Enter The Rooster

Well, I woke up in New Rochelle after celebrating Chinese New Year's eve. I had a couple of goodies designed to bring luck in the coming year, had a couple of cups of coffee, and then hitched a ride to 42nd street in Manhattan where my brother-in-law was headed to work at the Fashion Week activities in Bryant Park. I walked to 9th Avenue from where he parked his car and headed to the only bar that seemed to be open at this hour.

175) Rudy's

Well, my mother-in-law gave me five dollars for a New Year's gift and this seemed about as good a place to spend it as any. This is you classic New York, Hell's Kitchen dive on 9th between 44th and 45. And there aren't too many of them left. The booths are mostly taped together, the floor looks like you can fall through it, it is, in short, a classic. And it is open.

I had a Draft Rudy's Gold (everyone looked at me when I ordered it) and headed out.

176) Smith's

I headed over to 8th and stopped into one of the first places that I had ever been to in New York. It is right across from the Milford Plaza and I stayed there once when attending a seminar long before I even moved to New York. We are talking well over 25 years ago. Still basically the same, except the prices are a bit higher now. Great steam table though, with corned beef still some of the best around.

I had a Dewars and soda.

177) Emmett's

More formally known as Robert Emmett's Bar & Restaurant (history buffs will have to look up Robert Emmett) is this a bit lighter version of an Irish Pub. The bar is separated from the tables, and the windows, by a wooden partition topped with frosted glass with etched patterns. There is a nice little semi-room up front and an upstairs dining area that I did not check out.

I chatted with the bartender and it turned out that she lives in my neighborhood. I mentioned that I had just come from Smith's and how, when I first visited it, Elton John played a free concert in Central Park and what a great time I had going to it. She said her hometown is the same as Elton John's. There you go. Then a guy comes in and starts talking about Spokane and I mention that I had spent some time there. He is from there and his wife was in town going to a meeting with the same company that I did work for when I was in Spokane. This was getting a bit too spooky for me so I headed out.

But not until I had a draft Boddington's Pub Ale.

178) Rachel's

Back over to 608 9th Avenue was this place that looked almost like an old-ladies tea house. It was mostly pink and was decorated for Valentine's Day which only made it pinker. Still, it had a pretty decent little bar that was separated from the rest of the place and a good crowd. They have a brunch on Wednesday's and that might have been what was attracting the crowd.

I had a Dewars and soda.

179) Dalton's

This was a real nice sports bar with at least 7 flat screen televisions above the bar. I got into a discussion with the bartender about Musicmatch and he actually downloaded the free-trial version to test it out. A nice, friendly place. It is on 9th Avenue between 43rd and 44th and used to be a place called Revolution.

I had a draft Dalton's Ale

180) Dave's

This was the place I was going to go to first thing this morning but it wasn't open yet. I thought the name of the place was Dame's, which sounded more interesting. It just turns out that when they have the neon sign turned off you see some of the connecting tubes and, oh well, never mind. It is a bit of a dive bar but has pink overhead lights. It does have a pool table in the back so that makes it okay by me. It is a pretty old bar and not just made to look that way.

I had a Dewars and soda

181) Queen

I caught the subway back to Brooklyn and was heading home when I figured I would stop in for one last drink. Plus, I kind of had to use the bathroom. This is a nice Itallian restaurant with a bar up front. It used to be be a block away before they took the whole block down to put up a UA 12 screen cineplex and a Barnes and Noble book-store. I liked the old place better, but that is just me. Still, it is a great restaurant and serves delicious food.

I had a glass of Chianti and toddled off home thinking that I had made a very good start to the Year of the Rooster.

Well, 181 down and 819 left to go.