Well Shucks, No Clams

We hung out at The Gate until late afternoon and then decided we should head to the Brazen Head for the Clam and Oyster Shuck.  But, alas, our will power was weak and there are so many bars between The Gate and the Brazen Head.  What could we do?

Okay, the first one was kind of my fault.  Being from Minnesota and having spent some time in Duluth I thought it might be fun to stop into Great Lakes.

HOMES


HOMES is how you can remember the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Onatrio, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.

Great Lakes is a neat little neighborhood bar that isn't all gentrified up in a neighborhod that is getting to be quite gentrified.

Just The Basics


Jim did spot a Deer Hunter or Buck Shooter or something or another game and spent his time honing his hunting skills.

Aim For The Heart


We almost couldn't find the bartender.

Hard To Spot


It was the camoflage shirt that she was wearing that made seeing her difficult.  That and the dim light.

From there we continued to head in the general direction of the Brazen Head, but on the way we passed an old favorite of mine, O'Connor's.  The awning with their name on it was gone, but the place looked open.  Or as open as it ever looks.

O'Connor's


I have been into this bar a number of times over the years and it has remained unchanged.  Unfortunately, it never seems to do much of a business.  But it does have its followers.  It really is one of the last of the old-time Irish bars and still serves relatively cheap beers and drinks.  Relative to all of the other fancier bars that have sprung up around here.

Pretty Bare


But not to worry, we brought our own party.

Just Need Hats And Horns


For some reason after we left here Greg said he wondered where you could get good falafal.  I said that in my opinion you got the best falafal from the street vendors.  He said he was kind of hungry for some and then, just like a miracle, What should appear?

The Falafal Stand


Well, when life hands you a falafal stand you eat falafals.

Really Not Much Of A Choice




For some reason, and don't ask me why because I like falafal, I decided to have a hotdog.

Buckng The Crowd


I am not sure what Jim had, but he is fearful of radiation so he wrapped it in aluminum foil.

Take That, Captain Gamma Ray


You should see the neat little aluminum foil pyramid that he sleeps in at night.  And his cute little aluminum foil pajamas with the bunny feet.

But I digress.  There was only one thing left standing between us and the Brazen Head at this point, Hank's Saloon.

How Could We Not Stop


I have written about Hank's Saloon many times in the past.  It is a classic honky tonk saloon and old-time dive bar during the day.  This is a place you go to if you are going to do some serious drinking.

Looking The Part


I don't think we really did much serious drinking here, but then we had been drinking all day.  The fact that we even got here was pretty serious.

But, we had someplace to go and, by golly, we went.

At Last, The Brazen Head


Well, as you can imagine, by the time we got there all of the oysters and clams had been shucked and eaten.  The only thing left was some clam chowder for a buck.  Nobody seemed to mind, though.  We just settled in and did what we did best, have a drink.

Doing What Comes Naturally


It had been a pretty long day for Bar Man, he isn't as young as he once was.  The Mysterious Chinese Woman, Jim and I toddled off home but Michelle, Greg and Paq were going to catch the subway back to Manhattan and hit Otto's Shrunken Head.  Now that is a great place, a somewhat divey zombie bar.  And late at night you can find a zombie on both sides of the bar.