Springtime is for catching up with friends, especially in our service-driven area of the Eastern Shore. With bars reopening and bartender friends returning from far away lands there is a small lull right before the switch is thrown and the area swells with people. During this brief pause I have a warm sense of schadenfreude in watching the tans fade on the adventurers who regularly serve me drinks. This time of year provides a unique opportunity to see the faces and places you know and love before the season is in full swing.
Some reunions are planned and some are spontaneous, so I was stoked when our talented friend Joey Harkum called me up because he was early to town for a gig and was craving a couple of sours from Burley. So I met him to catch up for a min and to talk about the new solo album he is working on, his new house, and his latest acquisition of a little boat that he got for free and him and his dad got running. Its maiden voyage won’t be until after this is posted so hopefully his pride in his new vessel still holds water.
We had already planned to venture into Ocean City to catch some of his gig at Pickles that night, so being able to catch up with him before was nice. What sweetened the deal though was walking into the storied Ocean City establishment and seeing another familiar face in none other than Shelley Messick, who is an Ocean City Icon. Hats off to the new owners of pickles Justin and Britney Acita who have continued the spirit of Pickles with familiar faces, craft beer, a great late night bar menu, and of course, quality, original music.
We drank the new PineHopple from Evo, which is delightful as it is unique, and one of Nat’ s favorites, the Milk Stout from Left Hand Brewing. I stuck with tequila (cause I’m on a diet, duh) but even after a family dinner I couldn’t resist the smell of the food being served around us and ordered some crabby tots. It’s hard to imagine that there are people in the world (i.e. anyone not in Maryland) that don’t have the opportunity to get golden brown tater tots topped with a generous helping of crab dip and crowned with melted cheese. It’s a cruel world for those people, thankfully for us this is the land of pleasant living.
We listened to familiar songs and saw more familiar faces, leading Danny Robinson, former owner, to remark “Who let these people in?” Its clear that the establishment that he owned for several years is in good hands.
Here is a taste of Joeys newer solo stuff.