Thursday nights at Mal’s Lounge have had their ups and downs. Their former karaoke night was pretty cool but never really caught on and their Thursday night dance parties struck me as, well, “meh.” Until now, that is.
Yes. Oh, yes. (I'll even excuse the misplaced apostrophe.)
According to their Facebook page, Mal’s is now screening the latest episodes of Jersey Shore on their giant screen every Thursday night from 10:00 – 11:00pm. Afterward, they turn it all over to KISS108 Weekend Blowout deejay, Jay Michaels. Brilliant! What better way to kick off the weekend than fist pumping the night away?
I get a lot of flak for my love of Jersey Shore, but c’mon- it is so good! I mean, check out this mid-season trailer. Shizz’s about to get serriussss:
Mal’s really going all out with this Jersey Shore themed night, too. They offer Snickerdoodle Snookie and Citron Situation shots (both sounds like they’d get you ham-hocked faster than you can say “cabs are here!”) so that after you’re done watching the episode you can reenact your favorite sloppy club scene.
Has anyone checked this night out yet? Any good? Personally, I’m psyched about this new development. In fact, I’m hosing myself down with self tanner as we speak.
Has anyone ever really looked at the mural at The Tap?
I was hanging out in the dining room the other night, waiting for a turkey wrap, when my eyes drifted upwards and I began admiring the sweet ‘staches on the dudes at the bar. Then I noticed the nude on the wall behind them. Then my eyes drifted to the scene painted on the street and…wait- is that a 1980’s muscle car!?
This can only mean ONE thing: The Tap is some sort of portal for time travel.
If Doc Brown was from here, of COURSE the time machine would've been an Iroc.
Now that I know the secret, it was tempting to go back in time and warn myself not to eat all those fries, but if Back to the Future taught me anything, it was to be very careful not to interact with my past/future selves. Wouldn’t want to cause a major paradox!
You may remember I’ve bemoaned downtown Haverhill’s lack of a good brunch before. I mean, as much as I love Village Square, there are some Sunday mornings that simply require something a bit fancier…and, let’s be honest, a mimosa.
So, when I was at The Peddler’s Daughter Saturday night and noticed a flier on the wall announcing brunch from 12 – 3pm on Sundays, I could not have been more excited. So excited, in fact, that I went right home to bed so that I could wake up, rush back to Peds, and stuff it in my face. (My back-to-back Foursquare check-ins did not go unnoticed by Bob Simonds who asked “did you sleep there?” Har har)
The Peddler's Daughter, 45 Wingate St.: Sunday brunch savior.
I did have self-pride enough to not sit in the same booth that had been the scene of the previous night’s debauchery. And I decided to save the mimosa for next time, opting instead for water and coffee. So, this was no brunch of shame.
Here’s the menu, with options for everybody, and reasonable prices, too!
Free Range Omelet: Vine Ripened Tomato, Fresh Imported Mozzarella, Fresh Torn Basil, Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$7.95
Grand Marnier French Toast: Thick Slab Applewood Smoked Bacon, Vermont Maple Syrup
$7.95
Build your own Free Range Omelet:
Diced Tomato, Purple onions, Mushrooms, Bacon, Spinach,
Aged Cheddar or Big Eye Swiss Served with Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$7.95
Irish Scrambled Eggs: Oak Smoked Salmon, Scrambled Eggs, Toasted Irish Brown Bread, Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$8.95
Hangover Burger:
8oz Angus Burger, Sunnyside Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Big Eye Swiss, House Cut Fries or Sweet Fries, Homemade Ketchup
$8.95
******************
Hairy Mary Bloody Mary: Absolut Citron Vodka, Ped’s House Mix, Celery Stalk
$7.95
Loosy Goosy Mimosa: Cristalinno Cava, Fresh Orange Juice
$7.95
16oz Can Narragansett: No Explanation needed
$2.50
I’m usually an omelet aficionado, but I just had to try the Irish scrambled eggs, while my partner-in-dine Forrest tucked into the Grand Marnier french toast, heartied up with a side of corn beef hash.
Yes, the mug and glass were purposefully posed.
The portions were just right to bridge the breakfast – lunch gap, and everything was super tasty. The only thing I didn’t like about our brunch? It was a bit lonely. Look at all the empty tables!
Looking for a few good brunchers.
Come on, you guys. Haverhill once gave us brunch but we didn’t show it the love it needed and look what happened. Now, we have a second chance at something very special. Let’s make it work this time!
If loving brunch is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
New downtown Haverhill resident and recent discoverer of this blog Matt Hunt wanted us to know that Becca wasn’t the only person traipsing around in the snow during the last storm. He sent in a few more great shots of downtown…just when you finally started to feel your toes again.
Digging out cars downtown
Looking at this photo, I realized I’d never noticed how beautifully detailed the Mizan salon building’s architecture is. Holy cow! I wonder who lives on those upper floors…
Look at the detail on this building!
And finally, this one looks like a glimpse into our future, so get ready to flex your shoveling and scraping muscles again as a mix of snow and ice is heading right for us tomorrow evening.
Um, is it springtime yet? This shizz is nasty.
There’s a few more nice shots in Matt’s Facebook album. Thanks, Matt. And welcome to Haverhill!
This morning I got a hot tip that the downtown Haverhill Subway was FINALLY set to open for the first time today. (For months people have been asking me for the details on when this might go down.) The news came just as my stomach growled- plus, considering what it looked like before I was dying to see what they did with the space- so I headed down around lunchtime to see if the rumors were true.
Downtown Haverhill's new Subway
Rumor confirmed! The open sign was lit up and there was already a crowd inside…and as I shuffled up the snowy sidewalk I realized it was composed of the mayor, the franchise owners, and some chamber of commerce officials, along with a giant pair of scissors and some ribbon. Apparently I’d REALLY stumbled upon the opening! I was beckoned inside, and got the first unofficial photo of the ribbon cutting ceremony:
You know your blog has made it when you get to witness a ribbon cutting ceremony.
(SHOCKING REVELATION: Haverhill’s ceremonial scissors don’t actually cut anything- they’re just for show!)
A Subway Is Born:
Now, I haven’t been inside an eat-in Subway in a while, but I must say, compared to the old newspaper themed interiors I’ve seen this one looks pretty swanky. There are a few tables in the storefront windows, and a larger dining area in what used to be the back room before when it was a cupcake shop.
The irony of the faux brick wallpaper is not lost on me.
Also, I think the franchise owners have a real talent for hiring the right people. I visit their Bradford store occasionally and the woman working behind the counter always compliments me on my habit of totally piling on the veggies, so I wind up walking away feeling like a total winner, as opposed to someone who’s too lazy to make my own damn sandwich. The people working this new store seemed super friendly too. (though they did have all the bigwigs watching)
After all that pomp and circumstance, I managed to be the second person in line to buy a sub. So, all in all a fun little lunchventure full of excitement and ceremony, and extra pickles.
Dang! That turned out to be a bona fide as-promised blizzard today. And just like the last storm, I found myself nestled in a cocoon of blankets rather than running around in the snow like a good little blogger.
So, who better to take us on a tour of downtown Haverhill during a break in today’s storm than friend of the Feeve, Becca Fowler? She willingly braved the elements to show us the Shoe City’s snowpocalyptic aftermath.
Not only brave, but ever-so-stylish.
I have to say, if you’re considering moving into one of Haverhill’s many hip new renovated loft buildings, days like this kind of seal the deal. Slap on some snowshoes, stomp around town, and let those condo fees finally pay you back in the form of someone else doing all the snow removal. (Meanwhile, over in Bradford, we can expect our day/evening/night to look like this.)
The city of Haverhill, clearing the way.
Becca made her way down Locust St. heading towards Washington to do a quick survey of what businesses were open. (Answer: not many…but Hans Garden owner Tony drove all the way from Chinatown to serve his customers!)
During her adventure in the snow, she encountered one of Haverhill’s snow residents enjoying the weather…
I don't appreciate this snowman's smugness.
As well as some other downtown residents taking it to the streets all bundled up.
A couple more hearty New Englanders out in the snow.
Down by the river, Becca noted the city did a great job of clearing the parking lot and the river walk…
Really pretty view of the train bridge.
But nobody thought to shovel out the alleyway adjacent to the Tap.
D'oh!
By late afternoon the wind whipped up and the snow started blowing around again, and it was time to retreat back to the loft.
Essex St.
But not before having a little shoe-la-bration of one alongside the Soles of Haverhill shoe currently hanging out in Columbus Park, no doubt placed there to make us forget that this was the recent scene of a gruesome Gingerbreadicide. Nice try, Haverhill! I’m onto you!
Who doesn't love a good photo with a giant shoe?
Well, that concludes our tour today. Thanks for taking us around downtown, Becca. You really have Bob a run for his money today!
A grisly discovery was made last night following the disappearance of one of the plywood gingerbread men set up in Columbus Park for the holidays: the 7-foot tall cookie humanoid was found face down in the snow, the victim of an apparent decapitation.
Columbus Park, scene of the crime
Not since San Francisco’s Mission District was rocked by the kidnapping of sandwich shop icon Mr. Pickle has a community been more outraged by an act of human-on-plywood violence. Naturally, Fox News is all over this horrific story.
Bob Simonds came upon the remains of the gingerbread man last night. (His name is being withheld, pending notification of his family.) WARNING: Graphic image could be disturbing to young gingerpeople.
He had so much to live for.
What a bummer! Personally, I’m holding out hope that this wasn’t an act of malicious gingerbreadicide, but rather the result of a freak accident. Errant snow plow? Or maybe, just maybe, someone walking through downtown got REALLY hungry. Either way, the city of Haverhill is proving that these kinds of crimes against downtown beautification are going to be taken very seriously.
There’s nothing like stepping outside after a heavy snow and experiencing the wintry quiet of car-less streets, bare trees creaking in the wind.
My plan yesterday was to head out and get some shots of Haverhill post-blizzard. Instead, I set one foot onto my porch, felt a frigid gust billow up my coat through the floor boards, thought “oh, HELL, no!” and promptly retreated back inside. Apparently, I am not quite the hearty New Englander I always believed I was.
Good thing Diane Beckwith-Zink is a braver soul than I (not to mention a much better photographer). She trekked all over Haverhill and Bradford, documenting the snowy aftermath of this winter’s first major storm. Diane was kind enough to let me share a few of her snaps, including this one of a frozen Merrimack:
Merrimack River
Now, check out how amazingly monochrome Bradford Common looks in this photo! I mean, it almost makes me glad I didn’t venture out during the storm itself. How would I have been able to find my my house in the snow among all the other white buildings?
Bradford Common
And here’s a great shot of the Whittier 1882 Building on the corner of Washington and Essex- one of the prettiest buildings downtown, and a favorite of mine. Although, someone’s got to do something about that tattered awning! It’s been deteriorating at a pretty rapid clip lately and has definitely reached eyesore status.
Downtown Haverhill
If you like these photos, there are a ton more to check out on Diane’s Flickr stream, including some really cool downtown panoramas. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit inspired to not be such a winter wuss next time and get out there!
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Unofficial Haverhill Fever meteorologist Bob Simonds tweets:
Watching the blizzard, & getting ready to go snowshoeing later tonight.
If you don’t have anywhere to be right now, it might be a good night for starting a fire, cracking open that bottle of wine leftover from the holidays, and getting nice and cozy. (Why didn’t I think of asking for a pair of snow shoes this Christmas?)
Or, if you don’t have a fireplace, snow shoes, or a budding drinking problem, you could be a good do-bee and take a look in your closets and drawers for items you haven’t used at all in 2010. The Big Brother Big Sister Foundation passes through Haverhill every other month collecting resaleable clothing or household items right from your doorstep. If you just got a new winter coat, why not warm someone up with your old one?
Just in case you’ve ever wondered if any of the random assortment of junk in the windows of Haverhill TV and Appliance actually works, I captured this oddly hypnotic moment back in October, courtesy of their forever-for-sale console TV:
See? Works great! $79.95 worth of great, though? I’m not so sure. Somehow, I feel like that price is like 1980’s dollars converted to today’s dollars.
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