The alarm clock starts to ring. As you stretch and reach trying to stop that annoying noise you reluctantly toss and turn, hoping that these actions will in some way help you to get out of bed. Once you finally get up you have to somehow manage to get into the shower and revive a little. Three or four cups of coffee later, you,re on your way.

Now the day begins. Sitting behind a desk at school or at the office, staring at the clock quickly becomes a habit that you never intended to start. Every minute seems to take longer than the one before it. Lunchtime comes and goes and you,re back at your desk. This time you notice that you have moments where you are concentrating on something other than how slow that damn second hand is moving. You start to wonder to yourself if there is anyway that you could speed up time, after all it is Friday. FRIDAY!!

You,ve been so "busy today that you haven,t even had time to think about what you were going to do tonight. Lowell has so many choices, places for everyone, whether you,re out with your significant other, coworkers, or just a group of friends out for the night. You realize that from now on every second that goes by, you are losing precious planning time. You struggle under the pressure to narrow down the perfect nightspots to go under any situation. You decide that it,s time to call in the reinforcements, your friends, to see what they recommend

The Garlic Bistro on Drum Hill Road in Chelmsford, caters to those who would like to try something different for a change. Located right next to the Drum Hill rotary, The Garlic Bistro is located in a small plaza, hidden in a corner, making it hard for the casual observer to notice that it is there. From the very moment that you step into the impeccably clean restaurant atmosphere, as well as the wait staff, make you feel very welcomed while at the same time there is an aura of fine dining. During the week, there is little of no wait to be seated, almost as if the host was waiting for your particular arrival. However, Friday and Saturday nights might have a brief wait, likely no more than 10-15 minutes. Once there the host quickly brings you to your table. The look and feel of the Thai heritage is then located all around you, started off by the hand-decorated menus. On the walls are beautiful pieces of art as well as artifacts from Thailand such as vases and ancient weapons. The servers are quick and courteous in allowing just the right amount of time for you to make that critical ordering decision.

Specializing in Thai cuisine, The Garlic Bistro has a large menu of dishes ranging from vegetarian to duck creations, each uniquely prepared with a specialized selection of spices such as ginger and curry, which give every dish a little kick, after all, Thai cuisine is based on spices. However, not to worry about whether the dish that you choose is going to be too spicy or not, each item is thoughtfully rated as to the heat in the food, and if by some chance you don,t like spices, the chefs will tailor a dish to your liking. So if you feel you need to experience the Far East, look no further than you backyard. The Garlic Bistro is a "diamond in the rough.

After a bite to eat, the rest of your night could be enjoying a few drinks and dancing. One of the better places to put these two things together is The Brewery Exchange, located on Cabot Street in Lowell. The Brewery Exchange is part of The Mill City Brewing Company, Lowell,s only beer brewing company. Starting on the second floor of the building, the "Brewery offers plenty to do, including pool tables, dart boards, plenty of space for those who just want to hang out and talk with friends, and of course a large dance floor. Although there is a cover charge on weekends, usually $3, its definitely worth it for what there is inside.

As with The Garlic Bistro, The Brewery Exchange,s appearance is very deceiving. From the outside you see what looks like to be just another mill. Once you climb up the flight of stairs, you enter what can only be described as a "playhouse for the over 21 crowd. The pulsing sound of the music invites you to jump onto the dance floor, while the many pool tables offer a chance to relax and shoot a couple of games.

If your idea of a night out consists of hanging out and talking by the bar with your friends, the "Brewery can accommodate you too. On the second floor there are three bars to choose from, all of which are located on the opposite sides of the building from the dance floor and DJ booth, so the music isn,t pumping right into your ears.The third floor offers a different atmosphere. It is broken into two sections. One room is a smaller game room where you can play video games or pinball. Once you walk into the next room, you enter a different style of barroom. There is a bar at one end, and a small stage at the other end where they have 2 or 3 man acoustical bands on the weekend nights.

There really is something for everyone at The Brewery Exchange. One word of advice though, if you plan on going on either a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, get there early. Usually around 10:00pm a line begins to form, and if you get there after that you could be in for quite a wait. So is you,re looking for a popular nightspot to just let loose and escape all the stress of the week, stop by The Brewery Exchange and have some fun.

These spots only represent a small part of what the Greater Lowell area has in store for those looking for something to do once the week ends. Look around town and find out which one is your favorite, and don,t just look for brightly-lit buildings. Lowell has a lot to offer to those who are a little curious and search for some fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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