Get some half-price drinks, poppers, stay for crab dip, dinner.

Before we mention Hemingways' great happy hour specials and decent food, we'd like to print Greg Rawling's take on the bar, a la Ernest:

"After mass, we met at the bar. It was good. The beer was cold, and it made me happy--not lion hunting happy but good happy--not marlin gaffing happy--but good happy.

"Lady Brett ordered a martini. It was badly made--the olive lacked character, the glass was dirty. It put me in mind of the Po River Valley in 1918, when the olives always lacked character, and the glasses were always dirty. But that was a different time in a different place. And one always remembers the good times. One always remembers Paris, except when one is sodden with the drink, like F. Scott was, like he always was."

Ah yes, Hemingway's Key West Grille, located at 1052 S. Gaylord St. A great summer bar, complete with an outside patio, two bar areas and Key West decor. This bar/restaurant is a great place to hang loose after work.

Until we went to Hemingway's, we thought the days of good happy hour specials were long gone. Thank goodness this bar/restaurant has transformed the half-price happy hour from chips and salsa and beer light.

From 3-6 p.m., Monday through Friday, there are $2 domestic pints, which, we were relieved, included Fat Tire and Sunshine Wheat.

But the appetizers, oh the appetizers! During happy hour all appetizers are half price. The shrimp stuffed poppers are tasty--shrimp wrapped in red peppers and cream cheese, and then deep fried, and served with a fiery kind of jelly ($7.95 regular price). They also have a darn good crab and artichoke dip (also for $7.95)

We stayed for dinner and were warned by fellow Docket members to stay away from fancy sounding fish dinners. But the simple stuff, like the crab cake sandwich, was good.

Stop by the revitalized South Gaylord District for Hemingway's, and then wander around the area for the art galleries and atmosphere.