Like alot of smaller towns, Brunswick, Georgia hosts a First Friday each month. They close off the streets to the downtown area, the streets fill with food trucks, and vendors sell their handcrafted goods.
We gathered with our friends to make a night of it after being couped up working downstairs all week on the boat. We were very fortunate to come across the doors of the Monkey& Tortoise open. Bubba and I have walked past this location several times but never really knew what it was or what was in there. Mr. Robin Durant of LA owns the location as a private gallery/cigar club. The doors are not open to the public so this was a rare treat.
Mr. Durant previously owned a towing company, Bayou Fleet in Hahnville, LA so as soon as I heard that I was even more intrigued. I spent the first 21 years of my life surrounded by the world of towing with my Dad, his brothers and even my brother Phillip working the Mississippi River, riding tow boats and moving barges.
The inside of his gallery is filled with unique items he has picked up during his travels. At the very back of the building is a replica of Al Capone’s bar that he picked up at an auction in Atlanta. It is a beautiful bar that draws you in.
Mr. Durant was very gracious to share his spirits with our group and we got to try some different bourbons and scotches.
There were tons of unique items to see and made you feel like you were in an art gallery in New Orleans.
I think we owe Mr. Durant a bottle to add to his collection the next time the doors are open.
It was finally time to say Peace Out so we made our way back down Newcastle to check out the other fun stuff happening.
It was an epic night and was great to be off the boat!
