Having date nights with a toddler at home is for the most part very limited.  My husband Jay and I both try our best to schedule a dinner and movie when we can.  Luckily we have older children at home that can help babysit so that we can have mommy and daddy time.

Our choice of movie for the night was A Quiet Place.  I’m not a huge fan of horror films but I know my husband likes them.  I’m more of a cheesy, Hallmark movie kind of gal but figured it was time I put my big girl panties on.  Plus I saw that the movie had great reviews and it was only an hour and a half long.  Figured I’d be safe since the torture would only be short lived.  Haha.

It was actually an awesome movie.  Our opinion was that it was like the movie Signs, starring Mel Gibson, but on a whole other level.  It was well directed and the actors did a great job making it believable.  It was a quick and to the point kind of movie that didn’t drag on.

After the movie we decided to check out Shenanigans.  It’s an new Irish Pub and Grill in downtown Bremerton that just opened this month.  It was very busy and it seemed like everyone we knew, and their neighbors, decided to try it too.

The owners did a great job renovating and decorating the inside to reflect the Irish theme.  It was very cozy with a great atmosphere and it seemed like the waitresses and bartenders were always moving and taking care of their customers.

They had a pretty extensive menu including lots of Irish dishes and more. For drinks we opted for one of our favorite beers, Irish Death, and for food, their Irish Nachos and beet salad. The Nachos was thin sliced wedged fries slathered with melted gouda cheese and topped off with bacon and shredded corned beef. The cheese had just the right heat and the corned beef was very tasty. Great dish all around.

The beet salad was good too. My only request would be to have less beans, 2 more slices of beets and a hint more dressing. The other toppings were just perfect.

We left a little too early to enjoy the live music they had schedule for the evening but Shenanigans will definitely be on our list for a revisit. Can’t wait to go back to try more of their dishes and enjoy some entertainment.

On our way back to our car we stopped in to visit another new establishment in downtown Bremerton called Ashley’s Pub, Boardom’s End. We got to meet the owner Ashley and she was sweet enough to chat with us for a few minutes and even take a quick photo with me for our blog.

Ashley opened her pub so that like-minded individuals and groups can have a comfortable and safe place to go to have drinks and enjoy having a space to play games. They have a wide range of choices, with bookcases full of books, classic and popular board games, and lots of RPGs (Role Playing Games.)  She said she realized that some people wanted to play the adventure board games that they had always heard about but didn’t know how or didn’t have enough friends or players to fill out all the roles.  If they don’t have enough friends to play some board games they can make them here and also learn how to play.  She has different nights set aside for both established players and new players.

If board games aren’t your thing she also has a several console games and pinball machines in the purposely-darkened back corner.  For warmer days, she also has a corn hole set, and guests can enjoy their snacks and drinks with their 16 on tap beer and cider selections out on the open courtyard.  Outside food is welcome.  She is open every day of the week except for Wednesday.  She has an event calendar posted above the bar that includes monthly book clubs for sci-fi and graphic novels, and weekly game nights and pinball tournaments.  It is best to check her website for updates.

http://www.ashleys.pub/

Ashley’s Pub is wonderful, bright and tastefully decorated. The murals on the walls were painted by her boyfriend. Very reminiscent of the “tagged” paintings we used to see growing up. Her Lego beer tap handles are so fitting and the cute little details everywhere made us want to stay a little longer to just explore. We’re definitely adding Ashley’s Pub to our future date night and friends get together list.

~ Deb and Jay