Cheesy Political Joke

So, Senator John McCain picks Alaska's Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Do you think this was a well thought out decision, or did he do it just for the halibut?

Waterfall Of Death - Update

Just a brief update on one of my least favorite "works of art," the Waterfalls. The Brooklyn Heights Association, a neighborhood group, has asked the city's Community Assistance Unit Commissioner (whoever that is) to end the Public Art Fund's project early. They want it shut down right after Labor Day rather then in mid-October.

The reason for this, as I posted about before, is that the mists of salty water blowing off the "waterfalls" is destroying vegetation. Apparently the problem has spread beyond just the trees in the River Cafe garden. Plants along the Brooklyn Promenade and in nearby gardens are also being destroyed.

The Parks Department has been giving the plants on the Brooklyn Promenade extra waterings, and have said there shouldn't be any long-term damage. Only time will tell.

A Bright Day On Brighton Beach

For those of you who may not know, Brighton Beach is on the opposite end of the boardwalk from Coney Island. It is about a half mile walk and the New York Aquarium is right in the middle. The New York Aquarium is where The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I met up with our friends Kathy and Frank. We got off the subway one stop before Coney Island and walked across a pedestrian walkway to the boardwalk. Great view of the iconic Cyclone, still one of the best bang-for-the-buck will this thing last through my ride thrills in any amusement park.

The Cyclone


Luckily The Cyclone has been landmarked so it will survive whatever makeover the rest of Coney Island may undergo. I sure wish they would landmark Ruby's Bar And Grill.

Brighton Beach is also known as Little Odessa because of the large number of people living there that came from Odessa, a major seaport on the Black Sea in the south of Ukraine. Strangely enough, the name Brighton Beach was chosen because the area was going to resemble Brighton, a popular town in England known for its seafront bars, restaurants, nightclubs and amusement arcades.

If you ever get to New York, Brighton Beach is definitly one of those "must see" places. It is a close as you will ever get to visiting any of what was once the Soviet Union without actually going there. You will hear more Russian spoken on the streets than English.

Our initial reason for heading there this time was a street fair. For some reason I kind of thought a street fair in Brighton Beach would have a bit of an ethnic flavor, but I was mistaken. Like so many street fairs in New York now, they are all pretty generic. Same food, same merchandise, no longer much that is unique. Oh, except for the Atlantic Antic Street Fair, that is my favorite.

Same Old, Same Old


Well one thing they had, a booth where you could buy those ShamWows that you see advertised on television all the time. Interestingly, I had just bought some the other day and Frank was excited to have a chance to buy one as well. Must be a guy thing.

Wow, My ShamWow


I hope he didn't get an imitation, Vince warns you about them.

We didn't nibble at the street fair but headed to one of the several restaurants right on the boardwalk. I have eaten at all of them over the years and they are all good. We decided on Tatiana today, for no particular reason.

Tatiana On The Sea


When the weather is nice, as it was on this day, there is no better place to sit and have a beer or two and some really excellent food. We weren't particularly hungry so we shared some mussels, two styles, and some little cheese filled perogis that were more like ravioli.

Mussels With Ginger And Who Knows What


These were just delicious, and the sauce was great for sopping up with the heavy bread that came with it. Everything here is really good, but if I was in the mood for more food their fish dishes are excellent. Some of the best you will find anywhere. Interesting plates of cold dishes as well and of course borscht that is dynamite. A Russian friend of mine raves about the potatoes and mushrooms, and they have three different versions of this dish.

And, of course, big bottles of ice-cold Russian beer. In this case a Baltika No. 3.

A Cold One Is Better Than A Cold War


My friends Kathy and Frank shared my opinons all the way.

Frosty Good


Oh, and did I mention that the view of the beach is fantastic. I decided to take an "artistic" picture that got both me and the beach reflected in a window in the back wall of the restaurant.

Just Too Cool


And The Mysterious Chinese Woman managed to get a picture of me getting a picture of me.

The Shooter Gets Shot


During our stay both The Mysterious Chinese Woman and Kathy visited the ladies room and they both, independendly said it must be seen to be believed. I am not sure what that meant because they wouldn't tell me. The men's room wasn't anything special so I was a bit disappointed by that. There was a neat statue on the way though.

Must Have Been A Hell Of A Party


Tatina also has a nightclub and if you haven't been to a Russian nightclub you don't know what you are missing. More food and vodka than you can imagine. The last time I went the action didn't get started until about 10:00 PM and we didn't roll out of there until daylight was breaking. Think a better than average Las Vegas lounge show and you will have an idea of what the entertainment is like.

Of course there is also free entertainment on the beach.

Is He Holding A "Tight-Rope-Walking For Dummies" Book?


I am certainly going to try to get here again while the weather is still nice and I will post more about the food they have. It will have to be later in the day though when I have more of an appetite, and thirst.

After we ate we did a little grocery shopping, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Jets Fan No More

Okay, don't get me wrong, I will still root for the Jets and wish them well, but the concept of being a fan, while waning for years, is now pretty much gone.

To have stuck with the Jets since they played at Shea Stadium hasn't been easy. But stick I did. I will have to admit though that when they played the Vikings in the play-offs a few years back my loyalties were indeed torn. I am originally from Minnesota and grew up with the Purple People Eaters.

Now this year the Jets have brought in an aging quarterback from the Vikings arch-rivals, the Packers. Whoo Whoo, the New York papers are going crazy. He will be the salvation of the Jets. Hell, he might even get them into the playoffs this year. Ah, so what. Didn't they make the playoffs in 2002 and then blow out Indianapolis in the first round with Chad Pennington. Oh, Chad also led the league in passer rating and completions percentage that year. And then in 2006 Chad got us into the playoffs again. But we sent him to Miami so maybe Favre can lead us to the playoffs this year. Am I missing something here? It wouldn't surprise me if the Dolphins have a better season than the Jets. Okay, so I am a bit bitter.

But that was nothing compared to the new Personal Seating Licenses and the increase in ticket prices announced by the Jets. I have three season tickets on about the five yard line. Nice tickets and this year they cost me $80 apiece. Now, to fund the new stadium being built (Favre will probably be retired for good by the time the Jets play in it) it looks like it will cost me $15,000 a ticket or $45,000 just for the rights to continue to buy my tickets. And, on top of that, the price of the tickets will go up 75% to $140 each.

Hey, professional sports are no longer about teams and fans and haven't been for a long time. Professional sports, no surprise, is just another business (except for maybe Roller Derby and Professional Wrestling). Oh, I will still root for the Jets, but I can no longer afford, emotionally or financially, to continue to be a fan.

Just had to get this off my chest. Man, $45,000, at $5 a beer that is 9,000 of them. And at $140 a seat times three, that is another 104 beers each week the Jets play a home game, including pre-season. Now that would be money well spent.

Actually, what with the real estate market in a free fall, I could probably use the $45,000 to buy a condo in Miami and root for Chad this year.

On The West Side

The pier where the Temptress was moored is, as you might imagine, on the Hudson River. Specifically, it is located at 42nd Street across from the West Side Highway. Walking there to and from the subway I passed through a neighborhood I haven't visited for awhile. This is right by the Bus Terminal across from which was Siberia, bar number 564 back in 2005. Right around the corner were Bellevue Bar (I have spelled this numerous ways in my blog, but this is the correct spelling) which was number 527 and where I did my guest bar tending gig, and the Holland Bar bar number 565. Sadly, both Siberia and Bellevue are now gone. A sad story that gets even sadder. But, for this night at least, the Holland Bar was still there, tucked between the East West Grocery and Aceluck Thai Cusine.

Still Standing


Still the old dive bar I know and love. Narrow as a closet and packed three deep at the bar, and you cant pack them any deeper than that. Its not as cheap as it once was, but $6 still gets you a good sized shot of Jack Daniels and a Budweiser.

A Beer And A Bump


Ah, but the sad news. Despite the fact that the place was packed and the bartender had worked up one hell of a sweat, this place was on its last legs.

Working Up A Sweat


I did manage to chat with the bartender a bit, but damned if I didn't forget his name. He told me that the building housing the bar had been sold and that tomorrow or the next day would be the bar's last day. He was hoping the new owner would remodel the bar and re-open it, but that never happens. But there is always talk that it will happen this time. I have heard it a couple of dozen times now. The days of the beer and shot places is rapidly coming to and end, especially in larger cities and especially in New York. The end of an era. And where will these people go to drink now? I really don't know.

Another puzzle, why is it that at the end of the night The Mysterious Chinese Woman is always more photogenic than me?

I Just Don't Understand


And, all of you who were planning on posting a comment along the lines of "What do you mean at the end of the night?" don't bother.

For some reason, maybe an open bar on a boat and beers and shots after, I found this to be hilarious.

The Department Of Redundant Signage


I mean, if you didn't know it was a fire hydrant by looking at it, would the sign really help? Only the next day did I realize that the sign was easier to spot than the fire hydrant itself so it might help you find it. I thought the fire department knew where all the fire hydrants were, though.

Well, all in all it was a very nice evening, but in a bittersweet way. I truly do hate to see the old bars fade away.

Hopping On The Hudson

A friend of mine, Sean Murphy, as many of you know, runs MurphGuide, a guide to fun events throughout New York. You have to like a website that has a page dedicated to places where you can drink competitively, Beer Pong, Beirut, and Flip Cup. Now those should be Olympic Events. Combine that with swimming and you would definitely need to put that urine detection chemical in the pool.

For those of you who are interested in checking out MurphGuide, indispensable if you live in or around New York City, you can find it at:

MurphGuide

Last Thursday Sean sponsored a nice little three hour cruise on the Hudson River aboard the good ship Temptress. Just a three hour cruise.

I Got My Ducats


Our boat was a bit bigger than the Minnow, however. And much better stocked.

The Good Ship Temptress


As we were preparing to weigh anchor, or cast off, or whatever it is you do, it was touching to see the natives canoeing out hoping to retrieve coins thrown over the side.

They Are A Simple People


Actually, they have kayaking classes and free use of kayaks not far from where we were moored on the West Side of Manhattan. It really is amazing all of the stuff that New York has to offer if you know where to look for it.

We boarded the boat at 6:30 P.M. and were scheduled to depart at 7:00 P.M. Free beer, booze, and food plus music with a DJ. Not to shabby for $65 bucks. It didn't take me long to find the beer up on the rear deck.

A Beer, A Boat, A Bar Man


Soon we were on our way and waving good-bye to the island of Manhattan. People often forget, and it is easy to do so, that of the five boroughs of New York City, four of them are on islands. For some reason this always seems hard to comprehend. There should be more steel drums and rum drinking, in my opinion.

Bidding Good-Bye To The Island Life


Ah, but there is nothing like a romantic cruise with The Mysterious Chinese Woman.

Voted Cutest Couple


It was a lovely night and the lights twinkling in the distance makes Manhattan look like a glittering jewel box.

Manhattan After Dark


Even New Jersey looks nice at night. Cheap, but obligatory, shot at New Jersey from someone who lives in New York.

You Always Know The Time


And, of course, the obligatory shot of the Statue of Liberty, which actually sits on an island in New Jersey waters. New York was devastated when this became public.

The New Jersey Lady


The passing of this brightly lit boat reminded me of the final scenes of the Fellini movie, Amaracord. This is a great movie and if you have never seen it you should. It is a series of vignettes about a man's memories of growing up on pre-war Italy.

The Boat, The Boat


I spent most of my time out on the back deck when I wasn't making runs to the open bar. The weather was warm and there was a friendly crowd.

Great Crowd, Great Night


And there was plenty of dancing going on down below.

Rocking On The Waves


It was a great night and the weather couldn't have been better. When Sean puts together an event, and this was one he put together, it is always a good time.

Spider John

I did indeed get to see old pal Spider John Koerner after ducking out of my nieces birthday party. The party was in Park Slope but a call to a car service had somebody there in just a few minutes and it was a fairly short ride to Jalopy over at 315 Columbia Street, tucked into a corner defined by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the entrance to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.

Jalopy


And right next door to Jalopy is Moonshine, a pretty decent full-fledged bar.

Moonshine


It is still a pretty hard-scrabble neighborhood, but getting more gentrified all the time.

The Mean Streets Of Red Hook






It wasn't too many years ago that there really wasn't anything on Columbia Street worth going there for. Now there just isn't much. But what is there is pretty interesting, Jalopy, for example. More of a performance place than a bar. In fact the bar is really small and I think they only have wine and beer. You grab the beer you want from a refrigerated display case and bring it to the cash register where you pay for it. They do have a decent wine selection though.

Bar Man At The Mini-Bar


Across from the "bar" is a display of musical instruments, all for sale.

A Music Store Too


There is a music school here, or at least they give lessons, and they also repair instruments. Just a small space that they also rent out for special performances and loan out for worthwhile causes. Their was a friendly crowd of regulars who showed up so it was a great venue to see some old-school folk music. The place is quite small, just several rows of what like church pews, but it was pretty packed, standing room only, in fact.

I misunderstood what time the music started so we got there about an hour early. That was fine with me, got a great seat in the front row. The front row only held four people, and the other couple were real Spider John fans. The guy had an old album in pristine condition that he brought in to be signed. I own the same album, "Spider Blues," but never thought to bring it along. Also, I have not taken as good care of mine as he had, sadly.

Before the music started I had a chance to take a look at the somewhat eclectic display of paintings hung on the walls.





A fellow noticed me looking at them and asked me if I liked them. I said "Sure," and said the reminded me a bit of Dali. The guy was Eric Richardson and he was the artist. All of the art is for sale and you can see more at his website:

www.ericeyeballrichardson.com

Hanging With The Artist



By the way, I had another picture posted on this blog but after a day it was removed by Photobucket due to what they considered to be inappropriate content. They must really have a thing about the depiction of the female breast, whether it is in an exhibit in a museum or the work of an artist. Very bizarre, if you ask me. I wonder just who makes these decisions.

Anyway, we weren't at Jalopy for too long when the opening group, the JD's showed up in their vehicle that seemed more than appropriate for the area.

The JD's Limo


The JD's, with lead singer Bob Musial and son Jake on guitar and backing vocals were a local favorite and had quite a following in the crowd. They refer to their music as Polish Calypso, but I have to admit that I didn't see the connection to what they played. Mostly coffee-house style folk music, some of it autobiographical in nature. They were pretty good though and the audience responded enthusiastically after every song.

The JD's, Live And On Stage


You can see the back of the Mysterious Chinese Woman's head in the picture and, sitting next to her, the two die-hard Spider heads.

And then, the man I had been waiting for:

Spider John Koerner And Bar Man


I was happy to see that his hasn't lost a thing in terms of his singing and playing and that his jokes are as excruciatingly bad as ever..."Hear about the Norweigen farmer who loved his wife so much he almost told her?" It goes over big in Minnesota.

Still Hootin' and Hollerin'




By the time he was done and I decided to head next door to Moonshine for a beer and a shot there was quite a crowd on the street, both from Jalopy and Moonshine. Kind of a Friday night get-together of the locals.

Just Hangin'


The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I had only been sitting at the bar for a couple of minutes when who should come in and sit at the stool next to us?

Old Friend John


Well now, that was an unexpected treat. I bought him a drink and we sat and chatted for about an hour before he had to head out to Connecticut where he was going to visit his sister. It sure was fun to talk about the old days and the old bars. Brought back a ton of memories.

We decided to walk home, something that would have been unthinkable not too long ago. As I said, this used to be a real rough waterfront neighborhood. One advantage of walking home was that I had to pass Montero's. You can probably see why I had to stop in.

There Was Only One Way To Go


There was only Allen, the bartender, and one other guy, who had also just come from hearing Spider John, in the place. Well, it was almost two in the morning.

Nevada Allen, Settin' Em Up


I had a couple more beers and shots and then it became apparent that it was, indeed, time for me to toddle on home.

Definitely Time To Go


All and all it was a most enjoyably memorable evening. Turned out even better than I expected, especially with the little post-concert tete-a-tete with John.

Cyclones/Yankees Part Two

Well, it took me long enough to get here, but at long last, the game itself. In fact, it has been so long that I have forgotten the score. I do know that the Cyclones won though. That makes them 2 and 0 against the arch rival Yankees when I have been at the game.

Heading On In


As always, the seats are great, the prices are cheap, and the games are a lot of fun.

Close To The Action


Of course the best part is always the wacky mascots doing their best to embarrass a few hapless fans.

Beating On The Baldies


And it is always fun to watch a game as the barges going by.

Barges And Baseball, As American As It Gets


And, being just a big kid at heart, I always love the fireworks. And these didn't disappoint.









One of the things that I like about Puerto Vallarta is that they have a lot of fireworks. In fact, there is a "pirate ship" that goes out every night for a booze cruise and when it returns it always shoots off a few fireworks. Most of the time I can see them from my window. Of course they only last about five minutes so you have to run when you hear them start to go off.

Then it was time to get on the ferry and stand in line for what would be my last beer of the night.

Anticipation


And I had plenty of room to enjoy my beer during the return to Manhattan.

Stretchin' and Chillin'


One thing that is really nice about where I live in Brooklyn is that it is only a few blocks from so many subway lines. And just a few steps from the ferry terminal was the subway that took us right home. A very nice night, the ferry rides, dinner at the Cargo Cafe, the game, the fireworks.