Swear Like A Sailor, Eat Like A King

Ulysses, the downtown nautically-themed bar that's more old-timey and less kitschy than the Rusty Knot, is the kind of place that looks like the hull of an old fishing boat. Luckily, the aroma is more burgers-with-mac-and-cheese than three day old halibut. To celebrate absolutely nothing in particular, Ulysses will be sponsoring its 6th annual Stone Street Oyster Fest this Saturday. Expect plenty of drunken street brawls as the day wears on and just enough Guinness to make it all seem normal. Various oyster-themed activities will transpire including shucking, eating, frying, eating, stewing, and eating. Actually, the truth is there's a quasi-legitimate rationale behind the festival's beginnings aside from socially acceptable drinking before noon: "To celebrate the time when New York was the capital of the booming northeastern oyster industry … wealthy merchants built elegant rowhouses like the Merchant's House … and oyster bars lined the streets of Lower Manhattan." Sounds like that deserves a toast.