Post #431060 by midnite on Tue, Jan 27, 2009 12:45 PM

MASS Hysteria!

Boston, Saugus, Fitchburg, Uxbridge 2009

Eastbound and down, headed to Beantown to see what they say can't be done. I'm traveling East to watch my nephew Robert James walk across the stage and graduate from Fitchburg State College. What seems like a repeat is almost that. His brother John graduated, we think, from that same institution just seven months or so ago. They're Irish twins, ya see.

The commencement brings me back to Boston, but this time it's the middle of winter and not the best strolling 'round town weather. So, in a fit of hyperactive tiki traveling I decided to head up Saugus way. Take in the waters, down a few, imbibe, bend the old elbow, play me some Keno? Yes sir, just a short trip on the orange line and a longish cab ride gets me back to Kowloon. Saugus's little Chinese/Polynesian drinking and eating emporium for a bit of lunch and some adult beverages.

This would be my second time to the food warehouse. However, Kowloon on a Thursday afternoon is not quite the same experience as my first time there in '06. One wants Kowloon packed to the gills, hundreds in its many rooms, diners, drinkers, Keno players galore. On a lazy and chilly weekday afternoon the dozen or so patrons just did not create the same frenzied buzz and rambunctious confusion that Kowloon displayed on my initial visit.

What the hey, I'm here, enjoy. When the place is almost empty the sheer size and strangeness of the joint does shine through. I like it, though. I could hang here, sure. That is if I could stand cold weather, Boston Red Sox fans, and "so-so" cocktails. I realized that while I had been here before I had forgotten which cocktails I enjoyed and which I had deemed unconscionable. A quick call to midnite central got me the info: Mai Tai and Zombie were my faves. Check. I proceeded to have both on this trip based on my report back in '06. I must have been high.

Mai Tai: ick. Zombie: ick, with prejudice.

The garlic shrimp was ok, if one is used to pretty pedestrian Chinese cuisine. Hungry, it fit the role of "best entree in a pinch". I don't know, perhaps I should have stayed in Boston and gone to Turner Fisheries or headed to the North End for some sweets at Mike's. Next time. I do have one more nephew from the Uxbridge Four who will graduate in a couple years. This time Kowloon was just, what do I say? It was "acceptable". I think I need to go when the joint is busy, crowded, frenzied. That bustle and noise supplied a form of distraction and entertainment which likely colored my impressions during that first visit. Maybe I just caught the weak sister bartender who works the lunch shift.

Kowloon, I will return. I think.

Out to Uxbridge it was for the nephew's graduation. Fitchburg State sees its second midnite nephew to earn his degree in as many years. Congrats were in order for Bob and his BS in Criminal Justice. You know what that means, someone to fix speeding tickets for me in the near future! We celebrated Robert's graduation with some homemade Mai Tai's (way fuc%#@!ng better than Kowloon's) and Painkillers. To pass the time we partook in some cutthroat Wii bowling competition. Verdict? I make a way better Mai Tai than I bowl, Wii speaking.

A few days hanging with my boys the Uxbridge Four, seeing one graduate, sharing some good times...that equals a great trip no matter what. A nice and easy start to the 2009 travel schedule. It's needed given what's planned for the rest of the year.

Noonan!
uncle midnite