Saturday Night at the Farm

Welcome to the very first post with the "Shoreline" tag! For better or worse, its the part of Connecticut I grew up in, and find myself down there now and then. This Saturday, I met up with my family at a restaruant called Aspen in Old Saybrook, for the birthday celebration of Super Fitzdaddy.

Aspen was very lovely and expensive, if you're into that sort of thing. It was also pretty vegetarian un-friendly and expensive, and I'm not into that sort of thing. I did notice, however, that I was conveniently positioned for a nostalgic visit to locally legendary dive bar, the Monkey Farm.



























It's been many years since my last visit to the Monkey Farm, and I fondly remember it as a mecca for the town drunks and the generally sketchy, where some sort of action was always happening. Like the time I saw a dude take a drunken swing at a big tough guy, and swiftly get flung through a pane of glass. Then there was the time I was playing the bowling game and enjoying a possibly roofie-infused cocktail; next thing I know, I can't stand and am getting escorted out, Weekend At Bernie's style.


























Speaking of the bowling game, I found out that its actually called "Puck Bowling", and was disappointed that the Monkey Farm no longer has the machine. Any leads on a Connecticut spot that has one would be greatly appreciated!
















Even though there is no bowling game, the Monkey Farm has a jukebox, a pool table, a number of dart boards, and a few arcade games. A pint glass of Stoli and club soda cost me $5.00.


























































(We totally don't know him)














We had been there for about 15 minutes, and just as I was about to remark that the bar seemed a bit nicer than what I remembered, Black Tooth Guy came over to chat us up. We learned that this intoxicated fellow went to the same high school as us. How about that!













(My sister totally got Mr. Black Teeth's digits on the back of this napkin!)

Then, heartwarming memories flooded in as we witnessed a young woman performing a Weekend at Bernies walk right out the door. The bar patrons must have been impressed, as they enthusiastically applauded.













The Monkey Farm is not a place you go to find class or good hygiene, but it is entertaining, the drinks are cheap, and the roofies are free. And as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I've also heard that they have pretty decent bar food, but I cannot speak from personal experience. Oh, and the bathrooms have chalkboards where you can write poignant messages like this one: