It was a nice sunny day so I was going to take a stroll down Second Avenue. When I got to Third I spotted a bar and one thing led to another so I never did make it to Second. Tomorrow, for sure.
389) Bar None
This is the place that caught my eye as I was walking along 12th Street towards Second. If is on Third between 12th and 13th and the sign just popped out at me. An old beat-up wooden bar with names and graffiti carved into the front wooden armrest. A black ledge for your foot. Nice dark-wood bar-chairs with padded black seats. Mirror backed glass shelves hold the liquor. A nice selection of beers on draft. Jaegermeister being chilled for shots, I inwardly shudder. A couple of cement sculptures hang on two of the mirrors. The woodwork surrounding the mirrors is quite ornate. Plush sofas by the windows in front and wrap-awound padded booths along the side wall with mirrors above them. Nice old wooden floors. Three TVs, only two were turned on and the two other patrons and the bartender were watching a Clint Eastwood movied. Kind of a funky black-stucco ceiling.
I had a draft Blue Moon.
390) Nevada Smith's
A very dark place that is very big on soccer. It is at 74 Third, almost at 11th. The place is kept dark to better show the games on their seven televisions. Three different games were playing while I was there. Mirror backd tiered shelving behind the bar holds the liquor. Four upturned glass shaded lamps are mounted in the spaces between the mirrors. Dim orangeish track lighting above the bar and five larger glass shaded lights above the rest of the place. There is track lighting above the back wall and a few more lamps similar to the ones behind the bar. They are all fairly dim. Somebody was hanging a huge, mostly blue, Chelsea Football Club, New York Blues banner. This place was packed, unusual for a week-day afternoon.
I had a draft Pilsner Urquell.
391) Uno Chicago Bar and Grill
A decemt sized pizza joint and bar on Third, across the street and down a block from Nevada Smith's, between 10th and 11th. The bar itself is a nice old wooden one with a black ledge for your feet. Nice dark-wood bar-chairs. Glass shelves behind the bar for bottles and glasses. A couple of televisions. Peanuts in bowls on the bar, kind of hit the spot, perhaps a bit too well. I had to have the bartender take them away. The walls have dark-wood paneling up about half-way and then brick above. Some red, white, and black padded booths sit by the front window. Large white shaded lights hang above the bar and overhead fans hang from the ceiling which is patterned tile painted to look like zinc. A lot of tables with brown and tan checks fill up the floor space. Numerous black and white photographs and old advertising grace the walls. A scaled down Statue of Liberty sits in the dining area that is seperated from the bar by wooden and glass dividers. A narrow window with wood framed panes hangs from the ceiling.
I had a draft Uno Amber, not too bad either.
392) St. Marks Ale House
A fairly dark place on St. Marks (8th Street renamed) and just off 3rd. A decent selection of draft beers dispensed from either brass or ceramic fixtures. A nice sized wood bar with a top that looks newer than its base. It does have the traditional brass rail. Wood bar-chairs with black padded seats. Smaller versions of the bar-chairs sit around wooden tables that sit in front of benches lining the wooden walls. A lot of televisions are mounted on the walls along with various black and white photos of old New York. Some sports memorabilia and old advertising posters fill out most of the remaining space. The bathroom doors are graced with large pictures of Marilyn Monroe (women's) and James Dean (men's). The one brick wall has a picture of monks quaffing beer. The ceiling over the bar area is dark tin and there are recessed lights behind the bar.
I had a draft Anchor Steam Beer.
393) San Marcos
Just down St. Marks a bit is this narrow, but very deep place that widens out in the back where there is a pool table. A wavey metallic ceramic topped bar with a blue cement front and a black ledge for your foot. They have a decent selection of draft beers. Black bar-chairs with black seats. Wood paneling behind the bar and a large mirror. A large plaster cactus decorated with green Christmas lights sits on one side of the mirror. A large steer skull hangs in the center of the mirror and three smaller skulls decorated with Indian designs hang above the mirror. The brick wall behind the bar is decorated with Mexican sombrerros, half of an Indian motorcycle gas tank, and ceramic iquanas, cacti, and red peppers. Hanging over the bar are nice lights with tube like glass shades in a variety of colors that kind of bulged in the center.
I had a Brooklyn Lager and, because it was two for one, I managed to get a frozen margarita instead of a second beer.
Knocked of five more today and am up to 393 for the year with 617 left to go. I hope to hit 400 on Friday which will put me on schedule for hitting number 500 on May 14th.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Monday, April 11, 2005
Manhattans in Manhattan
Serious note to myself, stick with beer or mixed drinks. Manhattans are not appropriate quest drinks considering how big they make them in this town. I hit the five bars I was aiming to hit, but just barely.
There is a little almost triangular block that has two very different bars on it. The base of the block is West 13th. The cut-off top is West 14th. The sides are Hudson and 9th Avenue. If you go south another block 9th Avenue angles to the east and becomes Greenwich Street, not to be confused with Greenwich Avenue. Also, be on the look-out for Little West 12th, a two-and-a-half block stretch that is kind of an extension of West 12th, except West 12th stops at Greenwich Avenue. Confused yet, try walking around in this area.
Anyway, I digress.
383) The Barbeque Pit
At the fat, or West 13th end is The Barbeque Pit. This is one of the old places that are still left in this neighborhood, kind of the border between Greenwich Village and The Meatpacking District, that is going upscale. This place takes up the whole width of the block but the door is on the 9th Avenue side. There are two rooms with a pool table and a fooseball table in the back room with a few tables and chairs and a television. The short hallway between the two rooms have a couple of large black-and-white photographs of hanging meat. Yummy.
The bar is an old wooden affair that has seen better days but fits in perfectly. The barstools are plain metal with black vinyl seats. There is all kind of interesting stuff on the walls including some very large fish. One is flourescent green and the silver one behind the bar is chugging a Budweiser. There are also numerous boars-heads mounted on the wall. A few hunting knives and an old pistol and rifle are mounted behind the bar. A lot of police patches behind the bar as well. There is a large metal-lined wooden ice-chest filled with ice and beer. A tiered shelf above the chest hold the liquor. Above that shelf is a narrow shelf draped with red pepper-lights and a string of plastic pig-lights. There are a few bottles on the shelf as well as some ceramic pigs, two of whom are doing it doggy-style. There is also a television mounted on the wall at one end of the bar.
Windows line the three sides of the place that are on the street but large flags hang from the top of most of them so the place is suitably dark. A pleasant enough place and a bit of a welcome change from all of the newer "hipper" places that have opened up recently.
I had a Red Hook ESB Amber Ale.
384) Venta
At the other end of this block, and at the other end of the spectrum, is this upscale bar and restaurant. The bar has an opaque lucite top lit from underneath with soft-purple lights. The front of the bar is black except for a panel around the bottom that is also lucite and lit the same way as the bar. The back of the bar is lit with soft-purple lights as well. There are also three waist-high dividers that seperate the bar area from the fairly elegant, triangular dining area and these divider are black and purple-lit lucite as well.
There are floor-to-ceiling windows on the two long sides that have light-green gauze-like curtains that were pulled back so the place was well lit. There are numerous white cube lights mounted in a regular pattern on the ceiling. There are large tiles on the floor around the bar and wooden flooring in the dining area. A nice outdoor sitting area is on Hudson, which is cobble-stoned at this point.
I had a gin and tonic, very well made.
385) Gaslight Lounge
Walking in here is like stepping back in time and into someone's parlor. A definite early 1940's feel. It is located on 9th and West 14th. A long wooden bar with a ledge for your foot. Plain wooden bar-stools. Wood paneling on the wall behind the bar with tiered shelves holding the liquor. Three nicely framed mirrors hang behind the bar along with two carriage lanterns with red bulbs. A minature London, or old New York, style street lamp sits on one end of the bar and an old living room lamp sits on the other end. Two walls have floor to ceiling windows with lace curtains framed by wine-red velvet-like drapes. The remaining wall is kind of a distressed pea-sou[ green and has a small coal stove. Two black and white portrait-like photos of an elderly man and a woman hang on either side of a large mirror with a fancy frame.
There a lots of plush old-fashioned chairs and sofas with end tables. There are nice old wooden floors, but they should really clean off the gum. I am not sure what this place used to be before it became a bar, but I have never seen so much old gum on the floor of a place before. There were nice over-head fans with lights.
I had a well-made Maker's Mark Manhattan.
386) Markt
A most interesting place on the corner of West 14th and 9th. A very long bar, but broken into three sections. One section has oysters on ice and a rack for glasses. The tops of the bars are a rust-and-white marble with a decoratative tin-like edging. There is a thick brass rail, but it is about six inches from the top of the bar and sticks out about two inches. I have no idea what function this serves. There is a ledge with a black and tan pattern for you to rest your foot. The bar-stools are wood with patterned wood stained tops with silver studs all around. The back of the bar looks like an old pharmacist shop with banks of small wooden drawers and shelves. Hanging over the bar are white globe lights that look like they could have been hanging in an old school-room somewhere. Wood framed windows on two sides and lots of built in bench style seating. Nice wood floors with no gum. There were some large sprays of purple flowers placed here and there.
I had a draft Julius Echter Hefe-weissbier.
387) Old Homestead
This place has been around since 1868, believe it or not. They serve a $40 hamburger and I once ordered their $100 Kobe steak and sent it back because it was tough. I thought it was a one-off experience but the New York Times reviewed this place and had the same opinion of the Kobe steak. Their other steaks are good, and the prices are typical for a New York steakhouse, very high. The must be doing something right though to have lasted this long in what used to be a not very desirable location. Just look for the big cow on the awning as you mosey down 9th avenue and you cant miss it. It is located at 56 9th Avenue, between 14th and 15th.
It has a nice white-marble topped bar and dome shaped stained-glass lights hang over it. The bar has a padded leather front to it and there were lit candles sitting on top. The bar-stools had green and gold brocaded seats. Over all there is a lot of dark wood and it pretty much has a typical steakhouse look to it. I prefer Sparks, but that is just a personal opinion. The best steak is still probably the one they serve at Peter Luger's.
I had another Maker's Mark Manhattan, excellently made.
388) Art Bar
I really was just going to go home after my last manhattan but I passed by this place, on 8th Avenue between Horatio and Jane, and felt like a plain old beer, and the use of a restroom. As you would expect, there is a lot of art hanging on the walls. Also a fireplace and a back room with couches and drapes. The couches looked very inviting. This is supposed to be a gay bar, but seeing as how I was the only one in the place I wouldn't know, although I do kind of like myself. Last year the Free Press rated it as the best gay hangout in town. It also got rated best people-watching bar and bar with the best bathroom wisdom.
My had was fuzzy so I just used their very interesting bathroom and sucked down a beer.
I had a draft Jenlain.
Staggering my way to the half-way mark (don't forget to let me know your ideas, right now it looks like it will be at The Gate) at 388 with 612 left to go.
There is a little almost triangular block that has two very different bars on it. The base of the block is West 13th. The cut-off top is West 14th. The sides are Hudson and 9th Avenue. If you go south another block 9th Avenue angles to the east and becomes Greenwich Street, not to be confused with Greenwich Avenue. Also, be on the look-out for Little West 12th, a two-and-a-half block stretch that is kind of an extension of West 12th, except West 12th stops at Greenwich Avenue. Confused yet, try walking around in this area.
Anyway, I digress.
383) The Barbeque Pit
At the fat, or West 13th end is The Barbeque Pit. This is one of the old places that are still left in this neighborhood, kind of the border between Greenwich Village and The Meatpacking District, that is going upscale. This place takes up the whole width of the block but the door is on the 9th Avenue side. There are two rooms with a pool table and a fooseball table in the back room with a few tables and chairs and a television. The short hallway between the two rooms have a couple of large black-and-white photographs of hanging meat. Yummy.
The bar is an old wooden affair that has seen better days but fits in perfectly. The barstools are plain metal with black vinyl seats. There is all kind of interesting stuff on the walls including some very large fish. One is flourescent green and the silver one behind the bar is chugging a Budweiser. There are also numerous boars-heads mounted on the wall. A few hunting knives and an old pistol and rifle are mounted behind the bar. A lot of police patches behind the bar as well. There is a large metal-lined wooden ice-chest filled with ice and beer. A tiered shelf above the chest hold the liquor. Above that shelf is a narrow shelf draped with red pepper-lights and a string of plastic pig-lights. There are a few bottles on the shelf as well as some ceramic pigs, two of whom are doing it doggy-style. There is also a television mounted on the wall at one end of the bar.
Windows line the three sides of the place that are on the street but large flags hang from the top of most of them so the place is suitably dark. A pleasant enough place and a bit of a welcome change from all of the newer "hipper" places that have opened up recently.
I had a Red Hook ESB Amber Ale.
384) Venta
At the other end of this block, and at the other end of the spectrum, is this upscale bar and restaurant. The bar has an opaque lucite top lit from underneath with soft-purple lights. The front of the bar is black except for a panel around the bottom that is also lucite and lit the same way as the bar. The back of the bar is lit with soft-purple lights as well. There are also three waist-high dividers that seperate the bar area from the fairly elegant, triangular dining area and these divider are black and purple-lit lucite as well.
There are floor-to-ceiling windows on the two long sides that have light-green gauze-like curtains that were pulled back so the place was well lit. There are numerous white cube lights mounted in a regular pattern on the ceiling. There are large tiles on the floor around the bar and wooden flooring in the dining area. A nice outdoor sitting area is on Hudson, which is cobble-stoned at this point.
I had a gin and tonic, very well made.
385) Gaslight Lounge
Walking in here is like stepping back in time and into someone's parlor. A definite early 1940's feel. It is located on 9th and West 14th. A long wooden bar with a ledge for your foot. Plain wooden bar-stools. Wood paneling on the wall behind the bar with tiered shelves holding the liquor. Three nicely framed mirrors hang behind the bar along with two carriage lanterns with red bulbs. A minature London, or old New York, style street lamp sits on one end of the bar and an old living room lamp sits on the other end. Two walls have floor to ceiling windows with lace curtains framed by wine-red velvet-like drapes. The remaining wall is kind of a distressed pea-sou[ green and has a small coal stove. Two black and white portrait-like photos of an elderly man and a woman hang on either side of a large mirror with a fancy frame.
There a lots of plush old-fashioned chairs and sofas with end tables. There are nice old wooden floors, but they should really clean off the gum. I am not sure what this place used to be before it became a bar, but I have never seen so much old gum on the floor of a place before. There were nice over-head fans with lights.
I had a well-made Maker's Mark Manhattan.
386) Markt
A most interesting place on the corner of West 14th and 9th. A very long bar, but broken into three sections. One section has oysters on ice and a rack for glasses. The tops of the bars are a rust-and-white marble with a decoratative tin-like edging. There is a thick brass rail, but it is about six inches from the top of the bar and sticks out about two inches. I have no idea what function this serves. There is a ledge with a black and tan pattern for you to rest your foot. The bar-stools are wood with patterned wood stained tops with silver studs all around. The back of the bar looks like an old pharmacist shop with banks of small wooden drawers and shelves. Hanging over the bar are white globe lights that look like they could have been hanging in an old school-room somewhere. Wood framed windows on two sides and lots of built in bench style seating. Nice wood floors with no gum. There were some large sprays of purple flowers placed here and there.
I had a draft Julius Echter Hefe-weissbier.
387) Old Homestead
This place has been around since 1868, believe it or not. They serve a $40 hamburger and I once ordered their $100 Kobe steak and sent it back because it was tough. I thought it was a one-off experience but the New York Times reviewed this place and had the same opinion of the Kobe steak. Their other steaks are good, and the prices are typical for a New York steakhouse, very high. The must be doing something right though to have lasted this long in what used to be a not very desirable location. Just look for the big cow on the awning as you mosey down 9th avenue and you cant miss it. It is located at 56 9th Avenue, between 14th and 15th.
It has a nice white-marble topped bar and dome shaped stained-glass lights hang over it. The bar has a padded leather front to it and there were lit candles sitting on top. The bar-stools had green and gold brocaded seats. Over all there is a lot of dark wood and it pretty much has a typical steakhouse look to it. I prefer Sparks, but that is just a personal opinion. The best steak is still probably the one they serve at Peter Luger's.
I had another Maker's Mark Manhattan, excellently made.
388) Art Bar
I really was just going to go home after my last manhattan but I passed by this place, on 8th Avenue between Horatio and Jane, and felt like a plain old beer, and the use of a restroom. As you would expect, there is a lot of art hanging on the walls. Also a fireplace and a back room with couches and drapes. The couches looked very inviting. This is supposed to be a gay bar, but seeing as how I was the only one in the place I wouldn't know, although I do kind of like myself. Last year the Free Press rated it as the best gay hangout in town. It also got rated best people-watching bar and bar with the best bathroom wisdom.
My had was fuzzy so I just used their very interesting bathroom and sucked down a beer.
I had a draft Jenlain.
Staggering my way to the half-way mark (don't forget to let me know your ideas, right now it looks like it will be at The Gate) at 388 with 612 left to go.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
500 Bar Celebration
Just a reminder to give me your feed-back about where a good place might be to get together to celebrate hitting my 500th bar. I am planning on doing this on Saturday, May 14th. So far The Gate in Prospect Park seems to be the favorite. The owner of Duff's, in Williamsburg, has also extended an invitation. His place doesn't open until 6:00 P.M. however. On the plus side, he has said that he would set us up with a few free drinks. The link below provides more information about Duff's
www.nypress.com/18/12/food/bernstein.cfm
Please post a comment or send me an email with your ideas. A final selection will be made at least a week in advance and I will, of course, post it and try to email everyone for whom I have an address.
www.nypress.com/18/12/food/bernstein.cfm
Please post a comment or send me an email with your ideas. A final selection will be made at least a week in advance and I will, of course, post it and try to email everyone for whom I have an address.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
A Blurry Saturday
I don't know why, but my note-taking was really bad today. Maybe it was because I spent too much time chatting, or maybe it was my selection of bars. Who knows? I will do my best though.
378) Blind Tiger Ale House
This is a great old bar on the corner of Hudson and West 4th. It is a fairly small, neighborhood type of place with a small wooden bar and about a dozen stools. A half-dozen tables with chairs and a little fireplace. Chalk boards list the decent selection of beer that they have on draft.
The place was fairly crowded and it turned out that there was a group of people from Scranton, Pennsylvania had come down for a pub-crawl, something they do on a fairly regular basis. They rent a small bus (and, I hope, a driver) and then come to Manhattan for the day. The always start their crawl at the Blind Tiger Ale House and then head out from there. One of the guys gave me a list of bars they were going to be hitting and I am going to be hitting many of the same ones in the near future.
Anyway, I spent most of my time talking to these guys and swapping bar stories. A bunch of them had spent some time in Iceland and said they had a great time drinking in the bars there. A friend of mine, one of the people that was with me in Mexico, had also been to Iceland but I think he wasted too much time hiking and sight-seeing.
I had a Rogue Brutal Bitter.
379) Barrow's Pub
This is what I would call a dive bar on Hudson and Barrow. It had an old wood bar with a black linoleum top and a ledge for your foot. Plane wooden cabinets behind the bar cluttered with liquor and beer bottles, cash registers, bug spray, and other assorted junk. Red light-bulbs are recessed in holes cut in the black drop-ceiling. The Yankees game was on the television set in the corner. There is a pool table that didn't look too beat up. The walls are knotty pine, mostly, with kind of a dark-mauve wall above the knotty pine benches on one side.
Kind of a dark place. It was mid-afternoon and the three patrons all seemed to be in their cups. When the guy at one end of the bar started singing the blues I dumped down my beer and left.
I had a Guinness.
380) Henrietta Hudson Bar and Girl
Located on the corner of Hudson and Morton, I should have paid a bit more attention to the name of this place before wandering in. Not that it would make any difference to a man on a quest. The door was locked when I tried it but one of two hefty guys sitting at the bar opened it for me. When I sat down the female bartender asked me if I knew this was a lesbian bar. I said no (the two guys at the bar worked at the place, probably as bouncers) but asked if I could get a cocktail anyway. No problem, except she didn't seem to know how to make any except for the ones on the menu. I didn't really feel up to a Gasolina (one part Red Bull, two parts Jaeggermeister)) and the Tempted-to-touch and Like-a-Virgin didn't sound to hot either so I ordered a beer.
This is quite a large place, three rooms in all and a second bar in the back. Kind of a pale-purple back-lit plexiglass behind the bar I was drinking at. There is a nice red felt covered pool table in the middle room. Interesting seating lines the walls in all of the rooms that are kind of like built in nestling areas. They had draft-pulls on the bar but I was informed they were not working.
I had a Yuengling Lager.
381) Alexandra
A fancy restaurant/bar across the street from Henrietta Bar and Girl. This place is more of a French bistro with a nice little bar in the back. Candles light the place and you it is crowded with small tables. The bar is a circular affair with nice glasses hanging from racks above it. This bartender knew how to make a cocktail.
I ordered a Maker's Mark Manhattan and then, because it was so good, I had another.
382) The Blue Mill
This seems to keep changing its name. It used to be The Blue Mill, then it was Grange for awhile, and now it is back to The Blue Mill again. Actually, it was The Blue Mill for almost fifty years and was just Grange for a relatively short time. It is on 20 Commerce Street, between Hudson and 7th Avenue. The place has a decidedly 40's look to it. The lighting is soft, there are ceiling fans, and a lot of polished wood in Art Deco shapes. Tiny lamps are on each dining table.
The bar had those mysterious black-handled taps so I opted for a bottle of beer.
I just had a Budweiser to quench my thirst after the Manhattans and then, feeling somewhat looped, made my way home. Thank goodness for subways (the transportation, not the sandwich).
A nice sunny Saturday afternoon that netted me five bars and some pleasant conversations. I talked to the bartender at Alexandra quite a bit as well. I hit five bars for a year-to-date total of 382 leaving 618 to go.
378) Blind Tiger Ale House
This is a great old bar on the corner of Hudson and West 4th. It is a fairly small, neighborhood type of place with a small wooden bar and about a dozen stools. A half-dozen tables with chairs and a little fireplace. Chalk boards list the decent selection of beer that they have on draft.
The place was fairly crowded and it turned out that there was a group of people from Scranton, Pennsylvania had come down for a pub-crawl, something they do on a fairly regular basis. They rent a small bus (and, I hope, a driver) and then come to Manhattan for the day. The always start their crawl at the Blind Tiger Ale House and then head out from there. One of the guys gave me a list of bars they were going to be hitting and I am going to be hitting many of the same ones in the near future.
Anyway, I spent most of my time talking to these guys and swapping bar stories. A bunch of them had spent some time in Iceland and said they had a great time drinking in the bars there. A friend of mine, one of the people that was with me in Mexico, had also been to Iceland but I think he wasted too much time hiking and sight-seeing.
I had a Rogue Brutal Bitter.
379) Barrow's Pub
This is what I would call a dive bar on Hudson and Barrow. It had an old wood bar with a black linoleum top and a ledge for your foot. Plane wooden cabinets behind the bar cluttered with liquor and beer bottles, cash registers, bug spray, and other assorted junk. Red light-bulbs are recessed in holes cut in the black drop-ceiling. The Yankees game was on the television set in the corner. There is a pool table that didn't look too beat up. The walls are knotty pine, mostly, with kind of a dark-mauve wall above the knotty pine benches on one side.
Kind of a dark place. It was mid-afternoon and the three patrons all seemed to be in their cups. When the guy at one end of the bar started singing the blues I dumped down my beer and left.
I had a Guinness.
380) Henrietta Hudson Bar and Girl
Located on the corner of Hudson and Morton, I should have paid a bit more attention to the name of this place before wandering in. Not that it would make any difference to a man on a quest. The door was locked when I tried it but one of two hefty guys sitting at the bar opened it for me. When I sat down the female bartender asked me if I knew this was a lesbian bar. I said no (the two guys at the bar worked at the place, probably as bouncers) but asked if I could get a cocktail anyway. No problem, except she didn't seem to know how to make any except for the ones on the menu. I didn't really feel up to a Gasolina (one part Red Bull, two parts Jaeggermeister)) and the Tempted-to-touch and Like-a-Virgin didn't sound to hot either so I ordered a beer.
This is quite a large place, three rooms in all and a second bar in the back. Kind of a pale-purple back-lit plexiglass behind the bar I was drinking at. There is a nice red felt covered pool table in the middle room. Interesting seating lines the walls in all of the rooms that are kind of like built in nestling areas. They had draft-pulls on the bar but I was informed they were not working.
I had a Yuengling Lager.
381) Alexandra
A fancy restaurant/bar across the street from Henrietta Bar and Girl. This place is more of a French bistro with a nice little bar in the back. Candles light the place and you it is crowded with small tables. The bar is a circular affair with nice glasses hanging from racks above it. This bartender knew how to make a cocktail.
I ordered a Maker's Mark Manhattan and then, because it was so good, I had another.
382) The Blue Mill
This seems to keep changing its name. It used to be The Blue Mill, then it was Grange for awhile, and now it is back to The Blue Mill again. Actually, it was The Blue Mill for almost fifty years and was just Grange for a relatively short time. It is on 20 Commerce Street, between Hudson and 7th Avenue. The place has a decidedly 40's look to it. The lighting is soft, there are ceiling fans, and a lot of polished wood in Art Deco shapes. Tiny lamps are on each dining table.
The bar had those mysterious black-handled taps so I opted for a bottle of beer.
I just had a Budweiser to quench my thirst after the Manhattans and then, feeling somewhat looped, made my way home. Thank goodness for subways (the transportation, not the sandwich).
A nice sunny Saturday afternoon that netted me five bars and some pleasant conversations. I talked to the bartender at Alexandra quite a bit as well. I hit five bars for a year-to-date total of 382 leaving 618 to go.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Tribeca Trip
A trip to Tribeca, the new up-scale neighborhood where the elite meet and greet. Not that I met any of the elite, but then I am a man on a mission. For those of you who may not know, Tribeca is an acronym for "Triangle Below Canal," Canal being a street that runs from the Hudson River to the East River (as most streets in Manhattan do) and that once separated Chinatown from Little Italy. Little Italy has shrunk over the years and Chinatown is now on both sides of Canal, but still, primarily, below, or to the south, of it. Tribeca is to the West of Chinatown.
374)Tribeca Tavern
This bar, 247 West Broadway, has two entrances, one on West Broadway and one on 6th Avenue. 6th Avenue takes a bit of a jog in this area so the block that Tribeca Tavern is on is not overly wide. The entrance to the bar side is on West Broadway. The entrance to the side with the pool table is on 6th Avenue. It has a large, old wooden bar with bar stools with black vinyl-padded seats. The bar has a nice brass rail. There are 17 beers on tap with the pulls mounted on a nice brass fixture. There is wood and glass shelving behind the bar and it is lit with red track lights. A small table surrounded by oversize stuffed chairs is next to the bar-side door. Wooden pew-like benches are against the wall behind the bar stools and marble-topped tables sit in front of them with chairs on the other side. The walls are old brick.
The back room, with the pool table, has a sofa and some large round tables with chairs. Little Japanese lanterns hang over the entry to another small room with large stuffed chairs and a couple of end tables. Larger, round Japanese lanterns hang from the ceiling in that room.
I had an Old Speckeled Hen, on draft. One of my favorites but you don't find it too often.
375) Della Rovere
Located on 250 West Broadway, this place has only been open a little over two months. It is another fancy place that has been changing the look of Tribeca. It has a nice, wide, dark-wood bar (I suspect it is wide so people can eat at it). Behind the bar and to the left is a metal spiral staircase that leads up to a narrow metal walk-way where there is a large selection of wines stored in wine racks. One end of the walk-way is widened and there is a table there where "special guests" can dine. There is mirror backed shelving behind the bar with a large liquor selection. Interestingly enough, although they have four beers on draft, the pulls are plain black so you have to ask the bartender what kind of beer they have. The place has nice pale-yellow walls and draped windows. There was a very nice looking back dining area and the menu looked interesting (there were oysters on ice at one end of the bar). I will try to get back here for dinner one day.
The bartender, Nate, was a very pleasant younh man and it turned out he was from Minneapolis, where I grew up. We chatted a bit and I found out that he had played professional football (soccer to us) in Romania for three years. He still plays and also coaches. I spent so much time talkng to him that I didn't take very copious notes about the place.
I had a Paulner Heffeweiss, draft, drawn with the mysterious black handled pull.
376) Buster's Garage
Well, this place on 180 West Broadway probably was a commercial garage. It certainly is large enough to have been one. Behind the bar is the largest television set that I have ever seen in a bar and there are two slightly smaller ones on each end. Another four regular sized televisons are mounted on either side of the large one in the middle. The ceiling is quite high and knotty pine with an interesting, and hard to describe light fixture hanging above the bar. There is dark wood paneling behind the bar that give the place a bit of a rec-room feel. A stepped shelf behind the bar holds the liquor and there is a large freezer with a sliding glass door where they keep their beer mugs chilling. There is a firehouse nearby and from the look of the memorabilia on the wall behind the bar this is probably a hang-out for off duty smoke eaters.
The bathroom is up a long, long flight of stairs. There is also a small outdoor area up there with a jacuzzi. Someone was using it, so it wasn't just for show. The place must be successful because the owners are opening up a Mexican themed bar and restaurant right next door.
I had a draft Pilsner Urquell.
377) Landmarc
Another of the upscale bars and restaurants common to this neighborhood. It is a fairly small place with a circular bar with a wooden top and metallic front. Kind of mod-looking bar-chairs with pea-soup green seats. That color scheme is carried through to the booths that line a greenish-blue plaster wall. The wall on the other side is old brick with an interesting copper-hued somewhat flat sculpture hanging on it. It is lit by small spots hanging from the heating and cooling duct. There are almost floor to ceiling windows in front. Ten fairly small tables for dining fill out the place.
I had a Maker's Mark Manhattan and called it a day.
A pleasant enough stroll, although not overly productive. With 377 for the year I have only 623 left to go.
374)Tribeca Tavern
This bar, 247 West Broadway, has two entrances, one on West Broadway and one on 6th Avenue. 6th Avenue takes a bit of a jog in this area so the block that Tribeca Tavern is on is not overly wide. The entrance to the bar side is on West Broadway. The entrance to the side with the pool table is on 6th Avenue. It has a large, old wooden bar with bar stools with black vinyl-padded seats. The bar has a nice brass rail. There are 17 beers on tap with the pulls mounted on a nice brass fixture. There is wood and glass shelving behind the bar and it is lit with red track lights. A small table surrounded by oversize stuffed chairs is next to the bar-side door. Wooden pew-like benches are against the wall behind the bar stools and marble-topped tables sit in front of them with chairs on the other side. The walls are old brick.
The back room, with the pool table, has a sofa and some large round tables with chairs. Little Japanese lanterns hang over the entry to another small room with large stuffed chairs and a couple of end tables. Larger, round Japanese lanterns hang from the ceiling in that room.
I had an Old Speckeled Hen, on draft. One of my favorites but you don't find it too often.
375) Della Rovere
Located on 250 West Broadway, this place has only been open a little over two months. It is another fancy place that has been changing the look of Tribeca. It has a nice, wide, dark-wood bar (I suspect it is wide so people can eat at it). Behind the bar and to the left is a metal spiral staircase that leads up to a narrow metal walk-way where there is a large selection of wines stored in wine racks. One end of the walk-way is widened and there is a table there where "special guests" can dine. There is mirror backed shelving behind the bar with a large liquor selection. Interestingly enough, although they have four beers on draft, the pulls are plain black so you have to ask the bartender what kind of beer they have. The place has nice pale-yellow walls and draped windows. There was a very nice looking back dining area and the menu looked interesting (there were oysters on ice at one end of the bar). I will try to get back here for dinner one day.
The bartender, Nate, was a very pleasant younh man and it turned out he was from Minneapolis, where I grew up. We chatted a bit and I found out that he had played professional football (soccer to us) in Romania for three years. He still plays and also coaches. I spent so much time talkng to him that I didn't take very copious notes about the place.
I had a Paulner Heffeweiss, draft, drawn with the mysterious black handled pull.
376) Buster's Garage
Well, this place on 180 West Broadway probably was a commercial garage. It certainly is large enough to have been one. Behind the bar is the largest television set that I have ever seen in a bar and there are two slightly smaller ones on each end. Another four regular sized televisons are mounted on either side of the large one in the middle. The ceiling is quite high and knotty pine with an interesting, and hard to describe light fixture hanging above the bar. There is dark wood paneling behind the bar that give the place a bit of a rec-room feel. A stepped shelf behind the bar holds the liquor and there is a large freezer with a sliding glass door where they keep their beer mugs chilling. There is a firehouse nearby and from the look of the memorabilia on the wall behind the bar this is probably a hang-out for off duty smoke eaters.
The bathroom is up a long, long flight of stairs. There is also a small outdoor area up there with a jacuzzi. Someone was using it, so it wasn't just for show. The place must be successful because the owners are opening up a Mexican themed bar and restaurant right next door.
I had a draft Pilsner Urquell.
377) Landmarc
Another of the upscale bars and restaurants common to this neighborhood. It is a fairly small place with a circular bar with a wooden top and metallic front. Kind of mod-looking bar-chairs with pea-soup green seats. That color scheme is carried through to the booths that line a greenish-blue plaster wall. The wall on the other side is old brick with an interesting copper-hued somewhat flat sculpture hanging on it. It is lit by small spots hanging from the heating and cooling duct. There are almost floor to ceiling windows in front. Ten fairly small tables for dining fill out the place.
I had a Maker's Mark Manhattan and called it a day.
A pleasant enough stroll, although not overly productive. With 377 for the year I have only 623 left to go.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Another Village Stroll
Another nice day so the wife and I decided to take another stroll in Greenwich Village.
368) La Palapa Rockola
A nice little place on 359 6th Avenue. Behind the bar are four large red-tinted panels that make up a large picture of a young Rosa Carmina and her rumba dancers. Rosa was born in Cuba and starred in many Mexican films. The picture is signed by Carmina.
The bar itself is a nice cherry-wood (or at least it looks like it) and the bar-stools are metal with seats that match the bar. There are step shelves behind the bar that hold the liquor (a large selection of tequila) and glasses. There are four large lights hanging over the bar that have large glass shades of varying pastel colors.
There is a classic Rockola jukebox (free) that has been converted to play CDs (mostly Mexican music). The extra space inside (CDs take up less space then records, I guess, has been outfitted with little flowers and skeletons, some of them in mariachi bands. I have a friend, the one that visited me in Mexico, that collects them so he would like this place.
I hear that this place used to be a speakeasy and it has nice brick walls on the side with the bar and a brick archway that leads to a back dining area. The brick wall in that area has hundreds of colorful votive candles. The rear wall has a giant photo of the horseman Pedro Armendariz (one of the original “Three Godfathers”). The other walls are pale yellow, planking in the front and plaster in the back. One wall, known as the Wall of Lovers, has a number of striking black and white portraits such as the one of actress Maria Felix, a well-known Mexican. Several silver framed mirrors are on the wall behind the bar-stools. There is also a nice little outside eating area on the street. All and all a nice little place and we will be coming back for dinner later.
I ordered a margarita and when I complemented the bartender (and one of the owners) Margariite (what a name for a bartender that makes margaritas, she gave my wife and I samples of two of her other specialties, a frozen hibiscus margarita and a ginger and blood-orange margaritta. A great way to start off a day of bar hopping. The margarita was rimed with chili salt, a great touch and one that I will incorporate into the margaritas that I make from now on.
I had a margarita.
369) The Four Faced Liar
Not too far away on West 4th between 6th and 7th was this neat little place. It has a decent sized old dark-wood bar and matching shelving behind it. A five tiered shelf behind the bar holds glasses on the lower tiers and liquor on the top three tiers. A few wine bottles and condiments are on part of the second tier and bills of various currencies are stuck to the back of the remainder. A living-room type of lamp sits on a shelf on one end of the bar. There is a large mirror above the shelves adorned with a couple of the bars tee shirts that are for sale. The wall behind the bar is brick and the other walls are royal-blue with mustard-yellow trim on the lower half and mustard-yellow on top. There is also royal-blue trim on top. It has a nice tin ceiling and wooden plank floors.
A large white dog was on patrol when I entered but he left, I guess he found everything to his liking. Royal blue settees that match the walls line two sides of the place. Wooden tables sit in front of them and wooden chairs and stools sit on the other side of the tables. Fairly large windows are above the settees on the street side.
Interesting trivia in the bathroom. Did you know that the tongue of the blue whale weighs more than most elephants? Neither did I.
I had a Magic Hat #9.
370) Caffe Vivaldi
A little place on Jones between Bleeker and West 4th. It has a small half-circle bar big enough for six wooden bar-chairs with brocade (with kind of a Mexican design) seats. Behind the bar are wine racks are high up on the wall above mirrors that are above a shelf holding wine and liquor bottles, a cash register, an espresso machine, and a coffee grinder. There is also a rack for glasses hanging just behind the bar. Above the bar at either end are suspended small lamps with green glass shades. Above the middle of the bar hangs fixture with two what look like gas lights that have been converted to electricity. A small buddha sits on the bar.
Pictures of dead composers hang on one wall and prints of fish done in an Asian style and some ink-blot looking art hang on another wall. A baby grand piano is tucked into one corner. There are windows along the wall on the street side. It is a narrow street so you never get much sunlight. There is also a picture of dancing gypsies.
I had a glass of Shiraz
371) Caliente Cab
A large Mexican restaurant on the corner of 7th and Bleeker. It is kind of a touristy place but the smaller bar area is quite nice. I am watching the bartender juice limes so I know the margarita will be good. The back end of a yellow Studebaker sticks out of the wall by the entrance. Lots of televisions hung on the wall, some smaller screens arranged almost like pictures. There is a big open bar with a huge ice-chest filled with ice and beer in the center. Above the chest is a tiered shelf holding an impressive liquor selection and an array of shot-glasses. There is also a metal rack over the bar that holds glasses.
The walls are tourquise, mauve, orange, and beige. The floor is beige with a few tiles that have red and yellow designs. The same type of tiles decorate the front of the bar. Wrap-around windows look out on the street and there is an outdoor seating area right above a subway trac and you can hear and feel the subway rumble underneath when it passes by.
I had a margarita.
372) Fish
Just next door on Bleeker and Jones is Fish. It has a nice dark-wood bar with a bar rail. Sitting on one end is a container of oysters on ice covered in seaweed. This place is a narrow, deep, shotgun-shack configuration that is common to a lot of older bars. Behind the bar at the end with the oysters are white deli-style tiles with a bit of black trim. There is also an aluminum shelf, a sink, and an antique scale. Behind the rest of the bar it is brick with a large mirror and shelves for glasses and liquor. Lights over the bar and hanging from the ceiling in the rest of the place have gun-metal gray inverted cone shades. The ceiling is dark tin and there are also overhead fans. On the back wall are some dark-wood fish and hanging on the wall behind the bar-stools are pictures related to fishing and oystering.
I had a Blue Point Oatmeal Stout (only $1.50 for happy hour).
373) Karavas
Well, I was now half in the bag and heading back to La Palapa Rockola and passed by this place (the bar area was closed earlier) and had to stop in. This is an old Village bar with a nice dark-wood bar and a cement ledge for your foot. The bartender conned me into putting two dollars into the juke box and then I found out you couldn't change the page of selections. Luckily there were two Rolling Stones album on the stuck page. Lot's of lights and arches behind the bar. The top of the arches look like teeth. There are mirrors underneath the arches and shelves with liquor. The back wall is festooned with Christmas lights.
There are dark-wood booths and overhead fans. Nice stone-like floors You need to get buzzed into the bathroom, for some reason. Entering the bathrooms feel like entering an Egyptian crypt.
I had a Widner Wheat beer and headed back to La Palapa Rockola for dinner (and another Margarita, of course).
A decent day, 6 bars and even more drinks (free samples did me in). That makes 373 for the year and 627 left to go. Got to get 126 more in before I hit 500 on May 14th. Run, Forest, Run.
368) La Palapa Rockola
A nice little place on 359 6th Avenue. Behind the bar are four large red-tinted panels that make up a large picture of a young Rosa Carmina and her rumba dancers. Rosa was born in Cuba and starred in many Mexican films. The picture is signed by Carmina.
The bar itself is a nice cherry-wood (or at least it looks like it) and the bar-stools are metal with seats that match the bar. There are step shelves behind the bar that hold the liquor (a large selection of tequila) and glasses. There are four large lights hanging over the bar that have large glass shades of varying pastel colors.
There is a classic Rockola jukebox (free) that has been converted to play CDs (mostly Mexican music). The extra space inside (CDs take up less space then records, I guess, has been outfitted with little flowers and skeletons, some of them in mariachi bands. I have a friend, the one that visited me in Mexico, that collects them so he would like this place.
I hear that this place used to be a speakeasy and it has nice brick walls on the side with the bar and a brick archway that leads to a back dining area. The brick wall in that area has hundreds of colorful votive candles. The rear wall has a giant photo of the horseman Pedro Armendariz (one of the original “Three Godfathers”). The other walls are pale yellow, planking in the front and plaster in the back. One wall, known as the Wall of Lovers, has a number of striking black and white portraits such as the one of actress Maria Felix, a well-known Mexican. Several silver framed mirrors are on the wall behind the bar-stools. There is also a nice little outside eating area on the street. All and all a nice little place and we will be coming back for dinner later.
I ordered a margarita and when I complemented the bartender (and one of the owners) Margariite (what a name for a bartender that makes margaritas, she gave my wife and I samples of two of her other specialties, a frozen hibiscus margarita and a ginger and blood-orange margaritta. A great way to start off a day of bar hopping. The margarita was rimed with chili salt, a great touch and one that I will incorporate into the margaritas that I make from now on.
I had a margarita.
369) The Four Faced Liar
Not too far away on West 4th between 6th and 7th was this neat little place. It has a decent sized old dark-wood bar and matching shelving behind it. A five tiered shelf behind the bar holds glasses on the lower tiers and liquor on the top three tiers. A few wine bottles and condiments are on part of the second tier and bills of various currencies are stuck to the back of the remainder. A living-room type of lamp sits on a shelf on one end of the bar. There is a large mirror above the shelves adorned with a couple of the bars tee shirts that are for sale. The wall behind the bar is brick and the other walls are royal-blue with mustard-yellow trim on the lower half and mustard-yellow on top. There is also royal-blue trim on top. It has a nice tin ceiling and wooden plank floors.
A large white dog was on patrol when I entered but he left, I guess he found everything to his liking. Royal blue settees that match the walls line two sides of the place. Wooden tables sit in front of them and wooden chairs and stools sit on the other side of the tables. Fairly large windows are above the settees on the street side.
Interesting trivia in the bathroom. Did you know that the tongue of the blue whale weighs more than most elephants? Neither did I.
I had a Magic Hat #9.
370) Caffe Vivaldi
A little place on Jones between Bleeker and West 4th. It has a small half-circle bar big enough for six wooden bar-chairs with brocade (with kind of a Mexican design) seats. Behind the bar are wine racks are high up on the wall above mirrors that are above a shelf holding wine and liquor bottles, a cash register, an espresso machine, and a coffee grinder. There is also a rack for glasses hanging just behind the bar. Above the bar at either end are suspended small lamps with green glass shades. Above the middle of the bar hangs fixture with two what look like gas lights that have been converted to electricity. A small buddha sits on the bar.
Pictures of dead composers hang on one wall and prints of fish done in an Asian style and some ink-blot looking art hang on another wall. A baby grand piano is tucked into one corner. There are windows along the wall on the street side. It is a narrow street so you never get much sunlight. There is also a picture of dancing gypsies.
I had a glass of Shiraz
371) Caliente Cab
A large Mexican restaurant on the corner of 7th and Bleeker. It is kind of a touristy place but the smaller bar area is quite nice. I am watching the bartender juice limes so I know the margarita will be good. The back end of a yellow Studebaker sticks out of the wall by the entrance. Lots of televisions hung on the wall, some smaller screens arranged almost like pictures. There is a big open bar with a huge ice-chest filled with ice and beer in the center. Above the chest is a tiered shelf holding an impressive liquor selection and an array of shot-glasses. There is also a metal rack over the bar that holds glasses.
The walls are tourquise, mauve, orange, and beige. The floor is beige with a few tiles that have red and yellow designs. The same type of tiles decorate the front of the bar. Wrap-around windows look out on the street and there is an outdoor seating area right above a subway trac and you can hear and feel the subway rumble underneath when it passes by.
I had a margarita.
372) Fish
Just next door on Bleeker and Jones is Fish. It has a nice dark-wood bar with a bar rail. Sitting on one end is a container of oysters on ice covered in seaweed. This place is a narrow, deep, shotgun-shack configuration that is common to a lot of older bars. Behind the bar at the end with the oysters are white deli-style tiles with a bit of black trim. There is also an aluminum shelf, a sink, and an antique scale. Behind the rest of the bar it is brick with a large mirror and shelves for glasses and liquor. Lights over the bar and hanging from the ceiling in the rest of the place have gun-metal gray inverted cone shades. The ceiling is dark tin and there are also overhead fans. On the back wall are some dark-wood fish and hanging on the wall behind the bar-stools are pictures related to fishing and oystering.
I had a Blue Point Oatmeal Stout (only $1.50 for happy hour).
373) Karavas
Well, I was now half in the bag and heading back to La Palapa Rockola and passed by this place (the bar area was closed earlier) and had to stop in. This is an old Village bar with a nice dark-wood bar and a cement ledge for your foot. The bartender conned me into putting two dollars into the juke box and then I found out you couldn't change the page of selections. Luckily there were two Rolling Stones album on the stuck page. Lot's of lights and arches behind the bar. The top of the arches look like teeth. There are mirrors underneath the arches and shelves with liquor. The back wall is festooned with Christmas lights.
There are dark-wood booths and overhead fans. Nice stone-like floors You need to get buzzed into the bathroom, for some reason. Entering the bathrooms feel like entering an Egyptian crypt.
I had a Widner Wheat beer and headed back to La Palapa Rockola for dinner (and another Margarita, of course).
A decent day, 6 bars and even more drinks (free samples did me in). That makes 373 for the year and 627 left to go. Got to get 126 more in before I hit 500 on May 14th. Run, Forest, Run.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
A Sunny Stroll
Ah, springtime in New York, just perfect for spending time in dark bars. At least my dermatologist will be happy that I am staying out of the sun.
364) Barrow Street Ale House
A good sized, dark Village type of place on 15 Barrow Street. Fairly narrow, but quite deep. Small octogon windows on the doors with a semi-circle window above and small, retangular windows on either side admit a bit of sunlight. A good-sized old dark-wood bar with a fairly ornate wood front. About a dozen dark-wood bar chairs. Nice old shelving behind the bar with three arched niches set off by large, ornate wood columns. The two end enclaves have mirrored backs and bottles on the wide, stepped ledge below the mirrors. A cash register and a little cooler for Red Bull sits in the middle niche. Four lamps with nice, stained-glass, shades hang above the bar.
Numerous narrow tables extend out from the walls and each has four wooden stools. There are two small, wall mounted lamps above each table. There are a cople of deer heads mounted on one wall and a boar's head with an American flag in its mouth and wearing Madi Gras beads hangs behind the bar. There were five televisions all showing the Yankee/Red Sox game.
I had a Newcastle Brown Ale.
365) Boxers
A corner bar, corner of West 4th and Barrow, to be precise. Large windows on two sides makes this place as light as the last one was dark. A large, rectangular dark-wood bar with a dark-wood front and a black-cement ledge for your foot. The bar-stools had burgandy vinyl seats fastened with large-headed brass studs. The center area is old dark wood as well and has two see-through arches. Garlands of white and blue flowers hang over the arches. A large picture of a dog, a boxer, of course, hangs above the area between the arches on my side of the bar, the side closest to the door. Three light-fixtures with three red bulbs each and nice stained glass shades hang above each side of the bar.
Dark wood half-walls with brick support columns and a brick ceiling, kind of unusual. Above the wood on two of the walls are serpia colored paintins of authors, Behan, Twain, Joyce, Wilde, and Hemmingway. The floor is worn black linoleum. Lots of little tables, some round, some square, with green and white checked tablecloths and small wooden chairs with the same type of seat as the barstools fill up the place. Red-bulbed lamps with flower-shaped white glass shades are mounted on the walls. Some black and white pictures also adorn the place.
I had a Meyer's Rum and coke.
366) Slaughtered Lamb
Named after the pub in the movie "Werewolf In London" (and there is a movie poster hanging one the wall) this place is owned by the same guy that owns Jekyl and Hyde. It is on the corner of West 4th and Jones. It has similar characteristics, but isn't quite so over the top. Still, there are a few skeletons about the place and charicatures of English sportsmen, mostly cricket players, hanging no the walls.
This place used to be the Peculier Pub and it then stocked over 180 kinds of beers. This one stocks a number of beers, but not nearly that many. The place downstairs where the Peculier Pub used to store their inventory is now called, what else, The Dungeon, and is open on week-ends to provide additional room to drink.
The place has a nice dark-wood beer with matching bar-chairs. A shelf above the bar holds glasses and step-shelves behind the bar, backed by a mirror, displays their beer selections and other liquors. A model train mounted high on the wall runs around the bar area (well, when it runs). There is a nice wooden floor and a fire place. Hanging lights look like coach lanterns. There is also a nice sized back room for drinking.
The bartender Mitch, very friendly, was interested in what I was writing and after I told him I got him to write a few comments of his own:
"The Slaughtered Lamb, unlike other theme bars, is fun for more than one visit. Make sure when you come you ask for Mitch, then, maybe, I'll get a better shift than Wednesday afternoons."
I agree, it is a nice place. If you visit do be sure to ask for Mitch so he can get a shift where people acutally tip and not people like The Bar Guy who is saving his money to go to the next place.
367) Tio Pepe
Located on 168 West 4th is this Spanish/Mexican restaurant and bar. It has a decent sized lightish-wood bar with nine bar-stools with dark vinyl seats wrapped around its half-rectangle shape. A nice matching set of wooden coolers and a shelf behnd the bar with tall, mirror-backed shelves holding bottles and glasses above. Recessed spot lighting above the bar.
Big windows in front look out at the Pink Pussy Cat Boutique that is almost directly across the street. Brick walls and half-walls add to the Spanish/Mexican look of the place. Dusty pinkish plaster walls above the bridk with the fronts of fake wine barrels and crossed swords hanging on them. Nice Spanish looking chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Three minature suits of armor stand guard over the stairs leading to the bathrooms. A couple of large landscape paintings of what I would imagine to be Spain hang on the side wall in the back and on the back wall. There are a lot of tables with comfortable looking chairs and a small, pleasant looking, outdoor eating area in the back.
I had a glass of merlot and headed off home.
Four for the day brings the total to 367 for the year with 633 remaining to go.
364) Barrow Street Ale House
A good sized, dark Village type of place on 15 Barrow Street. Fairly narrow, but quite deep. Small octogon windows on the doors with a semi-circle window above and small, retangular windows on either side admit a bit of sunlight. A good-sized old dark-wood bar with a fairly ornate wood front. About a dozen dark-wood bar chairs. Nice old shelving behind the bar with three arched niches set off by large, ornate wood columns. The two end enclaves have mirrored backs and bottles on the wide, stepped ledge below the mirrors. A cash register and a little cooler for Red Bull sits in the middle niche. Four lamps with nice, stained-glass, shades hang above the bar.
Numerous narrow tables extend out from the walls and each has four wooden stools. There are two small, wall mounted lamps above each table. There are a cople of deer heads mounted on one wall and a boar's head with an American flag in its mouth and wearing Madi Gras beads hangs behind the bar. There were five televisions all showing the Yankee/Red Sox game.
I had a Newcastle Brown Ale.
365) Boxers
A corner bar, corner of West 4th and Barrow, to be precise. Large windows on two sides makes this place as light as the last one was dark. A large, rectangular dark-wood bar with a dark-wood front and a black-cement ledge for your foot. The bar-stools had burgandy vinyl seats fastened with large-headed brass studs. The center area is old dark wood as well and has two see-through arches. Garlands of white and blue flowers hang over the arches. A large picture of a dog, a boxer, of course, hangs above the area between the arches on my side of the bar, the side closest to the door. Three light-fixtures with three red bulbs each and nice stained glass shades hang above each side of the bar.
Dark wood half-walls with brick support columns and a brick ceiling, kind of unusual. Above the wood on two of the walls are serpia colored paintins of authors, Behan, Twain, Joyce, Wilde, and Hemmingway. The floor is worn black linoleum. Lots of little tables, some round, some square, with green and white checked tablecloths and small wooden chairs with the same type of seat as the barstools fill up the place. Red-bulbed lamps with flower-shaped white glass shades are mounted on the walls. Some black and white pictures also adorn the place.
I had a Meyer's Rum and coke.
366) Slaughtered Lamb
Named after the pub in the movie "Werewolf In London" (and there is a movie poster hanging one the wall) this place is owned by the same guy that owns Jekyl and Hyde. It is on the corner of West 4th and Jones. It has similar characteristics, but isn't quite so over the top. Still, there are a few skeletons about the place and charicatures of English sportsmen, mostly cricket players, hanging no the walls.
This place used to be the Peculier Pub and it then stocked over 180 kinds of beers. This one stocks a number of beers, but not nearly that many. The place downstairs where the Peculier Pub used to store their inventory is now called, what else, The Dungeon, and is open on week-ends to provide additional room to drink.
The place has a nice dark-wood beer with matching bar-chairs. A shelf above the bar holds glasses and step-shelves behind the bar, backed by a mirror, displays their beer selections and other liquors. A model train mounted high on the wall runs around the bar area (well, when it runs). There is a nice wooden floor and a fire place. Hanging lights look like coach lanterns. There is also a nice sized back room for drinking.
The bartender Mitch, very friendly, was interested in what I was writing and after I told him I got him to write a few comments of his own:
"The Slaughtered Lamb, unlike other theme bars, is fun for more than one visit. Make sure when you come you ask for Mitch, then, maybe, I'll get a better shift than Wednesday afternoons."
I agree, it is a nice place. If you visit do be sure to ask for Mitch so he can get a shift where people acutally tip and not people like The Bar Guy who is saving his money to go to the next place.
367) Tio Pepe
Located on 168 West 4th is this Spanish/Mexican restaurant and bar. It has a decent sized lightish-wood bar with nine bar-stools with dark vinyl seats wrapped around its half-rectangle shape. A nice matching set of wooden coolers and a shelf behnd the bar with tall, mirror-backed shelves holding bottles and glasses above. Recessed spot lighting above the bar.
Big windows in front look out at the Pink Pussy Cat Boutique that is almost directly across the street. Brick walls and half-walls add to the Spanish/Mexican look of the place. Dusty pinkish plaster walls above the bridk with the fronts of fake wine barrels and crossed swords hanging on them. Nice Spanish looking chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Three minature suits of armor stand guard over the stairs leading to the bathrooms. A couple of large landscape paintings of what I would imagine to be Spain hang on the side wall in the back and on the back wall. There are a lot of tables with comfortable looking chairs and a small, pleasant looking, outdoor eating area in the back.
I had a glass of merlot and headed off home.
Four for the day brings the total to 367 for the year with 633 remaining to go.
Good To Have Goals - Number 500
I am currently planning on hitting bar number 500 on May 14th. I haven't made any decision yet as to which bar that will be, but I plan on it being my only bar of the day. If any of you would care to suggest a bar and, perhaps, join me, please post a comment and let me know your ideas. One condition, of course, it cannot be a bar that I have already frequented.
I think doing this on a Saturday afternoon would be a good idea. Somewhere around 2:00 P.M. sounds good to me.
Looking forward to hearing your ideas.
I think doing this on a Saturday afternoon would be a good idea. Somewhere around 2:00 P.M. sounds good to me.
Looking forward to hearing your ideas.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Visiting The Accountant
Today was the day of reckoning where I had to visit the accountant to have my taxes done. Relatively painless but I won't know the damage until next week. Needed a few drinks to settle down so I stopped at these places on the way home.
361) Partrick Conway's
Convenient to Grand Central, as are all three of the bars today, on 40 East 43rd is this classic Irish pub, the kind that abound in New York. A long dark-wood bar with a brass rail. Matching wood bar-chairs with burgandy padded seats. An ornate wooden set of coolers, drawers, and shelves behind the bar. Behind the bar are mirrors built into three arches with back-lite stained-glass on the top part. There are two Irish whiskies on tap, kind of, Paddy and Jameson. The paneling above the bar also has back-lite stained glass.
In the bar area there are a couple of waist-high partitions with brass rails and ledges where you can set a drink. There is also a narrow ledge with chairs in front of the leaded-glass windows that look out onto the street. Sports pictures and pictures of what look like old Irish buildings hang on the wall. There is a decent sized dining area in the back and another one downstairs.
I had a Pickwick's Lager
362) Annie Moore's
Just two doors down from Patrick Conway's is another classic Irish pub with a similar, but still distinct, look about it. Kind of the same long wooden bar with a brass rail and bar-chairs with padded green cloth-covered seats. The back of the bar was a bit more modern looking. Five arched enclaves seperated by either cabinets for glasses or decorative paneling. The enclaves on each end and in the middle have large mirrors and the other two have nice flat-screen televisions. There are two recessed overhead lights above each arch. Above the bar are hanging lights with inverted glass shades. Similar lights, but with six smaller lights extending out from them hang about the rest of the place. There are several other televisions mounted around the place. Nice wood walls and floor. There is a decent sized dining area in the back and some tables along one wall in the bar area. A small nook, two steps up, with a couple of tables by the window are up front by the windows.
I had a Bass Ale
363) TGIF
Yes, another TGIF. It was between the two bars I had just gone to so I figured, what the hell, knock of another one. There was a large stained-glass peacock behind the bar and a bit more of an Irish pub look to the place than normal. I suspect to somewhat imitate their neighbors. No point writing a lot about this place, if you have seen one you have seen them all. Oh, they did have a nice antique telephone booth with stained glass windows, but they only had one uni-sex bathroom for the whole place. Wouldn't want to be there when it was busy, if it ever gets busy.
I paid $8.00 for a Dewars and soda (still better then what I paid in Brooklyn) that came, for some reason, with a lime-slice in it.
That was it, just hit the three on the way home for 363 for the year and 637 left to go.
361) Partrick Conway's
Convenient to Grand Central, as are all three of the bars today, on 40 East 43rd is this classic Irish pub, the kind that abound in New York. A long dark-wood bar with a brass rail. Matching wood bar-chairs with burgandy padded seats. An ornate wooden set of coolers, drawers, and shelves behind the bar. Behind the bar are mirrors built into three arches with back-lite stained-glass on the top part. There are two Irish whiskies on tap, kind of, Paddy and Jameson. The paneling above the bar also has back-lite stained glass.
In the bar area there are a couple of waist-high partitions with brass rails and ledges where you can set a drink. There is also a narrow ledge with chairs in front of the leaded-glass windows that look out onto the street. Sports pictures and pictures of what look like old Irish buildings hang on the wall. There is a decent sized dining area in the back and another one downstairs.
I had a Pickwick's Lager
362) Annie Moore's
Just two doors down from Patrick Conway's is another classic Irish pub with a similar, but still distinct, look about it. Kind of the same long wooden bar with a brass rail and bar-chairs with padded green cloth-covered seats. The back of the bar was a bit more modern looking. Five arched enclaves seperated by either cabinets for glasses or decorative paneling. The enclaves on each end and in the middle have large mirrors and the other two have nice flat-screen televisions. There are two recessed overhead lights above each arch. Above the bar are hanging lights with inverted glass shades. Similar lights, but with six smaller lights extending out from them hang about the rest of the place. There are several other televisions mounted around the place. Nice wood walls and floor. There is a decent sized dining area in the back and some tables along one wall in the bar area. A small nook, two steps up, with a couple of tables by the window are up front by the windows.
I had a Bass Ale
363) TGIF
Yes, another TGIF. It was between the two bars I had just gone to so I figured, what the hell, knock of another one. There was a large stained-glass peacock behind the bar and a bit more of an Irish pub look to the place than normal. I suspect to somewhat imitate their neighbors. No point writing a lot about this place, if you have seen one you have seen them all. Oh, they did have a nice antique telephone booth with stained glass windows, but they only had one uni-sex bathroom for the whole place. Wouldn't want to be there when it was busy, if it ever gets busy.
I paid $8.00 for a Dewars and soda (still better then what I paid in Brooklyn) that came, for some reason, with a lime-slice in it.
That was it, just hit the three on the way home for 363 for the year and 637 left to go.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Greenwich Village Stroll
Ah, a nice sunny day and daylight savings time. Perfect for a late afternoon, early evening stroll in Greenwich Village.
355) Fiddlesticks
An extremely nice English style pub on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Perry Street. There is a large, half-oval wooden bar that is very ornate and fairly massive. In the center of the bar area is a matching center shelf that rack for glasses that sits atop a more modern metal cooler for beer and wine. The bar stools are wooden with patterned fabric tops. The whole place is decorated with multi-colored Christmas lights and garlands of pine needles. This is a very large place with several rooms. The flooring is old wooden planking. All of the stuff in here looks authentically old. There are pew-like benches and round tables. Other benches with chairs and stools strewn about. Lot's of antique stuff, jugs, pictures, metal advertising signs, all of the furniture. The two back rooms have sofas and couches and look very cosy. Like someone's grandparent's parlor, back when grandparents had parlors. The walls are brick, dark wood, and yellowish plaster. The place looks very much like an authentic country English pub.
I had a Newcastle Brown Ale
356) Wogies
This is a smallish corner bar with wrap-around windows. It is on 39 Greenwich Avenue, not far from Fiddlesticks. Even with the windows it still manages to seem somewhat dark. It has a decent sized, seven bar-chairs, bar. The bar is dark wood with a silver colored rail. Some of the bar-chairs have dark-green vinyl cushions, but most do not. The back of the bar is wall-to-wall mirrors which makes the place look a bit larger. There are actually four large mirrors with narrow wood strips seperating them. Hanging over the mirrors are four lights with inverted, dull-grey cone-shaped shades. Plain dark-green shelves are behind the bar below the mirrors. These hold the liquor and glasses. Over the bar hang four bare old-fashioned lightbulbs.
Seperating the bar area from the seating by the windows is a waist-high wooden divider with a narrow ledge just big enough to set down a glass or a bottle. On top of the ledge is a glass or plexiglass extension. Booths line the by one set of windows and there is another booth against the back wall. There are a couple of interesting large black-and-white photos of cityscapes on the walls. It looks to be a nice comfortable neighborhood bar and was doing a fairly brisk business considering the early hour. The place is supposed to be known for their cheese-steaks
I had a Philly Ale.
357) Living Room Cafe @ Bar
Actually, only one nook of this place at 211 Waverly really looked like it could be someone's living room. There is a decent sized blond wood bar with a nice brass rail. There are five dark-wood bar-chairs. A nice semi-circle dark-red settee with a dark-wood coffee table sits in a nook behind the bar-chairs. There is just a no-frills setup behind the bar, metal coolers with bottles on top and a couple of mirrors. A stack of wooden shelves sits to one side of the cooler and wine racks with liquor and wine bottles occupy the corner at the other end of the bar.
The flooring is light-tan tile and the walls are kind of a dark-mustard color. The ceiling is rose-colored. Bright sunlight streamed in through the larg windows on this sunny, late-afternoon spring day.
I had a Corona ($5.40 - kind of a change from the $1.00 I was paying in Mexico).
358) Agave
This place, on 140 7th Avenue is also kind of at the intersection of Charles and West 10th street. The streets and avenues get kind of weird in this section of town and it is easy to get confused. There are large windows on two sides and a narrow, curved glass ceiling over the tables next to the windows on the 7th Avenue side. The bar has a metallic-silver gop with a white-plaster front. There is a nice, heavy bar-rail. Lamps with light-tan fabric shades sit on top of the bar. The bar-chairs are wood with brown padded vinyl seats and backs. Tall cacti sit on either end of the bar.
The bar, even though it is named Agave, has a real Southwestern decor with cattle skulls either painted or decorated with feather or both hang on the walls along with other Indian (the native American kind) style decorations such as shields, feathers, and such hang from the walls. The ceilings are timbered. The reason for the Southwestern decor is because the owner really likes Santa Fe, New Mexico and plans to retire there. Too bad they grow agave in Mexico, not New Mexico. They do have a large selection of tequilas though, the most expensive one going for over $50 a shot. Unfortunately, like so many bars in New York, they use a lime-juice mix instead of just frest lime-juice to make their margaritas. This, to me at least, is a real no-no and a sure way to spoil a margarita no matter what kind of tequila you use. If you name a place Agave, you should at least have fresh lime-juice available for those that request it.
I had a so-so margarita (but the chips and salsa with a few spiced olives were good).
359) i tre merli
When a place spells its name in all small letters you know it is just too cute for words. This place, at 183 West 10th Street, had a nice copper-topped semi-circular bar with a wooden edging. The front of the bar was copper as well. A large vase with thin tree-limbs covered with small yellow blossoms ast at one end. Mirror-backed glass shelving holding the liquor and wine supply was behind the bar. Lights with pale-green cone-shaped shades hung over the bar. They had great thin breadsticks in glasses on the bar.
Quite a small place for being on a corner. There were windows all around and mustard-yellow walls burgandy high-lites and a touch of brick. Mirrors with copper-colored frames hung on two walls. The chairs have wicker seats and the tables along two walls have maroon settees on one side of them.
I had a glass of pinot noir.
360) Riv
Take a few steps down to this place on the corner of West 10th Street and 7th Avenue and you enter a large, multi-leveled bar and restaurant. A long wood bar with a wood paneled front and the traditional brass rail. The bar-chairs have padded green-vinyl cushions. A window behind the bar provides you with a sidewalk level view of the passing scene. There are eight small-screen televisions above the window and a larger one on each end of the window. There are at least another 20 or 30 televisions around the rest of the place and they were all tuned to one or another sports channel. Brick, both natural color and painted white, and dark green walls and pillers give this a pubish look.
I had a Bass Ale and toddled off to catch a subway back home.
Not a bad day, 6 bars, 360 for the year, and 640 left to go.
355) Fiddlesticks
An extremely nice English style pub on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Perry Street. There is a large, half-oval wooden bar that is very ornate and fairly massive. In the center of the bar area is a matching center shelf that rack for glasses that sits atop a more modern metal cooler for beer and wine. The bar stools are wooden with patterned fabric tops. The whole place is decorated with multi-colored Christmas lights and garlands of pine needles. This is a very large place with several rooms. The flooring is old wooden planking. All of the stuff in here looks authentically old. There are pew-like benches and round tables. Other benches with chairs and stools strewn about. Lot's of antique stuff, jugs, pictures, metal advertising signs, all of the furniture. The two back rooms have sofas and couches and look very cosy. Like someone's grandparent's parlor, back when grandparents had parlors. The walls are brick, dark wood, and yellowish plaster. The place looks very much like an authentic country English pub.
I had a Newcastle Brown Ale
356) Wogies
This is a smallish corner bar with wrap-around windows. It is on 39 Greenwich Avenue, not far from Fiddlesticks. Even with the windows it still manages to seem somewhat dark. It has a decent sized, seven bar-chairs, bar. The bar is dark wood with a silver colored rail. Some of the bar-chairs have dark-green vinyl cushions, but most do not. The back of the bar is wall-to-wall mirrors which makes the place look a bit larger. There are actually four large mirrors with narrow wood strips seperating them. Hanging over the mirrors are four lights with inverted, dull-grey cone-shaped shades. Plain dark-green shelves are behind the bar below the mirrors. These hold the liquor and glasses. Over the bar hang four bare old-fashioned lightbulbs.
Seperating the bar area from the seating by the windows is a waist-high wooden divider with a narrow ledge just big enough to set down a glass or a bottle. On top of the ledge is a glass or plexiglass extension. Booths line the by one set of windows and there is another booth against the back wall. There are a couple of interesting large black-and-white photos of cityscapes on the walls. It looks to be a nice comfortable neighborhood bar and was doing a fairly brisk business considering the early hour. The place is supposed to be known for their cheese-steaks
I had a Philly Ale.
357) Living Room Cafe @ Bar
Actually, only one nook of this place at 211 Waverly really looked like it could be someone's living room. There is a decent sized blond wood bar with a nice brass rail. There are five dark-wood bar-chairs. A nice semi-circle dark-red settee with a dark-wood coffee table sits in a nook behind the bar-chairs. There is just a no-frills setup behind the bar, metal coolers with bottles on top and a couple of mirrors. A stack of wooden shelves sits to one side of the cooler and wine racks with liquor and wine bottles occupy the corner at the other end of the bar.
The flooring is light-tan tile and the walls are kind of a dark-mustard color. The ceiling is rose-colored. Bright sunlight streamed in through the larg windows on this sunny, late-afternoon spring day.
I had a Corona ($5.40 - kind of a change from the $1.00 I was paying in Mexico).
358) Agave
This place, on 140 7th Avenue is also kind of at the intersection of Charles and West 10th street. The streets and avenues get kind of weird in this section of town and it is easy to get confused. There are large windows on two sides and a narrow, curved glass ceiling over the tables next to the windows on the 7th Avenue side. The bar has a metallic-silver gop with a white-plaster front. There is a nice, heavy bar-rail. Lamps with light-tan fabric shades sit on top of the bar. The bar-chairs are wood with brown padded vinyl seats and backs. Tall cacti sit on either end of the bar.
The bar, even though it is named Agave, has a real Southwestern decor with cattle skulls either painted or decorated with feather or both hang on the walls along with other Indian (the native American kind) style decorations such as shields, feathers, and such hang from the walls. The ceilings are timbered. The reason for the Southwestern decor is because the owner really likes Santa Fe, New Mexico and plans to retire there. Too bad they grow agave in Mexico, not New Mexico. They do have a large selection of tequilas though, the most expensive one going for over $50 a shot. Unfortunately, like so many bars in New York, they use a lime-juice mix instead of just frest lime-juice to make their margaritas. This, to me at least, is a real no-no and a sure way to spoil a margarita no matter what kind of tequila you use. If you name a place Agave, you should at least have fresh lime-juice available for those that request it.
I had a so-so margarita (but the chips and salsa with a few spiced olives were good).
359) i tre merli
When a place spells its name in all small letters you know it is just too cute for words. This place, at 183 West 10th Street, had a nice copper-topped semi-circular bar with a wooden edging. The front of the bar was copper as well. A large vase with thin tree-limbs covered with small yellow blossoms ast at one end. Mirror-backed glass shelving holding the liquor and wine supply was behind the bar. Lights with pale-green cone-shaped shades hung over the bar. They had great thin breadsticks in glasses on the bar.
Quite a small place for being on a corner. There were windows all around and mustard-yellow walls burgandy high-lites and a touch of brick. Mirrors with copper-colored frames hung on two walls. The chairs have wicker seats and the tables along two walls have maroon settees on one side of them.
I had a glass of pinot noir.
360) Riv
Take a few steps down to this place on the corner of West 10th Street and 7th Avenue and you enter a large, multi-leveled bar and restaurant. A long wood bar with a wood paneled front and the traditional brass rail. The bar-chairs have padded green-vinyl cushions. A window behind the bar provides you with a sidewalk level view of the passing scene. There are eight small-screen televisions above the window and a larger one on each end of the window. There are at least another 20 or 30 televisions around the rest of the place and they were all tuned to one or another sports channel. Brick, both natural color and painted white, and dark green walls and pillers give this a pubish look.
I had a Bass Ale and toddled off to catch a subway back home.
Not a bad day, 6 bars, 360 for the year, and 640 left to go.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Home Again
Well, I made it back to New York safe and sound and took a few days off from my trek. I did pop in to one of my local favorites, Pete's Waterfront, and had a couple of beers, including one nice cask-conditioned ale. However, having already included Pete's in my trek it was just recreational drinking.
All four bars that I hit today were on a single block, 7th Avenue between Grove and Barrow.
351) Jekyll & Hyde
This is a bit of a touristy place, but having been away for so long I was begining to feel like a bit of a tourist myself. This place is kind of a cross between Disneyland and a chamber of horrors. It has a great, old, dark-wood bar with a brass rail. The bar-stools have padded vinyl seats and some of them are rigged up to move up and down very slowly. So slowly, in fact, that you don't really notice it until all of a sudden your eyes are at bar level. Quite weird. There are all kinds of things, including shrunken heads, behind the bar and above the bar is what looks like a large speciman cabinet with, well, specimans in it. Skeletons of who knows what, mounted spiders and insects, an alligator, various body parts in jars. Actually, the whole bar looks like it was built in a mad-scientist's laboratory Quite cheerful.
There is a mounted T-Rex head on the wall that periodically lets out a roar and three television that show black-and-white trailers for horror movies. The whole place is quite dark, even on a sunny mid-afternoon, and there are small candles on the bar to add to the eerie atmosphere. Even more weird goings on in the large eating area in the back.
I had a Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout.
352) Garage
A very nice, large, irregularly shaped six-sided polygon bar. Black and gray marble top with a light and dark wood patterned front and a ledge for your foot. There is a large, inverted partial copper pyramid affair hanging over the interior of the bar with racks for glasses, wine racks, and more shelves for wine. The center islands hold more liquor as well as oysters on ice. Large, orange globe lights hang from the ceiling and there is is also a rather large and quite ornate chandelier. A few large black and white pictures of musicians and singers hang from the wall as well as a couple of large sculptures made up primarily of automobile parts.
The walls are a combination of brick and mauve paint. There is an upstairs area with small green-glass shaded lights hanging overhead. Live music starts in the early evening.
I had a Guiness.
353) Penny Feathers
A smallish, half-rectangular bar with a light-wood, dark-grained, top. The front of the bar has decorative wooden panels. There is a dark linoleum ledge for your foot. About seven bar-chairs, wooden with padded maroonish seats. Little aluminum lamps with small tan shades sit on the bar. Behind the bar are shelves with a mirror back holding glasses, liquor, and wine. Below the shelf that holds the wine is a string of little multi-colored Japanese-style lanterns. Hanging immediately above the bar is a large set of shelves holding more bottles of liquor and wine and below that are racks from which glasses are hung. According to the mysterious Chinese woman who appears now and then, the place has a country French decor. She is eating French onion soup, so she should know.
Mostly brick walls with small tables with green and white checked table-cloths and lights with large, cylindrical shades hanging above them. A nice glassed in area on the sidewalk offers a great view of the passing scene while insulating you from the sounds and smells of the traffic.
I had a Maker's Mark Manhattan.
354) Sushi Samba
This is a large, ultra-modern place that is really nicely done, in my opinion at least. The top of the bar is fairly plain, about the only thing in the place that is. The front of the bar is a back-lite yellow lucite. The bar-chairs look like pale-green half-egg shells mounted on tubular aluminum. The back of the bar is molded orange and red plastic ahelving loaded with glasses and bottles and glowingly lite from behind. The overhead lights are round, luminous, yellowish disks. There is a very large polygon sushi-bar in a large area to the side and in front of the bar. There is a sunken area with sofas and small tables. Lime-green and lemon-yellow are the primary colors decorating the place.
This is an uber sake bar. The bartender, who was quite knowledgeable, said the had 165 different kinds. The mysterious Chinese woman declared herself to be sultry and ordered a Sultry Sake Cocktail and then proceeded to remove some of her outer garments. She then commented upon how her drink was served by a handsome, muscular bartender.
I broke my rule and had two sakes, a Kori and a Dewazakura Oka. They were both very good. We then headed back to the Garage for dinner.
Plodding onward, 354 for the year and 646 left to go. I plan on making more progress starting Monday when I get back to a more regular routine.
All four bars that I hit today were on a single block, 7th Avenue between Grove and Barrow.
351) Jekyll & Hyde
This is a bit of a touristy place, but having been away for so long I was begining to feel like a bit of a tourist myself. This place is kind of a cross between Disneyland and a chamber of horrors. It has a great, old, dark-wood bar with a brass rail. The bar-stools have padded vinyl seats and some of them are rigged up to move up and down very slowly. So slowly, in fact, that you don't really notice it until all of a sudden your eyes are at bar level. Quite weird. There are all kinds of things, including shrunken heads, behind the bar and above the bar is what looks like a large speciman cabinet with, well, specimans in it. Skeletons of who knows what, mounted spiders and insects, an alligator, various body parts in jars. Actually, the whole bar looks like it was built in a mad-scientist's laboratory Quite cheerful.
There is a mounted T-Rex head on the wall that periodically lets out a roar and three television that show black-and-white trailers for horror movies. The whole place is quite dark, even on a sunny mid-afternoon, and there are small candles on the bar to add to the eerie atmosphere. Even more weird goings on in the large eating area in the back.
I had a Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout.
352) Garage
A very nice, large, irregularly shaped six-sided polygon bar. Black and gray marble top with a light and dark wood patterned front and a ledge for your foot. There is a large, inverted partial copper pyramid affair hanging over the interior of the bar with racks for glasses, wine racks, and more shelves for wine. The center islands hold more liquor as well as oysters on ice. Large, orange globe lights hang from the ceiling and there is is also a rather large and quite ornate chandelier. A few large black and white pictures of musicians and singers hang from the wall as well as a couple of large sculptures made up primarily of automobile parts.
The walls are a combination of brick and mauve paint. There is an upstairs area with small green-glass shaded lights hanging overhead. Live music starts in the early evening.
I had a Guiness.
353) Penny Feathers
A smallish, half-rectangular bar with a light-wood, dark-grained, top. The front of the bar has decorative wooden panels. There is a dark linoleum ledge for your foot. About seven bar-chairs, wooden with padded maroonish seats. Little aluminum lamps with small tan shades sit on the bar. Behind the bar are shelves with a mirror back holding glasses, liquor, and wine. Below the shelf that holds the wine is a string of little multi-colored Japanese-style lanterns. Hanging immediately above the bar is a large set of shelves holding more bottles of liquor and wine and below that are racks from which glasses are hung. According to the mysterious Chinese woman who appears now and then, the place has a country French decor. She is eating French onion soup, so she should know.
Mostly brick walls with small tables with green and white checked table-cloths and lights with large, cylindrical shades hanging above them. A nice glassed in area on the sidewalk offers a great view of the passing scene while insulating you from the sounds and smells of the traffic.
I had a Maker's Mark Manhattan.
354) Sushi Samba
This is a large, ultra-modern place that is really nicely done, in my opinion at least. The top of the bar is fairly plain, about the only thing in the place that is. The front of the bar is a back-lite yellow lucite. The bar-chairs look like pale-green half-egg shells mounted on tubular aluminum. The back of the bar is molded orange and red plastic ahelving loaded with glasses and bottles and glowingly lite from behind. The overhead lights are round, luminous, yellowish disks. There is a very large polygon sushi-bar in a large area to the side and in front of the bar. There is a sunken area with sofas and small tables. Lime-green and lemon-yellow are the primary colors decorating the place.
This is an uber sake bar. The bartender, who was quite knowledgeable, said the had 165 different kinds. The mysterious Chinese woman declared herself to be sultry and ordered a Sultry Sake Cocktail and then proceeded to remove some of her outer garments. She then commented upon how her drink was served by a handsome, muscular bartender.
I broke my rule and had two sakes, a Kori and a Dewazakura Oka. They were both very good. We then headed back to the Garage for dinner.
Plodding onward, 354 for the year and 646 left to go. I plan on making more progress starting Monday when I get back to a more regular routine.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Star Coverage In Toronto - Kind Of
For any of you that may be interested, I had a brief mention in the Toronto Star as a resulut of this blog. You can access it by going to the address below. I am not sure how long they keep these articles online so if it is a bad link, let me know and I will revise this post.
www.laide.ca/review.asp?Type=Review&Id=19
I still haven't hit any bars since I got back from Mexico. Taking a bit of a breather but will be back at it no later than Monday. I might hit a few earlier, I am getting a bit antsy and the weather is nice. Perhaps a stroll in Greewich Village might be in order.
www.laide.ca/review.asp?Type=Review&Id=19
I still haven't hit any bars since I got back from Mexico. Taking a bit of a breather but will be back at it no later than Monday. I might hit a few earlier, I am getting a bit antsy and the weather is nice. Perhaps a stroll in Greewich Village might be in order.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Farewell Mexico
I hit 350 bars for the year today and tomorrow I am going to be spending most of the day and packing for a very early, 5:30 A.M., departure to the airport. Probably have one last meal at a nice restaurant here tomorrow night, but no chasing after bars. They are begining to get hard to find.
348) The Sandbar
At long last the bar inside The Sandbar, on Olas Altos, has opened. I have been watching them construct it one corner of this second-floor place for several weeks now. The Sandbar itself has been around for a number of years but has just been sold and the new owners decided to put in the bar. The bar is a quarter-oval and the top is a green and red mosaic made of broken tiles in kind of a wavey pattern with the green on top. Embedded here and there are square orangish ceramic tiles with green lizards on them. The front edging of the bar is made of the same green tiles as the top of the wave. The front of the bar is bamboo. There is a palapa-like awning over the bar, just below the ceiling and hanging from it are three lights, two with orange glass shades and one with a blue glass shade. There is a black-light behind the bar but it wasn´t turned on. Behind the bar is also a nice dark-wood cabinet holding a supply of liquor. Above it was light-wood shelving with a built in rack for hanging glasses, and glasses were hung. The other shelving held more liquor bottles. There is a nice television behind the bar and some kind of a poker tournament was showing.
They still have a few kinks to work out at this place. For starters, the short end of the bar is right up against the narrow balcony that runs around this corner estabishment. That wouldn´t be so bad except that instead of permitting access to the bar they have a small table sitting on the balcony with a couple of chairs. As a result the half-dozen bar-chairs that they have are jammed so close together in the remaining area that seating is uncomfortable. The bar-chairs them selves are also uncomfortable having just a small round seat and a back that is at an uncomfortable angle. I hear they are going to replace them with larger, more comfortable chairs but I don´t know how they will fit them in.
Secondly, the bartender is not actually allowed to present you with your bill. He has to take the information to someone else who then gives it to you. This would not be a problem except that it took a good ten-minutes for this to occur. Now that means, after I have finished my drink, I have to wait ten minutes to get the bill.
Also, during this time there is nobody behind the bar as the bartender is, apparently, chasing down the guy to give us our bill. I also then had to wait for about another five minutes to get my change. Hopefully they will get this resolved soon or, I suspect, the bartender, who wasn´t too happy about the situation, will leave.
I had a rum and coke and headed across the river to the north side of town.
349) Hilo
Hilo, across from the Malecon, is one large bar. It is over-sized in just about every way imaginable, starting with the two-story tall statues that loom over the entrance and large front window which overlooks the malecon and bay. One is of a Mexican revolutionary and the other is of an even more scary looking Mexican woman. Inside are three slightly smaller statues. On either end of the bar are mounted Mexican revolutionaries (one is probably Zapata) and on the side wall is some kind of winged female figure who probably represents liberty or freedom or something.
There is a long bar with fairly wide marble edging all around and a plexiglass top over a bed of polished stones about 2 inches below it. I assume it is lit from below at night. The bar also serves as a dance-floor and there is a small wooden staircase leading to the top for easy access. While I was there, and I was the only customer, a bunch of young women came in just for a quick dance and to take each others pictures. The front of the bar is made of translucent reddish-orange tiles.
Behind the bar is a bank of drab brown coolers with a wood and marble shelf above them holding the liquor supply. The bartender needs to climb a small ladder, that can be wheeled up and down the length of the bar, to reach the bottles.
The walls are greenish, yellowish, and pink tiles except for the back wall which is covered with small, purple tiles. There are pictures of actors, actresses, and musicians on the walls, many of which are tinted to have that somewhat hallucinatory look of the 60´s. Kind of like Andy Warhol might have had a hand.
I had a gin and tonic and learned, after all this time that the name of the brand of Mexical gin that I favor translates to Black Bear.
350) Chez Sabor
Heading a bit further north and back about a half a block on Ortiz de Dominguez is this second and third story soul-food restaurant and bar. It has only been open for a short time and I hope it does well. A little more diversity in food types is always a good thing.
You enter by ascending a narrow, red-tile stairway. There also appears to be an elevator but nobody seemed to be able to get it to work. I only walked up one level and this is the smallest of them, at least in terms of seating for the customers. However, it is the one with the bar. The bar is relatively small and fairly narrow. Just room for about four barstools. Pretty much a plain white decor with white shelving behind to hold the bottles and glasses. Just a place to hold people waiting for tables I would guess. I was told that the upstairs area offers a beautiful view of the bay and is especially pretty at sunset. From what I could see from the second level I would guess it is true. They are lucky that even though they are about half a block from the malecon and the bay nobody has built anything taller in front of them.
They didn´t have any tonic so somebody ran out to get a bottle. I must be one of the only people in town that drinks gin and tonics because the guy came back with but a single small bottle, just large enough for one drink. I suppose if I had ordered a second one he would have had to run out again.
I had a gin and tonic and headed back to the south side of town for dinner.
Hoo Rah!! I hit my goal of 350 before leaving Mexico and now have only 650 left to go. I think I am taking next week off from my quest to get caught up on 6 weeks worth of unattended business back home. I have been informed that my cable service has been cut-off because my bill is over-due. Guess I wasn´t able to record the begining of the new season of Deadwood.
A few final comments about my stay in Mexico. First, I have to go back and change the names of a couple of bars.
The 2 for 1, and the bartender there assured me that this was indeed the name, has now had its grand opening and now appears to be Carl´s Jr. I am going to double check on this today, but that is what the new sign on top of the place says.
Chivas Guadalajara is actually Tonto Sport´s Bar. The big Chivas Guadalajara sign hanging behind the bar was in support of a soccer team with that name.
Second, my comments about the so-so hamburgers at Sweeny´s were based upon second-hand information. I have since eaten there three times and found the food to be exceptionally good and reasonably priced. I haven´t tried the hamburgers there though. I will revise my entry accordingly.
Third, just because a place has a sign that says, ¨Restaurant and Bar¨ does NOT necessarily mean it has a bar. It may just mean it serves liquor. Much time was spent walking down roads and up steps when when I spotted this sign and found no real bar. Needless to say I could not have a drink at such an establishment and count it.
Adios until I post again.
348) The Sandbar
At long last the bar inside The Sandbar, on Olas Altos, has opened. I have been watching them construct it one corner of this second-floor place for several weeks now. The Sandbar itself has been around for a number of years but has just been sold and the new owners decided to put in the bar. The bar is a quarter-oval and the top is a green and red mosaic made of broken tiles in kind of a wavey pattern with the green on top. Embedded here and there are square orangish ceramic tiles with green lizards on them. The front edging of the bar is made of the same green tiles as the top of the wave. The front of the bar is bamboo. There is a palapa-like awning over the bar, just below the ceiling and hanging from it are three lights, two with orange glass shades and one with a blue glass shade. There is a black-light behind the bar but it wasn´t turned on. Behind the bar is also a nice dark-wood cabinet holding a supply of liquor. Above it was light-wood shelving with a built in rack for hanging glasses, and glasses were hung. The other shelving held more liquor bottles. There is a nice television behind the bar and some kind of a poker tournament was showing.
They still have a few kinks to work out at this place. For starters, the short end of the bar is right up against the narrow balcony that runs around this corner estabishment. That wouldn´t be so bad except that instead of permitting access to the bar they have a small table sitting on the balcony with a couple of chairs. As a result the half-dozen bar-chairs that they have are jammed so close together in the remaining area that seating is uncomfortable. The bar-chairs them selves are also uncomfortable having just a small round seat and a back that is at an uncomfortable angle. I hear they are going to replace them with larger, more comfortable chairs but I don´t know how they will fit them in.
Secondly, the bartender is not actually allowed to present you with your bill. He has to take the information to someone else who then gives it to you. This would not be a problem except that it took a good ten-minutes for this to occur. Now that means, after I have finished my drink, I have to wait ten minutes to get the bill.
Also, during this time there is nobody behind the bar as the bartender is, apparently, chasing down the guy to give us our bill. I also then had to wait for about another five minutes to get my change. Hopefully they will get this resolved soon or, I suspect, the bartender, who wasn´t too happy about the situation, will leave.
I had a rum and coke and headed across the river to the north side of town.
349) Hilo
Hilo, across from the Malecon, is one large bar. It is over-sized in just about every way imaginable, starting with the two-story tall statues that loom over the entrance and large front window which overlooks the malecon and bay. One is of a Mexican revolutionary and the other is of an even more scary looking Mexican woman. Inside are three slightly smaller statues. On either end of the bar are mounted Mexican revolutionaries (one is probably Zapata) and on the side wall is some kind of winged female figure who probably represents liberty or freedom or something.
There is a long bar with fairly wide marble edging all around and a plexiglass top over a bed of polished stones about 2 inches below it. I assume it is lit from below at night. The bar also serves as a dance-floor and there is a small wooden staircase leading to the top for easy access. While I was there, and I was the only customer, a bunch of young women came in just for a quick dance and to take each others pictures. The front of the bar is made of translucent reddish-orange tiles.
Behind the bar is a bank of drab brown coolers with a wood and marble shelf above them holding the liquor supply. The bartender needs to climb a small ladder, that can be wheeled up and down the length of the bar, to reach the bottles.
The walls are greenish, yellowish, and pink tiles except for the back wall which is covered with small, purple tiles. There are pictures of actors, actresses, and musicians on the walls, many of which are tinted to have that somewhat hallucinatory look of the 60´s. Kind of like Andy Warhol might have had a hand.
I had a gin and tonic and learned, after all this time that the name of the brand of Mexical gin that I favor translates to Black Bear.
350) Chez Sabor
Heading a bit further north and back about a half a block on Ortiz de Dominguez is this second and third story soul-food restaurant and bar. It has only been open for a short time and I hope it does well. A little more diversity in food types is always a good thing.
You enter by ascending a narrow, red-tile stairway. There also appears to be an elevator but nobody seemed to be able to get it to work. I only walked up one level and this is the smallest of them, at least in terms of seating for the customers. However, it is the one with the bar. The bar is relatively small and fairly narrow. Just room for about four barstools. Pretty much a plain white decor with white shelving behind to hold the bottles and glasses. Just a place to hold people waiting for tables I would guess. I was told that the upstairs area offers a beautiful view of the bay and is especially pretty at sunset. From what I could see from the second level I would guess it is true. They are lucky that even though they are about half a block from the malecon and the bay nobody has built anything taller in front of them.
They didn´t have any tonic so somebody ran out to get a bottle. I must be one of the only people in town that drinks gin and tonics because the guy came back with but a single small bottle, just large enough for one drink. I suppose if I had ordered a second one he would have had to run out again.
I had a gin and tonic and headed back to the south side of town for dinner.
Hoo Rah!! I hit my goal of 350 before leaving Mexico and now have only 650 left to go. I think I am taking next week off from my quest to get caught up on 6 weeks worth of unattended business back home. I have been informed that my cable service has been cut-off because my bill is over-due. Guess I wasn´t able to record the begining of the new season of Deadwood.
A few final comments about my stay in Mexico. First, I have to go back and change the names of a couple of bars.
The 2 for 1, and the bartender there assured me that this was indeed the name, has now had its grand opening and now appears to be Carl´s Jr. I am going to double check on this today, but that is what the new sign on top of the place says.
Chivas Guadalajara is actually Tonto Sport´s Bar. The big Chivas Guadalajara sign hanging behind the bar was in support of a soccer team with that name.
Second, my comments about the so-so hamburgers at Sweeny´s were based upon second-hand information. I have since eaten there three times and found the food to be exceptionally good and reasonably priced. I haven´t tried the hamburgers there though. I will revise my entry accordingly.
Third, just because a place has a sign that says, ¨Restaurant and Bar¨ does NOT necessarily mean it has a bar. It may just mean it serves liquor. Much time was spent walking down roads and up steps when when I spotted this sign and found no real bar. Needless to say I could not have a drink at such an establishment and count it.
Adios until I post again.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
A ¨Holy¨ Ghost Town
This is Holy Week in Mexico and Puerto Vallarta is packed with people on holiday. There are tents on the beach and a merry-go-round with live ponies. Quite a festival. I decided to get out of town, but that proved to be a mistake. Everyone in the town I went to, Cruz de Huancaxtle, or La Cruz for short, must have come to Puerto Vallarta. Only one restaurant was open and it didn´t have a bar. The only bar that I found that was open was in the lobby to a small hotel.
345) Philo´s
A semi open-air place with a large palapa covering it. White stucco walls and a small stage set off in one corner covered by a smaller palapa. There was a drum-kit, microphones, and wiring so it looked like it would be cranking up later. Philo, the owner of the place, is from Mendocino, California where he operated a music studio and used to play with various people in the ¨Shuffle Band.¨ The name of the band comes from the fact that the various people would shuffle in and shuffle out.
The bar itself is a large blue cement thing with a pale-pink tile top. Along the top edge of the bar is painted some weird designs including red-spotted mushrooms that seem to be glowing, beach scenes, birds, various designs. It was quite colorful. The bar chairs are the same style that they had in Roma´s and Las Palomas. A wide pinkish cement foot-rest keeps you from being able to pull them comfortably up to the bar though.
Not much decor behind the bar; a metal rack for glasses, a glass front refrigerator holding beer, soda, and wine, a large Corona beer cooler, a smaller Snapple cooler that held more soda and wine, but no snapple, and ice chest and a water bottle on a stand. On one wall was a Banderas Bay American Legion flag, Post 14. There was a pool-table in a back room.
I had a Corona and caught the bus back to town.
346) Casa Vallarta
Back in town on Avenue Mexico was this bar tucked in back of what looks like a breakfast place. It has a nice bar though, but with a bartender that had to be walked through the process of making a rum and tonic. After twice trying to use mineral water I had to try to describe what a tonic bottle looked like. Then he was out of Bacardi rum and couldn´t quite grasp the fact that Appleton was also a rum and not, in fact, apple juice. Finally, out of exasperation, someone else cut and squeezed a lime into the glass because he couldn´t seem to grasp the concept. I assume he is new.
The bar white-brick with a nice marble-finish top to it. The bar-chairs are metal rod with rattan seats and backs. There is a nice large-screen Sony television, but it wasn´t turned on. There are three white-brick arches behind the bar and they have mirrors behind them. They have a shelf on the bottom of each of them made of the same material as the bar-top and they hold the glasses. Their are two more glass shelves above that one that hold the liquor except for the top shelf of the middle shelf that holds a statue of a reclining, or dead, Mayan or Aztec. The spaces between the arches are occupied by wine-racks. The walls are bright yellow and pink.
I had the long-in-the-making rum and tonic.
347) El Party
Down the street a bit, where Avenue Mexico turns into Paseo Diaz Ordaz, is this hole-in-the-wall that is more of a place to pop in and get a drink in a go-cup and then head on out. They do have a narrow blue-wood bar though and even though my beer was served in a styrofoam cup with a cover and a straw sticking out of it, I stuck to my guns and drank it in place.
Although there is a rack with various sized glasses above the bar, this is strictly for show because they are never used, everything is served in some kind of a plastic or styrofoam container that you can take with you. Strings of Christmas lights hang from the rack, but they are used. Blue and pink florescent lights garishly illuminate the place. The front of the bar looks like an advertisement for Corona with a beach scene featuring Corana beach umbrellas, limes wearing sunglasses, and a curvey blond wearing a thong bikini. My wife tried to tell me her (the woman curvey blond, not my wife) buttocks were artificially enhanced. This was based upon my wife´s careful appraisal of the uplift and other structural characteristics.
There were also a couple of small blue-wood protrusions along one wall where you could, in theory, set your drink down. I seriously doubt if anyone, other than me, ever actually drinks in this prison-cell sized establishment, unless maybe it was raining really hard. This is a good place to pop in and get a Derrame Cerebral, Orgasmo, or Kamikaze Azul to go.
I settled for a Corona and headed home to just barely catch sunset at the pool.
Not a bad day, 347 down for the year and 653 left to go. I plan on hitting my 350 for the year tomorrow and then taking a bit of a breather.
345) Philo´s
A semi open-air place with a large palapa covering it. White stucco walls and a small stage set off in one corner covered by a smaller palapa. There was a drum-kit, microphones, and wiring so it looked like it would be cranking up later. Philo, the owner of the place, is from Mendocino, California where he operated a music studio and used to play with various people in the ¨Shuffle Band.¨ The name of the band comes from the fact that the various people would shuffle in and shuffle out.
The bar itself is a large blue cement thing with a pale-pink tile top. Along the top edge of the bar is painted some weird designs including red-spotted mushrooms that seem to be glowing, beach scenes, birds, various designs. It was quite colorful. The bar chairs are the same style that they had in Roma´s and Las Palomas. A wide pinkish cement foot-rest keeps you from being able to pull them comfortably up to the bar though.
Not much decor behind the bar; a metal rack for glasses, a glass front refrigerator holding beer, soda, and wine, a large Corona beer cooler, a smaller Snapple cooler that held more soda and wine, but no snapple, and ice chest and a water bottle on a stand. On one wall was a Banderas Bay American Legion flag, Post 14. There was a pool-table in a back room.
I had a Corona and caught the bus back to town.
346) Casa Vallarta
Back in town on Avenue Mexico was this bar tucked in back of what looks like a breakfast place. It has a nice bar though, but with a bartender that had to be walked through the process of making a rum and tonic. After twice trying to use mineral water I had to try to describe what a tonic bottle looked like. Then he was out of Bacardi rum and couldn´t quite grasp the fact that Appleton was also a rum and not, in fact, apple juice. Finally, out of exasperation, someone else cut and squeezed a lime into the glass because he couldn´t seem to grasp the concept. I assume he is new.
The bar white-brick with a nice marble-finish top to it. The bar-chairs are metal rod with rattan seats and backs. There is a nice large-screen Sony television, but it wasn´t turned on. There are three white-brick arches behind the bar and they have mirrors behind them. They have a shelf on the bottom of each of them made of the same material as the bar-top and they hold the glasses. Their are two more glass shelves above that one that hold the liquor except for the top shelf of the middle shelf that holds a statue of a reclining, or dead, Mayan or Aztec. The spaces between the arches are occupied by wine-racks. The walls are bright yellow and pink.
I had the long-in-the-making rum and tonic.
347) El Party
Down the street a bit, where Avenue Mexico turns into Paseo Diaz Ordaz, is this hole-in-the-wall that is more of a place to pop in and get a drink in a go-cup and then head on out. They do have a narrow blue-wood bar though and even though my beer was served in a styrofoam cup with a cover and a straw sticking out of it, I stuck to my guns and drank it in place.
Although there is a rack with various sized glasses above the bar, this is strictly for show because they are never used, everything is served in some kind of a plastic or styrofoam container that you can take with you. Strings of Christmas lights hang from the rack, but they are used. Blue and pink florescent lights garishly illuminate the place. The front of the bar looks like an advertisement for Corona with a beach scene featuring Corana beach umbrellas, limes wearing sunglasses, and a curvey blond wearing a thong bikini. My wife tried to tell me her (the woman curvey blond, not my wife) buttocks were artificially enhanced. This was based upon my wife´s careful appraisal of the uplift and other structural characteristics.
There were also a couple of small blue-wood protrusions along one wall where you could, in theory, set your drink down. I seriously doubt if anyone, other than me, ever actually drinks in this prison-cell sized establishment, unless maybe it was raining really hard. This is a good place to pop in and get a Derrame Cerebral, Orgasmo, or Kamikaze Azul to go.
I settled for a Corona and headed home to just barely catch sunset at the pool.
Not a bad day, 347 down for the year and 653 left to go. I plan on hitting my 350 for the year tomorrow and then taking a bit of a breather.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Daily Dozen
Well, not daily perhaps, but I did make a dozen bars today so my goal of 350 total before I leave Mexico looks like a no brainer (and no brains left). My wife stuck with me through the whole day, but did not drink with me throughout, so I give here credit for her support (literally, at the end).
333) Suzie Wong's
Shangri-la meets Mexico, that was a according to my wife. You enter by walking across a small cement and stone bridge with bamboo railings. The bridge crosses a small stream with a waterfall at one end. Large goldfish and small koi hang out in the stream and seem to enjoy themselves. If you stop on the bridge to look at them a couple of the koi come over and stick their heads out of the water looking for food. Upon crossing the bridge you are greeted by a smiling wooden Buddha.
The bar has a nice curved thick wooden top, nicely grained and with a glossy finish. The front is bamboo set in a grey concrete base that serves as your foot-rest. The bar-chairs are wood with plaited bamboo backs and round, pale-green cushions. Above the bar, and supported by two thick, black poles is an inverted dugout canoe that looks more like it came from Fiji than China. However, to compensate there is a large pink Chinese lantern with a dragon on it hanging from the middle of the boat. To the left of the bar hangs a framed picture poster for the movie "Suzie Wong."
Behind and to the right of the bar is a fairly large outdoor eating area topped by a bamboo roof that gave it an airy feeling. A number of white Chinese lanterns decorated with branches, blossoms, and birds hang from the ceiling. There are also overhead fans. The tables are round with glass tops There is a large indoor eating area as well but I didn't go in to explore it.
Surrounding the outer sides of the outdoor eating and bar area are numerous plants, palms, bamboo, and papyrus (identified by my wife who does volunteer work at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden). Also, against the far wall, is a large mask of what looks to be some kind of an islander with a shocked expression on his face. Maybe he came over in the boat above the bar and was surprised to find he was in Mexico and not a neigboring Fijian island.
I had a gin and tonic.
334) Laterraza Di Roma
The little bar area is across the sidewalk from their main restaurant and sticks out into the water on a deck-like structure made of pegged planks. The bar is quite small with a curved wooden top edged with ceramic tiles with an orange and green Aztec type of design. The front of the bar is wood-planking decorated with a small ship's-wheel and yellow-bulbed running lights. Above the bar is a green canvas awning supported by heavy wooden beams above a wooden rack for glasses which is, in turn, supported by two large green marble-like pillers. The back of the bar is wood planking with portholes and shelving for glasses and bottles of liquor.
The railing around the deck is wood with rope and a few orange life-preservers (not the edible kind; oh, wait, those are lifesavers) hanging from the sides. One area of the deck is set off from the other by what looks like ship's-railings. Numerous overhead fans with white globe lights hang from the ceiling which is wooden lattice and supporting a white awning with green fringes. An exceptionally nice view of the harbor and the boats.
I had a gin and tonic.
335) City Dump & Co.
Another place with a nautical feel to it, but this one more of a below deck feel. A lovely dark-wood semi-circular bar with brass rails running around it both top and bottom Above the bar and supported by thick wooden posts with brass fittings top and bottom are lattice work cabinets holding glasses. Hanging below them were metal racks holding more glasses. Lots of glasses.
In the center of the area behind the bar was a large, round fish tank nicely decked out with rocks, driftwood, seaweed, and the requisite sunken ship. The ship's name was the Taberna Marina and the was the name of this place before it was taken over by City Dump & Co. Kind of metaphoric. There were lots of colorful fish and one large turtle. The tank has an ornate wooden top and sits on a wooden base. A ledge runs around the base and the front half holds liquor bottles. There is also a nice wooden cupboard with a mirrored back and shelves lite by Christmas lights that held more liquor. There is track lighting above and a disco ball.
It is a multi-leveled place with a pool-table on the level that is about shoulder-high from the bar level. On one white-plaster wall hang all kinds of nautical pictures and knick-knacks. There is nice wooden planking throughout and my wife said it reminded her of a below-deck English pub.
I had a rum and coke.
336) Victor's Place - Cafe Tacuba
A small wooden bar on a good-sized tiled deck. Kind of a younger college-break crowd drinking beers and shots of tequila. Probably because the beers here are only 10 pesos (about ninety-cents) and that is cheap for anywhere in Puerto Vallarta and especially cheap out here at the Marina where things tend to be a bit pricier than in town.
The bar only has 5 wrought iron bar-chairs with blue cushions. One of these is only semi-useable though because it sits in front of several stacks of glasses. The bartender becomes visibly upset if you sit in it and then, reluctantly moves the glasses. As soon as you leave the glasses go back and his domain is once again secured.
There was a small boy sitting at one of the tables feeding and then chasing the pigeons. This seemed to be vaguely amusing to everyone except his parents.
I had a Corona.
337) Champions
We wandered a bit behind the marina into an area of hotels and found a Champions in the Marriott complex. It was kind of an uber-Champions with at least 30 television sets all tuned to one or another type of sports programming. I vegged out for a bit watching women's nine-ball, my new addiction.
The bar is an imense marble-topped thing that had only seven wooden bar-chairs and no bar-rail. It looked like it could handle at least 50 people though. Most customers must sit at the thirty or so tables of various sizes and heights. There is also a small stadium type seating area where you can sit to watch special games. Behind the bar was glass shelving backed by mirrors that held an impressive liquor supply. There is a raised area in the back that has three nice, blue-felt covered pool tables.
The walls, as you might imagine, were just covered with sports memorabilia. Good stuff too, most of it signed; jerseys, bats, pictures. A basketball signed by Larry Bird, a football signed by Dan Marino, that kind of stuff. I was looking for a baseball signed by Kent Hrbek but couldn't find one.
I had a gin and tonic.
338) Mikado
Quite frankly, the fanciest Japanese restaurant and bar I have ever been in. You enter by way of a large bridge over a large pond set in a Japanese garden. The pond has the requisite koi, of course. The bridge leads to what looks like a large waterfall rushing down a wall of rock but then splits off in two directions. One leads into the Marriott hotel and, to the left, Mikado.
The decor is equisite and so are the lovely waitresses in traditional Japanese attire. Of course most of the waitresses are Mexican, but what the heck. I could probably go on for pages describing the light-blonde shelving with intricate origami animals and birds, both real and imaginary, the Japenese rock garden and pond, the plant arrangements, the Japenese gowns displayed on the walls. It was all top-of-the-line.
The bar was a fair-sized curved L shape with a thick reddish and black marble top set on curved blonde-wood with a dark-wood window pane pattern. The bar-chairs were dark-wood with red-leather cushions. The cabinets behind the bar had the same thick marble top as the bar. There were a profusion of glasses stacked on top. Above were two mirror-backed glass shelves holding the liquor. When it comes to bars and restaurants, at least in Puerto Vallarta, Marriott pulls out all the stops.
I had a chilled saki.
339) El Faro Bar
Up a staircase and then into an elevator that holds just the operator and two passengers to the top of a structure designed to look like a lighthouse. There is an octogon shaped bar in the middle made of very nice wood with a light and dark grain to it. The front is made of slats of the same type of wood. A large brass rail encircles the bar. Above the bar, supported by wooden columns at each angle of the bar, is a combination wooden rack for glasses and wooden cabinets with glass backs and wood paneled glass doors in the front for the liquor supply.
From up here the view is great looking out over the marina to where the cruise ship was berthed, all light up like a holiday, and then behind to the surrounding mountains. Sweeping around you see a vista of the resorts of reasonable height and the foilage and mountains behind. Then, as you continue your sweep you encounter the newer, higher resorts that now completely block your view of the setting sun. Then, as you sweep a bit further you encounter two steel-beamed structures being erected that are, I hear, going to be 30 stories tall. The tallest ever in Puerto Vallarta. Progress never stops. Even the bus fares went up half a peso this week to 4.5 pesos.
I had a gin and tonic.
340) Zsubi
A two year old modernistic bar and lounge right on the water (well, across the sidewalk from the water). A bit out of time and place. Kind of like you are sitting in a Manhattan bar and a bunch of boats somehow washed up in front. The bar is a large L shaped affair with large tan tiles the width of the bar on top, kind of a light tan marble texture. The edging and front is light blond wood, kind of Swedish modern or Ikea. There is a light metal bar rail. The front is a nice, deep carmel-colored marble and it looks to be real marble. The bar chairs have kind of a 1950's interpretation of modern look to them, curved metal bases with a tannis-orange formed-plastic seat and back. Behind the bar are mirrored backed glass shelves holding the liquor supply. The longer I sit here the more I feel like I am in a Jetson's cartoon. Of course the fact that this is my eighth bar of the day may be contributing to that. Coincidently, the same bartender I had while at City Dump & Co. was behind the bar here. Maybe I overtipped.
I had a gin and tonic.
341) Las Palomas
I had intended to catch the bus back home but this one was on the way so I decided to stop in, knowing that I would not be making it back to the marina again this trip. Despite the similarity in names to another bar in the marina, Las Palomas Doradas, it is not the same one and is, in fact, almost at the opposite end.
This one looks kind of like you are sitting in a Mexican hacienda with a bunch of boats in your back yard. The bar has a worn wooden top with a rough wooden edging. The bar chairs are large, intricate wooden things similar to the ones in Roma but with brown vinyl instead of leather seats and trim. Above the bar is a wooden rack for glasses supported by three turned wooden posts, two of which were wrapped by Christmas lights, one set of which actually worked. A square yellow cement piller behind the bar had some decorative Mexican plates hanging on it and there was a large cooler with a block of ice in it for the beer, wine, and champagne. The rest of the stuff was kept out of sight. In the back were a few tables, a fooseball table, and a large-screen television. A pleasant enough place.
I had a gin and tonic.
342) Blue Note
Now, I really had intended to just take the bus home, in fact, having hit nine bars I already had my heading for the post "Be Nine Day At The Marina." However, fate intervened. This is Holy Week in Mexico and that means that most people have a one-week vacation. Puerto Vallarta is a favored vacation destination for people from all over Mexico and, especially, Guadalajara. The town is packed. The buses, with the newly raised fare, have decide to address this by not going all the way to the center of town, near where I live, but instead stop at the edge of town, well over a mile away. As they say, however, behind every cloud is a silver lining. My wife, however, does not say this.
Anyway, I passed by a place, on Morelos just off 31 de Octobre, that I often do during the day but it is closed then. This is a jazz club, upstairs, and a bar downstairs with a fooseball table up front and a pool table in the back. There were flashing disco lights and a bone jarringly load jukebox. A decent sized wooden bar with wooden bar-chairs and rattan seats. About half-a-dozen small tables with shorter versions of the bar-chairs. Kind of an Indian batik fabric covering the ceiling. A large statue of a frog holding up a sign saying "BIENVEIDOS" sat on one end of the bar. Pictures of Bob Marley and Che Guevara hung under a mountged deer-head. I hope I am not hallucinating.
I had a Pacifico
343) Sangria
As long as I was on a roll, somewhat literally by this time, I decided to try out another place that is usually closed when I stroll by. It is on Corona so I had to decide whether to have a Sangria or a Corona. A nice wooden bar at the back of a very narrow place. Eight wooden tables with wooden chairs and woven seats, same as the bar-stools, of which there were only three. Behind the bar is a wooden-framed mirror. The frame was wide and thick and there were liquor bottles on the top and bottom of the frame.
Kind of white stucco walls with a few interesting pictures and very nice lamps. The lamps were kind of wide curled wrought-iron pieces with a thin, almost a candle-holder projecting out which held not candles but an ice-cream cone shaped yellow and brown swirled shades. The bartender said she designed them and then had them made. She was very nice and I felt a bit badly because she thought there would be a bigger crowd because of Holy Week and we were the only people there until her sister came in with a few people and ordered beers. She also said they were trying to sell the restaurant because her husband had to go back to Italy on family business and they their lease would not allow them to sublet the place. She said if they couldn't sell it they would have to just close it and take the loss.
I decided on the Sangria.
344) Roxy
Almost home, across the river and the south side of town, at last. I couldn't pass this place up because it is one of my favorite rock clubs ever and I hadn't even been here this year. It has a kind of plain green linoleum topped bar that is rectangularly shaped except where it veers off at the end next to the stage. It is just a small stage but they always have decent groups that primarily do covers of late 60's, 70's, 80's, and early 90's rock. When the groups take a break the same type of music continues on the sound system. Posters and pictures of musicians from that era deck the walls, Eric Clapton (a favorite) Big Walter, Little Walter, Robert Johnson, an eclectic bunch. This is a dark place with a fairly busy dance floor, just the way a place like this should be. They had have two-for-one here so I got two beers in a bucket when I ordered. I just drank one and gave the other one away even though "The Village People" were singing "YMCA" on the sound system.
I had a Corona and called it a night.
Well kids, I wouldn't try this at home (for one thing they make the drinks stronger in New York) but I had a great day and now have hit 344 for the year and need only 656 more.
333) Suzie Wong's
Shangri-la meets Mexico, that was a according to my wife. You enter by walking across a small cement and stone bridge with bamboo railings. The bridge crosses a small stream with a waterfall at one end. Large goldfish and small koi hang out in the stream and seem to enjoy themselves. If you stop on the bridge to look at them a couple of the koi come over and stick their heads out of the water looking for food. Upon crossing the bridge you are greeted by a smiling wooden Buddha.
The bar has a nice curved thick wooden top, nicely grained and with a glossy finish. The front is bamboo set in a grey concrete base that serves as your foot-rest. The bar-chairs are wood with plaited bamboo backs and round, pale-green cushions. Above the bar, and supported by two thick, black poles is an inverted dugout canoe that looks more like it came from Fiji than China. However, to compensate there is a large pink Chinese lantern with a dragon on it hanging from the middle of the boat. To the left of the bar hangs a framed picture poster for the movie "Suzie Wong."
Behind and to the right of the bar is a fairly large outdoor eating area topped by a bamboo roof that gave it an airy feeling. A number of white Chinese lanterns decorated with branches, blossoms, and birds hang from the ceiling. There are also overhead fans. The tables are round with glass tops There is a large indoor eating area as well but I didn't go in to explore it.
Surrounding the outer sides of the outdoor eating and bar area are numerous plants, palms, bamboo, and papyrus (identified by my wife who does volunteer work at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden). Also, against the far wall, is a large mask of what looks to be some kind of an islander with a shocked expression on his face. Maybe he came over in the boat above the bar and was surprised to find he was in Mexico and not a neigboring Fijian island.
I had a gin and tonic.
334) Laterraza Di Roma
The little bar area is across the sidewalk from their main restaurant and sticks out into the water on a deck-like structure made of pegged planks. The bar is quite small with a curved wooden top edged with ceramic tiles with an orange and green Aztec type of design. The front of the bar is wood-planking decorated with a small ship's-wheel and yellow-bulbed running lights. Above the bar is a green canvas awning supported by heavy wooden beams above a wooden rack for glasses which is, in turn, supported by two large green marble-like pillers. The back of the bar is wood planking with portholes and shelving for glasses and bottles of liquor.
The railing around the deck is wood with rope and a few orange life-preservers (not the edible kind; oh, wait, those are lifesavers) hanging from the sides. One area of the deck is set off from the other by what looks like ship's-railings. Numerous overhead fans with white globe lights hang from the ceiling which is wooden lattice and supporting a white awning with green fringes. An exceptionally nice view of the harbor and the boats.
I had a gin and tonic.
335) City Dump & Co.
Another place with a nautical feel to it, but this one more of a below deck feel. A lovely dark-wood semi-circular bar with brass rails running around it both top and bottom Above the bar and supported by thick wooden posts with brass fittings top and bottom are lattice work cabinets holding glasses. Hanging below them were metal racks holding more glasses. Lots of glasses.
In the center of the area behind the bar was a large, round fish tank nicely decked out with rocks, driftwood, seaweed, and the requisite sunken ship. The ship's name was the Taberna Marina and the was the name of this place before it was taken over by City Dump & Co. Kind of metaphoric. There were lots of colorful fish and one large turtle. The tank has an ornate wooden top and sits on a wooden base. A ledge runs around the base and the front half holds liquor bottles. There is also a nice wooden cupboard with a mirrored back and shelves lite by Christmas lights that held more liquor. There is track lighting above and a disco ball.
It is a multi-leveled place with a pool-table on the level that is about shoulder-high from the bar level. On one white-plaster wall hang all kinds of nautical pictures and knick-knacks. There is nice wooden planking throughout and my wife said it reminded her of a below-deck English pub.
I had a rum and coke.
336) Victor's Place - Cafe Tacuba
A small wooden bar on a good-sized tiled deck. Kind of a younger college-break crowd drinking beers and shots of tequila. Probably because the beers here are only 10 pesos (about ninety-cents) and that is cheap for anywhere in Puerto Vallarta and especially cheap out here at the Marina where things tend to be a bit pricier than in town.
The bar only has 5 wrought iron bar-chairs with blue cushions. One of these is only semi-useable though because it sits in front of several stacks of glasses. The bartender becomes visibly upset if you sit in it and then, reluctantly moves the glasses. As soon as you leave the glasses go back and his domain is once again secured.
There was a small boy sitting at one of the tables feeding and then chasing the pigeons. This seemed to be vaguely amusing to everyone except his parents.
I had a Corona.
337) Champions
We wandered a bit behind the marina into an area of hotels and found a Champions in the Marriott complex. It was kind of an uber-Champions with at least 30 television sets all tuned to one or another type of sports programming. I vegged out for a bit watching women's nine-ball, my new addiction.
The bar is an imense marble-topped thing that had only seven wooden bar-chairs and no bar-rail. It looked like it could handle at least 50 people though. Most customers must sit at the thirty or so tables of various sizes and heights. There is also a small stadium type seating area where you can sit to watch special games. Behind the bar was glass shelving backed by mirrors that held an impressive liquor supply. There is a raised area in the back that has three nice, blue-felt covered pool tables.
The walls, as you might imagine, were just covered with sports memorabilia. Good stuff too, most of it signed; jerseys, bats, pictures. A basketball signed by Larry Bird, a football signed by Dan Marino, that kind of stuff. I was looking for a baseball signed by Kent Hrbek but couldn't find one.
I had a gin and tonic.
338) Mikado
Quite frankly, the fanciest Japanese restaurant and bar I have ever been in. You enter by way of a large bridge over a large pond set in a Japanese garden. The pond has the requisite koi, of course. The bridge leads to what looks like a large waterfall rushing down a wall of rock but then splits off in two directions. One leads into the Marriott hotel and, to the left, Mikado.
The decor is equisite and so are the lovely waitresses in traditional Japanese attire. Of course most of the waitresses are Mexican, but what the heck. I could probably go on for pages describing the light-blonde shelving with intricate origami animals and birds, both real and imaginary, the Japenese rock garden and pond, the plant arrangements, the Japenese gowns displayed on the walls. It was all top-of-the-line.
The bar was a fair-sized curved L shape with a thick reddish and black marble top set on curved blonde-wood with a dark-wood window pane pattern. The bar-chairs were dark-wood with red-leather cushions. The cabinets behind the bar had the same thick marble top as the bar. There were a profusion of glasses stacked on top. Above were two mirror-backed glass shelves holding the liquor. When it comes to bars and restaurants, at least in Puerto Vallarta, Marriott pulls out all the stops.
I had a chilled saki.
339) El Faro Bar
Up a staircase and then into an elevator that holds just the operator and two passengers to the top of a structure designed to look like a lighthouse. There is an octogon shaped bar in the middle made of very nice wood with a light and dark grain to it. The front is made of slats of the same type of wood. A large brass rail encircles the bar. Above the bar, supported by wooden columns at each angle of the bar, is a combination wooden rack for glasses and wooden cabinets with glass backs and wood paneled glass doors in the front for the liquor supply.
From up here the view is great looking out over the marina to where the cruise ship was berthed, all light up like a holiday, and then behind to the surrounding mountains. Sweeping around you see a vista of the resorts of reasonable height and the foilage and mountains behind. Then, as you continue your sweep you encounter the newer, higher resorts that now completely block your view of the setting sun. Then, as you sweep a bit further you encounter two steel-beamed structures being erected that are, I hear, going to be 30 stories tall. The tallest ever in Puerto Vallarta. Progress never stops. Even the bus fares went up half a peso this week to 4.5 pesos.
I had a gin and tonic.
340) Zsubi
A two year old modernistic bar and lounge right on the water (well, across the sidewalk from the water). A bit out of time and place. Kind of like you are sitting in a Manhattan bar and a bunch of boats somehow washed up in front. The bar is a large L shaped affair with large tan tiles the width of the bar on top, kind of a light tan marble texture. The edging and front is light blond wood, kind of Swedish modern or Ikea. There is a light metal bar rail. The front is a nice, deep carmel-colored marble and it looks to be real marble. The bar chairs have kind of a 1950's interpretation of modern look to them, curved metal bases with a tannis-orange formed-plastic seat and back. Behind the bar are mirrored backed glass shelves holding the liquor supply. The longer I sit here the more I feel like I am in a Jetson's cartoon. Of course the fact that this is my eighth bar of the day may be contributing to that. Coincidently, the same bartender I had while at City Dump & Co. was behind the bar here. Maybe I overtipped.
I had a gin and tonic.
341) Las Palomas
I had intended to catch the bus back home but this one was on the way so I decided to stop in, knowing that I would not be making it back to the marina again this trip. Despite the similarity in names to another bar in the marina, Las Palomas Doradas, it is not the same one and is, in fact, almost at the opposite end.
This one looks kind of like you are sitting in a Mexican hacienda with a bunch of boats in your back yard. The bar has a worn wooden top with a rough wooden edging. The bar chairs are large, intricate wooden things similar to the ones in Roma but with brown vinyl instead of leather seats and trim. Above the bar is a wooden rack for glasses supported by three turned wooden posts, two of which were wrapped by Christmas lights, one set of which actually worked. A square yellow cement piller behind the bar had some decorative Mexican plates hanging on it and there was a large cooler with a block of ice in it for the beer, wine, and champagne. The rest of the stuff was kept out of sight. In the back were a few tables, a fooseball table, and a large-screen television. A pleasant enough place.
I had a gin and tonic.
342) Blue Note
Now, I really had intended to just take the bus home, in fact, having hit nine bars I already had my heading for the post "Be Nine Day At The Marina." However, fate intervened. This is Holy Week in Mexico and that means that most people have a one-week vacation. Puerto Vallarta is a favored vacation destination for people from all over Mexico and, especially, Guadalajara. The town is packed. The buses, with the newly raised fare, have decide to address this by not going all the way to the center of town, near where I live, but instead stop at the edge of town, well over a mile away. As they say, however, behind every cloud is a silver lining. My wife, however, does not say this.
Anyway, I passed by a place, on Morelos just off 31 de Octobre, that I often do during the day but it is closed then. This is a jazz club, upstairs, and a bar downstairs with a fooseball table up front and a pool table in the back. There were flashing disco lights and a bone jarringly load jukebox. A decent sized wooden bar with wooden bar-chairs and rattan seats. About half-a-dozen small tables with shorter versions of the bar-chairs. Kind of an Indian batik fabric covering the ceiling. A large statue of a frog holding up a sign saying "BIENVEIDOS" sat on one end of the bar. Pictures of Bob Marley and Che Guevara hung under a mountged deer-head. I hope I am not hallucinating.
I had a Pacifico
343) Sangria
As long as I was on a roll, somewhat literally by this time, I decided to try out another place that is usually closed when I stroll by. It is on Corona so I had to decide whether to have a Sangria or a Corona. A nice wooden bar at the back of a very narrow place. Eight wooden tables with wooden chairs and woven seats, same as the bar-stools, of which there were only three. Behind the bar is a wooden-framed mirror. The frame was wide and thick and there were liquor bottles on the top and bottom of the frame.
Kind of white stucco walls with a few interesting pictures and very nice lamps. The lamps were kind of wide curled wrought-iron pieces with a thin, almost a candle-holder projecting out which held not candles but an ice-cream cone shaped yellow and brown swirled shades. The bartender said she designed them and then had them made. She was very nice and I felt a bit badly because she thought there would be a bigger crowd because of Holy Week and we were the only people there until her sister came in with a few people and ordered beers. She also said they were trying to sell the restaurant because her husband had to go back to Italy on family business and they their lease would not allow them to sublet the place. She said if they couldn't sell it they would have to just close it and take the loss.
I decided on the Sangria.
344) Roxy
Almost home, across the river and the south side of town, at last. I couldn't pass this place up because it is one of my favorite rock clubs ever and I hadn't even been here this year. It has a kind of plain green linoleum topped bar that is rectangularly shaped except where it veers off at the end next to the stage. It is just a small stage but they always have decent groups that primarily do covers of late 60's, 70's, 80's, and early 90's rock. When the groups take a break the same type of music continues on the sound system. Posters and pictures of musicians from that era deck the walls, Eric Clapton (a favorite) Big Walter, Little Walter, Robert Johnson, an eclectic bunch. This is a dark place with a fairly busy dance floor, just the way a place like this should be. They had have two-for-one here so I got two beers in a bucket when I ordered. I just drank one and gave the other one away even though "The Village People" were singing "YMCA" on the sound system.
I had a Corona and called it a night.
Well kids, I wouldn't try this at home (for one thing they make the drinks stronger in New York) but I had a great day and now have hit 344 for the year and need only 656 more.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Cleaning Out The Southside
Well, not really cleaning out the southside, but pretty much every bar that is open during the day. Even the ones I went to today pretty much didn´t open until at least 4:00 P.M. or so. Tomorrow I am hitting the Marina again and then a few late nights in town. Still shooting for 350 before I leave here (having already passed 325, my previous goal) but we shall see.
329) Cuate´s Sports Bar
It looks like a bit of a hole-in-the-wall from outside but is is kind of a deep, narrow place that is bigger than it looks. It is on a busy street, Insurgentes, and I have walked by it about a dozen times and never seen it open before. A single balloon with ¨Good Luck¨ written on it floated forlornly behind the bar. Maybe this bar is just re-opening under new management. The very attractive young lady attired in a brown fringe mini-skirt, abbreviated and tight black top, and black spike-heeled boots (I barely gave her a second glance) sitting at the bar eating cucumber slices seemed to be the manager. She was the one who took my order for a beer and then passed it on to the woman standing behind the bar (and about a foot away from me). She also seemed to be in charge of the jukebox, which looked new. The pool-table looked new as well and there were three young guys playing. There wasn´t any light above the pool table and only a few white globe-lights mounted high on the walls around the place. Looked like it would be too dark to shoot pool at night.
The bar itself was a massive cement affair painted one of the uglier shades of brown that I have ever seen. The bar stools were plain wood and were most definitely not new. But then neither was the brown bar. Their was a fairly nice brown shelf with a mirror back behind the bar that held a rather limited selection of liquors and a few glasses.
The area with the jukebox and pool-table was set off by a yellow brick archway. The floor was nicely tiled with a light-brown marble pattern. The walls were a light-yellow wash with some pink designs; flowers, swirls, dots. There was one white wall with a bunch of names painted in yellow that were either meant to be decorative or just the undercoating for the yellow wash to come.
I had a Corona
330) Tono´s Taco Bar
This is an upstairs place on the same street, Serdan, and one block from Rizzo´s, the large supermarket-department store. It has two ancient pool-tables and an equally ancient fooseball table. With fooseball tables, kind of like pinball machines, ancient means classic. The pool-tables, on the other hand, were not classics. The bar was laminated formica with a wood-grain pattern. The front of the bar was painted a slightly less ugly shade of brown than the last place but pretty much hidden from view by the overhang. The foot rest was wood-topped cement. The metal bar-chairs had either a metal or a wood back to them and were topped by tan vinyl cushions. I got the one bar-stool that had a thicker cushion.
Somewhere in the back there was a parrot, or someone doing a very good imitation. I couldn´t find the parrot. There were a few guys at a back table playing dominoes.
The walls and ceiling were all a light-pink painted plaster with the paint peeling off the ceiling in the front. There were small, hollowed-out logs holding a variety of plants hanging from the line of cement pillers that ran the length of the room and from the side wall as well. There were plenty of overhead fans and plain industrial fluorescent-tube lighting.
I had a Pacifico
331) Roma
I headed across the bridge to the north side of town, but just barely. Right along the river on Encino is this interesting establishment. It has a lovely view of the river and from the balcony, and end chair at the bar, where I sat, you can also see one of the older automobile bridges across the river as well as the higher, new pedestrian bridge. I can´t remember what the name of this place used to be, but it is newly re-opened and the decor has changed a bit. It is so new in fact that my beer was only cool, not cold. I got it for free though because I was the first customer they had after just getting their liquor license. Timing is everything.
The bar has a nice yellowish-ivory marble-like tile top and facing on the overhang. The front is brick and the bar-rail is a narrow metal pipe. The bar-chairs are elaborate wooden constructed affairs with leather trim and cushioned seats. Behind the bar are glass shelves. The bottom one is supported by wooden supports and the top two are supported by glass bricks. They are surrounded by Christmas lights. Only two bottles were on the shelves and they were decorative Italian liquor bottles, the kind that look like military figures in fancy dress uniforms. Also behind the bar are clocks set to Cannes, Habanna, Venecia, Hollywood, and local times.
They show movies here, mostly art films, Fellini and the ilk. I did see a Felliniesque movie here last year that had Mel Gibson playing an FBI agent who had a third arm surgically removed from his back. He says in the movie that when he was a kid he could play the accordian and wipe his ass at the same time. Name of the movie was ¨Million Dollar Hotel.¨ For another film about someone who gets, and then loses a third arm see ¨The Dark Backward¨ with Judd Nelson, Bill Paxton, and Wayne Newton.
The walls of Roma are painted with lovely murals of, surprise, Rome. The back rooms contain a most electic art collection. This place is most certainly worth a visit if you are ever in town.
I had a slightly warm, but free, Corona.
332) Los Amigos
A second story bar that announces via a sign on the stairwell that it is a ¨Friendly Gay Bar.¨ It seemed to be as I chatted pleasantly with the bartender, Charlie, and the owner, Arturio (Charlie has been Arturio´s boyfriend for three years now). The bar is a huge thing that has seating for at least 50. It is shapped like two rectangles, a large one with a smaller one abutting it to the rear. Just plain wooden stools covered with patterned cloth, but lots of them. A large glass/plexiglass shelf hangs above the long rectangular section of the bar with an impressive collection of liquors. The bar top is chocolate-brown tile and the edging is wood. The facing is a dark-brown paneling.
There is a very nice, two-level outside deck with a nice view of the surrounding buildings and trees and a not so nice view of the construction site immediately adjacent. White Mexican-style cowboy hats hang from the ceiling as do numerous rainbow buntings and red, white, and green plastic pennents. Stuck in the iron grill seperating the deck from the main area were several rainbow-colored umbrellas. There were a bunch of Mexican pictures on the wall behind me, chickens, sombrerros, and pottery. Across from me were a few pictures of Zapata and his band of followers. A gladiator movie was playing on the television.
I had a Corona, served with Cheese Doodles and called it a day.
Only four today. I had planned on going out again later in the evening but didn´t get around to it so now I have some catching up to do. Still, 332 down and only 668 left.
329) Cuate´s Sports Bar
It looks like a bit of a hole-in-the-wall from outside but is is kind of a deep, narrow place that is bigger than it looks. It is on a busy street, Insurgentes, and I have walked by it about a dozen times and never seen it open before. A single balloon with ¨Good Luck¨ written on it floated forlornly behind the bar. Maybe this bar is just re-opening under new management. The very attractive young lady attired in a brown fringe mini-skirt, abbreviated and tight black top, and black spike-heeled boots (I barely gave her a second glance) sitting at the bar eating cucumber slices seemed to be the manager. She was the one who took my order for a beer and then passed it on to the woman standing behind the bar (and about a foot away from me). She also seemed to be in charge of the jukebox, which looked new. The pool-table looked new as well and there were three young guys playing. There wasn´t any light above the pool table and only a few white globe-lights mounted high on the walls around the place. Looked like it would be too dark to shoot pool at night.
The bar itself was a massive cement affair painted one of the uglier shades of brown that I have ever seen. The bar stools were plain wood and were most definitely not new. But then neither was the brown bar. Their was a fairly nice brown shelf with a mirror back behind the bar that held a rather limited selection of liquors and a few glasses.
The area with the jukebox and pool-table was set off by a yellow brick archway. The floor was nicely tiled with a light-brown marble pattern. The walls were a light-yellow wash with some pink designs; flowers, swirls, dots. There was one white wall with a bunch of names painted in yellow that were either meant to be decorative or just the undercoating for the yellow wash to come.
I had a Corona
330) Tono´s Taco Bar
This is an upstairs place on the same street, Serdan, and one block from Rizzo´s, the large supermarket-department store. It has two ancient pool-tables and an equally ancient fooseball table. With fooseball tables, kind of like pinball machines, ancient means classic. The pool-tables, on the other hand, were not classics. The bar was laminated formica with a wood-grain pattern. The front of the bar was painted a slightly less ugly shade of brown than the last place but pretty much hidden from view by the overhang. The foot rest was wood-topped cement. The metal bar-chairs had either a metal or a wood back to them and were topped by tan vinyl cushions. I got the one bar-stool that had a thicker cushion.
Somewhere in the back there was a parrot, or someone doing a very good imitation. I couldn´t find the parrot. There were a few guys at a back table playing dominoes.
The walls and ceiling were all a light-pink painted plaster with the paint peeling off the ceiling in the front. There were small, hollowed-out logs holding a variety of plants hanging from the line of cement pillers that ran the length of the room and from the side wall as well. There were plenty of overhead fans and plain industrial fluorescent-tube lighting.
I had a Pacifico
331) Roma
I headed across the bridge to the north side of town, but just barely. Right along the river on Encino is this interesting establishment. It has a lovely view of the river and from the balcony, and end chair at the bar, where I sat, you can also see one of the older automobile bridges across the river as well as the higher, new pedestrian bridge. I can´t remember what the name of this place used to be, but it is newly re-opened and the decor has changed a bit. It is so new in fact that my beer was only cool, not cold. I got it for free though because I was the first customer they had after just getting their liquor license. Timing is everything.
The bar has a nice yellowish-ivory marble-like tile top and facing on the overhang. The front is brick and the bar-rail is a narrow metal pipe. The bar-chairs are elaborate wooden constructed affairs with leather trim and cushioned seats. Behind the bar are glass shelves. The bottom one is supported by wooden supports and the top two are supported by glass bricks. They are surrounded by Christmas lights. Only two bottles were on the shelves and they were decorative Italian liquor bottles, the kind that look like military figures in fancy dress uniforms. Also behind the bar are clocks set to Cannes, Habanna, Venecia, Hollywood, and local times.
They show movies here, mostly art films, Fellini and the ilk. I did see a Felliniesque movie here last year that had Mel Gibson playing an FBI agent who had a third arm surgically removed from his back. He says in the movie that when he was a kid he could play the accordian and wipe his ass at the same time. Name of the movie was ¨Million Dollar Hotel.¨ For another film about someone who gets, and then loses a third arm see ¨The Dark Backward¨ with Judd Nelson, Bill Paxton, and Wayne Newton.
The walls of Roma are painted with lovely murals of, surprise, Rome. The back rooms contain a most electic art collection. This place is most certainly worth a visit if you are ever in town.
I had a slightly warm, but free, Corona.
332) Los Amigos
A second story bar that announces via a sign on the stairwell that it is a ¨Friendly Gay Bar.¨ It seemed to be as I chatted pleasantly with the bartender, Charlie, and the owner, Arturio (Charlie has been Arturio´s boyfriend for three years now). The bar is a huge thing that has seating for at least 50. It is shapped like two rectangles, a large one with a smaller one abutting it to the rear. Just plain wooden stools covered with patterned cloth, but lots of them. A large glass/plexiglass shelf hangs above the long rectangular section of the bar with an impressive collection of liquors. The bar top is chocolate-brown tile and the edging is wood. The facing is a dark-brown paneling.
There is a very nice, two-level outside deck with a nice view of the surrounding buildings and trees and a not so nice view of the construction site immediately adjacent. White Mexican-style cowboy hats hang from the ceiling as do numerous rainbow buntings and red, white, and green plastic pennents. Stuck in the iron grill seperating the deck from the main area were several rainbow-colored umbrellas. There were a bunch of Mexican pictures on the wall behind me, chickens, sombrerros, and pottery. Across from me were a few pictures of Zapata and his band of followers. A gladiator movie was playing on the television.
I had a Corona, served with Cheese Doodles and called it a day.
Only four today. I had planned on going out again later in the evening but didn´t get around to it so now I have some catching up to do. Still, 332 down and only 668 left.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Mundane Monday
A lot of places were closed today for some reason. I am begining to run out of bars on the south side of town, at least ones that are open in the afternoon. Tomorrow I will be making a night-time sweep to see what I can pick up.
327) Dragon Rojo
This place, on Insurgentes, has a somewhat Asian ambience, as you might gather from its name. A fairly good-sized bar with a dark-wood top resting on what looks to be cement covered with some kind of varnished cloth. Kind of like burlap but lighter and finer. The bar rail was bamboo as were the bar-chairs which had woven backs and light-tan cushions. There were two large light-pink Chinese lanterns hanging above the bar from decorative wooden cabinets with glass holders on the bottom. A couple more of the same lanterns hung from a large cement beam over the fairly spacious dining area. Behind the bar was a dark-brown cement credenza with louvered dark-wood doors. Above that was a dark-wood, mirror-backed shelf that held the liquor supply.
Several Asian-style prints, mostly of tree branches, blossoms, and birds (all on the same print) decorated the pale yellow walls. There was a small outside eating area extended in front of the place. Wind chimes hung in the three large arched doorways.
Directly behind the bar and facing the customer was a large bar-sink rimmed in bright-red ceramic tile. I got to enjoy my beer listening to the Mexican woman washing the dishes singing softly to herself.
I had a Pacifico.
328) La Fonda
Up Badillo, past Steve's (a key reference point for me) is La Fonda. It has an L shaped bar with a nice wood top that had a light and dark grain to it and was nicely finished. The front of the bar is white plaster, kind of an extension of the wall itself. Above the bar is a curved wooden rack for the glasses. The kitchen is also behind the bar. The bar stools were light wood, kind of minimal, with a small seat. Not the most comfortable.
The inside eating area had a battleship-gray floor. The ceiling was painted to look like a cloudy sky with sillouettes of birds, the kind that look like pterodactyls and ply the skys above the bay here. There were a few paintings by a local artist on the walls that were for sale (the paintings, not the walls). There was also a nice little outdoor eating area in the back that was accessible through a sliding glass door.
I had a gin and tonic and called it a day.
Two today to bring me up to 328 for the year and 672 left to go.
327) Dragon Rojo
This place, on Insurgentes, has a somewhat Asian ambience, as you might gather from its name. A fairly good-sized bar with a dark-wood top resting on what looks to be cement covered with some kind of varnished cloth. Kind of like burlap but lighter and finer. The bar rail was bamboo as were the bar-chairs which had woven backs and light-tan cushions. There were two large light-pink Chinese lanterns hanging above the bar from decorative wooden cabinets with glass holders on the bottom. A couple more of the same lanterns hung from a large cement beam over the fairly spacious dining area. Behind the bar was a dark-brown cement credenza with louvered dark-wood doors. Above that was a dark-wood, mirror-backed shelf that held the liquor supply.
Several Asian-style prints, mostly of tree branches, blossoms, and birds (all on the same print) decorated the pale yellow walls. There was a small outside eating area extended in front of the place. Wind chimes hung in the three large arched doorways.
Directly behind the bar and facing the customer was a large bar-sink rimmed in bright-red ceramic tile. I got to enjoy my beer listening to the Mexican woman washing the dishes singing softly to herself.
I had a Pacifico.
328) La Fonda
Up Badillo, past Steve's (a key reference point for me) is La Fonda. It has an L shaped bar with a nice wood top that had a light and dark grain to it and was nicely finished. The front of the bar is white plaster, kind of an extension of the wall itself. Above the bar is a curved wooden rack for the glasses. The kitchen is also behind the bar. The bar stools were light wood, kind of minimal, with a small seat. Not the most comfortable.
The inside eating area had a battleship-gray floor. The ceiling was painted to look like a cloudy sky with sillouettes of birds, the kind that look like pterodactyls and ply the skys above the bay here. There were a few paintings by a local artist on the walls that were for sale (the paintings, not the walls). There was also a nice little outdoor eating area in the back that was accessible through a sliding glass door.
I had a gin and tonic and called it a day.
Two today to bring me up to 328 for the year and 672 left to go.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Balmy Palmy Sunday
A very nice day but I wasn´t sure what I would find open because it is Palm Sunday. There were a few places closed, but not too many. I think Monday might be some kind of a holiday as well, but I am not too sure.
322) Las Brazzas Grill
From the south-side of town you take the little swinging bridge to the far end of the Isle Cuale and you end up at this small, very unpretentious place. It is the only place on the island that isn´t super fancy and very expensive. Just a small cement building. The bar is a small L shaped affair with a rough brown and gravel top and a narrow dark blue overhang. There are 3 glass blocks with a kind of swirling and bubble design embedded in the top of the bar. The wall behind the bar is made of large bricks. The side walls are kind of a mustard yellow and deep orange. Just room for 3 wooden chairs with a curved sun design on the backs and woven seats. The floor is white ceramic tile. A huge black iron bouy or something with a small Christmas tree on top dominates one side of the room. There are just two blue wooden tables, each with three painted wooden chairs in the inside area. The roof is orange tile and a single overhead fan and three beehive lights hang from the ceiling.
Outside along one wall is a narrow area that is covered by a blue vinyl canopy. There are about four wooden tables out there with four chairs each. Kind of a nice spot to stop on the way home from shopping or whatever on the north-side of town.
I had a Pacifico.
323) La Tia
A fairly large curved bar at the back of a decent sized restaurant located on Cardenza across from the small park that appears to be headed for destruction to make more room for parking. The bar has a thick cement top covered with large yellow ceramic tiles except for the front edge which has a single row of dark-green tiles. The front of the bar as well as the fairly massive structure behind it is somewhat difficult to describe. Rough dark concrete embedded with orange bricks, stones, edges of bricks, and narrow straight and curved ceramic pieces the same orange color as the bricks. These were arranged to give it the flavor of some kind of Aztec design. The ledge at the bottom of the bar was dark concrete embedded with dark stones and small pieces of brick. The big bad wolf is certainly not going to be able to blow this bar down.
The structure behind the bar had three tiers of shelves holding a decent selection liquor. Above the bar was a large copper pipe affair that held a large number of margarita and wine glasses. It had decorative copper agave plants at each end and in the middle the copper was formed to say ´Azul Tequila.´ ´Azul´is spanish for blue and all of the best tequila is made from 100% blue agave.
The area behind the bar had a three-story high atrium topped by a skylight. Hanging from lower beams were an elaborate model of a multi-masted sailing vessel and a large mobile made out of driftwood and seashells.
I had a Pacifico and headed back home to pick up my wife and head out to the north-side of town.
324) de Santos
On Moreles street, one block behind the malecon after the malecon kind of angles off a block is this fairly modernistic looking place. It has a long white marble topped bar with a smooth plaster front and a heavy pipe bar rail. The barstools were of a modern design and made out chromed tubing with brushed aluminum seats. There were a lot of lights hanging over the bar with cylinderic parchment shades. The overhead lights in the rest of the place had large cone-shaped shades made of the same material. The floor is tan marble-like tile. Behind the bar are rather plain looking wooden shelves holding the liquor supply and a large espresso machine.
To the right of the bar and separated by large sliding glass doors is an outside eating area with four white linen tableclothed tables and bright metal chairs similar in syle to the barstools. Behind the eating area was the kitchen that had a large open window so you could watch your food being prepared.
The inside area had about sixteen wooden tables with white linen tablecloths and wooden chairs. The eight tables against the back wall sat up against a long white settee above which hung a large mirror. Two stone and brick arches divided the interior into three sections. They are obviously trying to be a fancy, upscale place but not succeeding very well. Only one other couple in the place when we got there. There prices a quite high too, some of their specialty martinis going for $14.00 (that is U.S. dollars, not pesos).
My wife ordered a chocolate martini and it was $9.00 and one of the worst I have ever seen. Gin in a glass with Hershey´s chocolate syrup squirted into it that just kind of settled to the bottom in a lump. When I finally found someone who spoke English well enough to explain this wasn´t the way they were normally made they gave my wife a frozen margarita instead. To make amends they really loaded it up with tequila so she was pretty much tipsy the rest of the night, even though she didn´t have anything more to drink.
I had a gin and tonic and it was decent enough.
325) Blue Shrimp
Right next door is Blue Shrimp and it was as packed as the de Santo´s was empty. Just a small bar with only one stool but the hostess arranged to have another one brought out so my wife could have a seat too. The bar-top is smoothed cement with a finish to make it look like tan marble. The front of the bar is white cement with brown stripes. The whole bar is rectangular in shape but just the one short side is for ¨special¨ customers. Brightly colored margarita glasses hang above the bar. The shelving above the hanging glasses have sliding glass doors and hold the liquor.
The restaurant is decorated to give the feel of being underwater. Coral hangs from the ceiling and walls with brightly colored wooden fishes flitting about. A diver´s helmet sits on a cupboard in the back. A large, bright-red lobster-claw flower and a large wooden lobster sit in the window. The new-age music that was playing when we came in added to the dreamy, underwater atmosphere but that changed when a wandering mariachi band stopped in to seranade the customers.
I had a gin and tonic.
326) Los Xitomates
Headed out and we walked past de Santos which looked like it managed to add one more couple to their ¨crowd.¨ Nice looking place, but they need to do something. We walked about three blocks down Morales to Los Xitomates and it too was packed.
The bar is a nice L shaped, dark-wood with a lacquer finish. The front is white cement with decorative tiles embedded. Only three wooden bar-chairs with rattan seats at the short end of the bar. Hanging over the bar are lights with cylindrical shades that look to be made of copper and have cutout Aztec style patterns. On the walls are mounted lights with half-cylinder shades of the same style.
From the ceiling above the eating area behind the bar hang groupings of three lights with cone-shaped shades of the same metal as the other lights, but with no cut-outs. The ceiling is quite high with dark wooden beams. The front eating area has a lower ceiling but their is a stairway leading up to a small seating area above it. The wooden staircase is covered with muslin, presumably to keep the people sitting below it from looking up the skirts of the women as they ascend and descend.
I had a gin and tonic served with a glass stir-stick with a little red tomato perched on top.
Not a bad day, 5 bars to bring my total to 326 leaving me only 674 to go.
322) Las Brazzas Grill
From the south-side of town you take the little swinging bridge to the far end of the Isle Cuale and you end up at this small, very unpretentious place. It is the only place on the island that isn´t super fancy and very expensive. Just a small cement building. The bar is a small L shaped affair with a rough brown and gravel top and a narrow dark blue overhang. There are 3 glass blocks with a kind of swirling and bubble design embedded in the top of the bar. The wall behind the bar is made of large bricks. The side walls are kind of a mustard yellow and deep orange. Just room for 3 wooden chairs with a curved sun design on the backs and woven seats. The floor is white ceramic tile. A huge black iron bouy or something with a small Christmas tree on top dominates one side of the room. There are just two blue wooden tables, each with three painted wooden chairs in the inside area. The roof is orange tile and a single overhead fan and three beehive lights hang from the ceiling.
Outside along one wall is a narrow area that is covered by a blue vinyl canopy. There are about four wooden tables out there with four chairs each. Kind of a nice spot to stop on the way home from shopping or whatever on the north-side of town.
I had a Pacifico.
323) La Tia
A fairly large curved bar at the back of a decent sized restaurant located on Cardenza across from the small park that appears to be headed for destruction to make more room for parking. The bar has a thick cement top covered with large yellow ceramic tiles except for the front edge which has a single row of dark-green tiles. The front of the bar as well as the fairly massive structure behind it is somewhat difficult to describe. Rough dark concrete embedded with orange bricks, stones, edges of bricks, and narrow straight and curved ceramic pieces the same orange color as the bricks. These were arranged to give it the flavor of some kind of Aztec design. The ledge at the bottom of the bar was dark concrete embedded with dark stones and small pieces of brick. The big bad wolf is certainly not going to be able to blow this bar down.
The structure behind the bar had three tiers of shelves holding a decent selection liquor. Above the bar was a large copper pipe affair that held a large number of margarita and wine glasses. It had decorative copper agave plants at each end and in the middle the copper was formed to say ´Azul Tequila.´ ´Azul´is spanish for blue and all of the best tequila is made from 100% blue agave.
The area behind the bar had a three-story high atrium topped by a skylight. Hanging from lower beams were an elaborate model of a multi-masted sailing vessel and a large mobile made out of driftwood and seashells.
I had a Pacifico and headed back home to pick up my wife and head out to the north-side of town.
324) de Santos
On Moreles street, one block behind the malecon after the malecon kind of angles off a block is this fairly modernistic looking place. It has a long white marble topped bar with a smooth plaster front and a heavy pipe bar rail. The barstools were of a modern design and made out chromed tubing with brushed aluminum seats. There were a lot of lights hanging over the bar with cylinderic parchment shades. The overhead lights in the rest of the place had large cone-shaped shades made of the same material. The floor is tan marble-like tile. Behind the bar are rather plain looking wooden shelves holding the liquor supply and a large espresso machine.
To the right of the bar and separated by large sliding glass doors is an outside eating area with four white linen tableclothed tables and bright metal chairs similar in syle to the barstools. Behind the eating area was the kitchen that had a large open window so you could watch your food being prepared.
The inside area had about sixteen wooden tables with white linen tablecloths and wooden chairs. The eight tables against the back wall sat up against a long white settee above which hung a large mirror. Two stone and brick arches divided the interior into three sections. They are obviously trying to be a fancy, upscale place but not succeeding very well. Only one other couple in the place when we got there. There prices a quite high too, some of their specialty martinis going for $14.00 (that is U.S. dollars, not pesos).
My wife ordered a chocolate martini and it was $9.00 and one of the worst I have ever seen. Gin in a glass with Hershey´s chocolate syrup squirted into it that just kind of settled to the bottom in a lump. When I finally found someone who spoke English well enough to explain this wasn´t the way they were normally made they gave my wife a frozen margarita instead. To make amends they really loaded it up with tequila so she was pretty much tipsy the rest of the night, even though she didn´t have anything more to drink.
I had a gin and tonic and it was decent enough.
325) Blue Shrimp
Right next door is Blue Shrimp and it was as packed as the de Santo´s was empty. Just a small bar with only one stool but the hostess arranged to have another one brought out so my wife could have a seat too. The bar-top is smoothed cement with a finish to make it look like tan marble. The front of the bar is white cement with brown stripes. The whole bar is rectangular in shape but just the one short side is for ¨special¨ customers. Brightly colored margarita glasses hang above the bar. The shelving above the hanging glasses have sliding glass doors and hold the liquor.
The restaurant is decorated to give the feel of being underwater. Coral hangs from the ceiling and walls with brightly colored wooden fishes flitting about. A diver´s helmet sits on a cupboard in the back. A large, bright-red lobster-claw flower and a large wooden lobster sit in the window. The new-age music that was playing when we came in added to the dreamy, underwater atmosphere but that changed when a wandering mariachi band stopped in to seranade the customers.
I had a gin and tonic.
326) Los Xitomates
Headed out and we walked past de Santos which looked like it managed to add one more couple to their ¨crowd.¨ Nice looking place, but they need to do something. We walked about three blocks down Morales to Los Xitomates and it too was packed.
The bar is a nice L shaped, dark-wood with a lacquer finish. The front is white cement with decorative tiles embedded. Only three wooden bar-chairs with rattan seats at the short end of the bar. Hanging over the bar are lights with cylindrical shades that look to be made of copper and have cutout Aztec style patterns. On the walls are mounted lights with half-cylinder shades of the same style.
From the ceiling above the eating area behind the bar hang groupings of three lights with cone-shaped shades of the same metal as the other lights, but with no cut-outs. The ceiling is quite high with dark wooden beams. The front eating area has a lower ceiling but their is a stairway leading up to a small seating area above it. The wooden staircase is covered with muslin, presumably to keep the people sitting below it from looking up the skirts of the women as they ascend and descend.
I had a gin and tonic served with a glass stir-stick with a little red tomato perched on top.
Not a bad day, 5 bars to bring my total to 326 leaving me only 674 to go.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)