We got up, packed for the beach, and headed out to the Port City Java on Market Street.
The one we usually go to had burned down after a woman drove her car through it, so we were going to one “further up” on Market Street.
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| Market Street Port City Java burns
Sep 22, 2005 03:26 PM Fire damaged a popular Wilmington coffee shop after a driver plowed right into the building. Just before noon a Jeep crashed into the Port City Java along Wilmington’s Market Street. The SUV hit a gas line, sparking a fire that spread into the building. Twenty-nine-year old Michelle Holiday told police she lost her brakes as she drove toward downtown Wilmington. She got out OK, and so did an 18-month-old baby also in the Jeep. Police have charged her with driving with improper equipment and driving with no operator’s license. Investigators say the building may be a total loss. The owner of Port City Java says he will rebuild his business from the ground up. |
It turned out to be way the hell further up on Market Street, once we finally got to it.
We each had an asiago cheese bagel with coffee, and used the free wireless Internet for a while.
By the time we left there, we had decided to sit poolside today at the hotel instead of going to the beach, so we drove back to the hotel, and set up house by the pool. We both had our laptops out there, where the wireless Internet connection worked, and our iPods. Can you say geeks?
We had dinner at Hieronymus Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar, which was right across the street from our hotel.
When we got in, there was one couple in line in front of us, two women, and when they told the woman behind the cash register “two,” she grab two menus from a pile, and threw them to the other end of the counter where the hostess would arrive shortly. The plastic cover on them made a loud slap on the glass counter.
The two women overheard Joe say behind them, “Wow, she’s good at slamming things,” and turned around and smiled.
We had a very sweaty waiter, and we had to order a “side order” of hush puppies, as they didn’t come with the meal. (They provided cheese biscuits, instead.)
I had a combination platter of blackened flounder and scallops. Joe chose the fried shrimp and calamari combination. We both had fries, as baked potatoes weren’t an option. Crazy. The only other option being garlic mashed potatoes.
Our food was okay, nothing great — probably wouldn’t put this restaurant on our “return list.”
Back at the room, I had a short nap, and we got down to Costello’s at about 11:00, where we found Kevin and Joey sitting at the bar.
The place was quite festive, with several singers taking turns singing with the piano player, who again was Donna Merritt.
After a while, Kevin and Joey headed over to Ibiza, and Joe and I stayed at Costello’s until close to closing time.
At one point, this older gentleman, asked for the microphone near the piano and slurred, “I’d like to dedicate that last song to my late partner, who I met on June 24, 1964 at 7:08PM, and who passed away on May 7, 2004 at 5:25PM.” Those weren’t the exact dates, but you get the gist of the specificity.
A little bit later he grabbed it again, and staggered through some other dedication that involved one line that contained, “… in the dining room of my living room.” Bless his mess.