Trippin' In Tribeca

I figured I would pick up on Greenwich Street where I had left off on Saturday. Just kind of keep moving toward the heart of Greenwich Village.

472) Due South

Now this sounds like it should be some kind of a honky tonk or something, but in reality it is more of an Irish bar at 379 Greenwich Street. It is a corner bar with large windows with little checkered curtains on two sides. A good-sized old, and ornate, wooden bar with a brass rail. Wooden bar chairs with black vinyl seats. A couple of old brass stations sport spigots for six beers. Behind the bar are old brass clad coolers, three on one side of shelves for liquor and two on the other. A shelf on top holds more bottles, glasses, and an old fashioned silver cash register. Above that is a large wood mantle-like structure with three large mirrors. The columns sport carved mustachioed heads. A blackboard above the cash register lists the beers and wines in pastel chalk. A much larger blackboard on the brick wall to the left lists the daily food specials.

The ceiling looks like dark wood timber with black canvas or something similar covering the gaps. The floor is wood. There is a wood divider bith a narrow shelf and ornately carved end sections that separate the bar from the dining area. A large American flag leans against the wall up front. No smoking signs in five languages hang above the bathroom doors. A few pictures in a somewhat Caribbean style hang on the walls as well as a couple of abstract prints that have a vaguely Southwestern feel to them.

I had a Sam Adam’s Summer Ale.

473) Soso Borella

Just up the street at 460 Greenwich is this place with a small marble topped bar that has large jars of large cookies sitting on one end. A few wood bar stools and a wood floor. The front of the bar is light cream colored wood panels and pretty much the rest of the place, including the ceiling, is painted the same color. A large wood framed mirror is itself framed by the shelves that hold glasses, a small liquor selection, and wine. Wing shelves on the side hold more bottles, a lantern, glasses, and their beer selection. There is a floor to ceiling rack of compartmentalized shelves in the back holding wine, sodas, and other stuff. It kind of reminded me of an old grocery store. Blackboards perched on shelves inform you of their specialties and the hours of the bar. At the end of the bar opposite the cookie jars is a little espresso bar. A few wooden barrel-like containers, another lantern, some jugs and other paraphernalia sit on two high, narrow shelves in the back. In the front are two large pictures of an attractive woman holding a young child. Maybe the owner, or the owner’s wife.

I had a glass of red wine, Michel Torino Maitec, 2003.

474) The Ear Inn

Just a few steps off Greenwich Street at 326 Spring is the ultimate New York dive bar, but it has been around too long to be a dive anymore. Now it is an institution. A really beat up wooden bar with a brass rail. Old wooden plank flooring. A narrow planked wood ceiling painted yellow. Old metal tube and black vinyl seated bar stools. The place has been around forever, a sign in front says 1871 and the junk strewn around the place reflects this. There is a large sculptured ear hanging on one wall. Knick knacks and photos galore. An old, working, telephone booth sits up close to the front. A lovely, but beat-up, set of mirror backed shelves with a top that looks like peaked roof tops on each end. ESPN is showing old, classic, boxing matches and a small crowd is watching them with rapt attention and holding informed discussions amongst themselves. By all means stop in, if you can find it.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

475) P.J. Charlton

Back on Greenwich Street, at 549, was this interesting place with an old wood bar and with a wooden foot rest. The back of the bar has a bit of a fifties looking plywood paneled look with mirrors framed by two curved wavy glass lights. There is a bluish glass panel with an etched eagle grasping and American flag in the middle. There is a brick wall behind the wooden bar chairs with black fabric seats and backs. The other walls are kind of a light pea-soup green. A light wood divider with a shelf for drinks separate the bar from the row of tables next to the windows in the brick wall. Plates, bottles, a plow, and other stuff sit on top of the shelving behind the bar. Nice little cone shaded lights hang over the bar. Two televisions on the wall were showing CNN. Interesting pictures hang on the brick walls. There are wooden planked floors. A nice little bouquet of roses and small white flowers sit on the bar. Airplane propeller like fans with nose-cone lights hang overhead.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic and headed home.

A nice day and a nice walk. Four bars for the day and we are up to 475 for the year and 525 to go.