Final Friday in January

My sister-in-law wants to meet my wife and me on Monday somewhere around 34th and 3rd and I am supposed to pick out the restaurant. Needless to say I was more than eager to research the area.

128) Back Porch

Right on the corner of 3rd and 33th. It has a decent black bar set off from an area with a few tables and stools. Bit of a raised seating area in front and a bigger seating area in the back and on the side. It also has a nice outside seating area that would be fun in the summer.

The bar area seems to have become overly excited about Margarittavile Tequila becoming their house brand. There is even a picture of the owner and Jimmy Buffet. Man, am I impressed. What I was not impressed by was paying $10.00 for there house margaritta straight-up. Not worth it at all. Can't even imagine what they charge for their 42 ounce frozen margarittas. Anyway, not a place that I would ever return. Couldn't even taste the tequila.

I had the Margaritaville tequila margaritta and regret it.

129) Cinema Cafe and Bar

This is on the corner of 3rd and 34th. It is kind of a small place with windows all around. It has a small black lacquer bar bar. Decorated with movie posters and has movie screens in the back and front where they show films at night. Small round tables with plush chairs in front and small square tables in the back with less plush chairs.

I had a Magner's Irish Cider.

130) XII

This was right around the corner from the Cinema Cafe and Bar, on 34th. A nice big bar, granite looking plastic top and back lighted purple plastic front. Very European looking. Had 6 large television above the bar and anothe 8 strewn around. Also had small televison screens mounted on the beer spiggots. Six of them. The bartender said it was the only place in the United States that had them. Not sure what the point was seeing as how there was no sound and all they were showing was MSNBC.

Keeping with the numerical theme I had a Magic Hat #9

131) Patrick Kavanagh's

On Third, between 34th and 33rd. Another classic Irish bar. The bartender noticed that I was left-handed and, because he was ase well, we chatted about being left handed. Not a whole lot one can say about another Irish bar.

I had a Guiness.

132) La Giara

Just down the block. Well, I found the place where I will be having lunch on Monday. Great little Itallian restaurant. Very friendly owner or manager. I asked for a red wine and he went gave me what he thought was his best. Then he gave me a nice piece of focaccio to go with it. It tasted great. Great place, in my opinion.

I had a glass of Coppertino Riserva 1999 from Italy.

133) Mercury Bar

A sister of XII. A relatively small place that still managed to fit in two fairly large bars. People were very friendly but one was trying to get me interested in Florida real estate. Go figure. Apparently she had just gotten a job selling real estate and was about to move down there. Still, I enjoyed myself and chatted for a bit with the bartendress who lived on Staten Island and gave me some pointers about bars I should frequent when I get there.

I had a Maker's Mark Manhattan

134) Suspenders

I was going to head home but I really had to take a leak. I got off the subway at Wall Street and this place is easy to find. Right at ground zero and packed with off-duty cops and firemen. Nice place, but what I really needed was the restroom.

I had a Dewars and soda and jumped back on the subway and went home

A better day than I had hoped for. I will be taking the weekend off I think. Maybe just one drink to get the number to a nice 135. As it stands now I have 866 to go.