiting it… it’s more like PeeWee’s Playhouse… with booze.

Third Stop: Squeaky Bean (1500 Wynkoop St #101, Denver, CO 80202)

When I first heard about Squeaky Bean some time ago, I had thought it was some sort of new coffeehouse. After visiting it… it’s more like PeeWee’s Playhouse… with booze. I don’t mean that as any sort of slight, since the cocktails have always been excellent (and have them listed as one of the top cocktail lounges in the city). It’s more about the pop culture references around the lounge (there were small Farah Fawcett and Robin Williams shrines at either end of the bar) and in some of the house cocktail names (which change regularly).

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Most times we’ve tried to visit Squeaky Bean in the past, the place was always way too crowded. However, as it was still quite early (and the bar had recently opened for the day), we were able to easily get in and find a pair of seats at the bar. Kelly went for a Bull & Bush ‘Allgood Amber’, while I had one of their house cocktails: A Tombstone (Old Grandad bourbon 114, Lime, Angostura bitters, & ginger beer.) Looking around, aside from the open kitchen, what caught my eye were the two huge flatscreen tvs hanging on either side of the bar. Sure they were turned to sports (aren’t they all?), but were gratefully muted and oddly in black and white, so neither were too distracting which allowed us to enjoy the music over the stereo (a fantastic mix of Bowie and Velvet Underground).

Kelly was busy talking to the bartenders about the film ‘Romancing the Stone’ as I looked over the current house cocktail menu. My PeeWee’s Playhouse analogy was even more apt as there were six drinks named after aspects of the show on the menu, among other pop-culture references. A friend of ours ordered the ‘Tom Servo’, which was made with some dry ice that left the glass smoking. It was a tequila drink that was made so cold, it left all the ingredients gelatinized, almost like a booze gelato. For my second drink, I went with the ‘Nanu Nanu Fizz’: a very good gin drink with lemon, sugar, egg whites, and soda that tasted pretty much like a dessert cocktail. Kellyy also felt that a snack was in order, and opted for the Charcuterie Board – an ever-changing combination of local cheeses and meats, served with warm slices of chewy rich bread, housemade mustards and jams, and small perfect pickles. A good choice, and one we will go back for.

After our second round, we left the Squeaky Bean and crawled back to Union Station to visit the elusive Cooper Lounge.

Fourth Stop: The Cooper Lounge (1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202)

We had never been to the Cooper, but had been told that it was a ‘must visit’ on the second floor of Union Station. Kelly and I wandered the hall, knowing it was upstairs and wondering how the hell we got there. The elevators would not work unless you had a hotel key, while all the stairwells were roped off. After several minutes of confused gazing around the hall, we asked the concierge (located at a small table in the back left of the hall by the Amtrak ticket window) about how the hell we find the Cooper Lounge.

“Oh.” the concierge replied smiling. “You have to talk to me. I have to check if there is room in the lounge first, then I’ll let you up.” Ah… the concierge is the door man. She looked over her map of the lounge, filled with wipe away blue marker notes, and let us know that while the bar was currently full; we could easily have couch seating instead. After agreeing, the concierge called up to the lounge, let them know we would be coming up in a moment, and directed us past the roped off stairwell and up into the bar.

At first, this seemed a hell of a lot of hoops to jump through just to get a cocktail at what seemed like a hidden bar. The Cooper Lounge was actually situated right above the Terminal Bar, allowing an incredible view down over the entire hall. The Lounge was hidden in plain sight as not many people wandering through the station, busy about their daily lives, ever think about looking up to see who is looking down upon them.

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Light jazz played over the speakers. A gentleman with a wheeled oyster cart stood under one of the great windows that streamed light through the lounge, working at shucking through a large pile of bivalves. The waitress handed us iPad menus as we sit down, commenting that oysters would be available if we’d like some. Kelly and I both scrolled through the digital menu. I was quickly impressed with their whiskey and scotch collection: single malt, blended, American, Irish, Japanese, and the list just went on. Kelly settled on a Guinness while I went with the Coloradier (Breckenridge Bourbon, bitters, sweet vermouth, and an orange twist) that I had seen earlier on the Terminal Bar menu below. Both bars share a lot of the same menu as well as staff, though the cocktail seemed slightly more expensive here. However that seemed only natural as you are paying for the incredible view.

That seemed pretty incredible … but hey… science!

Our cocktails arrived soon after upon silver trays with a small dish of nuts and pecans. Yep, this was pretty classy, alright, and that left us thinking that this place was going to give the close by Cruise Room a run for the money. We looked over the hall at the insanely high vaulted ceilings, wondering if anyone was currently looking down upon us. The acoustics were amazing – we could easily have a conversation without the intense noise that you would have expected from such a vaulted ceiling in such a big space. A friend mentioned that it was due to some weird new material the architects placed under the plaster. That seemed pretty incredible … but hey… science!

Fifth Stop: Green Russell/Russell Smokehouse (1422 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202)

After a fantastic time at the Cooper Lounge, we left Union Station and started back up the 16th Mall towards Capitol Hill. After some discussion, we decided to stop for a cocktail at the Green Russell first. The bar was one of the first speakeasies (i.e.: hidden) bars that popped up in Denver as the craze took off several years ago. Back then, the Green Russell was a decent bar with great cocktails. However, they played up the speakeasy theme to an almost Disney level of kitsch. Still, always a nice time going there until the last few times we’ve visited. The classy (though faux) atmosphere had given way to patrons in muscle shirts and Broncos jerseys. There is nothing to remove you from a nice time out on the town then a meathead in a cap and Rockies jersey yelling about how his team is doing. That exemplified our last several visits to the Green Russell: a once classy bar that had fallen victim to the club-going LoDo crowd.

But on this day, we were willing to give them another chance. However this turned out was not the time for that since, as we walked up to the host stand, we were told that there was no room at that bar. The host pleasantly commented that there was plenty of room at the Russell Smokehouse in the room next door. Now, the Smokehouse was pretty much opened to serve the clientele over spill from the Green Russell. They share the same menu, but as the Russell tries to be classy, the Smokehouse tries to be down home neighborhood bbq place… with expensive cocktails. It’s a conflict that I have always tried to resolve in my head with little success.

Kelly and I sat down, ordered a beer and an Old Fashioned. Once finished, we left. Looking back at my notes on this experience, the only thing I wrote about the Russell Smokehouse that evening was ‘meh.’

“Remember that bad Swayze film ‘Roadhouse’?” Kelly said to me. “I think we just walked into it.”

Sixth Stop: Dolce Vida (1201 Cherokee St, Denver, CO 80204)

When Kelly and I decide to spend a day on the town, that is exactly what we do. Russell Smokehouse had left a bad taste in our mouths that we didn’t want to end the day with. So, after a shuttle ride up the 16th Street Mall, we walked over to our sixth stop for the day: Dolce Vida. Now, this is a bar that neither of us have ever been to, and as a neighborhood sports bar (leaning more on ‘sports’), it is not normally a place we would even walk into. However, our buddy bartends there on Saturday nights, we had promised to come visit him in the past, and it seemed like an excellent time to finally take him up on it.

“Remember that bad Swayze film ‘Roadhouse’?” Kelly said to me. “I think we just walked into it.”

“Seems like an odd mix with a name like ‘Dolce Vida’.” I replied. “I was kind of expecting a neighborhood Italian bar.”

That is exactly what it wasn’t. Dolce Vida is a neighborhood sports bar that is a block or two away from the city jail and a large collection of bail bond businesses as well. While not exactly crowded on a Saturday night, there was a mixture of old neighborhood guys huddled over their beers at the bar and a chorus of young women out on the town, laughing a bit too loudly over their margaritas. The whole place is very industrial looking: steel and wood. Large wooden beer barrels are scattered all over the area for some obscure reason. TVs and neon beer lights were placed all over the walls and hanging from ceilings that sharpened the need for a cocktail just to dull the overwhelming visual information we were getting.

Bridger (our buddy and bartender) set us up for drinks. Kelly wandered out onto the back patio to smoke and poke at one of the huge bricked Jenga sets that sat on one of the upturned barrels. It had been years (and while the bar was not so busy), so Bridger and I started playing a couple games of Joust on the video machine in one of the corners of the bar. Happy to say that I’m still not very good at the game.

After a couple more rounds and a full day, Kelly and I were ready for the long walk home.

Dolce Vida

Drinking in Boston, Day Five & Six

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“Have you been to Backbar yet?” Adam at The Boston Shaker asked Kelly and I as he wrapped up our new cocktail glasses and bottle of bitters (Bittermens Boston Bittahs). The Boston Shaker (66 Holland St.) has become a ‘must stop’ in Davis Square, Somerville for us at every trip back. It’s pretty much a booze supply store. No, not a liquor store, but for everything else: glassware, muddlers, a staggering amount of different bitters, recipe books, booze history books, and all things needed to make your craft cocktail excellent.

“No,” Kelly replied. “Where is it?”

“Up in Union Square in Somerville. Try to make it there. Also, Brick & Motar in Central Square.”

“We’re supposed to hit Wink and Nod tonight. Know anything about that?”

Adam frowned. “Not really. That place is really new. In the South End, right?”

I nodded, gathered up our purchases, and told Adam that I would send him the latest copy of Modern Drunkard Magazine. Kelly and I headed out for our last full day in Boston and towards Harvard Square. After some brief stops for shopping (Harvard Book Store, Oona’s Vintage Clothing…), we walked through the door to basement bar of Shay’s (58 JFK St.)

Shay’s is another ‘coming home’ bar for me (yes, I know I have quite a few of them in Boston.) I used to sit at the corner of the well worn wood bar, drinking a Bass, reading Bukowski, and watching the Sox play on a Saturday afternoon. Nothing has changed in the 10 or so years that I’ve been coming here. It’s still a good beer bar (with some wines), low basement ceiling, red brick walls, several beer mirrors (the Yuengling one is new), and a TV in the far corner. This was a quiet pub atmosphere that makes you want to just spend your days sitting at the bar, looking through the basement window, and watching the feet of the students and tourists pass through Harvard Square.

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It was a Monday afternoon, so not many people were in the bar. Just us, the bartender David, and a young woman at the far end who we quickly surmised was David’s girlfriend. After getting our drinks (a Yuengling and a Narragansett), David went quickly back to his lady friend. He seemed like a nice guy, but had horrible bar eyes. It took us a while to get our second round as he seemed loathed to be away from his friend.

After a bit, and a few more shopping stops down Mass Ave, Kelly and I wandered into the Central Square. Kelly loves this area because, while most of the rest of Boston & Cambridge are filled with students and university areas (Harvard on one side, MIT on another, Tufts is further up, BU is right across the Charles…), Central Square is a cross roads that reminds her of the grittiness of Colfax Avenue in Denver. Homeless, streetwalkers, and random screaming events all happen here. It’s no wonder that years ago, while wandering around the city on her own and through here, she was approached by a pimp kindly asking if she was looking for work.

Of course, while in the area, we had to hit the Cantab Lounge in Central Square (738 Massachusetts Ave.) Now, if any of my friends back in Denver ever came out to Boston with me (and getting them to do so would be like pulling teeth), THIS is the bar I would first take them. In the middle of the gentrifying Central Square, this is one of the last remnants of the old neighborhood. The Cantab is a straight cash only, beer and shot bar; and a live venue featuring jazz, blues, comedians and open mic nights. Years ago, I brought Kelly here to see the amazing Little Joe Cook on one of the many nights he performed each week. Sadly, Little Joe had recently passed away (age 91) and this was the first time we had been back.

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The Cantab was dark, with the ever present Budweiser glass lampshades and Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. A few old men were huddled over their bottles of beer at the bar. Several times, various passersby stopped to peer through the window into the bar to see what was going on. Several of the old regulars sat in easy chairs in the back of the bar watching game shows (Family Feud) on the few TVs about the place. I recognized one of the gentlemen in the back as someone I got into drunken discussion about Manny Ramirez and the Red Sox years ago. He was someone that had been very proud of that his ‘Yankee Haters’ ball cap was sometime confused as a real Yankees cap.

“Karl! I just met the Poet Laureate of the Cantab! Right out front! And he recited a poem about me!”

“This place always reminds me of the South.” Kelly said, “… which is odd, I suppose… It’s the smell of the bar, I think. The old lingering smoke, the humidity, the coolness of the air, and the fact that there are game shows on all theTV. It reminds me of my Southern grandmother’s friends watching the same thing with their drinks and smokes.” She then excused herself to step outside for a smoke.

A few moments later, Kelly came in delighted! “Karl! I just met the Poet Laureate of the Cantab! Right out front! And he recited a poem about me!” She had stepped outside for a smoke and ended up chatting with some of the regulars, one of whom was a retired fireman (“He taught me the fireman’s handshake”) and the other, a slight man with ragged gray hair under a baseball cap was the Poet Laureate of the Cantab (he was also, apparently, a pool shark, and bowling master, and his poems have been in Harvard). Kelly got all of this information from the retired fireman, as the poet himself was quite shy.

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As she was telling me all about her conversation, the Poet himself walked over and handed us a note. It seems that we inspired him to write a poem about us, wishing us well. Kelly, of course, was utterly delighted and thanked him profusely.

The two of you
It was my pleasure to meet
As a couple
You seem to get along real sweet
Do not argue or fight
Dance/drink and a night that together
That turns out dynamite

Our buddy Chris P joined us right after we got our second round of Yuenglings. Chris, while shipping strange and unusual things and body parts around the world for Harvard, is also our favorite bartender back at Shays. We caught up, discussed the convention, and all the places we’ve hit so far on this trip.

“Have you been to Backbar yet?” Chris asked. Christ… we are going to have to make it to this bar. But not on this trip…

After another hour or so, Kelly and I had to move on as we had dinner plans with more old friends (whom I’ve known since way back in Philadelphia) in the South End at Five Horses Tavern (535 Columbus Ave.)

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This was a second trip to this restaurant, and it was just as lovely as our previous time, although much less crowded (probably cause it was early on a Monday night.) I enjoyed their Red Sangria as Kelly sipped on her Raspberry White while we perused the menu.

“The old Indian words out here are fantastic. I love the word ‘Woonsocket’! It sounds all medical and creepy”, Kelly says to me. “Oh dear lord, you came down with a case of Woonsocket!”

We eventually decided on some pork belly tacos, a couple of fish tacos, and the pork belly mac & cheese. I ended up with all the mac & cheese once Kelly discovered that it was made with blue cheese – a particular non-favorite of her (it makes her angry.) So, she ordered another fish taco instead.

We finished dinner, said our good-bye’s (after a quick stop back to the Piano Craft Guild where I once had a loft), and made our way to our friend’s house in the South End.

“Are you ready for Wink & Nod?”, Chris B asked as he handed me a glass of Green Spot whiskey at his place in Worcester Square.

“Sure. Is it far?”

Chris shrugged. “Not really. A good twenty minute walk. How has the rest of your trip been?”

“Pretty good.” I said taking another sip of the whiskey. “It was pretty cool that Kelly and I have been recognized by staff at three different bars over the weekend.”

“I can see why.” Claire, Chris’ wife mentioned. “You two stand out and are memorable. However, in New York, there’s couples like you on every corner.”

Dammit… New York…

Our walk through the South End was for the most part uneventful, till we encountered the massive film trucks and lighting rigs about Tremont Street near the Cyclorama. Something was going on and we found our later, it was the filming of ‘Ted 2’ (there’s another one coming out? Apparently). We passed by and walked over to the darkened entry and doorman of Wink & Nod (3 Appleton St.)

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Wink & Nod is a recent downstairs cocktail lounge that several of my friends have been clamoring about. Just walking in, I could see why. Not only the door man, but the dim light, dark wood, vintage travel posters, and leather booths in a sunken bar area had me thinking that I walked into some 60’s Rat Pack film. It was easy to imagine Frank Sinatra holding court in one of the dark corner booths.

Chris and Claire had brought us to Wink & Nod, not only knowing we’d appreciate the atmosphere and cocktails, but also because it was ‘Tiki Monday’: service night at the bar. Kelly went straight for (and stuck with) the Clementine Clown Shoes Ale (which caused her to smile and repeat ‘Clown shoes!’ periodically) while I perused the special tiki drink list. I quickly noticed that all the tiki drinks on the limited menu were gin based… Nolet’s gin. Must have been a sponsor.

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So, I started with ‘The Jerk’ (Nolet’s dry gin, cardamaro, fresh oj, fresh lemon juice, house falermum, coconut creme, old monk float) which also came in a faux-coconut mug. Pretty tasty, but didn’t rock my world. The second round was a ‘Forse Armate’ (gin, liquore strega, lemon juice, house orgeat), which I found good, but very ‘Gimlet-y.’ For the last round I went with the utterly ridiculously named ‘Anna Banana Fe Fi Fo Fanana Anna’ (gin, gifford’s banana, fresh pineapple, jerry thomas’ decanter bitters), which was likely my favorite of the lot.. and not just because it came in an excellent tiki mug. After that, it was getting late and time for the long walk back to the hotel.

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We said our goodbyes (for now) to Boston the next morning. Kelly and I did a quick walk up Comm Ave to once again look at the trees and statues, had a drink and snack at Bukowski’s, took a cab out to Logan Airport, and had once last Yuengling at the Vineyard Grille in Terminal E (1 Harborside Dr.)

We did have a layover in Kansas City, MO on our way back to Denver. The only reason I mention it was that we also experience THE WORST AIRPORT BAR EVER. The airport itself was no great experience either, but then again… what airport is? The problem was that from our gate we could see a bunch of bars and restaurants, but all of them were on the other side of the security wall. You could not get to them without leaving and having to pass through security all over again. No thanks. We spied signs saying that the ’Stella Artois Brewpub’ was just down the hall, but when we found it… it was just a pop up bar in the back corner against a wall. Sure we could get a beer or cocktail, but that’s about it. Like drinking at a bus depot while waiting for your boarding number to be called. Both Kelly and I were startled by the complete lack of options at the airport. This led to further annoyance when, after we ordered the first round, the bartender asked if we would like another since “the final flight from this gate is heading out. I’m closing up in about 15 minutes.”

We ordered another round and grimly waited for our flight to be called.

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Drinking in Boston, Day Four

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“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” the bartender, Megan, said to Kelly and I as we sat down that evening at the polished bar at the ever-classy Hawthorne (500 A Commonwealth Ave.) in Kenmore Square. “Weren’t you here back in January?”

“Wow. Yes, it has,” Kelly replied slightly startled. “You actually remember us from back then?”

“Yes,” Megan smiled. “It was my first week here and the two of you kind of stand out.”

This was the third time during this trip that we were remembered, which is truly a very nice feeling. On our last visit to the Hawthorne, back in January, we spent most of the evening here on Super Bowl night (as The Hawthorne, gratefully, has no televisions), drinking cocktails and having some excellent charcuterie. Now, Boston Comic Con was finally over and we were having a much needed recovery cocktail. It had been a frantic packing up of product and mad dash of getting everything back to the hotel, but that was behind us and we could finally get a drink. Most of our trips back to Boston normally always begin with drinks at The Hawthorne, as you may as well start from the top and work downward. However for this trip, we were ending the Con here.

The Hawthorne is a hotel bar that I always forget is actually a hotel bar. The Eastern Standard, the other great bar, is a few doors away; but I always prefer to come here. The bartenders are excellent (Megan and Jason were with us that night), the drinks are impeccable, and feel and ambience of the bar is amazing. The decor is kind of minimalistic, but not the industrial minimalism of a place like Drink in South Boston. The Hawthorne has an understated elegance and simplicity – the dark wood of the tables and floors complement the muted colors behind the marble-topped bar, allowing all the focus to be on the drinks and snacks. The low light and gypsy jazz over the speakers just add a great exclamation point on the whole experience. Yes, this place is that good. Kelly and I were coming down from the frantic pace of con exhibition. This is just what we needed.

“Treat this one with respect it deserves, gentlemen!” – CHB.

Gone, however, was the large bookish cocktail menu from our last visit to the Hawthorne. Megan tells us that they had gotten rid of that and replaced it with a set menu that changes every week. I found it fantastic when she told me the menus have been based on Charles H. Baker’s excellent book from the 40’s, ‘The Gentleman’s Companion: Around the World with Jigger, Beaker, and Flask’, which I had recently finished reading.

“We are still heartily of the opinion that decent libation supports as many million lives as it threatens; donates pleasure and sparkle to more lives than it shadows; inspires more brilliance in the world of art, music, letters, and common ordinary intelligent conversation, than it dims.” – Charles H. Baker

Kelly was more excited about the idea of having a ’true’ Champagne Cocktail (just champagne, sugar, and bitters – nothing else added). I went for the “Remember the Maine” (rye, vermouth, cherry herring, absinthe… “Treat this one with respect it deserves, gentlemen!” – CHB.)

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As usual, Kelly also ordered a little selection from their small bites menu – the pretzel bites (which we love) – warm, chewy, with a bit of sea salt, served with a spicy bourbon mustard; and the spicy whipped ricotta (creamy ricotta mixed with sriracha , sprinkled with red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil) which is served with pita and fresh veggies – a nice alternative to the ubiquitous hummus one usually finds. Megan also brought us a dish of olives to snack on as well. Kelly continued to study the small plates menu in case our hunger has not been sated.

For the second round, I went for the ‘East India Cocktail’ (amontillado sherry, dry vermouth, orange bitters, olive… “Being one for any man’s book, & garnered in The Royal Bombay Yacht Club, India (1932).” -CHB) while Kelly went for the Spencer Brewing Trappist Ale. This was one of the great booze finds of our trip. This Trappist Ale (from the monks at Saint Joseph’s Abbey) was from the first Trappist brewery in America, located in Spencer in “Western Massachusetts” (actually, right outside Worcester… which is west of Boston. True, though not that far out.) Kelly spent a bit of time admiring the beer before setting on her first sip – which left her delighted, “Ooooh! This is such a pretty beer! Slightly fruity, light and crisp, and it smells so lovely! It’s big without being –big- if you know what I mean? It is gorgeous – I am definitely going to want more of this!”

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As the second round ended, we both ordered a Spencer Trappist Ale for the third. By this point, our buddy Joe S. joined us for a drink. We chatted and caught up on everything. After the third round, Joe offered to give us a lift back to the hotel. We said our goodbyes to Jason, Megan, and the Hawthorne (but it would be a brief hiatus as we were told the Hawthorne was doing a ‘Take Over Night’ at Denver’s Williams & Graham in October. We will be there.), but the problem was that I wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet. Once back by Park Street, I suggested we have a night cap at the bar that the hotel originally suggested to us our first night in: Barracuda Tavern (15 Bosworth Street).

The original idea was to stop by for one drink and to just check it out. It was located by the old ‘Littlest Bar’ that I used to frequent and is much missed (I’ve been told that it reopened somewhere in the Financial District, but that it’s a pale shade of its former self… and not so ‘little’ anymore). We passed by the overly flashy Nine Zero hotel and walk down the street back behind the Beantown Tavern… (a bar I don’t think I would ever set foot in. Sure it looks like a touristy sports bar [strike 1, to keep the sports metaphor going], but also ‘Beantown’? No, thank you), through the small nondescript doorway, and up the flight of steps to the Barracuda Tavern.

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This was our first time there and it was fantastic. A small crowd of locals sat around the bar and the few tables. As soon as we walked up the stairs, the bartender came out, shook our hands saying “Hi! I’m Mickey! What will you have?” and I was sold. There were no fancy cocktails here. No, this is your father’s bar. This is a beer and a shot bar. Old reggae played over the stereo. There beer selection was amazing and a quick look at the food menu posted up on a chalkboard (pulled pork pizza, lobster sliders, salmon buffalo wrap, Lamb tacos…) had my eyebrow raised and wondering if the small plates we had at the Hawthorne were enough.

Kelly went for a Yuengling while I decided the try the House Stout. The idea of having “just one more” was quickly fading away as we talked to Mikey, Matt (“Wait, you do a comic about bar stories? I can give you bar stories!”), and some of the other regulars (including a gentleman from Scotland who commutes for work to Boston every couple of weeks.) The Boston accents were thick and made us feel right at home. Sure, there was some gentle ribbing (“You were at the Hawthorne? How classy! What the hell are you doing here?”) and we all laughed about it. Soon, Mickey wasn’t even asking me if I’d like another… just holding up a clean glass with a questioning look. Brilliant.

The house stout soon became a can of Narragansett (which I was happy to see was in a throwback classic can.) That ‘one last round’ also turned into four or five more. Kelly gave me that wide grin that I could tell that she was having a great time. Her large hug towards Mickey as we left only confirmed it.

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Drinking in Boston, Day Three

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“I think I’m now officially sick to death of the ‘Keep Calm and…’ meme. Why can’t people just keep it classy and stick with the original meaning? Why do you have to add every single geek reference to it? ‘Keep Calm and Chive On?’ What the hell?”

It was another day at Boston Comic Con, where my faith in humanity was daily shattered by attendee’s fashion choices (“oh.. that must be his fancy dress Batman tshirt.”) I have no problem with kids wearing these shirts, but people over 30? Even 40 years old doing it? I just find something really ‘off’ about that.

While sales were steady, I started debating with myself if I should have spent a couple days the week before working on portraits of Tom Brady or David Ortiz. I would have been more comfortable with doing something like that then with doing some random superhero illustration, which you couldn’t swing a dead cat finding seven different copies of from artists around me. Could probably cover all the bases if I did a Steampunk Tom Brady.

In the end, I did a quick illustration of ‘Lemongrab’ (from ‘Adventure Time’) which turned into a sort of blessing and a curse. It was very sweet seeing a fair number of children that passed by my table and pointed at the drawing with a huge smile upon their face. On the other hand, the amount of people (all adults) that passed screeching ‘Unexceptable!’ was fairly annoying and had me debating some of the artistic choices of my life.

It was a bit after 7pm, with the Con over, that Kelly and I walked by Drink (348 Congress St.) with the idea of getting a cocktail. Over the last year or two, Drink has been getting a lot of press about the high quality of their craft cocktails (including on David Wondrich’s list of ‘Best Bars in America.’) We had visited the new cocktail lounge late one Monday night on our last visit to Boston. While the decor of Drink is very minimal, the drinks were excellent. However, this time there was a line out the door and we passed it by. There was no way we were going to wait in line (I hate waiting for the bus as well.) Kelly and I needed a drink now.

So, after a quick T ride out of South Station, we made our way into the South End and another favorite haunt: Delux (10 Chandler St.), which was back in operation after a short hiatus.

After many years, Delux was sold and had closed its doors earlier in the year when we were last in the city. Images of slick mainstream high end cocktail lounges serving the club crowd rapidly passed through our minds. Thankfully however, this was only a temporary event as the business was sold to some of the former employees, so it had “stayed in the family.”

This was one of the first bars that I took Kelly to during her first visit. Because of that, this is one of the places that epitomizes Boston for her.

“It’s exactly the same… but cleaner,” Kelly commented as we walked in and sat down at the end of the bar. … And it was. Delux was still Delux. Sure, it looked as if it was given a good scrubbing, clean wood and a new dark ceiling, but the old Elvis memorabilia and Christmas lights were still scattered about the bar. The record sleeves and nude oil paints covered the walls, joined by a large portrait of Nick and Nora Charles (how apt!) The lone TV set high up on the right hand side of the bar was no longer set to the Cartoon Network, but to TV Land. Old Partridge Family episodes played that eventually bleed into the 80’s film ‘Beat Street.’

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The whole place gave me an instant feeling of nostalgia of when I lived in the area. This was one of the first bars that I took Kelly to during her first visit. Because of that, this is one of the places that epitomizes Boston for her (the other place being Bukowski’s, which we’ll get to soon.) Kelly ordered a Long Trail Ale while I went again for a Narragansett. I only had a couple days back in Boston, so I was drinking it as much as I could. I knew it would be months before my next trip back.

We start chatting with Thomas, our bartender, about all the changes and how the bar was back in the day. He tells me about a ‘Myrna Loy’ cocktail that he and the other bartenders came up with late one night. Of course, I instantly wanted to try one. He grinned and told me that he would make me one if he could actually remember the recipe (he never did.) After a quick break, Kelly told me that even the restrooms were also cleaned up. The women’s room had been papered entirely in pages from Kay Thomson’s ‘Eloise’ which Kelly loved. She said it was ok, though – they may have taken away “Eloise” but they replaced it with framed vintage bra ads, which was just fine. I wondered how the men’s room fared. When I opened the door, sure it was cleaned up, but… it was exactly the same: Old comic book pages covered in years of graffiti. I mentioned it to Thomas. “Oh, there was no way that we could have changed that. It’s iconic.”

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After a couple texts, some of my cartoonist friends from Colorado stumbled out of a cab and joined us. It was their first trip to the city and I thought we would show them a little slice of Boston. We also met a great young lady named Maddie at the bar, who was interested in comics, Comic Con, and wondered how the day went. After another round and a quick snack, all of us decided to hit the road and work our way up Boylston.

As I was paying my tab and saying goodbye to Thomas, the waitress approached me. “Didn’t you use to drink at Flash’s? About ten years ago…” Christ… where did the time go? Yes, I did indeed use to drink there… and after a moment (it was slightly out of context) I also recognized the waitress. I was more shocked that, not only was this the second time during this trip to be recognized, but also after ten years.

We headed out, through Copley, and up Boylston on our way to Bukowski Tavern (50 Dalton St).

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I have friends in Colorado who, when I mention this bar in Boston, get all uptight. “Why would they name it that?”, “Would Bukowski even drink there?”, “Can I get a whiskey there? Bukowski loved whiskey. You can’t call a bar Bukowski’s if you don’t serve booze!” These friends are missing the point. No, they don’t serve whiskey. Just beer… great beer. In fact, they have about 20 taps, and more bottles than you can count, all from a diverse range of breweries from the locals to the imports and everything in between. Trust me, if you like beer, it’s good.

Bukowski’s door is right on the edge of an overpass, and the few windows it has look down onto the highway below – the only thing distinguishing the bar from the gray concrete surrounding it is its bright red paint. Oh, and a neon sign reading “Dead Authors Club”. It’s a long shotgun space, with a bar that runs most of the length. Hanging above the bar, for the whole length, are large glass mugs, and the back wall is lined with bottles. So, it’s a small place, and a well-loved place. And a crowded place.

Luckily, our usual table by the window was free, so we crammed all of around it, looked over the beer book, and the daily specials. I continued with Narragansett, and Kelly went for an Avery Ellie’s Brown. The rest of the table ordered their beers and soon, snacks started arriving – tater tots, white-trash cheese-dip with fresh made tortilla chips, sweet potato fries. The next few hours were a blur of more beers, tater tots, and comics talk. Lots of comics talk.

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Drinking in Boston, Day Two

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30 Miles of Crazy?… So, what’s your book about?”, one of the many convention-goers asked me as they pass and stop by my table at the Seaport World Trade Center in South Boston that afternoon.

“Well, it’s drinking stories. Some from Denver, Boston, and Philadelphia. Stories about the strange people you meet in bars or on street corners.”

“Oh… I’m only 18, so I don’t know anything about that.”

“Ah.”

“My boyfriend is 21… but he’s kinda straight-edge, so he won’t be interested either.”

… and that’s pretty much how most of the afternoon went for us at our table over Day One of Boston Comic Con. I never thought it would be that hard to sell a comic about drinking stories (or portraits of famous drunks) to a Boston crowd. But the crowd was quite young and this was probably the most mainstream show I’ve ever done (and I’ve done San Diego every year for close to 10 years straight.) There was a notable lack of Indy cartoonists. People were just uninterested and I didn’t really deal in Batman or Spider Man prints.

“So, where would you like to get a drink? I don’t know this area,” Kelly said to me as we left the convention hall and headed across Fort Point Channel. We originally stopped in to check out the hotel bar across the street from the Con (I believe it was called TAMO), but a quick glance offered a tame inoffensive bar, a club crowd with pink cocktails, and very offensively loud techno music. Not our scene at all. Part of me had thought it may be wise to stick around, bear through it all, try to talk and have a drink with some of the rest of the artists at the convention… but I was back in my hometown. I’d rather go visit some of the old stomping grounds.

Kelly and I walked over the Channel, passing by several bars (like ‘Whiskey Priest’ and ‘The Barking Crab’) that held little interest, and started wandering through the Financial District till we approached Downtown Crossing, an area I was much more familiar with. Walking up Summer Street, took a turn at Kingston, and again found ourselves at J. J. Foleys at Downtown Crossing (21 Kingston St.)

“Wait… you have Yuengling?!” Kelly asked wide eyed.

Now, this isn’t the original Foleys, which is further south on E Berkeley Street, off Washington Street in the South End; but this is the Foley’s that I visited when I worked in the area. It’s a family-run Irish pub that can get quite loud with the blend of young college students and people from the neighborhood. Walking in, I was surprised how quiet it was for a Friday night. A dimly lit room with a scattering of people in some of the booths lining the left hand wall, mirrors along the wall, and a deep wood bar. More people were in the further back area that was more open (and better lit) for dining. Kelly and I sat at the bar, underneath one of the TVs turned to ESPN and ordered a pair of Guinnesses. As the bartender turned and raised his hand to the tap…

“Wait… you have Yuengling?!” Kelly asked wide eyed.

“Yes, we do.”

“I’ll have a pint of that instead!” Kelly was excited. This was her first Yuengling in some time (since our last trip to Delaware Valley, two some years ago.) We had heard some rumors from my friends that the Pottsville, PA beer had finally made it up to New England. While I enjoy the beer, I also grew up with it. Kelly only discovered it about ten years ago and still gets excited whenever she has a chance to order one.

“Yuengling. Yuengling. Yuengling. It’s so fun to say!” Kelly was delighted. As usual.

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One of the things we also noticed in Boston, which is quite different from most of the bars we frequent back in Denver, is that most of the bartenders are older – they’ve been working behind the bar for most of their adult lives, not just as something to do while they look for a 9-to-5. They are quite happy to talk and deal with you, but this is their livelihood, their career. I respect that. Now, we know many great bartenders back in Denver, but most of them are younger (many under 50). It was a striking difference.

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After two rounds, the tension from the con started to leave us and we were debating our next step, which was dinner. So, we left J.J. Foley’s, walked through Chinatown, and headed over towards Stuart Street and the Theatre District.

“I love you so much…”, the drunken man said as he groped a potted bush outside one of the clubs along Stuart Street as we walked up to Jacob Wirth (31 Stuart Street), one of the oldest restaurants in Boston (since 1868), second oldest continuously operating one (after Union Oyster House.)

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In a city known for its Irish heritage, it’s nice to find an old fashioned German beer hall smack dab in the middle of the city. An old, well-worn wooden bar, photos, framed famous signatures on menus, beer banners, and the late Sox game on the few TVs scattered about the place. The place was pretty crowded as well as we found ourselves walking into some sort of ‘singing night.’ No, this wasn’t karaoke. A gentleman played the piano in the larger back dining area and the crowd joined in. This was good old German beer hall group singing. Of course, the difference being that the crowd was singing the various hits of the 1970s: Abba, Journey, Beatles, and such.

Kelly and I found a cocktail table towards the front of the bar. We were away from most of the singing so we could talk; but still close enough to appreciate the roar of the crowd. We both ordered some of the House Dark and House Lagers, thinking German.. beer… House brew… Let’s go for that! It was only natural that both were very good. We were on our second round when the waitress accidentally brought me a cider instead of a lager (I guess it’s about the same color.)

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Let’s stop for a moment to point out another rule of drinking that we’ve found to be utter true: If the waitress brings you the wrong drink, keep it. Not only will you have an extra drink, but likely get the correct drink for free. … and this was still the case. So, Kelly and I (and our buddy Chris B, who joined us) sipped our beers, talked, and watched the Sox as the crowd started singing ’Sweet Caroline.’ A warm feeling came up inside me and I smiled. Forget the con. I was back home

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