Connery’s
December 14th, 2006
Across for the where the wet shelter was is Connery’s. I was curious about it and thought the outside looked kept up nice so I checked it out.
Inside is pretty small, but cozy.ÂÂ
There is one TV for keno and one for regular viewing. According to their website they have “Quality pub food and award winning pizza” but when I asked the bartender about ordering something he said they don’t serve food and said something about only in the summer, if I understood him correctly. That was disappointing but we stayed and had a beer anyway.
In the dimly lit hallway there is a door that goes to guest rooms of some sort, it’s not a hotel really, more like boarding rooms I guess. It’s an interesting old building that seems to be stuck in time, I’m not sure which time exactly but I remember being impressed by the doors and door knobs.ÂÂ
The website says they have live music there, which wasn’t playing when we went (and I don’t know where they’d put them) but I’ll try to check that out sometime.
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what’s that jacket and cap hanging on the right?
and is that tom cruise on the telly? early james bond might be more appropriate for the place.
Comment by hcapet — December 14, 2006 @ 6:36 pm
Watch yourself in there..
Comment by Jay — December 14, 2006 @ 9:17 pm
I have not been to Connery’s, at least yet, but if live music is your thing walk right around the corner to Framingham’s “Blues Alley.” along Route 135. The Chicken Bone gets great blues bands, though they are branching out a bit with other types of music now too since they got new management. They get a really mixed crowd and the staff are great folks. The new regime has also sunk some money into renovations so the interior has been improved, with more seating, better sight lines, and a raised sound booth.
Then walk a few hundred feet west to the Happy Swallow, which also has live bands, often blues, on the weekends. The place had a reputation which had probably kept me away for a while, but I walked in recently to find that I knew one of the bartenders, and there was a mellow crowd hanging out and a hot band playing. It’s a real funky throwback, an old-time bar with cheap drinks and some food as well.
In an age when so many suburban downtowns are either deserted at night, or taken over by national chains with bland offerings, it’s cool to have some local hangouts like this with real character, even if they appear a little rough around the edges. If it gets marketed properly, this could be a nice little niche to promote as part of the renaissance of downtown.
Also, for anyone who’s leery of going to places downtown at night, I’ve gone many times alone, never had a problem, and always felt welcome in the aforementioned establishments. I’ve been to blues juke joints in Memphis and the Mississippi Delta, and the rule of thumb is that the more beat-up a place looks, the cooler it is, and the better the music tends to be.
So put on your dancing shoes and go jukin’ in your own town!
Comment by Brett — December 15, 2006 @ 3:21 pm