Out in the ‘Wood’

This article was originally posted in the August issue of the SWFL Parrot

A perk of this job?…I was told to find new places to drink. Wow…how much do I hate that?
Mission Possible…should I choice to accept it…(and of course I did…after all I was married once so how bad could it possibly be?)…. Find some new places in Englewood to drink.
Here we go…ready?
Step 1)... Stump Pass Grille. Just off Maryland Ave. left off Placida Road. Wow! How could you ask for anything more? It’s on a marina, which has always been my key for a great place to hang. Boaters know how to do it so much better than the average Joe. It’s a bar that plays Radio Margaritaville and serves fresh catch. Friendly and hard to find….yes I like that. I hope I don’t spoil it by telling people how to get there. I HONESTLY have to say that I had the best fish sandwich that I’ve had in the last ten years there. The last one I had was one I personally caught off the coast of Key West and this one was that good. 10 oz. of mahi-mahi with jack cheese… blackened…lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise…outstanding is not expressing it well enough. Just thinking about it makes me drool a little. It’s a great little new bar with a huge tiki pavilion and live music that is a great place to hide away. It’s family owned with a great sense of small bar pride that we just don’t have enough of in this area. Thanks Stuart and Jeff for making me feel welcome.
Step 2)… the Blue Lagoon…on down Placida Road. Open air back deck with awesome food and a huge back bar. There are stories enough to keep you there for a week. Just ask Paul about Florida history or time spent in Key West and you will spend the rest of the day there, drinking Landsharks and laughing about “old” Florida! Ask him to take you up on the roof to see the view of Lemon Bay. The bar is big enough to take several hundred of your closest friends. It’s a little tough to find as I’ve missed it EVERY time I’ve tried. I was told the easiest way is to take the first right after Egg and I, personally I just go until I hit the bridge and then make the illegal U turn in the middle! Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges.
Step 3)… Now I’m going backwards, but since I’m a Port Charlotte boy, I’ll always be a little backwards. It’s on to the Time Out Pub to see my best girl Deb, a Hogbody’s cast off who I NEVER get to see enough of. A strip mall bar but friendly enough. Tell her I sent you and I miss her.
Step 4)… It was going to be the White Elephant and Calico Jack’s which always rock the beach but I never quite made it that far…maybe in the next article? Does that really count as a step?
Step 5)… Time to head home but I HAD to find someplace new! I swerved into another little strip mall and found Prime Time Steak & Spirits. Wow…what a find. I so love when you just turn in on a whim and find a great bar. Having eaten at Stump Pass, I was full but the friends I had with me weren’t. I was definitely envious of what they ordered…especially cute little Jess! It’s a Mexican fare with great sized portions. Being me, I just spent my time getting to know the bartender Rusty. Nice chap. I also have to give a nod to Pete at the bar that was friendly enough to make us feel welcome. I love local people that are eager to talk to strangers. It’s what made me move here and keeps me here through the rainy season in a Jeep without doors!
Step 6)… Back to familiar ground! Good old Port Charlotte. I had to stop and see all the regulars at Boomers. If you’re from here, you know them all. I would name them, but I would miss one and they would torment me forever! That’s how they are! Let’s just say I go there to hear the argument of who sells more beer at the Redfish game…Joe or Dave. Since Joe is the regular they all say him but since Dave is my bud, I know it’s him! If you stop, tell Sandy that she promised Dave she would come for a game and she still hasn’t. Heck…he said he didn’t even mind if she bought beer from Joe!! And if you do stop, tell Lenny he owes me a buck!
Step 6 and a half….home. Ready to try again the next day… I just want to finish up by saying how much I love my job with the Parrot! I’m always looking for a new place to try so if you’ve got a place, e-mail me at dave@swflparrot.com and tell me. Heck, I’ll try anything once! Knowing me, I’ll forget the first time and try it twice. Toodles.