Drink of the Week - The District

From the District Weekly - (7/22/09)

The important word to remember during an afternoon bout with the booze is “simplicity.” Three o’clock is no time for muddling or open flame. (Whether there is ever a right time for those is an entirely different discussion.) Instead, it is the hour for two ingredients—three at the most—and a few cubes of ice. And so it was that during a breezy afternoon, bound by the grid of our citrus-scented Levittown, my over-educated, under-employed ne’er-do-well friends and I were compelled to spelunk Lakewood’s Snug Harbor. Nestled in the center of an unassuming suburban strip mall, the bar’s craggy façade looms behind a few tattered lawn chairs and a sign boasting the sailor-friendly opening time of 6 a.m. The wood-paneled interior is a hospitable cave where grumbling conversationalists are interrupted only by the occasional burst of sunlight stumbling through the front door.

In an attempt to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible, we stuck to some drinking basics. 1) In the middle of the afternoon, the bartender is only there for three things: pouring drinks, turning on the TV and unlocking the door. Anything above and beyond merits an appropriate gratuity. 2) Respect the regulars. The retired magician and his bowling partner, four hours into their own intoxicated journey, do not want you anywhere near their seats. 3) Do not operate the jukebox unless the bartender knows your name. No one wants to hear the garbage you like unless they can insult you on a personal level.

For this situation, a gin and tonic played the perfect inoffensive request. None of that cucumber-tinged, herbs-and-spices hokum, just straight well rotgut with a little fizz and a slice of lime. A few of these in the afternoon kept us out of the way and off the streets. Even a retired magician can appreciate that trick.

SNUG HARBOR 5520 DEL AMO BLVD LAKEWOOD 90713 562.425.0964

Drink of the Week @ The District