Down the alley, with a sense of increasing calm and safety, you come upon the two simple hard wooden doors, one carved with the word "Shamus" and the other carved with the word, "Shaman." You realize that this place is literally inside and surrounded by a city block wall of tenements, like incredible fortress walls veiling the establishment. You walk through, and as the door close behind you, you suddenly feel like you are apart of the world you just came from. Before you is a large establishment, strangely both old and new, not just of decor, but of deep feeling. In the dark burnished wooden walls, floor and ceiling, from the games are right by the door back into the place where the common hall flows into the grand garden, there is this sensation of sanctuary and freedom here.

Lit by the simple soft ambient electric ceiling fixtures, and wall-mounted Victorian gaslights, the main hall is decorated simple and eclectic, to match the ambiance and clientele. Still, there is a bittersweet aftertaste of destruction, dismay, and despair floating under all, but they are never as heavy here, while the java is strong and the tea is hot. Surrounding a circle of mixed Victorian style love seats and modern overstuffed couches of brown and green, in the center of the room, are many strong and hand-crafted great oaken tables, with a combination of regular-sized, and over-sized oak chairs with red upholstery circling the room between pillars of polished white marble.

Closer to the front and more private are an assortment of leather and cloth chairs. Saved from an authentic British pub, the long oak bar, with brass foot railings, stretches along the middle of the left wall from the entrance. Shelving of select spirits sit behind the bar on mirrored back bar wall, and comfortable padded green barstools sit along the front of the bar. Around the bar, the walls have antique British bar signs, and 40's American neon bar signs.

To the left of the bar are two doors. The one closest to the entrance leads into the Victorian-style smoking parlor, a room offers either space for private dealings or for needed seclusion. The swinging door closest to the bar leads to a huge profession French tile and brick kitchen, with always stocked walk-in pantry, walk-in refrigerator and freezer, and with industrial and imported pizza ovens line the wall. The kitchen is always open.

On the far right of the bar, in the back left corner, is one table and several easy chairs on a small elevated platform, lit by a soft hanging bar light. Belonging to one half of the establishment's owners, this corner holds Alacrity's private table, and the door right behind the table, on the bar wall, leads to his PI office and quarters. Around this corner, the decor is strangely Asiatic, including a large framed parchment with great Chinese calligraphy on it. On one side of the door is a small Buddhist's wall altar alcove, with an old bronze Buddha statue and accouterments for blessing the building. Now, stepping up in this area without an invitation or already given friendly consent is never a good idea.

Opposite the bar, on the right from the entrance, is a sizable half-hemisphere stage, with a full circular stage platform reaching past the wall. Used for live music, and sometimes settling arguments, the stage is open to all, and an open mike is available anytime with permission.

To the immediate right of the entrance, is a slightly raised carpeted games area. Here there is a restored Chicago-style pro pool table, the "Wizard's Challenge" pinball machine, and a Vegas-style poker table. Stools and a bar ledge follow the brass railing that goes around the games area between the games area and stage is the door to the bathrooms. Past the door is a common washing lounge, with available cabinet lockers (ask the management for locker assignment), and a separate private shower/bath, and separate lavatories.

On the left of the stage, in the far right corner, is a sunken enclave for the great stone hearth area. An immense stone hearth dominates the wall, with small aside for making of the special teas of Eaglewind, the other half of the hideaway's owners. The hearth pit itself features some throw pillows, a few chairs, and some furs. The walls around this corner feature many Native American decorative items, including an enigmatically painted and stretched buffalo hide. The wall cabinets are off limits, used for Eaglewind's private tea and herb pantry.

Overlooking the garden and stage, is the private balcony-like second floor, which reaches only a quarter into the common room from the threshold of the garden. Reached by twin small wrought iron spiral staircases, the small floor features a limited amount of tables and a leather couch, for privacy while looking down on the activities in the garden and main hall.

The small glass domed garden you saw from inside seems to fall away like a mist to show a immense area of virginal garden with that glass dome seeming to reach farther than there should be space in the physical property of the club itself. You find yourself standing on one path leading down a formed spiral with a carefully designed medicine wheel in the garden's floor with a simple rock fountain in the total center. Many straight paths cross this spiral, leading out from the medicine wheel in carefully orchestrated cardinal directions to all parts of the garden. Although you can see the center of the garden from your cusp threshold, you begin to realize that the lush vegetation of full tall trees and flowering bushes conceal you wherever you may go within the garden.

Wandering among the paths, you pass small alcoves and clearings hidden among the lushness, each supplied with comfortable benches or seat, and each with a specific motif. The paths you walk divide the carefully cultivated sections of the garden, like the expansive area of herbal flowers and bushes, or the sylvan grove of trees than should not feel so old, or the small oriental style tea garden. As much as you wander, you never seem to find the place where the dome meets the ground. As more time passes in the strange garden, both small and large of area, You begin to feel the natural tranquillity and soothing touch soak right into you. And although you are alone, you can swear something or someone is watching you. It is the enigmatic quality and extensive variety of this very unusual garden arboretum that can only provide a different experience with each visit.