But when First Friday in Anchorage comes around, we try to get out and explore some of the awesome art and experiences available in our fair city. Anchorage's downtown scene is always vibrant, but on First Friday it takes on a life of its own, sometimes to the point of being a bit too wild for us. With shows going on at the PAC this past Friday night, we decided to seek out some of the offerings closer to home and skip fighting downtown parking and crowds.
Our first stop of the evening was Anchorage Distillery. Tucked away in an industrial corner at 6310 A Street, Anchorage Distillery offers fine spirits made from grains grown right here in Alaska. Their tasting room, a surprisingly light and airy spot, offers a nice array of specialty drinks. I tried the "Spruce Moose" made from their Aurora Borealis gin, and B had a Classic Mule, featuring Glacier Melt Vodka. They were both absolutely delicious and it was all I could do to sip my drink rather than suck it down like a lush!
Their First Friday event included a trunk show by artist Whitney Blount, of Temper & Forge Designs. These delicate pieces are handmade and incredibly beautiful, perfect for casual wear or a more formal event.
After finishing our drinks and taking some time to ooh and ahh over the jewelry, we decided that drinks on an empty stomach were a bad idea so we went to find food before we checked out some more events. B suggested a new place he'd heard good things about, called The Crazy Hook Pub. From the outside, I gotta say this did not look like a place I would ever go into. Blacked out windows and no real exterior charm, it looked like a midtown dive bar as opposed to a restaurant. But stepping inside left me pleasantly surprised!
Their menu is of the Asian-Fusion variety, with lots of apps and several dinner choices. We had the calamari and the chicken wings. The calamari has potential, but the aioli sauces they gave us were both kind of bland and the breading on the calamari (steaks, which were cooked quite nicely) was nothing special. The wings were very good, sticky and a little spicy with a teriyaki glaze. Being a newer eatery, I'd say they are still working out a few kinks. I usually try to give a restaurant some time and a couple chances, so even though the food wasn't perfect, we'll be back to see what else might be good.
Next stop was one strip mall over, Blue Holloman Gallery. Part of Anchorage for several years now, they partnered with Fromagio's Cheese Shop not long ago, creating a place where you can not only view and purchase beautiful art, you can also purchase and eat some of the most amazing cheeses, salamis and sandwiches I've ever had. We hung out there for a bit, enjoying live music, art and of course, cheese samples. I adore whimsical, unusual art and this was one of my faves:
The night was starting to wind down for us homebodies, but we just had to make one more stop, and I'm so glad we did. Located on Benson, right next to Bagoy's and Black Cup Coffee (another blog topic for another day...) 2 Friends Gallery features a plethora of eclectic and unique art. I'd actually never been, and I can't believe what we were missing! They recently expanded and for First Friday, they showcased 25 local artists, with snacks and more live music.
This last piece is a light switch plate of all things, with a mechanism that makes it move from on to off when you turn the light switch! I have a feeling I'll be returning here time and again when I'm looking for a special gift (or maybe just a special something for my own house!)
B and I agreed that there's nothing more fun than checking out places we've never been. Considering I've lived here all my life, I love that there are still new and fun things to see and do every day. All my favorite things, art, food and shopping, rolled into one fun-filled First Friday!
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