WOW!!!! Its been a while!

We are going on a Dive Drive with some newbies on 05/05/2012! Obviously, I have to do research before we do a dive drive, so I googled "South Jersey dive bars" and clicked images. Suddenly I started seeing familiar pictures of dive bars, and I realized....THEY WERE MY PICTURES FROM MY BLOG!! It made my realize how much I missed blogging about dive bars! I am going to try my hardest to keep this blog updated! I love dive bars and I want everyone else to love them too!

Weavers

                     

                Weavers is a small bar located on the White Horse Pike in Laurel Springs NJ. Lets skip the small talk, and get to the point. This bar is AWESOME!!!!
                         Before we even got in the door we became friends with "Big John" who is a regular at the bar. Big John is about 6'4, 200 lbs, and wore ripped jeans, work boots, an old sweater, and a bandanna on his head. He took us inside and immediately made us feel welcome by introducing us to the bartender, and the few other patrons sitting around the bar. The bartender was about 4'9, pretty, and looked like she would kick the shit out of you if you started trouble in that bar. She served us $1.00 Pabst Blue Ribbon's which were cold, and did the trick. We all sat at a table with Big John and talked about everything from construction, to The Royal Wedding.
                       The rule on The Dive Drive is to bring $20.00, and buy one beer per bar. However, this rule goes out the window if the bars are a good time, because we want to give these bars business. Since Weaver's was awesome, the dive drivers started buying shots, then Big John bought a round of shots. Before I knew it people were wobbling (including myself) and it was time to leave. I was the last to leave because I had to use the bathroom which was a typical bar bathroom, nothing special (like a sinking toilet). As I walked out of the bar I saw one of the Dive Drivers with his hands on the hood of a police car. Apparently he didn't want to use the bathroom in the bar, and a cop caught him peeing on a tree. Six cop cars pulled in to the parking lot  to give "back up" in case the pissing bandit got out of control. They finally let him go after 15 minutes, and gave him a warning.
                   Weavers Bar and Grille is a great little bar that I am SO happy we checked out. I recommend that everyone stop in this bar and drink an ice cold PBR with "Big John". Tell them all that the Dive Drive sent you.

P.S use the bathrooms, Laurel Springs police do not tolerate public urination.

                                                     ON TO THE NEXT ONE.......
      

The Spread Eagle Inn

            While doing my Dive Drive research, I stumbled across a review that said "Dirtiest bar I've ever been to. The toilet is sinking in to the floor, and the people are rude." Obviously this review is what catapulted The Spread Eagle Inn to the very top of the "bars to visit" list.
            The Spread Eagle is is located  off the black horse pike in Mt.Ephriam NJ. The bar sits on the corner with no sign, and nothing to attract your attention. The GPS was the only reason that we found this bar, otherwise we would have driven right past it. The few patrons that  were outside smoking cigarettes when we walked up to the bar all stopped conversating amongst each other, and greeted us all as we walked in the door. I was immediately angry because the review said that the people were rude; the people that greeted us were not rude. I just kept thinking to myself, "The toilet better be sinking."
             When you walk through the front door the entire bar is in plain view. There is an old Piano to your left discretely pushed against the wall, an old arcade game next to the piano, and a modern touch screen jukebox next to that. A bowling game sat against the back wall, and 2 flat screen T.V's (that kept shutting off )hung above the bowling game.  Booths, and big refrigerators filled with six packs of beer lined the far right wall, and glowing ceramic houses sat on top of the refrigerators.  We took our seats at the bar and were greeted by a friendly male bartender who was attentive, and pleasant during our entire visit. He would walk down the end of the bar and converse with the "regulars" but he was always looking over his shoulder to make sure our glasses were filled. He even put money in the jukebox and told us to pick out some songs! Once we were situated with full glasses of beer, and Aerosmith on the jukebox, it was time to check out the bathroom.
           My heart was pounding as I walked to the bathroom door,  I needed to see the sinking toilet. I would have even settled for a hole in the floor where a sinking toilet used to be, but once I walked in the bathroom I realized that there was no need for a sinking toilet; the awful drapes were enough to make this my new favorite dive bar. Old, heavy, once colorful, now grey, floral/ fruit print curtains hung from the small window in the bathroom. They were curtains that your grandmother threw out for being out dated. They were awful, and wonderful all at the same time. I immediately became confident that a sinking toilet had to accompany these drapes. I flung open the stall door and there it was, a sad, sinking, crooked toilet. I laughed and took pictures when I saw it, but then I felt bad for the toilet. I felt like the toilet was sinking in an effort to get away from the drapes. Whatever the case may have been, the review I read was right and I was thrilled!
          I couldn't have been more pleased with the Spread Eagle Inn. It is definitely a dive bar but as I have stated in the past, a dive bar isn't always a bad thing! This bar has been added to  the route for The Dive Drive caravan  which will take place this summer. Stay tuned for more details!

                                                                   ON TO THE NEXT ONE......

                                                           

The Pike- C

                    The Pike is discreetly located on the White Horse Pike in Magnolia NJ. I never even knew this bar existed until they painted the outside bright yellow about a month ago. The parking lot was empty, which is how it has looked since I started observing. Since I've never heard anything at all about The Pike, the only thing I was nervous about was the unknown.

                 I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in to The Pike. It was clean, the stool cushions weren't torn, and the bar didn't smell like stale beer, it was completely remodeled. There were 6 people in the bar when we walked in. Five of them were members of a local band "The Dropout Plan", and an older gentleman that sat across from them sipping a martini, and chasing it with a beer. There was a "stage" against the wall, which is actually a long step but I'm sure it is sufficient. Pink Christmas lights lined the ceiling above the stage, and a modern jukebox was mounted on the wall. After five minutes we were greeted by a friendly, pretty bartender. I ordered a $2.00 Miller Highlife, it was cold and didn't taste stale which was a pleasant surprise. I felt bad for the bartender, business was slow and it seemed like she was walking around doing little tasks in an effort to keep herself busy.

              I decided to check out the bathroom, I was convinced that there was some place in this bar that would reveal it's inner dive. As I opened the bathroom door, I saw it in all its glory. Like a tall glass of water in a barren desert, it was almost as if the angels sang and shone a light upon that little bathroom. There starring back at me was Dive Drive gold, the way to separate the dives from the rookies, the key to the inner dive. A chart to show the effects that alcohol has on a fetus at every stage of a pregnancy. A Grinch smile stretched across my face as I quietly whispered to myself "The dives can run, but they can't hide".  I busted from the bathroom with a new found confidence. I scribed "Dive Drive approved" on the chalk board, finished my beer and we were on our way.

            I liked The Pike. I thought it was a chill local bar that defiantly deserves more business. The bartender was friendly, the beer was cold, and the music was awful (which made the trip more memorable). I'm giving this bar a C because I feel like the bar may have lost some of its character during the remodel. However, I was never at this bar before, so I may be wrong. The outside and inside do not match, but don't let the clean smell fool you, not here not anywhere. If there is a chart, or a sign in a bar describing the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome it's a dive!

                                                                 On to the next one.......

    

Gene O's Tavern= Peice O shit

                  When on Dive Drives my friends and I NEVER go out looking for trouble. We only want to have a good time, drink cold beer, and meet cool people. Unfortunately, there are some Dives that are filled with trouble, and we stumbled in to one of those bars in early March of 2011.
                  Gene O's Tavern sits on the White Horse Pike in Waterford works NJ. We were warned not to go in to this bar by several people we've met on the Dive Drive but we went there anyway of course. I am going to give you the brief details of the incident at this shit hole due to the fact that I refuse to waste my time on garbage.
                 Due to the fact that the bar was silent, I asked if there was some Karaoke or music that we could listen to. The bartender gave us microphones which could be heard through the whole bar, including out on the back patio; which is where every shady character and their mother was sitting. We were having a good time with the microphones (not cursing or beging disrespectful) until an overweight ugly creature came out of nowhere and took the batteries out of one of our microphones. A dive driver went after her to retrieve the batteries and he was successful! When the Dive Driver placed the batteries back in the microphone he then said in to the microphone "Someone please get this girl a sandwich, she seems to be mighty hungry." Aproximatley 3 minutes later I hear that same dive driver saying "I'm going to get slapped in 5,4,3,2" SMACK. The friend of the fat creature smacked the dive driver in the face, and all hell broke loose.
               Unfortunately the Dive drivers were outnumbered and after holding our own for a solid 10 minutes we were forced out the door and on to the pike. We got in to the car and made sure that we honked our horn and waved to the 30 losers that were still standing on their "turf". So in conclusion Gene O's is a piece of shit, and so are all the people that work and hang out there. Don't go to this bar unless you want to drink hot beer get in to a bar fight. Obviously these losers have nothing better to do except start trouble! YEAH....I SAID IT!

                                                                 ON TO THE NEXT ONE........

Dive Drive is BAAAAAACK!

              After a little incident that we had on a Dive Drive in early March, we decided that it would be a good idea to quit the Dive Drive. We didnt want to offend anyone by going in to their "territory", we didnt want to cause these small local bars to loose any buisness, and we really didnt want to get our asses kicked!
After careful consideration I am retracting the decision to quit the Dive Drive. The truth is, I love the dive drives, I love the memories I make with my friends, and I love the people we meet along the way! I refuse to quit doing something that I love because of a group of jerkoffs looking for trouble.
            If you want trouble, come and see us. We are going to be the group of people having a good time at the end of the bar (closest to the door). See you around!
            

Black Horse Pike Dive Drive. 02/12/2011

                 I looked forward to this drive for about 2 weeks, so when this glorious day came about I was pumped! The bars were going to be awesome, the weather was a little bit warmer, and we had 2 new members added to our group. Everything was perfect! We all met at my house at 7:00 pm to pre-game this awesome event. I decided that rum was going to be my poison that night, so I pounded down a bottle of rum, got in to our designated driver's drunk bus and headed down the pike towards Dive heaven!           
              We started the night off at Gleason's Place in Franklinville, New Jersey. When we walked in I immediately realized that this bar was packed with mostly middle aged people. There was a band playing on the dance floor, people sitting at tables and standing at the bar. As soon as we got to the bar Matt bought the group a shot. I don't know what it was, but despite Nicole telling me not to take it because I was going to throw up...I took the shot.
                                                             LIGHTS OUT!
                 The next thing I remember is waking up alone in the back of the drunk bus, and reaching for the door handle so I could throw my guts up in the parking lot. As I was violently vomiting everywhere I was able to read the word "Devones" apparently my friends were in that bar. I tried to get out of the bus to go in but my body didn't like that idea and I began vomiting again.
                                                              LIGHTS OUT!
                  The next thing I remember is waking up in the back of the drunk bus as we pulled in to Geets in Williasmtown NJ. I immediately noticed a guy laying on the sidewalk vomiting. A part of me wanted to lay on the sidewalk and vomit with him, a part of me wanted to climb in to the ambulance that was called for him so I to could have charcoal poured down my throat to end my pain. But I didn't lay on the sidewalk, and I didn't climb in the the ambulance. I simply told my friends to go inside and leave me in the bus. Nicole was refusing to go, but after 10 minutes of begging her to go away so I could puke, she tilted my head to the side and went in to the bar. I threw up about 5 more times.
                                                              LIGHTS DIM.
                    The alcohol was no longer in my body. It was now spewed down the black horse pike and I started to feel better. Joe came out to the car and gave me a pep talk, then I fell asleep. I woke up with the craving for a cigarette, it was then that I knew that I had come back to life! I smoked a cigarette, wiped the dried puke from my face (and neck) and walked in to Geets where all of my friends were waiting.
Geets is defiantly a great local hang out spot. Its a Diner/ Sports bar so its really convenient! There were a lot of cougars. Yep...that's all I remember about that bar.
                      A Dive drive will be scheduled soon so we can re-visit these bars; I will not be pre-gamming with rum the next time. Please stay tuned for a more accurate, pukeless blog about the bars we will visit along the black horse pike.

Last minute Dive Drive

                Lately the only thing I like about the winter is the fact that the freezing cold weather gives me an excuse to get drunk. The dive drive team and I have decided to use the cold weather as an excuse to throw back some beers at a few dives this Saturday (01/29/2011). Whoever wants to experience this awesomeness is more then welcome to join us. Just let me know!!

Village Pub & Package Goods

           

               The Village Pub sits on a forked road in Tabernacle, NJ. The only directions that I can give are, when you see the corn fields, keep driving for another 2 miles. You'll eventually find it. We pulled in to the bumpy dirt parking lot and we were stared down by a few locals out smoking cigarettes near huge propane tanks. It was freezing cold that night, but there was still a motorcycle parked in the parking lot. I knew this was going to be interesting.
               The inside of the bar looks like a detached garage. There are dropped ceilings, mirrors that line the walls behind the bar, and a boom box sitting on the counter. Tables and chairs are to the left of the bar, and a small kitchenette sits back in the corner. While Nicole and Amber were waiting at the bar a local turned to then and immediately said "you must be out of towners." The local then proceeded to tell them that this bar was owned by a Greek family, and that the food is excellent. About 15 minutes later we all had the privilege to meet one of those Greek owners. I don't know what his name was, but I do know that he was sitting in a chair that was propping open the door to a utility closet. In his broken English I was able to make out the phrase "We bury people that aren't from around here." We grabbed our jackets and headed for the door.
             It got very quiet when we walked outside, almost as if everybody out there was talking about us. I thought that since I was in their town, I would try and be nice and ask them a few questions. As I was talking to them, the crowd that was out there silenced and thinned out really quick. I was left talking to a young kid who was probably 21 at the most. He was missing his front tooth, and he was so nice. He explained that the motorcycle parked in the parking lot belonged to a guy inside, and people from "this neck of the woods" need any form of transportation they can get. I then told the kid what the Greek man said about burying people who aren't locals. The kid laughed and said "Yeah you don't wanna cross anyone that lives out here...there is way to much pine land to hide the body."
            I backed up slowly, thanked the kid for his time, and jumped in to the SUV where my friends were waiting. Normally at this point in the blog I tell you my honest opinion about the bar. Not this time my friends. I don't like the wilderness, and I don't want to be buried there.

Pic A Lilli Inn -A++++++++++

                  

             The Pic a lili Inn is a South Jersey Staple that is located on route 206 in Shamong N.J, best known for their delicious wings and buffalo tails. The Pic a lili has a neon pink sign on the roof and an old firetruck in the parking lot; Its very easy to see on the extremely dark road that it sits on. My parents used to take me here as a kid, so I wasn't nervous at all about walking in to this bar/restaurant.
                 When we walked in we were greeted by the fiery aroma of the Pic a Lilli's hot sauce, it made our eyes and mouths water. We couldn't just sit at the bar and drink knowing that we could be eating the best wings in South Jersey, so we had to get a table. We were all sat at a big, wooden, round table that had matching chairs. The lights were dim, and there was a man on a stool playing the guitar, covering alternative rock songs from the 90's quite well.Rocking chairs sat in the corner by a fish tank, and a big stone fireplace was in the middle of the room. A family that reminded me of the Cleavers sat behind us, and a group of guys that were dressed in dirty clothes sat beside us. It was funny to look around and see the mix of people in the place. Our friendly waitress was very quick to bring us out a $5.00 bucket of pony rolling rocks, and also to joke around with us and tell us that they ran out of wings! The food was served quickly and it was DELICIOUS! All of us were left licking our fingers, and debating on whether or not to order another round of food. Unfortunately we had to leave, so we split our $50.00 bill between the 5 of us, and we were on our way.
                I don't have one bad thing to say about the Pic a lilli. The food was great, the beer was cold, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the service was excellent. You don't find too many places that have all of this in one place! PLEASE do yourself a favor and visit the Pic a lilli Inn if your ever in shamong NJ. I promise that you will not be disappointed!
                                              ON TO THE NEXT ONE........................

The Town Tavern- B+

                The Town Tavern (a.k.a the Town Toilet) is located on Jackson Road in Berlin NJ. I've passed this bar so many times, and the only thing I've ever heard about it was that the waitresses serve lunch in lingerie each Wednesday. That was never enough to make me go in to the bar, if anything that was more then enough for me to swear this bar off forever. Yet there we all were standing on the front steps of the Town Tavern starring at a sign on the door that said "No Colors". That's usually the point where we get back in the car and peel out, but we were in dive drive mode, so of course we went in.
           As soon as you walk in the door you are faced with a decent size square bar. Neon beer signs, a score board for the NJ lottery, and pictures of historic Berlin grace the walls. A pool table complete with a stained glass light above it was in the far left corner, as well as a pin ball machine and a golf video game. There were also 3 refrigerators that lined the wall, which were filled with 6 packs of beer for take out. The bar smelled EXACTLY like Chuckie Cheese despite the fact that they do not make pizza, and there was no ball pit in sight. We took our seats at the bar and we were greeted by a pretty young bartender who informed me that all domestic drafts were 2.00; I ordered a Miller High Life. The beer was cold, I think it was skunked, but that may have just been Miller High Life's distinct taste..not really sure. As we were sitting at the bar talking Nicole accidentally spilled her beer all over the bar. The bartender cleaned up the beer, broke Nicole's stones for spilling her beer, then refilled Nicole's beer for no charge. We've spilled beer at MANY other bars and the bartenders usually roll their eyes at us and charge us for another beer. It was nice to be in a place where people understood that shit happens
          We couldn't stay at the bar long because we had three other bars to get to, but before we left we decided that we should hit the bathroom because the next bar was about a half hour away. Nicole, Amber and I walked down a dark hallway, tripped over extension cords, and a vacuum cleaner, and eventually made it to the bathroom. This bathroom was plain, and pretty clean. Not too much to talk about besides the awesome fact that the soap dispenser was a ketchup bottle. After a few pictures with the soap dispenser we grabbed our belongings, and headed for the door. Nicole opened up a refrigerator and tried to leave through there but she quickly regained her bearings, and followed the rest of us out of the real door.
          I'm glad that we weren't scared away by the "No Colors" sign on the door. The people were friendly, the beer was cold, and their idea for a soap dispenser was hands down awesome. Rumor has it that the Town Tavern has phenomenal food. I'm thinking that my next stop at this place is going to be for a lingerie lunch next Wednesday. Stay tuned!
                                                         ON TO THE NEXT ONE...................

The Dive Drive- Hittin' the sticks!

     November 27th The Dive Drive is heading in to the woods. Make sure you follow my blog to see what kind of trouble we get in to when surrounded by corn fields, and "Piney Power". This should be interesting! Say a prayer that we make it out!

The Booze Cruise!

                There were 3 people (including myself) that attended the Booze Cruise and it was AWESOME! The Booze Cruise was almost a bust because we only had one bike. However, the dive drive gods smiled down upon us and blessed us with a bike from a thrift store, and a bike from a crack head who was on his way to bury a dog (true story). At 9:00 p.m we poured our beer in to a Wendy's kids meal cup and hit the road. 3 minutes later Amber lost control of her bicycle on a busy road and spilled her beer everywhere. This should have been an sign to turn around and go home....but we kept peddling along. In a single file line Amber, Diego and I rode 2 miles to our first location; The Wick in Somerdale NJ.

               The Phillies game was on, and it was loud. I hate baseball, so right off the bat I was annoyed. The Wick looks and smells like a small old dingy basement, and there isn't anything that gives the bar character or individuality. The walls and the ceiling are white, and there are only exit signs and posters from beer companies hanging on the wall. Miller Light Drafts are $2.00 during Phillies games so I drank 3 in an effort to block out the deafening noise of all the people who were getting ready to jump off the Phillies band wagon. The bar had popcorn, it wasn't very good but I ate it anyway. After about 45 minutes we were more then ready to leave...so we did. We were able to walk to the next bar, so we left our bikes tucked away with the abandoned cars and at 10:45 p.m we arrived at Richeez in Hi-nella NJ.

                 The Phillies game was also on at Richeez, but because the bar is bigger it wasn't as loud. Richeez reminds me of an old skating rink or bowling alley. They have mirrors on the walls and they write drink specials and upcoming events on the mirrors in neon window paint. The bartender was nice, and she was just as excited as I was when the Phillies lost. I ordered cheese fries and they were DELICIOUS! It may have been because I was drunk, but I'm pretty sure they were good. Beers were $2.50 Miller drafts, and I drank a lot of them. After about 2 hours we were all drunk, and not in any shape to ride a bike. However, we left Richeez, grabbed our bikes, and headed 3 miles North to Jerzey's bar in Lindenwold, NJ.

         At 1:15 am we parked our bikes in the woods by the bar and walked in to the train wreck. Jerzey's bar can be summed up in 2 words. Shit hole. I'm only going to write about it because it's so bad it's hilarious. As soon as we walked in we were judged by the entire bar, so we decided it would be best if we sat in seats that were far from everyone. Unfortunately the seats were next to a speaker the size of a Mini Van so I was deaf the entire time we were there. I'm pretty sure that beers were $3.00 but I'm not positive, I'm also not sure if they were cold. The bar looks like it's under construction, unfinished beams, and plywood are everywhere you look. A random pool table surrounded by convicts is right in front of the door, and one side of the bars no lights, so men sit there and try to be mysterious. 20 minutes after first walking in we chugged our beer and headed for the door in a single file line.

              I was in the front and I thought it would be a great idea to steal a blinking Halloween mask off the door, so I did. Diego was behind me and he said that the bouncers saw me so I stuck it on the window of the bar. As we walked to the bikes in the woods, I saw a blinking light coming from Amber's jacket and a bunch of black hair.Turns out Amber (who was behind Diego) ripped the mask off the window and shoved it in her jacket. As we were riding our bikes out of the woods, DIEGO was confronted by 4 bouncers who told him that he had to give the mask back. Diego laughed and said they were crazy and he didn't take anything. Next thing you know all 10 people that were in the bar came outside screaming "Where did they go!" We put our bikes in the 2nd gear and hauled ass down the street, Amber tossed the mask as we rode in to the night.

                       If you ask me...the last paragraph alone was enough to make the first annual Booze Cruise a success! Hope to See ya next year!



Diego tuning up Amber's bike

Michelle face planting.




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On the way to Jerzey's

 


P.S we went back the next day and got the mask!



First Annual Dive Drive Booze Cruise

          Come join us, Saturday October, 23 2010 for the first annual Dive Drive Booze Cruise. We will be riding our bicycles to local dive bars throughout the night. I suggest you wear a jacket, a helmet, and as much padding as possible; this could get ugly! I hope a lot of people come out, if not...there will be pictures, but as you all know pictures will never replace having been there.
          The Booze Cruise will begin at 6. The bars listed below are bars we plan on visiting.
The Pike bar and grill
Somerdale Bar
Shady Katie's (If there is no cover)
Richeez
Jerzey's
Valarie's
Richie's Tavern
Harper's
         

Russells Pic II

              

                Russells sits on a slight hill on the Black Horse Pike in Hammonton NJ. The bar looks like an old farm house; complete with a porch and red shutters. As soon as we pulled in the parking lot, the headlights were cast upon a sign that read "If god is with us we can not fail." After a quick photo with the unusual sign, we opened the screen door, prepared for the worst, and hoped that what the sign read was true.
                It was a tiny little bar that smelled like stale beer and popcorn. There were two men that sat across the bar (one of the men looked like Harry from the movie "Harry and the Hendersons"), a bartender that probably weighed 95 pounds soaking wet, and a shady guy in his mid- twenties that was reading a book by the popcorn machine. The bartender approached us with a smile, which was a nice change from the scowls we were getting from the men across the bar. We ordered $2.75 miller lite bottles, and just as I suspected they were ice cold. I sat and smiled as I looked around the bar and admired the history it discretely displayed. Old Budweiser signs with pictures of Clydesdale horses hung on the wall, autographed sports jerseys were on display, and old personal photos in frames adorned the walls. It was an interesting combination of things to be hanging on the wall, but that's what made me smile. It let me know that the owner of that bar took pride in a place that people rarely payed any mind to.
              The smell of butter that lingered in the air quickly convinced us that we wanted popcorn, and that's when we found out why the shady man with the book was sitting by the popcorn machine; he was the popcorn scooper. I wondered how someone could get a job as a popcorn scooper, but I decided that it wasn't a good idea to ask. As my friends and I sat and enjoyed the popcorn, the screen door creaked and a man in his 70's took his seat at the bar. Without saying a word the bartender reached in the cooler, pulled out a Pabst blue ribbon, cracked it open, and placed it on the bar for the man. This of course prompted me to ask the bartender "how did you know what he wanted?" I knew the answer was that the old dude was a raging alcoholic, and that he probably spent half of his life sleeping on the bar. However, I kept my mouth closed and smiled when she said that "you just get to know the locals".
         I took advantage of the mention of locals and  I asked the bartender if she knew of any other local bars that we could visit. Appartently this is the key to making friends in small local bars. Suddenly the Harry and the Henderson's guy, his friend and the popcorn scooper were telling my friends and I where to go and where to avoid. With our new found knowledge we thanked them, and decided it was time to visit the next bar. As we were getting in the car Harry and his friend were smoking a ciggarette on the porch. "Harry" suggested a few more bars we could visit, and also told us to be safe and watch our speed on the pike because the cops are "fucking vultures".

             I waved to Harry and his friend as we pulled out of the parking lot. I thought back to an hour before when I was standing outside of the bar looking for all of the exits. I thought back to when I walked in to the bar and immediatly judged "Harry" because he looked like someone that didnt want us there. It made me sad to know that I judged a person and a place based on looks. It made me realize that this bar probably doesnt generate a lot of buisness due to the judgements people make. It's sad that people are missing out on the simple pleasures of popcorn and pointless conversation, because of a judgement they've made based on an unpaved parking lot, and a crooked sign. I plan on returning to Russells Pic II, maybe the bartender will remember my drink, maybe she wont. One thing that I will always remember is that the cops on the pike are fucking vultures, and you should never judge a book by its cover.

              

Antigua

                        Not very much to say about this place except that we wont be going back. We were forced to freeze outside because apparently October is a great time to sit at a tiki bar. The outside heaters didnt work, the touch screen "jukebox" was difficult to work and only filled with musical greats like Brittney Spears, and Ke$ha. When we asked the bartender to help us with the "jukebox" she seemed annoyed as she slammed her midget fingers against the screen to get us back to the main menu.

                         In my opinion if you're looking for an uptight place to drink and freeze to death, you should check this place out. If you're looking for a fun down to earth dive bar....Keep driving. Only 2 good things came from this place; $1 dollar Miller High Life bottles, and this picture.

The Silver Fox Inn

                                 

                  At 9:05 p.m we pulled up out front of the Silver Fox Inn. We parked our car next to the only other car in the parking lot, an old blue Cadillac with 4 flat tires. We sat in the car and stared at the building that looks like something out of a horror film. Its gray stone exterior was hard to see given that the only lights that were on were neon Budweiser signs in the window. Hesitantly we got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Before entering the bar, a man and a woman smoking a cigarette got my attention and asked if we were locals. I told them that we were not, we were simply passing through. They proceeded to tell me that there was a Halloween party there on October 2nd and that we should try and make it back. They also told me that I should look them up on facebook. I thanked them for the information, and they wished me a good night. I didn't expect to find such hospitality outside of a place like this.

                    When we walked in to the bar it was silent. There were 5 people in the bar. The bartender, a middle aged couple sitting at the end of the bar, an old woman eating a plate of spaghetti, and a pretty young woman drinking a glass of wine with a straw. We were immediately greeted by the nicest bar tender I have ever met. She informed me that the cheapest beers were $2.75 domestic bottles; I ordered a Miller Lite. It was by far the coldest beer I've ever drank at a bar, my friends agreed. As the four of us sat at the quiet bar, we looked around and took in our surroundings. Out dated tables and chairs were set up on one side of the bar, old stained glass lanterns hung from the ceiling, and a fiber optic picture circa 1961 hung on the wall. A jukebox was nestled in the corner, A Barbie, Ken, and Kelly doll on swings hung from a beam, and a popcorn machine with fresh popcorn was hidden on the far end of the bar. The bar reminded me of my grandparent's basement. Scary at first, but once settled in, it's comfortable and familiar.

                 I walked over to the jukebox and selected random songs to kill the silence. Unlike the bars that my friends and I are used to, we did not receive dirty looks from the other customers for our song selections. The other customers actually smiled and laughed when my friends and I told stories that were somehow related to the song. When it was almost time to leave I had do something that I was dreading. I had to use the bathroom. I'm always nervous about using the bathroom in bars because I'm always unsure of what I'm going to find. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that the bathroom was just like the rest of the bar..homey. Flowers were placed in the counter next to the sink, and a potpourri bowl sat beside it. I breathed a huge sigh of relief! As we prepared to leave the bar, the bartender thanked us for stopping in, and the older woman, and the pretty young woman wished us a good night.

              I don't think that there are many bars out there like The Silver Fox Inn, and I don't think that there are many people like the ones that we met at the Silver Fox Inn that night. It was so nice to meet people that didn't care what shoes we were wearing, what designer made our purses. They were people who wanted to make you feel at home, but didn't force it down your throat. I will return to the Silver Fox Inn, and I will continue to tell people only good things about it. Don't let the cold hard exterior scare you away from this place. The warmth you feel when you walk inside definitely makes the visit worthwhile.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hammonton-NJ/Silver-Fox-Inn-Hammonton-NJ/115091941873844