An Old Favorite

A good friend of mine was in town from Miami and he invited me and the mysterious Chinese woman to have dinner with him and a few other or our friends at one of my very favorite Italian restaurants.

514) Capucine's



Capucine's is located at 327 2nd Avenue, right on the corner of 19th Street. I have been going here for over twenty years and, to a large extent, the staff has remained the same. Every time I show up they treat me like a long lost relative and, for those of you who are Italian, you know that is an affectionate greeting indeed. I will have to admit, however, that I seldom have a drink at the bar. Probably because it is so small, just three chairs. Tonight, however, I made an exception.

The bar is, as mentioned, very small but the drinks are very good. The wooden bar, although small, does have a brass rail although with the three chairs packed in there really isn't any room to stand. Above the bar is a wooden rack for glasses that is the same width as the bar and supported by narrow columns positioned at each end and at the corner of the bar where it hooks around. Little white Christmas lights surround this and there are flowers and an American flag above it. Small shelves for the liquor are built into the recessed area around a small window. The walls are a light pink with a band of painted, or wallpaper, grape vines.

There are two dining areas, one by the bar and one in separate room to the left when you walk in. It is a cozy place with a largely neighborhood crowd. What makes this place special, in addition to the great food at reasonable prices, is the attentive and very friendly staff. When I lived in the neighborhood I used to go here at least once a week. I don't get here nearly that often now but whenever I do it is a real treat.

I had a Bombay martini, up, with a twist at the bar and a couple more with my excellent meal of veal with eggplant, prosciutto, and cheese. Looking forward to the leftovers.

Not much of a day in terms of upping the count, but I did pass a few bar as I walked to Capucine's from the subway so I will be heading back soon. Perhaps I will hit them on the way to another meal here. This was number 514 for the year leaving 486 to go.

Rainy Friday, Remembered Sun

Well, it was rainy today so I decided to not go out and instead spent some time figuring out how to add pictures to my blog. I thought I would post one showing me when I was hard at work in Mexico, where it was sunny. Please note the small pad and pencil.



Let me know if you think pictures are an improvement or if they get in the way of the Dostoyevsky like plodding through the bars.

Back To The Bowery Again

Another lovely Spring day and I was particularly interested in hitting Scratcher, an Irish bar on East 5th Street. Unfortunately it was closed. In fact it was so closed I walked right by it once without noticing it. I have the vague feeling it is gone for good. Oh well, plenty of more bars in the area.

510) Poetessa

More of an Italian restaurant than a bar at 92 2nd Avenue, they did indeed have a small, narrow, “L” shaped bar with a light marble top with wood edging, a wooden front, and a brass rail. The short end of the bar is just a foot away from the large open doors letting in a nice breeze and the sounds of 2nd Avenue traffic. Outdoor seating is available on the sidewalk. There is wood shelving behind the bar with bottles and several antique looking framed mirrors. The bar chairs were dark wood and had dark brown padded seats. The floor was wooden as well. There is a pleasant, homey feel to this restaurant. What looks like old family photographs are framed and hanging on the walls and this adds to the ambience, as does the old living room style lamp sitting on the corner of the bar.

A large, somewhat poorly proportioned, mural of a canal and middle aged women sitting on a bench dominates one wall. The clientele, the place was packed with a private party, for the most part resembled the women on the bench. An old fringed velvet shaded light hung from the ceiling in the back corner. An ornate gilt framed blackboard with a poem about Spring and morning and snails written on it hung next to the mural.

Flying saucer type lamps hand over the bar and smaller lamps with metal fixtures and dome shaped yellowish glass shades hang over the tables along the wall with the mural and poem. The ceiling from which they hang is white painted tin. Somewhat out of place but unobtrusive white track lighting provides the rest of the illumination (other than the sun coming in through the doors and windows). The walls were primarily a pale yellowish wash with enough exposed brick to give the restaurant an authentic bistro feeling. The food smelled great and everyone seemed to be having a great time.

I had a nice glass of Chianti served in an elegant, long-stemmed wine glass. It was pricey, however, $11 plus tax made this one of the most expensive drinks I have had so far on my trek.

511) Kabin

Just next door is this bar that is much larger looking once you get inside. It has a copper topped wooden edged bar with a black front. There is a pool table in the back and a comfortable looking lounge to one side. Mirrors and shelves holding liquor and glasses are behind the bar. The have a lot of draft beers poured from three sets of spigots sprouting from the top of the bar. There are a couple of nice flat screen televisions up front and a sign advertising $2 Rhinegolds. The place has deep rose colored walls and kind of a muddy brown ceiling with fairly ornate fans hanging from it. The floor is large orange tiles. A narrow ledge lines the wall behind the wooden bar chairs with black vinyl seats. The same type chairs sit in front of the ledge. Mirrors in window frames mounted above the ledge adds to the somewhat miniscule cabin-like ambience.

A little nook by the windows next to the door has a small round table surrounded by four hassock-like seats. There is a bit of log like paneling along with a small “Canoes For Rent” hanging behind the bar to help justify the name of the place. There were a lot of signs trying to recruit softball players for the bar’s coed softball team. Bar Man is too busy, and too old, to partake. I did have time to chat with the bartender, Denise, about neighborhoods we both new and how much they have changed over the years.

I had an draft Ithaca Apricot Wheat and it was nice and refreshing.

512) Sin Sin

On the corner of 5th Street and 2nd Avenue is this interestingly dark bar that manages to be dark even though it has large windows on two sides and it was mid-afternoon on a sunny day. Sin Sin actually means That’s That in Gaelic, but I think the double meaning is obvious and warranted Small lit candles on the bar and small tables add to the night during the day ambience. The beat-up orange plaster walls and black painted plywood floors give this a decidedly punkish ambience. The Ramones playing on the jukebox added to the feeling. There is an upstairs area called the Leopard Lounge with live music, DJ’s, and comedy, depending on the evening.

The bar chairs and stools, a mixture, have red velvet seats. The rest of the seating is brown fabric benches and hassocks arranged around the small round tables. Interesting orange lit panels sit atop short square wooden boxes. I am not sure if they can be used as tables or not. Probably. Most of the overhead spot lights seem to have the bulbs missing. There are nice little shaded lamps with red bulbs hang on the walls.

The bar itself is kind of a plain looking wooden affair with a brass rail. Plain wooden shelving behind the bar holds the liquor and glasses.

The whole place smells like cherry candy and the reason became apparent when someone came in to change the little canister air fresheners, complete with little fans, that hung about the place. Something a bit out of character about that smell in that kind of a place but the friendly bartender, Clair, said the owner liked the place to smell that way.

I had a Magner’s Irish Cider and, because it was happy hour (I think it is always happy hour) I had another.

513) NoHo Star

On the way back to the subway, in fact right next to the entrance at 330 Lafayette at Bleeker Street is this place that has a small bar but looks kind of like an old ice-cream parlor, a very big ice cream parlor. I had a few too many fruity drinks so I decided I need a stiff one and this looked like as good a place as any to get it. There is a small half-square wooden bar with luncheon counter stools that have sparkly turquoise seats. There is kind of a rubber mat covered foot rest. The bar is built into a corner and in the very corner on a perch on a shelf above the liquor is an illuminated plastic Howdy Doody head. No Phineas T. Bluster or Flub-A-Dub though. Nonetheless, it brought back memories of my youth parked in front of a small black and white screen television. There were also dark green marble panels framed by wood behind the bar that were separated by very narrow mirrored strips. Unlit little yellow shades hung over the bar. An old Quaker State Motor Oil clock with kind of a rotating green edging to the face hung on the wall to one side of the bar. For some reason there was a two level ceramic dish holding hard boiled eggs. Each egg was stamped with “certified organic” in red. One would hope so. I would hate to try to eat an inorganic egg.

The whole place has a light airy feel to it augmented by high white patterned ceilings and large, white framed windows on two sides. The floors are kind of a smooth white cement with embedded multi-colored marble pieces, some large and some quite small. Three pillars each with a different multi-colored design run down the middle of the floor. It is kind of loud and clanky sounding in here.

I had a very decently made Maker’s Mark Manhattan and called it a day.

Not a bad day, hitting four, making it 513 for the year with 487 left to go.

Back To The Bowery

This neighborhood has a lot of great bars and many of them are open early. I still haven’t really started my evening crawls but probably will next week. There are just too many places that I pass by that don’t open until 5:00 P.M., or even a bit later. However, there are still some in this neighborhood to hit during the day.

507) Phebe’s

This bar, on the corner of 4th Street and Bowery, has been around since the 60’s, although it has gone through a few changes. The most ill-advised was when it tried to switch from being a regular old hangout bar to a lounge with the name of Fuel at Phebe’s. It is back to Phebe’s now and has recaptured some of its original style, but upgraded significantly. It has large windows on both of the sides that face the streets. Adjacent to the windows are tables and chairs so that you have a sidewalk dining experience without actually being outside. In New York I like my sidewalk dining to be indoors.

There is a nice old bar, probably the original, with an ornate front and a brass rail. The wooden bar chairs have oxblood vinyl seats. Columned wooden cabinetry behind the bar has three deep set mirrors with paneled side lighting. There are three sets of two level shelves with glasses below and liquor above. Two smaller shelves are between the mirrors and hold beer bottles, deer antlers, Scotch, a small keg, and other paraphernalia. They did have a bottle of Johnny Walker Green Label, quite unusual. The bartender, Wendy (a very pleasant young lady) said they had just sold the last of the Johnny Walker Blue Label. The cupboards and coolers below the shelves had wooden doors. Very nice stained glass lights hang over the bar. The floor immediately in front of the bar is white and black tile while the rest of the flooring is wooden planks. The ceiling is wooden beamed. There is a small side room that also has a bar. A small raised dining area backed by a mirror is behind the far end of the bar. There are several televisions, sport’s related pictures, and old signs hanging on the walls.

I had a draft Phebe’s Ale.

508) B. Bar & Grill

Sometimes known as the Bowery Bar, it is right across the street from Phebe’s. There is a large patio garden full of happy people enjoying drinks and lunch in the warm sunshine that you must pass to enter the darker, deserted bar. This is, of course, the home to the Bar Man. The bar is rather small and dark wood with a brass rail. A fairly plain wood and metal back to the bar with see-through shelves allowing you to see the patio from between the bottles and glasses. Above that are narrow panels of mirrors that have the names of the draft beers that they supposedly serve and their specialty cocktails written in white. Two stainless steel looking tubes sport six spigots with unmarked black handles. I tried to order two of the beers they claim to have on tap but they were out of both of them.

On the wall behind the bar metal tube barstools with black seats are two sepia shaded pictures of dump-trucks. I am not sure what they were supposed to represent. There is also a large mirror with the appetizer menu written on it and a panel of a beach scene that looks like it could have been lifted from a 1950’s Florida postcard. Below it all is a light wood paneling topped with light bulbs. In front are 50’s styled booths with dark orange Formica topped tables and black and white cushioned seating. The adjacent wall has a much larger version extension of the same beach scene. This is topped by shelves displaying inaccessible liquor and wine bottles. There is a small metal staircase in the corner that leads to what must be a space behind the liquor and wine display.

Giving up on the beer I had a bloody Mary. It was small, stiff, and expensive, $7.00.

509) Bleeker Street Bar

An older looking place at 58 Bleeker Street it has a decent sized wooden bar with a brass rail and bar chairs with dark green vinyl seats. Three pool tables dominate the back room that also has three dartboards. A lot of trophies sit on a shelf and numerous plaques are mounted under the dartboards so I assume the must sponsor some teams. Industrial like lights with white enameled metal shades hang over the bar. Behind the bar are nice old looking shelves and coolers that have wooden doors, some with little cut glass windows. Above these are three large arched mirrors with the tiered shades for liquor.

The same type of lights that hang over the bar hang from the ceiling elsewhere along with overhead fans that are also somewhat industrial looking. The wooden floors are nicely finished. The windows in front and to the side let in a lot of light on this sunny early afternoon. Booths line the wall behind the bar chairs and high round tables mounted on columns and surrounded by the same type of chairs as the ones at the bar fill out most of the rest of the space. A Silverstreak Bowling video game sits by the door and a couple of old looking coin operated machines dispensing who knows how old nuts and candies sit towards the back next to the juke box.

I ordered a Magic Hat #9 from Jennifer, the bartender from Chicago, and we had a pleasant chat about the joys of moving to New York from the Midwest.

Another pleasant day with three bars hit making 509 for the year and 491 left to go.

Putting The "P" Back In Demsey

I decided to head to the East Village and check out the real Dempsey bar and a few others in the neighborhood. I only went to three but it is fertile ground so I plan on going back again tomorrow and maybe the day after as well depending upon how many bars I spot.

504) Dempsey’s

Over on 61 Second Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets is this narrow bar that is four steps down from street level. There is always something a bit decadent about walking downstairs into a bar, especially on a sunny morning. There is an old dark wood bar with a wooden foot rest. Over the bar is track lighting with small spotlights. There is dark wooden cabinetry behind the bar with drawers on each end, coolers with dark doors in the center, and shelves for liquor on each side of the coolers. Above that are more shelves for liquor and glasses. Mirrors behind the shelves and four blackboards listing the beers and on advertising a three hour open bar for $30 a person for parties. Alas, you need at least 14 other people to take advantage of this offer. There is a lot of paraphernalia on shelves high on the walls. There is a television mounted above each end of the bar. One wall up front is brick and the other walls are kind of a muddy looking pinkish brown. The floors are old wood planking and the bar chairs are also wooden with black vinyl seats, a bit beat-up looking. There is a back room that has a pool table with Budweiser lights hanging over it and there is a dart board hanging on the back wall.

I got here shortly after 11:00 A.M. so they were just opening up. The place smelled heavily of disinfectant, a good thing, I guess, although it didn’t enhance the enjoyment of my drink a whole lot.

I had a draft Guinness.

505) East 4th Street Bar

I walked up to 4th Street and headed west a bit to 78-80 E. 4th Street, between 2nd Avenue and Bowery. And yes, the Bowery down here is still a bit seedy, but nothing like it once was. This is a fairly small place that is divided into two separate rooms side-by-side. I guess, from the address, that it must have once been two small places that were joined. The bar is L shaped and old wood with a brass bar rail. The barstools are silver metal with black seats. There is a big bin of ice and beer bottles behind the bar along with a shelf for glasses. Above that are tiered shelves of glasses and the beer spigots are mounted back there as well on the brick wall. Three metal light fixtures hang by chains from the ceiling above the bar. Each one sports three lights with old fashioned glass shades. Half a dozen televisions are mounted on the walls with two of them above the bar. There are at least another three in the small side room that has a few tables for eating and drinking. The floor in the room with the bar was kind of a beat up dark orange tile and the side room had a wooden floor. The ceiling in both rooms was an interesting patterned dark tile.

There is a pool table tucked in the corner of the room with the bar and it looks like there would be a lot of cramped shots because there is not a lot of space around it. Three blue glass shaded lights hang over the pool table but two of them had burnt out bulbs.

I had a bracing bloody Mary.

506) Swift

Moving further west across Bowery on 4th Street, and passing by a couple of bars I am saving, I came to Swift at 34 East 4th Street. This was a most interesting bar with a very large selection of beers, both bottled and draft. There is also a decent selection of single malt Scotch and a few bourbons and decent tequilas. This place is named after Jonathon Swift and one wall is covered with a most interesting, somewhat hallucinogenic, Swift themed mural. There are also some authentic looking old books by him on a shelf mounted on the wall.

The bar itself is kind of curved and angular and has a light wood top, a darker painted front, and a wooden foot rest. There are little hooks mounted under the overhang. The wall behind the bar is brick with shelving for the bottles. The four brass stations for the beer spigots are mounted on the bar. Nice wood plank floors and long pub-style benches with stools. The lighting overhead is track spot lights. Blackboards with beer selections, drink specials, and pub fare are mounted on the wall behind the bar along with a mirror with an ornate gold frame. There is another gold framed mirror surrounded with framed title pages from some of Swift’s books in a little nook with a few stools and a ledge for setting down your drinks.

The back room has a lot of benches and stools, some booths, and a pulpit that serves as a DJ station later at night. This is a very interesting place and one I would certainly recommend that you seek out for a beer.

I had a draft Chimay and it was very good.

Another three bars with several more spotted for the future. That makes 506 for the year and 494 left to go.

Back At It Again

Well, I can’t afford to rest on my laurels for too long. I took Sunday off after the celebration at The Gate on Saturday, and a mighty fine time I did have.

501) Heartland Brewery

This is, I believe, the newest of the Heartland Brewery’s to open up. It took over the space previously occupied by Houlihans in the Empire State Building. I can’t say that I am too sorry to see Houlihan’s go, although they used to make a decent frozen margarita. For those you who keep up with this blog you probably know my feelings about T.G.I. Fridays, and they, along with Houlihans, are part of the Riese Organization that also owns, among other things, Pizza Hut, KFC, Nathan's, Dunkin' Donuts and Charley O's. It is kind of funny that without even realizing that Charley O’s was part of this group I had given it a knock because of the bartenders statement that if you didn’t use margarita mix you couldn’t make a margarita and how they had no fresh lime juice on hand even though the menu said they used it in their margaritas along with mix. I am beginning to wonder if Heartland Brewery, as it expands, isn’t about to join the group as well. I hope not. But now that they have five locations and no longer brew their beer on premises (although they still refer to themselves as a brewpub call their establishments Heartland Brewery) it is moving in that direction.

This place has been totally redone since Heartland took it over and has seating for over 500 people now, at least 75 upstairs and the sign says a maximum capacity of 428 downstairs. The upstairs manages to retain a comfortable, if somewhat fancy, pub feel to it. The upstairs bar is decent sized, but not that big. It has a dark wood top and a wood and dark olive leather front. Brass headed tacks border the large leather panels. It has a black bar rail. The bar chairs are red with red leather seats and fronts. Black shelves, coolers (some with glass doors) behind the bar are topped with a black and white marble ledge. Above that are glass backed shelves holding the liquor. There is a television above the middle shelf and pictures of horses and a bull flanking the shelves, two on each side. Overhead lighting is a combination of track spots behind the bar and large overhead light fixtures rimmed with lots of small bulbs hanging from the ceiling elsewhere. Also a lot of track lighting with lights that you see illuminating stages. There are also brick columns circled with candle-like lights. The floor around the bar is a marble-like and wooden floors elsewhere. Pictures on the walls evoke kind of a 1950’s Midwestern feel that is typical of all of Heartland’s locations.

The large downstairs area had a separate bar and although it refers to itself as a beer-hall it is set up more like a restaurant with booths and tables. I just don’t see an ompah band, busty waitresses, and carousers down here.

Generally speaking their beers are quite good, but watch the prices. Although the standard beers go for a not totally unreasonable $6 a pint, the beer that I had, a seasonal, was $6 for much less than a pint. Also, the seasonal beers did not have the prices posted in the menu or anywhere else that I could see. What I did spot, in small print at the bottom of the menu, was the much hated “18% gratuity may be added for parties of 6 or more.” That alone is enough to prevent me from ever showing up here with a crowd of people.

I had a Mother’s Milk Maibock and it was quite good.

502) Foley’s

From newly built to look old to authentically old. This place is at 18 West 33rd St, between 5th & 6th Avenue, just a short stroll from Heartland. This place has a large wooden bar with a wooden foot rest and wooden bar chairs. Old cabinetry behind the bar has shelves for glasses underneath along with a few coolers with wooden doors. Mirrors and cabinets with glass doors on each end are on the upper level. The cabinet at my end of the bar was jammed with sports related books. Above the mirrors the wall is lined with shirts for, to me at least, obscure teams. The walls are packed with sports memorabilia including autographed baseballs and bats, pictures and newspaper articles, and plenty of caps. The back wall has a stained glass mural but I couldn’t make out what it was supposed to be. Maybe just a design of some sort. The floor is a decorative patterned mosaic. Old chandelier type lamps hang from the ceiling. A large model of a donkey pulling a coal cart hangs from the ceiling. The walls here are covered with much more memorabilia than Heartland’s, but this stuff is the real deal. Be sure to check out the men’s room. The porcelain urinals are large enough to shower in, although your feet might get a bit cold from the ice. The doors to the stalls are wood and stained glass.

I had a Foley’s Ale

503) Jack Demsey’s

Just down the street at 36 West 33rd Street is this place and note the missing “p: in the name. You can make a lot of money betting people there is no Jack Dempsey’s bar in New York. I suspect they had to drop the “p” to avoid some kind of copyright infringement because there is plenty of boxing memorabilia in here. There is a big wooden bar with a small hood at the end by the door. Wooden bar chairs have oxblood leather seats fastened by brass headed tacks. The entryway is recessed from the street and there is a narrow space to the side with a mural of what looks to be the Dempsey (with a “p”) Tunney fight. There is a stone fireplace in the back dining area. Ornate arched woodwork frames mirrors behind the bar and there are the usual tiered shelves holding the liquor. Several televisions were showing classic boxing matches, all featuring Ali on this particular day. There are neat booths behind the bar chairs, wood with wrought-iron trim and cloth brocade cushions.

There was a large Henrik Larrson banner hanging behind the bar, but I don’t know who he is. The ceilings are rose colored as are the walls above dark wooden paneling. The floors are flagstone-like tiles and there is a lot of stone trim on the walls. The bathrooms here have speak-easy type windows in the doors so you can decide whether or not to let in whoever is banging on the door.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

After a sprint to the first 500 bars I think I can afford to slow down the pace a bit so hitting only three a day seems reasonable. That makes 503 for the year with 493 left to go.

500th AT THE GATE - Part One

I really want to thank everyone who showed up at The Gate to help me celebrate my having a drink at my 500th bar of the year. Many more people than I expected and I am sorry I didn't have more time to talk to each of you. I will certainly try to get back to those of you who left me your names. Hopefully we can hit a few more bars together and have more of a chance to talk. I want to give special thanks to the photographer who followed me around all day trying to get my good side. And to my "good" friend Bernie, who promised he would be there but failed to show, all I can say is "Pffft." There is no excuse for still being hung over at three in the afternoon.

A special thanks to the bartenders, some of the best and friendliest I have encountered to date. I liked being able to taste all the beers (and a very nice selection, indeed) before making a choice.

I didn't have a chance to take notes so my brother-in-law did the honors and once he emails them to me I will post the official entry for my 500th bar. Again, I hope to see many of you in the future, I will try to do something special for my 750th and, certainly, my 1000th bar.

Again, thanks to everyone who showed up. You made a special day even more special by being there.

500th AT THE GATE - Part Two

Okay, here is the "official" write-up of The Gate, courtesy of my brother-in-law Jim. He did such a good job I would like him to follow me around and do all of my write-ups. Sad to say he has other obligations.

500) The Gate

The Gate, located on the corner of 5th ave and 3rd st in Park Slope, Brooklyn, is an exceptional neighborhood bar. When you walk in you feel right at home. Wood floors and built in benches (The wood backs are there but there are some stools instead of true benches.) create the feel of an English Pub. The main room is spacious and the lighting is intimate ( Provided by these lovely little frosted hanging lamps, made of a amber glass, very Pottery Barn.) very conducive to a long night of drinking and talking. Besides the wood paneling there is brick work on the upper half of the wall opposite the very spacious mirror backed bar. Little green x-mas lights around the bar mirror and various wall decorations, ranging from Celtic like garden fixtures to a wall of mirrors, round out the decor.

The rest of the Gate consists of a small alcove (you can sit a small group 8-10 people) right by the stairs leading to the bathrooms (which, for good or bad has chairs for you to sit in while you wait.) There is also a sidewalk sitting area that is on the 3rd street side, very roomy and I do believe they do B-B-Q in the
summers. Check out Barcrawler.com for more info. There is also a secret little room behind the stairs, I think, or thats where they keep the garbage. Hey Dan, hopefully the description meets your approval, I even mentioned the lamps.

As for the beer, top notch! They have 24 beers on tap. Ranging from standards like Guinness and Harp to micro staples like Dog Fish and Stone "Arrogant Bastard" Ale to imports like Fullers of London. A good mix of flavors all and all. Finally, the
thing that really made the bar was the exceptional bar staff. Jesse, the tattoo festooned barkeep and Megan, the cute blond barkeep. Male and female respectively for those of you who care. They were attentive, sometimes getting your drink before you ask and they actually knew their beers. In this day and age thats amazing or maybe I frequent bars of questionable repute. So there you go, give it 5 stars , two thumbs up or any measure of rating you like but do stop by if you are in Park Slope.

Thank you Jim for your exceptionally lucid write-up because I was probably a bit less than lucid at the end. I had several beers of various types so will not single any out. They were all good. Suffice it to say it was bar number 500 for the year leaving me with 500 to go.

500 AT THE GATE

One final reminder about tomorrow at The Gate. I plan on being there at about 2:00 P.M. and will be sticking around for awhile. No other bars scheduled. I hope to see many of you there.

NUMBER 500

Don't forget, Saturday afternoon, May 14th, at THE GATE for NUMBER 500. The address is 321 Fifth Avenue in Park Slope and can be easily reached by subway. The closest stop is probably on the F train at 9th Street.

The Gate has about 24 micro-brews on draught, many single malt scotches, and an outdoor deck with, maybe, a barbecue.

You can check out the gate here:

http://www.barcrawler.com/thegate.html

I hope to see all of you there.

Another Short Stroll

I headed back to Madison Square Garden and then just took a short stroll west on 33rd. I didn’t have to stroll far because I found four bars within the space of a block. Three of them were right next to each other, including one that just opened a few weeks ago.

496) Hickey’s

A no-frills Irish bar at 139 West 33rd. It is very narrow and fairly deep with a long wooden bar and a black foot rest. Metal bar stools with red vinyl seats (kind of like what you might find at a soda fountain). The paneled wall behind the bar is lined with mirrors behind tiered shelves holding the liquor. Above the mirrors are pictures of old-time boxers. Small green Christmas lights are strung over the mirrors. The wall behind the bar stools is also paneled and lined with mirrors. There is a narrow ledge under the mirrors with a couple of stools sitting by it. A place to sit, or stand, and set your drink. There are a very few tables in the back. Fans with light fixtures hang from the ceiling. The floor is light tan and red square tiles. A lot of beer cases, empties, were stacked up front.

I had a bottle of Guinness.

497) Blarney Rock

Right next door was the Blarney Rock, not to be confused with the Blarney Stone (or maybe you are supposed to confuse them) This is kind of a bigger version of Hickey’s. In fact, the bar stools are exactly the same and the bar is similar too. But then most bars in Irish bars are kind of similar. Although there are mirrors behind the bar you can hardly see them because they are hidden by bottles, pictures, patches and decals. The space between the mirrors and the ceiling has seven televisions, a few more pictures, and bank notes from various countries in various denominations. Track lighting over the bar has little spotlights directed at the wall behind the bar. There is a small area in the back with about eight small tables with green and white checked tablecloths. Green and yellow shaded lights hang from the ceiling back there and there are also mirrors and neon beer signs hanging on the wall. There are tables against the wall behind the bar stools and two large shiny blackboards with the specials written on them. There were a lot of cases of empties in the front of this place too. It must be collection day.

498) Stout NYC.

Right next door, you can never have too many, is this new place. The bartender said it opened three days before Harrington’s. The bar has a shiny oxblood colored plastic-like top and a rough dark-wood plank front with a wide metal band running its length. A metal bar rail, but not brass. There is a station for real ales but none were currently available. The bartender said maybe by the end of the week.

The wall behind the bar is paneled with the same rough wood as the front of the bar. There are two banks of beer spigots mounted on bright copper panels behind the bar as well as lit up tiered shelves of liquor and a small cooler holding bottled beers with wine bottles on top. The wall towards the left side of the bar is flagstone and has a large set of glass shelves holding bottles of scotch. There are four large flat screen televisions behind the bar separated by chalk boards listing beers, specials, and wines by the glass. Above that is a catwalk with a red wall above it and the words Stout NYC painted on it in faded yellow letters.

The wall behind the wooden bar stools is brick and has signs for Jameson Irish Whiskey and Murphy’s Stout painted on it in kind of an old-fashioned style. Carriage house style lights are mounted on the pillars that run down the center of the place and kind of unusual looking lights are mounted above the tables lining the brick wall. There are two levels of dining.

There is an impressive selection of draft beers and a real impressive selection of bottled stouts, about 25 of them, and other beers from around the world, another 75 or so. A place worth visiting and one that I will return to.

I had a draft Belhaven.

499) Joe O’s

I had to go all the way across the street for this one. A big wrap-around bar with a copper top and a wood front with copper panels. The bar chairs have kind of chocolate brown colored vinyl seats. Coolers and cupboards with gray doors are were behind my side of the bar. Mirrors with tiered shelves of liquor are above the coolers. Brass beer stations are mounted on the bar and serve an interesting selection of beers. Pith hat shaped glass and dark metal lights hang from an overhang above the bar. Light lemon colored walls and ceiling. Metal racks above the bar hold an assortment of glasses. The floor is light wood. There is an elevated dining area about two step up from bar level. The dining area is separated from the bar area by a wood and glass partition. High round tables with tall chairs are behind the bar stools in the lower level. A round wood-framed Smithwick’s Ale sign is behind the two mirrors behind the bar. This is a nice looking place and will probably face some still competition from Stout NYC, which looked to be doing a bit better business today.

I had a draft Belhaven.

Well, that is 499 bars for the year so I am primed for number 500 on Saturday. I hope to see many of you at The Gate.

When Harry Meets Sally

490) Harringtons

This is a new bar and restaurant at 370 7th Avenue, between 30th and 31st, not far from Madison Square Garden. It has only been open for about four weeks and is quite large and fancy. The bar is kind of an elongated Z shape and has a nice marble top as well as a marble foot rest. Three sets of a dozen silver spigots pop up from the bar but they all serve the same beers. The bar chairs are gray with fabric seats. Seven flat screen televisions are mounted on the light wood paneled wall behind the bar. There are also tiered shelves that hold plenty of liquor. The ceilings are quite high and there is a mezzanine type seating area. Part of the ceiling looks like hammered tin and the rest is a decorative tile with a marble-like pattern. Above the bar lights with interestingly shaped glass shades hang from chains. There is a lot of stone work, columns and on the walls.

The bar area is separated from the dining area by a very ornate divider topped by stained and patterned frosted glass. Little lights are mounted on the columns between the partitions. A ledge runs along the partitions with stools in front of it. There are a few sports related pictures on the wall but this place is more elegant than cluttered. I didn’t make it upstairs or into the dining area but they were both doing a lively lunch business. The Irish bartenders (one had just come over from Ireland) were very friendly. I discussed Irish football, Australian rules football, and stadium construction with one of them. Apparently they have issues in Ireland that are similar to the ones here regarding the construction of a new stadium. Also, once every couple of years there is a match between Irish footballers and Australian footballers with modified rules. According to the bartender the Australians are more physical but the Irish are quicker. There you have it.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

491) Mustang Harry’s

Not a new place, but elegant nonetheless, if a bit more worn. It is located at 352 7th Avenue. A long wooden bar with a brass rail. The bar chairs have seats covered in fabric in a couple of different patterns. Lots of televisions mounted all over the place but they are the older, smaller screen type. Nicely framed mirrors behind the bar above brown wooden shelves holding the liquor supply. An arched wooden slated ceiling that kind of reminded me of the warped floor of an old roller rink was supported by red metal pole like structures. Kind of an interesting juxtaposition and not unpleasing. Several of the televisions were mounted on the red supports. Flying saucer-like lights hung from the ceiling but they didn’t seem to give of much light. There are two wooden columns separating the mirrors behind the bar and sitting atop them are figurines of various types staring down at you. The walls are a nice yellow with red hi-lights.

The wall behind the bar chairs is lined with booths separated from each other by wood and patterned frosted glass dividers. There is a large red plush settee under a mirror in the entry way. Dark gray and greenish-gray tiles on the floor. Kind of blurry cityscapes painted on the walls high above the bar and a couple of small stained glass windows up there too. Quite a nice place.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

492) Seven

Just next door, at 350 7th Avenue, was this place that had a style that looked like a cross between art deco and someone’s living room. The first things that catch your eye are two very large crystal chandeliers hanging from the somewhat drab looking ceiling. In fact, the ceiling looks like something you would see if you looked up in one of the older subway stations. Kind of a fuzzy brown. But that is the only thing in here that isn’t pretty nice. The entry way, that is black metal and glass windows and door looking out onto the street, has marble walls and a curved patterned ceiling. Stuffed sofas and hassocks with little tables give you a place to wait for a table it is crowded.

The bar is a long wooden affair with an interesting square metal rail for your foot. About every six chairs is a yellow glass partition sitting atop a wooden base. Sitting atop the bar are little old fashioned lights with fabric shades that look like truncated pyramids and are dark tan with black thread-like fibers running through them. Behind the bar is a light wooden affair with glass shelves and mirrors. Above that is a black metal catwalk that gives access to a large collection of wine. Partitioned booths line the wall behind the bar chairs. The bar chairs have bale green seats and backs. A small two level dining area is in the back and the kitchen is open to view to the lower level. There is also a small, secluded dining area downstairs. Nice wood floor throughout the place except for the very front where there are large rectangular tiles of yellow, pink, and gray.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

493) Ginger House

Fate pulled me into this place. I was actually heading into the Triple Crown next door but this doorway was in the way. I see a door, I walk in. I felt like I had walked into a place in Chinatown. It had an all Chinese staff and had the hustle and bustle and loud talk and clanking of dishes that you don’t usually find in this area of town. I felt, somehow, at home. There is a fairly small wooden bar that is suitably beat up and would look at home in an Irish pub, and it does have a brass rail. Two large mirrors are behind the bar above tiered shelves holding a small liquor selection. Asian style lamps hang from chains above the bar. There is a large grandfather clock sitting at one end of the bar. Reminded me of when I was in the Forbidden City (which now has a Starbucks on the premises) in Beijing. There is an impressive collection of clocks on display there because, apparently, the various emperors were somewhat fascinated by them and often received them as gifts from visiting dignitaries. There is an ornate model of an Asian three masted sailing vessel sitting on a shelf behind the bar. A few brick walls and a fake stone back wall. Ducks, hanging by their necks, were being slow cooked in the bustling kitchen behind the bar chairs. They have a fairly brisk take-out and delivery business going. I chatted with the female bartender a bit but she was quite busy doing accounts.

I had a gin and tonic.

494) The Triple Crown

Well, I didn’t have far to get here, right next door at 330 7th Avenue. But then all of the bars I visited today are on a two block stretch. A bit of the old Irish bar look to this place. A long wooden bar with a wooden foot rest. Nice chandelier-like nights above the bar. Vinyl covered bar chairs, but the vinyl looks like fabric. Irish flags on display. There is an elaborate wooden back to the bar with mirrors, cupboards, shelves, small wine racks, and drawers. Square wooden columns run down the length of the place and they have lights mounted on each of the four sides. Little tables project out from each column with a couple of stools by them. The wall behind the bar chairs is wood and has booths running its length. There are pictures of race horses mounted on the wall (get it, Triple Crown).

I had a Newcastle Brown Ale

495) Mustang Sally’s

This is Mustang Harry’s sister bar and is located about a block away from it at 324 7th Avenue. There is a nice long wooden bar with a brass rail. This bar also had dividers between the chairs at the bar, but these are wood and frosted glass with designs etched into them. You can at least look through these if you want to do so. Elaborate cabinets are behind the bar with mirrors, glass shelves, wine bins, coolers with wooden doors and a couple of small televisions. The bar chairs have turquoise vinyl seats. Booth behind the bar stools have round street lamp like lights sitting on top of the columns in front of the glass partitions that separate them. Some flying saucer type lights hang over the three tables in front of the place. The floor has tiles reddish tiles. There are a couple of oddly positioned televisions behind and above one end of the bar. Kind of a dark brown tin ceiling. One very drunk and very loud guy at a booth reminiscing about the Knicks golden years.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

An excellent day in terms of progress made, and an enjoyable one as well. I hit six bars bringing my total to 495 for the year with 505 left to go. I plan on hitting four bars tomorrow and then taking Thursday and Friday off in preparation for my 500th bar at The Gate on Saturday.

Visiting The Garden

Well I didn’t get out and about yesterday but did have a nice little family get-together for Mother’s Day in Chinatown where we filled up on dim sum. That is where they push the little carts of food around and you order small dishes of whatever catches your fancy. The place was so crowded though that people were chasing down the carts instead of waiting for them to show up at the tables. Quite a spectacle, if I do say so myself.

Nice day today so I decided to take the subway to Madison Square Garden and hit a few places in the neighborhood. I went to four bars within the space of one block, three on one side of 8th avenue and 1 on the other. I am heading back to the neighborhood again tomorrow.

486) Blarney Stone

This must be a fairly new Blarney Stone at 410-412 8th Avenue, just south of Madison Square Garden’s back side. If it is not new it must have been newly remodeled. Usually Blarney Stone’s tend to be a bit on the seedy side, not that there is anything wrong with that. There is a long bar with a shiny, newly varnished looking light wood top. It has a brass rail and bar chairs with black vinyl seats. Fans and lights with small stained glass shades are mounted on the white, recreation room style ceiling. Behind the bar are a lot of metal topped black coolers with glass doors. Above them is a wooden pillared set of shelves, mirrors, and wine racks. The mirrors have “Blarney Stone” and a shamrock etched into them. There are also four televisions back there, two with large flat screens. Also a quick-draw screen for those interested in throwing their money away. The walls are mustard yellow, the floors are wood, and the place is quite bright, especially for an Irish bar. The have a steam table and the corned beef looked and smelled great. Lots of tables and chairs so it would be a great place to pop into for a beer and a sandwich.

I had a bottle of Smithwick’s Imported Irish Ale. This was the first time I realized it is made by Guinness.

487) The Molly Wee Pub

On the corner of 8th Avenue and 30th Street is this cheery, rather small Irish bar. It has a decent sized, somewhat beat-up wooden bar with a brass rail. A couple of brass stations on the bar with spigots for beer but, surprisingly, no Guinness on tap. Old fashioned looking metal and frosted-glass lights hang over the bar. Wooden shelves and coolers are behind the bar along with mirrors, a couple of them oval shaped. A kind of hokey, in my opinion, American flag with the World Trade Center towers and September 11, 2001 overlaying the field of stars is draped over one of the oval mirrors. Not quite sure it is the right way to commemorate 9/11 to, in a way, deface the American flag. Just my opinion, however. Three televisions behind the bar and one mounted on the wall-papered wall. A couple of glass shelves by the door and a glassed in cabinet mounted on the wall hold Irish ceramics and glassware. There are a lot of sports related pictures and framed newspaper pages (featuring the Ranger Stanley Cup win) on the wall in front. The wall more towards the back has pictures of customers, maps of Ireland, framed Irish currency, and other stuff.

I had a draft Widmer Haffeweizen.

488) Tempest Bar

Across the street and in the middle of the block was this interesting place. The back wall sports a good-sized brick fireplace. To the right of that are two dartboards that see league action. One side wall has brick columns with mirrors inbetween, the back wall is yellow, and the other side wall is red. Dark wood paneling goes up about a third of the way. Benches are placed with their backs to the side walls with tables and chairs in front of them. The large area in the middle, in front of the fireplace, has a dark linoleum-like floor and is empty. It looks like it should hold a pool table. The bartender says the place gets packed at night and people mill about and sometimes dance back there. The walls are decorated with all kinds of interesting paraphernalia including a metal sign advertising a Daisy Red Rider 1000 shot air rifle.

The front has a nice bar with a wooden foot-rest and wooden bar chairs. A nice back to the bar with coolers, cabinets with glass doors and wooden doors that are topped with mirror backed tiered shelves holding liquor. In the center is a metal shelf for glasses. Small blue-shaded lights hang over the bar. The ceiling is deep red and matches the walls. The ceiling has dark wood beams with copper bands around them. There is an interested covered area with benches, low tables, and bar stools. The floor is wood.

I got into a discussion with some gentlemen at the end of the bar about whether or not the “poor” play of a person sitting in front of you at a blackjack table would, in the long run, affect how well you do. This is a recurrent topic among blackjack players because people always remember when a bad play is made and as a result the card you get results in your losing the hand. People seldom recall the times a bad play gives you a winning hand. People’s opinions on this, however, can be very strong. Kind of like a friend of mine, Nick the Quick, who will never play at a table with an Asian woman dealer.

I got a Guinness here.

489) Charley O’s

Back across the street and right across from Madison Square Garden, what a great location. Of course I was a bit put off by my conversation with the young female bartender on how to make a margarita. The menu advertised that their margaritas were made with fresh lime juice and margarita mix. When I asked if I could get one with just the fresh lime juice she said they didn’t actually have any and that without margarita mix it wouldn’t really be a margarita. When I suggested that if she looked up the recipe in a bartender’s guide or simply just checked out the back of a tequila bottle she would see that most recipes don’t call for a mix she said “Well, that is the way the make them in bars.” When I told her that many bars make them with fresh lime juice she said Well those must be really expensive places and it isn’t the way they make them here. At this point I realized it was futile to pursue the topic any further.

The bar is decent enough with orange cone shaped lights that look like they are beaded hanging over it. There are windows on two sides so this is kind of a bright place, especially on a sunny day. As you might imagine, there were a lot of sports related pictures on the walls. Although most of them depicted event held at The Garden, there were a few pictures of the Mets. The wall behind the bar is a deep rose and the others are shades of green. Wooden shelves and a large metal cooler with glass doors are behind the bar. There are a couple of televisions. There is a large upstairs dining area with a small bar that wasn’t in use. I suspect it is for private gatherings.

I had a Dewar’s and soda and, surprisingly, the bartender wanted to know if I wanted it straight up or on the rocks. Most places don’t ask but I think the British tend to drink theirs without ice. Or maybe she was just being cautious after our discussion about the margarita.

A nice sunny day for a short stroll, but four bars visited making 489 for the year and 511 left to go. Most importantly, only ten more to visit before Saturday's celebration at The Gate.

Saturday In The Village

Another nice day, but still on the cool side. Being sunny made it nice to be out and being cool made it acceptable to stop into a bar to warm up. Or at least that is my way of thinking.

482) Daddy-O

This place is located in the former home of Universal Bar and Grill at 44 Bedford Street, right on the corner of Bedford and Leroy. We are in Greenwich Village so the streets and corners are always a bit fun around here. Streets aren’t straight and many of them aren’t very long either. Suffice it to say you are not far from 7th Avenue. This is a fairly small place and, if you don’t look sharp, you may very well miss it. Not much on the outside except the name, in black letters, on the door and a few credit card signs and a Zagat’s review pasted on it as well. It has dark-green walls, a tannish tile floor with a bit of a marble-like design, and a tan ceiling with an overhead fan. There are windows on two sides with kind of brownish pink Venetian blinds. Black curved cushioned settees flank the door and each is wrapped around a small round table. Along one wall is a long, black cushioned bench with half a dozen small round tables and chairs in front of it. The bar itself has a black marble top and the front is wooden. It does have a silver bar rail. I like bar rails. The bar chairs are wood with black cushions and are taller versions of the other chairs in the place. Lights above the bar hang from long metal tubes and have pith-hat shaped glass shades. Glass shelves in a wooden frame hold a large liquor selection and glasses. Not much in the way of decorations, just a few lights mounted on the wall and a blackboard in the back with the specials written on it. There was also a television.

I had a Bloody Mary made from scratch and it was quite good. The bartender, when he realized it was Kentucky Derby day sent someone out for mint so he could make Mint Juleps latter. Those little touches make a place a bit special.

483) Mr. Dennehy’s

Although the address of Mr. Dennehy’s is 63 Carmine, you can also enter it through a smaller entrance on 7th Avenue. It has a good sized wooden bar with a top that looks like a well worn dining room table. Bar chairs have a lattice like back and black cushions and match the bar in color, kind of a reddish look to them. The floor has black and brown marble-like tiles and the ceiling is cream colored. Ten hooked copper tube spigots emerge from the top of the bar and pump the beer selection. The wall behind the bar is brick and the shelving matches the bar. There are lots of bottles and glasses and wine racks in the middle. Two guitars, one electric and one acoustic, are also back there. Two nice flat screen televisions are mounted behind the bar. Kentucky Derby coverage was on one and the Yankees were on the other. A lot of serious horse players, or so they seemed to me, were reviewing the newspapers and other racing related mater and discussing the possibilities. If the game lasts long enough people could watch Steinbrenner’s horse run while his Yankees play like horses asses (They had three errors in the tenth inning last night to lose the game and remain in last place). There are a few pictures of Irish whiskies on one wall and a couple of pictures on the expanse of brick wall to the left of the bar. The rest of the walls are cream with bench seating flush against them with tables and chairs in front. Small stained glass shaded lights hang over the bar and there is also spot-lighting embedded in the ceiling. Somewhat peculiar wooden extensions protrude from the shelving behind the bar and they too have embedded lights. Small candles were being placed on the bar.

I had a Widmer Hefeweizen

484) 1849 Bar and Grill

I guess the theme of this place at 183 Bleeker Street is supposed to be an 1849 era saloon. Of course the 12 flat-screen televisions strewn about the place takes away from that ambience. Kind of like serving Coca Cola at a renaissance fair (instead of ale and mead). There were a lot of animals killed to decorate this place. All kinds of mounted heads, from deer to bison, on the walls and stuffed foxes and even a rattlesnake poised to strike (are they ever poised any other way) stuck around. The chandeliers were made from antlers (where have I seen this before) hanging from the wooden plank ceiling. Large wooden statues of Indians (the Native American kind) flanked the door. The bar, all the way in the back, is rough brick with a dark wood top and is L shaped. It has a wooden foot rest and bar chairs, some with black vinyl seats, some with light tan. A dozen draft beers are served out of three brass stations. One side of the dining area has old-fashioned plush red seating and the other side has more of a picnic table look to it. There is an upstairs area but I didn’t get up there to check it out. Cabinets with glass doors in the corners behind the bar hold liquor and wine and glasses. Wood shelves, some backed by mirrors, hold the rest of a good sized selection of liquor. The female bartender was quite animated and friendly and seemed quite interested in sports. She wasn’t going to be serving Mint Juleps though because she had no mint.

I had a Magic Hat #9 and it was only $2.50, a very good price.

485) The Village Tavern, located right across the street from Daddy-O, hadn’t opened when I was there earlier. I decided to check it out on my way back to the subway and it luck was with me. This bar is also on the corner and has windows on two sides and the door is right on the corner of this somewhat convoluted Village intersection. A decent sized wooden bar with the all important brass rail. There were wooden bar chairs. An ornate set of wooden shelves and cabinets were behind the bar. Glass doors on the cabinets next to the ice chests and coolers with wooden doors. Mirrors above with tiered shelves in front hold more liquor. There are small cabinets with stained-glass windows in the doors at each side of the mirrors. Four televisions above the bar with Kentucky Derby coverage on two and the Yankees on the other two. The Yankees are winning but most of the crowd do not want Steinbrenner’s horse to win the derby. Even Yankees fans in this town don’t seem to like Steinbrenner. There is a back room with a large American flag over the arched entry. A pool table with red felt is back there and it has those nice green glass shaded lights hanging over it. There is also a neat little corner sitting area with a curved settee, coffee table, and low cushioned seats. A blackboard on the wall lists the beers and wines.

I had a draft Hoegaarden and headed on home.

A most pleasant walk around the Village and four bars hit making it 485 for the year and 515 to go.

Cinco de Mayo

I decided to go out to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by heading to La Palapa Rockola’s sister restaurant and bar on St. Mark’s place. This is actually the original with the one on the west side opening up later in the game.

480) La Palapa Cocina

A fairly small white and gray marble topped wooden bar with a brass rail and wooden bar stools. As I mentioned, this is the original La Palapa, located at 77 St. Mark’s Place and somewhat older looking and not quite as large or as fancy as La Palapa Rockola. Gaily decorated with brightly colored doily-like things hanging from the ceiling. It is starting to crowd up and the bartender assured me that the place will get crazy later as people come in to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It is kind of funny because this isn’t really that big a deal in Mexico where it is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla. It is not, as many people think, Mexican Independence Day, that falls on September 16th. It actually commemorates a bit of a delaying action. For a number of reasons France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz and began to march toward Mexico City. On the way they encountered strong resistance at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a small, poorly armed militia estimated at 4,500 men were able to stop and defeat a well outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date's celebration. Of course a year later France invaded again with a much larger force and they were able to take over Mexico City and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico. And that, dear readers, is your history lesson for the day.

Just coolers with black doors behind the bar topped by tiered shelves holding glasses and liquors. Above that, mounted on a small expanse of brick wall is a small wooden shelf holding nine bottles of more exotic tequilas. Behind those bottles are three pictures of…palapas. To the right of the bar is another narrow expanse of brick wall with a circular arrangement of dried corn. The remainder of the walls are yellow with orange on the bottom and a thin, dark blue stripe. A large overhead picture of old Mexico City dominates one wall. On the opposite wall are another couple of framed pictures. There are three mirrors with wide ornamental metal frames, each flanked by lights, on the wall behind the bar. The back wall separating the bar area from the serving area, bathrooms, and hallway to an outdoor eating area has several lit niches containing Mexican statues and bowls. The lights above the bar have long metal cone shades. Lot’s of candles on the bar, tables, and on the shelves in the back room.

My wife and I decided to grab a bit to eat here after having a drink at the bar. The place seemed a bit disorganized. It was 5:00 P.M., just when people are getting off work and yet this was when they decided to hold their staff meeting. As a result, after we were seated and had cleared our tab at the bar nobody came around to see if I wanted another drink. When I finally did flag someone down they didn’t know what I had just had because the bartender that made that drink was in the meeting. I said I wanted a margarita, straight-up, with chili-salt. I was brought a margarita on the rocks. When I said that wasn’t what I ordered the person left with the drink before I could explain what I did want and then someone else brought it back with a slice of lime stuck on the rim. It took awhile, but I finally got it straightened out. On the plus side, the manager was very friendly and when my wife said she had never had tamales that weren’t wrapped in corn-meal dough the manager explained how this was a regional recipe and then took the price off the bill because it wasn’t what was expected. Basically it was tamale ingredients served in a corn husk, but minus the corn meal dough. I will have to check out the recipe book that the manager said she used for them because even the website for the Tamale Museum describes tamales thusly:

“Tamales are treasures. These fragrant, wrapped packages filled with warm corn dough and flavorful fillings are treats for all the senses. Tamales are a timeless food. They have existed in culinary repertoire of Mexico, the Southwest, Central and South America for centuries”

The food was very good though and not your usual run of the mill Mexican fare. I had a mushroom and dried pepper dish. I would certainly go back and give the place another try. No complaints about my margaritas but my wife didn’t like hers. She said it didn’t have any flavor and, considering that it cost $12.00, it should have. We may have been a bit spoiled by the attention and delicious margaritas that we got at their other location. Oh yes, the tamales at that place were wrapped in corn meal.

I had a margarita.

481) The Thirsty Scholar

I was going to try to hit this place a few days ago when I was doing on of my Second Avenue jaunts. It is right next door to Ame Russe at 155 Second Avenue, almost at 9th Street. You go down a few steps to get into this narrow, brick-walled bar. A copper-topped wooden bar with a brass rail. A wooden floor and some bar stools but not much seating elsewhere. The ceiling is fairly low and there are small, orange-glass shaded lights over the bar. A few mirrors and lots of shelving for liquor behind the bar. The bricks behind the lower shelves are painted black. A partial suit of armor greets you from above as you walk down the steps into the place. A narrow ledge runs around the wall behind the bar stools and there are some stools sitting in front of it. They do have a dart board, but it is one of those plastic affairs. Pictures of Irish authors adorn the wall. A ledge in the front, the one that held the suit of armor, holds a bunch of Irish antiques and a wide area holds a mock-up of a library complete with a desk and someone sitting at it. I am not sure who the person is supposed to be, however. There are lots of lantern like lights with orange glass panels mounted on the walls.

I had a draft Widmer Hefeweizen and it hit the spot.

A slow day. Got off to a late start and then had a couple of margaritas and eats at La Palapa Cocina. I will probably take tomorrow off, step up the pace a bit on Saturday, and then celebrate Mother's Day with my mother-in-law and family in Chinatown. That means I may not hit any bars on Sunday either. Not to worry though, will still make 499 before May 14th. My two today brings me to 481 for the year with 519 left to go.

One In Midtown

I decided to pretty much take today off. A friend of mine’s father passed away and their was a small gathering after the funeral at an apartment in midtown. After dropping by to pay my respects I didn’t feel like hitting a lot of bars but did stop at one on the way home.

479) Neary’s

An elegant Irish pub with a carpeted floor at 358 East 57th Street at 1st Avenue. Well, we are in a neighborhood where the elevators in the buildings actually have elevator operators so it is only appropriate that you have carpet on the floor of an Irish pub. An lod wooden bar with a brass rail. Cabinets with wooden doors behind the bar support a decorative wooden structure with mirrors and tiered shelves. At each end is a cupboard with stained glass doors. An overhang with a kind of recreation room type of “ceiling” and recessed lights is over the bar. The rest of the place has this same type of ceiling but with nicer lighting, old syle brass affairs with six small lights with small shades. Maps of Ireland and racing and golf related photographs are on the wall behind the wooden bar chairs. There is nice crystal-ware on the top shelf behind the bar. There is a good-sized dining area in the back. Real friendly, old-style Irish bartenders that are more and more of a rarity these days. It seems to be a neighbor kind of place because everybody seemed to know everybody, including the owner who prowled the place in his suit and tie. He was astute enough to recognize that I wasn’t a regular, although my mysterious Chinese companion pointed out that in her case, at least, he didn’t have to be too astute.

I had a Maker’s Mark Manhattan and headed for the subway home.

Just the one for the day moving me to 479 for the year and 521 left for the year. It is all about controlled pacing as I move toward number 500 at The Gate on May 14th. I sure hope you have your calendar marked.

Spring Street And Vicinity

There was another bar that I spotted when I was at The Ear Inn and P.J. Charlton I decided to head back and visit it today.

476) Emerald Pub

An Irish bar that is a bit out of the way, but not far from The Ear Inn, on the corner of Spring Street and Kenwick Street. The old wood bar is somewhat serpentine in an angular way. It has a black foot rest and there are plain wooden bar chairs. The wooden and mirror back of the bar follows the same angles as the bar itself. Shelves with glass doors sit below the ledge that holds glass shelves for glasses, a cash register, and a display of the bottled beers offered for sale. An old, non-working popcorn machine sits atop an old white refrigerator and leans up agains an old, non-working copper espresso machine. A human skull, loving cup, mugs, jars, and other stuff sit on a narrow shelf atop the mirrors. A television showing the Liverpool Chelsea soccer game sits there too and held most of the patron’s attention. The wall behind the bar chairs is brick and the tables alongside it are separated from the bar by a wooden divider with a brass rail on top. A couple of mirrors with kind of cut glass edging are on the brick wall and they flank a small fireplace with a small mirror above it.

I had a Guinness.

477) Antartica

Not far away at 287 Hudson is this bit out of the way bar. You have to keep your eyes open or you might walk right by it. There was another soccer crowd in here watching the same game. Four of the five televisions were showing the game with the fifth showing pool. Unfortunately it was men’s pool and I prefer the women’s game. The bar is a big old dark wood affair with a wooden foot rail. The walls are brick and the floor is wide wooden planks. The ceiling is painted tin. There are mirrors behind the bar above the open shelves of liquor. Blackboards on the wall with seemingly unrelated quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Barry White, and William Butler Yeats are mounted above the mirrors. Another one with a quote by Robert Burns is hanging on the side wall. There is a pool table in the back with nice green glass shaded lights hanging over it. A sign behind the bar offered free drinks from 5:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. if your name was Gloria. Gloria could very well have a night she could never remember. A large picture of the interior of a bar that looked like it was taken in the late 1800s dominated the wall behind the bar chairs.

I had another Guinness, not a large as the 20 ounce one I got at the Emerald Pub and it cost fifty cents more.

478) Cody’s Bar And Grill

A corner place that is more bar than grill but does have a bit of a coffee shop look to it. Good sized windows on two sides of this corner bar (the corner of Hudson Street and Dominick Street) and light tan walls makes this bar much lighter than the norm. The bar is light wood with a wood foot rest. The bar chairs have black seats. A nice silver station with some brass decoration hold the four spigots for draft beer. A large American flag is mounted on the wall behind the bar chairs. Coolers with wooden doors and a shelf on top behind the bar. Mirrors line the wall with tiered shelves for liquor sitting in front of them. The bar has a large and elaborate overhang with slots with glasses hanging from them. Drawings to look like stained glass are on the bottom of the overhang. About eight tables with chairs make up the dining area. Overhead fans and track lighting hang from the light tan stucco ceiling.

I had a Dewar’s and soda.

Back to a more normal pace of three bars a day brought me to 478 for the year and 522 left to go. Just 21 to go to prepare for number 500 on Saturday, May 14th.

Trippin' In Tribeca

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

472) Due South

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

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

I had a Sam Adam’s Summer Ale.

473) Soso Borella

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

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

474) The Ear Inn

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

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

475) P.J. Charlton

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

I had a Tanqueray and tonic and headed home.

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

Music Festival In Hoboken

It was a beautiful sunny day and perfect to head over to Hoboken again and partake in a street fair and music festival. The place was jammed and there were blocks of booths selling food and all of the usual street fair stuff. I actually passed by a couple of places because they were too packed and one was even charging a cover because they had live music, like it wasn’t for free on the street. On the other hand, in there you probably didn’t have to deal with the “new” Herman’s Hermits.

466) Wilton House

Just a short walk from the Path and a bit off the main drag at 58 Newark Street we came to this inviting looking place. Of course my first bar of the day always looks inviting. It had a long tan tile bar with a tan Formica type of finish, only it was kind of textured. It had a tiled foot rest. Old dark wood bar chairs. Light tan cupboard and drawers behind the bar topped with a black top and a step shelf holding the liquor. A mirror runs pretty much the length of the place and is emblazoned with the bar’s name and two horse heads. The ceiling is brown painted tin and hanging from it, over the bar, are overhead fans with white globe lights. The floor has the same reddish orange tiles as our kitchen. The walls are kind of a rough planking and there are large mirrors on one of the side walls. Three televisions, two with the Yankees Toronto game and one showing the Detroit Phillie basketball game.

I had a bottle of Samuel Adam’s Boston Lager, in the bottle, no glass offered.

467) Black Bear

On the crowded street where the festival was taking place, at 205 Washington Street was this crowded place. I guess this place is supposed to have some kind of a hunting lodge look to it. One wall is wood paneled and has two deer heads and a bear skin mounted on it as well as a pretty small northern or some other similar looking fish. Some old advertising signs and a U.S. Government Reservation No Trespassing sign. Over the bar are a couple of chandeliers made out of antlers. A set of moose antlers, a set of deer antlers, and a small black bear head are mounted high on the wall behind the bar. There are a lot of televisions, at least a dozen mounted on the walls both downstairs and in the upstairs dining area. The bar is a dark wood angled affair with a narrow rail. A carved bear in dark wood, along with a bouncer, keep an eye on the door.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

468) DaVinci

Walking up the street I passed by a couple of places that were just too crowded. One was a tiki bar but I simply couldn’t get up to the bar. I will catch it on a return trip. This was a small Italian restaurant with a small bar. The bar is wood with a brass foot rail and a brass rail on top that is held in place by the trunks of brass elephant heads. An overhead rack holds glasses and bottles. A tiered shelf behind the bar holds wine and liquor bottles and a mirror with a frosted image of DaVinci’s study of the proportions of man. The one with the four arms and four legs stretched out. The floor is white tile with black diamond shapes. The ceiling is black lacquer with embedded spot lighting and silver and wood overhead fans. A few pictures of seaside towns hang on the very light tan wash walls. A few old-fashioned lights hang on the walls as well. A fairly small dining area with about 15 small tables. There is an outdoor seating area as well.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

469) Court Street

Every place on Washington was getting pretty packed and some, with live music, had a cover charge. I am not a big fan of paying for the privilege of paying for drinks. I ducked off the path being well beaten and into this somewhat quieter, but still crowded, bar. Just a wood bar with a brass rail, nothing fancy. Glass shelving behind the bar holds glasses, bottles, and individual drink-sized cocktail shakers. There are large wood framed mirrors behind the shelves. Lots of sports and celebrity themed pictures hang from the cream-colored walls. There is a good sized dining area in the back. A black ceiling that looks like sound proofing has overhead fans and recessed spot lighting. There are large, paned windows on two sides. Four televisions showing the Yankees losing to Toronto

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

470) Moran’s

We took a little walk around and found a nice park. Right by it was an unmarked bar. No sight outside advertising its name or even that it is a bar. It just looks like a bar. It is 501 Garden Street, right on the corner. The place had a lively crowd but it looked like regulars and not the overflow from the festival. A good sized wooden bar with a brass rail and old looking wooden bar chairs. Lot’s of dried vine type of arrangements decorated with colored Christmas lights. These are mounted on the wall behind the bar and in metal containers in the windows. A black patterned tin ceiling with school room type lights hanging over the bar. There is a well-lit dart board on one wall and a good sized dining area in the back. An old wood floor. The walls are the light tan walls have wood paneling that goes up about three quarters of the way to the ceiling. Yellow golf course flags hang above the mirror behind the bar. A couple of televisions, one showing the Yankee Toronto game and the other showing the Heat Net game.

I had a Tanqueray and tonic.

471) Bar NoCetti

I got off the Path at Christopher Street and the bar was just sitting there, waiting for me. And here we were, just back from Hoboken, the birthplace of Frank Sinatra and we walk into a bar playing Frank Sinatra on the sound system. Is that spooky, or what? This place is right on the corner of Christopher and Greenwich. A good sized dark wood bar with a bend in it. A silver set of taps with unmarked black handles. They did have the names of the four beers posted on a blackboard leaning up against the brick wall behind the bar. There was an old ornate mosaic floor that had been chipped away in places. Tiered shelves behind the bar held bottles. One section of the wall is white and has a large mirror in a wide wooden frame mounted on it. Windows on two sides of this corner place. A new looking tin ceiling with both recessed and protruding small spot lites. Dark tables and chairs separated from the bar by a wooden divider with a narrow shelf for drinks. A large Warhol Absolut poster is mounted on the rose colored section of the back wall. The rest of the walls are dark brown and brick with a mirror and some framed photos hanging from them.

I had a glass of Pino Grigio and headed home.

A most decent day with six bars under my belt making a total of 471 for the year and leaving me with 529 left to go.

A Soggy Tribeca Street Fair

It was a damp and chilly day so much more time was spent inside than on the street. I pretty much confined myself to Greenwich Street which is where most of the fair took place.

461) Roc

On the corner of Greenwich and Duane Streets is this elegant Italian restaurant. It has a modern looking dark wood bar with metal trim that looked like it was brushed aluminum. It also has a chromed bar rail. A huge display of Japanese cherry blossoms in a clear glass vase sat on one end of the bar. Two living room style lamps with metal bases and cloth-like shades also sit on the bar. An nice set of shelves in dark wood and metal that matches the bar sits behind the bar. The bottom has refrigeration units and two built in shelves for liquor. Three framed mirrors, two with a tiered shelf for liquor in front and the one in the middle has the cash register sitting in front. The top of this unit is arched with shelves holding two large water or wine jugs decorated as heads wearing garlands of wines and what looks like oranges. Some brandies in fancy bottles sit on a shelf between the heads and above them are a couple of green pineapple looking things. The walls are white with curtained windows looking out at a park. There are shelves holding wine bottles and knick knacks. Two large mugs with faces on them sit on little shelves towards the back. The overhead lights are metallic looking and reminded me of the breast plates on the robot in the movie Metropolis. The tables outside were decorated with old scenic Italian postcards.

The female bartender was very pleasant and we had a nice conversation as I drank my Tanqueray and tonic.

462) Viet Café

As you walk down Greenwich Street, at 345, you can’t help but notice the painting of a large, smiling face of a Vietnamese peasant woman with a caption that says “Designation For The New Millenium.” The painting is on the wall of a restaurant and bar. The bar has a dark cherry wood looking top and, coincidently, has a huge display of Japanese cherry blossoms in the vase that was the same type as the one in Roc. They probably use the same florists. These blossoms were pretty sorry looking though, most of them seemed to be dead. A display of bronzed flowers in a dark, squat jug sat on the other end. These were holding up much better. The bar stools appear to be cherry wood, matching the bar. They were uncomfortably high though and too close together. The somewhat height impaired Chinese lady had a hard time climbing up and down. Large cylindrical orangish yellow lights hung over the bar and, somewhat improbably, had the Chinese word for health inscribed on the bottoms. Larger and narrower versions of these lights hang from the burgundy ceiling throughout the rest of the restaurant. Nice mirror back matching wood shelves behind the bar held bottles, Asian statues, jugs, an incense burner, and three gold Buddhas. The brick wall in the back was adorned with Asian prints and the pale yellow walls towards the front featured pictures of Vietnamese children. There is an attached store which sells Vietnamese objects of art and furniture.

I had a glass of Hugel Gentil Gewürztraminer while the Chinese lady had some non-alcoholic concoction that contained lemon grass and who knows what else and was kind of a carroty orange color.

463) Dominic

Whew! Another gorgeous place at 349 Greenwich Street. A rectangular bar with a top of pale green ceramic squares with a confetti-like pattern to it. The front of the bar is dark and there is no rail or foot rest. The bar stools are square and have dark-blue velvet-like cushioned seats and are very comfortable. A welcome change from the last place. Just a simple center serving station with shelves for bottles and glasses. Very interesting lighting hangs from the ceiling. Three of them look like colorful glass condoms, the ones with the reservoir tips. Another three are golden-colored affairs and another lighting fixture has blue shades. The lights above the bar look like inverted metal desk lamps, the kind you see jumping around in the at the beginning of movies by Pixar. Little lamps with blue shades sit on the bar. One long brick wall has an ornately framed mirror and various old photographs. Plates are mounted on the wall toward the back. The high-backed tan booths make you feel, or at least look, like a small child. The flat screen television mounted on the wall at one end of the bar was showing “Singing In The Rain.” Unfortunately, for a movie that is a musical and is about making the move to talking movies, it had the sound turned off. The floor has a wave pattern of black and white tiles in front and wood in back. Downstairs there was an intimate little dining room with just one long wood table with five chairs on each side.

I had a glass of red wine, Feudi Di San Gregorio Pinot Noir, quite tasty.

464) Pig & Whistle

Just down the block a bit at 365 Greenwich Street is a place with a big wood bar with brass rails. The bar chairs have green seats. The coolers have black doors and there are wooden shelves holding liquor and a large mirror above. At the very top is a shelf holding statues of characters such as Laurel and Hardy and the Marx Brothers. An old brass spittoon also sits behind the bar. There is old, English-style lighting. It looks like the street lights you see in Sherlock Holmes movies. This is an old looking place with a wood floor and brick walls with mirrors, posters, and a map of Ireland mounted on them. There were several televisions showing the Yankee Toronto game.

I had a draft Weisse, very refreshing.

465) Ivy’s Bistro

A bit further down Greenwich at 385 is a little, somewhat informal looking Italian restaurant with a bar. It was getting about dinner time and companion was getting a bit peckish, even though she ate something the bar at Dominic. I have to be honest though, I took a couple of bites myself. She found a table while I had my drink at the bar before joining her.

It just has a small bar that was fairly crowded. English style lighting mounted on light pink walls. The floors are blue carpeted and add a bit of poshness. Framed photos on the walls and candles on the table.

I had a shot of Metaxa, a nice Greek brandy, at the bar and then sat down for dinner.

A nice day with five bars hit bringing my total for the year to 465 with 535 left to go.