St. Augustine is an interesting melting pot of individuals. There are tourists who come down from the colder states, up from the busier cities, and across the ocean from the places of our history's origins. There are also the locals who are in and around the region because Florida's vast and thriving agricultural industry. Then, those locals and visitors here for our clean and beautiful beaches. Yet more are young artists here to go to school or to practice photography or music in one of the most beautiul places on the coast. Even more are transplants from other climates, once visitors, but now ready to call St. Augustine home. There are others (many, many different varieties of others), but already there is an indefinable mixture of people who not only enjoy the warm, sunny shores of St. Augustine, but also enjoy its muggy and vibrant nightlife.
This past Friday night, I was out with some friends from Flagler College to celebrate TJ's 21st birthday. St. Augustine is a marvelous place to celebrate any birthday, but especially a 21st. Though there are plenty of places which are still 18 and up and host trivia nights and music, the local government cracked down a few years ago on underage drinking and so most bars want to do anything to keep themselves safe from losing their liquor liscence. So, though there are places where a person under 21 can go out and have a nice time, it's just simply easier to move about in the city if you're of-age.
And move about you do. Never have I bar-hopped anywhere else quite the way I've bar-hopped in St. Augustine. There's something unique and special about being able to walk the length of the downtown district in less than half an hour and have access to more than 20 (believe me, I'm leaving some out just because there's too many to count) local hot spots with good drinks and great people watching. We landed at a couple of my favorites on Friday night, one being No Name Bar.
No Name Bar is an interesting place because it truly...has no name. When it first opened up, we dubbed it "New Bar" since it was new and the sign stayed inexplicably blank for months after it opened. They had a contest on their facebook page to name it, but the resounding vote stayed that it should remain nameless. And so it did.
Don't let their identity crisis fool you, though, this bar is a fantastic stop during a St. Augustine jaunt. Right across from the Castillo de San Marcos (lay name: the Fort), the bar is mostly outside with a large deck and ample seating. They have fans in the summer and heat lamps in the winter, but the outdoor seating is not for the weak on days with rough weather. They always have some sort of live music going on, whether it be a full-piece band inside by the bar, or just some dude with a guitar and a bandana chilling on the deck. The music pours into the streets, battling for ear-space with White Lion and the Mill Top, which flank the bar on either side (in the Mill Top's case, just on the other side of the Pirate Museum). But if the music doesn't draw you in, the drink specials should. They have, hands down, the best drink specials and regular drink prices in town. They have, among other things, a Service-Industry night, a Whiskey special night, Two-Dollar Tuesdays, and daily specials which remain just as good no matter what day of the week it is. The only problem is that, for some reason, when you run a credit card, it will double charge at first and then take the extra charge off once it's cleared. This isn't too much of an issue, I've never had a problem, but if you're someone like me who has to watch every dime in your account, then you just have to know what you have before you charge here.
As far as people watching goes, this place is primo. Everyone from down-home country boys to local kids to college hipsters like to check-in here. It's right on the road, serving lunch in the afternoons along with a liquor store attached, so there is never want for tourists pouring in and out of the place. Locals and tourists can find common ground here, though, and I've never seen the types of issues I have in other watering holes with the battle for square footage between townies and visitors. Everyone just seems to bond in here over good music, a well-priced drink, and the muggy breezes flowing in from over the intracoastal.
Speaking of the people watching, there is one story I'd love to share from Friday night's 21st birthday jaunt. As I said in a past post, the 21st birthday list is not only a jumping off point for debauchery, it also draws a lot of people into the party who nobody (especially not the birthday boy) knows. Everyone wants to talk to the dude wearing a sign. TJ got loads of free drinks, kisses from strangers, hugs from party-goers, and even the lead singer's phone number. But one thing he got, that really made the night, was no where (I promise) on the list. A woman, probably in her forties, who will go nameless if simply because no one knew her name, came up to him and started chatting. A few of us looked on, me with my camera, others with drinks, all of us tracking what else TJ had to do to complete his list. This woman looks the list over, asking if there's anything she can help him with, then looks up, straight faced and bleary eyed and asks, "Do you want my underwear?" I almost swallowed my tongue and all any of us could do was nod confusedly, wondering what was going to happen next.
Well, the woman dissapeared for a few minutes and came back to bestow upon TJ her gift.
Until next time <3
