Josh and I are very busy packing...and partying!  I wanted to give you guys a glimpse of the bar I was working at this past winter.  I answered a Craigslist Ad for bartenders in Fairbanks and ended up at the Frontier Club, which truly is a Real Alaskan Joint.  Like many bars in the 'Banks the Frontier has seen several owners and even several incarnations of itself: the bar has burned down (in whole or in part) a couple of times, and been rebuilt or refurbished each time.  I've heard a lot of great stories about the place during the pipeline days: fights, prostitutes, drugs, and general rough livin' (even a murder!  or two...)

The bar itself is the downstairs of the log cabin-style building in the foreground.  The upstairs is a men-only, dormitory-like apartment: private bedrooms with shared living quarters.  Out back there is a hotel (The Frontier Lodge) with regular apartments for rent.

More great Alaskan signage!

A view behind the bar:

Here are a few of my regulars:

This is Howard - he's from Brockport if you can believe it!

Red and Glenda took good care of me, and seeing Red always made me think of Red Von Bergen and Red's Place.  These two are awfully sweet!

My buddy, Stan!

I'm also very fond of my friend Paul, who stopped in almost every day that I worked.  I can't tell you how much I am going to miss these guys.

Here I am with Paul and Randy.  Paul, Randy, and Howard all work together at Greer Tank & Welding in Fairbanks.  There isn't a fuel tank in town that doesn't have "Greer" stamped on it, I swear...

That's "Papa" Jerry's Victory we're posing next to - here I am with Papa!

Like us, Jerry is heading back to the Lower 48.  The long winters are just too much for his arthritis!  But he's promised to come to Houston and make me a cheesecake (this man knows how to cook).

After my last shift I stuck around and had a few drinks with the girls:

I really have no idea why I am posed in that particular position.  Behind me, left-to-right: Autumn, Melinda, and Jen.  When I started at the Frontier I actually took over for Autumn, who had found a new job.  She ended up hating it and coming back right before I left - very "full circle" kind of situation.  Jen works and lives at the hotel and was one of the first people I met when I started at the bar.  Melinda, though - Melinda is just an all-around awesome person who has been so good to me and she's become a great friend.  I'll miss her a lot. 

Many thanks to all at the Frontier Club (including the owner, Darren) for taking good care of me in the few short months I worked there.  I'll never forget any of them.  Most of them are real sourdoughs (old-time Alaskans) and they welcomed me (a New Yorker!) with open arms.