The Hangover Part Two

Well I have left the shire and headed to Sydney's inner west to catch up with some old work buddies from my time at Western Suburbs Leagues Club. This bunch of friends were the ones who helped me get my second liver transplant. 

The usual course of attack was to finish work and head for the Marble Bar for some margarita's.

The Marble Bar - Sydney Hilton Hotel

Then it would normally be followed by dinner in the Spanish Quarter at a restaurant called Don Quixote's that was found down some sleazy back alley. It had this most magnificent of dishes made from a whole suckling pig. I think it was called "Tosto Sanchez Panza" but I have probably got it wrong. Then it would be off to Kings Bloody Cross for our usual night of drunken debauchery. The Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar always featured heavily in our plans. Now this bar had it all and I have never found its like before or since. You walked in on the ground floor and there was a live jazz band playing, upstairs they had all the doof doof house music so beloved by today's youth and downstairs (our main haunt) they had a kick arse rock band that really wailed. 

The Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar

Once the music stopped it was off to Baron's, a restaurant trading as a night club, where the bar was always open. It looked cheap and nasty with worn and mismatched furniture but it was where Sydney went to party when the rest of the town shut. 

Baron's

These were the days of my misspent youth. So it was with great joy that I caught up with some of the old crowd and we talked about our past exploits, over a cup of tea, how the times have changed. The girls all are married now or in relationships and have kids. 

Cooper & Mel

As I was leaving Summer Hill there was talk of getting baby sitters and having one last night of notoriety. 

Glenda, Harrison & Lachlan

I'm not sure we can recreate the old days, most of the places are now shut or so changed that much they would be unrecognisable. Having said that I am more than willing to try.

So after my inner west sojourn it was off to the hills district to catch up with one of my oldest friends. We worked together at the Black Stump Restaurant chain. She helped me blaze the trail to most of the haunts I have talked about above. She's had herself a baby son since I have seen her last and has really landed on her feet with one the few good guys in the world.

Stu, Amanda and Harrison

Well I couldn't stay on cups of tea all day and so we cracked the sauv blanc, then the pinot, then the cab shiraz, then the malt whisky. Needless to say it got very messy but I think I must be getting match fit. I seemed to bound out of bed (well controlled fell out of bed anyway) with relative ease.

The Mess

So now its off to the Blue Mountains to catch up with an old friend from the responsible part of my life (who knew?) and meet the two new additions to her family that have so far slipped under the radar. The one thing I can say with all safety is that I know I will get a good cup of tea. I know it must be middle age as I'm really looking forward to it.