Your favorite playing site ever

I'm in a whimsical mood tonight, but thought I'd share my all time favorite playing site. A coffee house in Seattle's University district called The Last Exit on Brooklyn. Many of Seattle's chess players could be found there at one time or other. Nothing made me happier than waking up on Saturday morning, exercise, shower, then heading off to the Last Exit. I'd play speed chess for 10-12 hours, only stopping every 3-4 hrs for a sandwich and a pot of Earl Grey. The tables were stone, the benches were old and warped, and the wood floors creaked when you walked on them, but being inside amid Seattle's frequent rains hearing the clicking of the clocks, grinding out some hard fought wins over the board, and chatting with the other chess nerds was magical. The Last Exit moved a few blocks north in the 90's to make way for the UW staff to occupy, but closed for good in 2000. It was a home to chess and go players, and a place for poetry readings and book signings. A relaxed Bohemian retreat from the corporate treadmill. Please see link below. The Last Exit will always make me smile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Exit_on_Brooklyn

Would anyone else like to contribute?

In 1973 I was in the US Navy stationed in New Orleans and found (after much searching) a bar in the French Quarter called the Seven Seas. The tables were heavy oak with the chessboards inlaid in them. My very first night there I played a man and managed to squeeze out a win in a close B/B vs B/N ending. Several spectators were surprised and someone told me that my opponent had just won the city championship that very day. My opponent gave me a stern look and only said "again". I was so nervous that he crushed me convincingly and without a word he got up and left. I was only a 1500 rated player at the time. I have been told that the bar is gone. The memory still remains.

Originally posted by @caissad4
In 1973 I was in the US Navy stationed in New Orleans and found (after much searching) a bar in the French Quarter called the Seven Seas. The tables were heavy oak with the chessboards inlaid in them. My very first night there I played a man and managed to squeeze out a win in a close B/B vs B/N ending. Several spectators were surprised and someone told me ...[text shortened]... 1500 rated player at the time. I have been told that the bar is gone. The memory still remains.

I can imagine how nervous you would be after you found out he won city championship.
My teach was Dennis Fritzinger, when I was in USAF stationed at a now defuct AFB in Lincoln Nebraska, his dad was a colonal and he was an AF brat but amazing chessplayer. He won the Nebraska state championship and was a lifetime USCF master, peaked close to 2400. I went to the Univ. of Nebraska and there were several 2200 players there and Dennis defeated most of them.
Before that, at electronics school as a tech in the USAF, at Lowrey AFB in Denver, I found a chess club and got the opportunity of playing Larry Evans in 1963 when he was US champ, in a simul. I at least lasted 43 moves against him🙂 I didn't know about the idea of only playing one move as he goes by and he would move and I would move and he would move, thinking to himself, GREAT! But still I thought I was doing ok lasting 43 moves against him, he was an awesome player, at least till Bobby showed up🙂 But by 1963 Bobby was US champ If I remember right. Ah, that was the year he won 11 to zero and Evans was in second place with 7 1/2.