At Last, Connected In Lisbon

At last. Sorry for the delay in posting but internet connections are not that easy to come by here in Lisbon. Although my hotel advertises in-room internet access, they don’t really have it. There is a PC in the lobby that is supposed to be connected to the internet, but apparently it is “broken,” and has been all week. I kind of doubt that they have it at all because you would think that they would be able to get it fixed in the week that I have been here. But, perhaps not.

Also, unlike in the United States, WiFi appears to be very limited as well. And you don’t see many internet cafes either. They seem to be limited to just this one street in this one section of town. Unlike in Puerto Vallarta where they seem to be on every street corner.

My television is limited to just one English station, and that is BBC World. That is fine because I haven’t been watching much television other than the soccer matches, and those I have been watching in a Spanish bar down the street. As you can imagine there was a lot of celebrating when Spain won.

Watching the BBC World and reading the English language Portuguese and the British papers is quite enlightening. Their perspective on world events is, as you might imagine, quite different that those we get in the United States.

As one example, although they certainly don’t hold BP blameless in the oil spill, they do think President Obama has gone overboard in bashing the company. Particularly now that it seems as though there might be some White House shenanigans to facilitate the takeover of BP's North American assets by United States companies, Apache and Exxon being two of them. They are also quick to point out that United States drilling operations have spilled much more oil over the years abroad, particularly in Nigeria, without anything being reported.

And, as you can imagine, the perspective on how the war in Afghanistan is going is much more negative over here. They are of the opinion that President Obama’s announcement of troop pullouts next year has pretty much made a Taliban victory inevitable and has forced the Afghan president to cover his bets by seeking to cut deals with them.

And, of course, the economic melt-down, due in part to our failure to regulate and monitor our banking system, isn’t helping matters. It appears that President Obama has lost a lot of his luster over here in Europe.

On the other hand, I am getting along with everyone and have found the people here in Lisbon to be most friendly. Not as many people speak English here as in many other major European cities, but enough people do so that there really isn’t any major language barrier.

But, enough of this, let’s get back to the basics, at least for now. And for me that means bars.

We flew AirEuropa from JFK to Madrid and then after a short layover we took a short flight on into Lisbon. We departed from Terminal 4 at JFK and they have a very nice Irish bar there.

Getting Tight At Tigin


I went a bit against the grain, though, by ordering a Bass Ale and then a Newcastle Brown Ale. Hey, I just wasn’t in the mood for a Guinness.

Bar Man And His Bass, Or Nukie


I ended up sitting between two guys who were heading to Ireland and we chatted a bit. One of them, Carl, is a bartender at, well, I forgot the name but I am pretty sure he said it was at 94th and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. After talking with him a bit, and after I gave him my card, he remembered having seen my blog and seemed to remember me stopping into his bar during my slog through my thousand bars. He said to be sure to stop by after I returned home, and I will make a point of doing so.

Carl, if you see this blog, please either email me or post a comment giving me the name of your bar.

It didn’t take me too long to stumble upon an Irish bar here in Lisbon, either. Although the Mysterious Chinese Woman was surprised I didn’t find it the day we arrived.

An Irish Bar In Lisbon


I had to explain that it was a bit off the beaten track and it took me awhile to figure out the subway system, of which I will be writing more about later.

Although most of Lisbon is smoke-free, just like most of the good old U.S.A., this place seemed proud of the fact that they were somehow exempt.

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em


The bar had the typical Irish pub feel to it and this time I did go for the Guinness.

A Cheery Place


It was poured the proper two step way with a nice little rest between the steps.

Time For A Rest


And nicely presented to me by the Donange, the most friendly bartender.

Service With A Smile


And, finally, I had my first Guinness here in Lisbon.

Guinness Is Good


Buybacks don’t seem to be that common here, even at the Spanish bar that I have been to three times and where I have tipped rather generously. I did get a small buyback here, though.

A Small Buyback


And, of course, I had to take one of my artistic pictures. See if you can find me among the bottles.

Not Just Another Bottle Top


Actually, if you look closely, you can spot another artistic picture as well. Remember, I consider a picture to be artistic if I am in a reflection.

Well, that is enough for today. I probably won’t post again until Thursday when I have a five-hour layover in Madrid. I spotted several WiFi areas in the airport. Hopefully the partying will have died down. It looked like they were really painting the town red the night of their World Cup victory.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman and her Mysterious Sister are out shopping but I am going to use my time here to surf the internet a bit. Luckily I had already left town when LeBron announced he was going to Miami so I missed all of the gnashing of teeth and soul rendering agony back in New York. I am sure most people there just can’t understand why he didn’t come to the Center Of The Universe. Never mind that the Knicks organization has been a shambles for more years than I care to think about and just getting Amar’e isn’t going to change that. I am still waiting to hear that they have gotten rid of Lee, the one good player that they have had over the past few years.

Off To Lisbon

Just watched Amsterdam beat Uruguay in an exciting game and am now heading off to Lisbon with the Mysterious Chinese Woman and her Mysterious Sister.  Probably no posts for a day or two, but I will be blogging while I am there; probably starting Thursday or Friday.

It is 105° here in Downtown Brooklyn according to the thermometer on the corner of Court Street and Montague; might be a record high for this date.

Belly Sliders

I stopped into the Waterfront Ale House yesterday to visit the world's friendliest bartender, Gaid.  Funny, though, he is always gone by the start of Happy Hour.  I guess he is friendly but not happy.  Anyway, I was glad to see that they had the Brooklyn Brewery's Buzz Bomb Ale back on tap.  I really like this a lot and will probably return today to have a few more while the Mysterious Chinese Woman is away visiting her equally Mysterious Mother.

Getting Buzzed On The Buzz Bomb


The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I are heading to Lisbon next week and a Mysterious Sister-In-Law is going with us.  We aren't leaving until Tuesday but she is coming over tomorrow to stay for a few days before we leave.  I think the Mysterious Ones are going to gang up and try to train me to behave before our trip.  Anyway, that is why I am hitting the Waterfront Ale House again today, I may not have another chance for awhile.

On the bright side, Jim is coming over tomorrow as well and bringing his new Dead Red Redemption game that I bought him for his birthday.  That means an afternoon and evening of being entertained by watching him play while we drink beer and eat take-out barbecue while the Mysterious Sisters do their thing.

There was something a bit different on the daily special board, Pork Belly Sliders.  They always have interesting stuff here and it is usually very good.  These were no exception.  Simply scrumptious.  You got three and the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I each scarfed down one before I stopped to take a picture.

Simply Scrumptious Belly Slider


These were actually beyond delicious.  Nice and crispy on the outside with succulent fat on the inside.  Jim, the cook, said he braised the pork belly and then finished them off on the grill.  And the little buns were tasty as well.  Like smaller versions of their delicious hamburger buns.  The sliders came with kimchi on the side, a traditional Korean spicy pickled cabbage dish, that nicely complemented the sweet fattiness of the belly.

I see pork belly a lot in the meat stalls in Chinatown, but have never cooked it myself, not being sure of how to do it.  Maybe I will try it at the next barbecue.

I was talking to Sam, owner and manager of the Waterfront Ale House and he said he had bought a whole hog from Flying-Pig Farm in, I believe, upstate New York.  He said they have a booth or whatever you call it at Union Square where they have a very nice farmers market.  A lot of the restaurants in the area do their shopping there and at least one cooking school advertises its proximity to the market as a selling point.

Anyway, you buy a hog you use the hog and these pork belly sliders were a tasty treat.  I guess this also explains the headcheese that I had here about a week or so ago.

Sam also said he had purchased 50 kegs of Brooklyn Brewery's new Monster Ale.  He plans on breaking out a few kegs every year to see how it ages.  I know it ages well because I was at a tasting once where they had every year's Monster Ale available.

We had a nice discussion about beers, beer fads (why every brewery tries to out-hop everyone elses I.P.A., for example) some wine fads (drier and drier Reislings from Washington for awhile) and why he doesn't have a board for the World Cup (he can't get anyone to run it).  Actually, I haven't ever seen a World Cup board, even in die-hard soccer bars like Nevada Smiths.  Maybe because if you got a number over 4 you just knew you were going to lose.

The Chinese Woman and I also split an order of ribs and they were delicious as usual.  And we had plenty to take home for me to snack on today.

After our ribs Sam generously brought over a couple of glasses of a 17 year old bourbon, Jefferson's Presidential Select.

Jefferson's Presidential Select
 

There is a long story behind this bourbon.  It is a product of Stitzel-Weller, a distillery that closed in 1992.  This brewery is known for its wheated bourbons meaning that the secondary grain in the mash is wheat, not rye.  They used to produce Old Fitzgerald, another wheated bourbon, which is now produced by Heaven Hill.

Anyway, the Jefferson's Presidential Select was one of the last batches of bourbon brewed before the distillery's closing and it is just coming on the market now.  And let me tell you it is deliciouso.  Smooth and tasty and just what I needed as a pick-me-up after my Buzz Bombs.

Perked Me Right Up


It was so smooth that even the Mysterious Chinese Woman enjoyed a sip or two before giving me the rest, and that is saying something.  The last I heard this was going for $100 or more a bottle, if you can find it.  I don't know what they were charging for it at the Waterfront Ale House, or even if they were offering it.  Maybe it was Sam's private stock.  Either way, thank you very much Sam for sharing this.



I am still wondering about the three people out of the eighty reviewing this place that didn't like it.  I can't think of anything not to like.  Maybe the beer prices are a bit high, but not for this neighborhood.  And you get a really fine selection of beers, and the free popcorn.

Plus, you have Gaid, the world's friendliest bartender.

Such A Sweetheart - Gaid, That Is


Well, the Mysterious Chinese Woman is a sweetheart too, but that goes without saying.

Did You Know?

New York is the only state where it is legal for women to go topless in public, as long as it isn't for the benefit of a business.

I would post pictures, but Photobucket won't let me.

Don't know why I found this so funny, but I did.  One day a killer whale in Puget Sound started pushing a dead salmon around.  Apparently the other killer whales thought this was cool and within a couple of weeks all of them in Puget Sound had a dead salmon they were pushing around.

Also, in the same article, they were talking about how dolphins, when exposed to a mirror, use it to check their teeth and other body parts they can't normally see, like their anal slit.  I am guessing that last one would be primarily the males.

Aftermath

You ever wake up in the morning and wonder just what the hell happened last night?

?????????????

Too Good Not To Share

My friend, Chris, sent this to me and I thought it was too good not to share:



I should try to get the article because I am dying to know who waved at the man dressed as a Snickers bar, the woman in the sumo wrestler suit or her ex-girlfriend.  Pronouns can be so confusing.

No More CNN

Good Lord, CNN has been going down hill for a long time, but I thought they were starting to improve when they got rid of Lou Dobbs after his program became more of an anti-immigration rant than a bonafide news program.

Then today I turn on their morning news show only to be presented with a lengthy promo for a future piece by Soledad Obrien about, well, this is a bit confusing.  A gay couple, two men, who want to have a baby and have found a woman who is willling to donate her eggs so they can fulfill their dream.  I guess there must be a surrogate mother somewhere in the mix.

Now I don't object to the subject matter of Gary And Tony Have A Baby, and if Soledad O'brien wants to tell the story of "a gay couple's journey to have a baby," so be it.  I probably won''t be tuning in though because the subject matter is of little interest to me.  Oh, and by the way, I am sure after all of the coverage their child will, of course, have a perfectly "normal" life.  Anyone see a reality show in the works?

What I do object to is a large part of CNN's morning news show being a Soledad O'Brien interview (repeated over and over) with the couple.  The interview was obviously just being used just to promote the show at the expense of real news.  CNN's morning show used to be one of my favorite news shows to watch, but now it has devolved into something considerably less, in my opinion.

Then, in the What can they possibly be thinking? department, CNN has decided that it would be a good idea to have Elliot Spitzer co-host an evening program.  You might remember Elliot Spitzer, he resigned as Governor of New York as a result of his escapades with a prostitute coming to light and then being threatened with impeachment.  Why CNN thinks this is some kind of a positive addition to their staff is beyond me, but I can assure you that I will not be watching this program, which airs during prime time.

I might still tune into The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.  I can never get enough of Jack Cafferty.  But I can watch that on CNN's International station which is much better.  And I love Richard Quest on Quest Means Business.

What A Sport

I headed out to Staten Island the other day to see my beloved Coney Island Cyclones fall to the hated Staten Island Yankees.  Oh well, the day was nice, the food was almost free, and the beer wasn't bad.  They had Blue Moon which is a credible Belgian White style brew, but I couldn't find any Brooklyn Brewery products, even though I saw a couple of their signs.

After the game I stopped at the nearby Ruddy And Dean.

Ruddy And Dean


Having already filled up on "free" (well, included in the price of the ticket) food at the game I was able to resist ordering here.  They do have a display of aged beef, and a few people were chowing down on tasty looking steaks.  I just sidled up to the bar and tried to blend in with the crowd as I had a Margarita with neon-green radioactive looking salt.

Just Blending In


I like wearing this outfit when I go to a Cyclones game, especially if my little neice is going to be there.  She is a die-hard Staten Island Yankees fan and it embarasses her to be seen with me, for some reason.

Yesterday I headed out early to watch the World Cup.  I had planned on going to Brazen Head, which usually opens early for these events.

Brazen Head


I had scouted the place earlier when I went to pick up the morning papers and they were pretty explicit about saying they would be open at 9:00 AM.

No Ambiguity Here


At about ten minutes to nine the door did open and I started to enter saying that I would be the first customer of the day.  Well, no.  They were just cleaning up and I was told that they wouldn't be opening until 10:00 AM.  When I pointed out the sign I just got a shoulder shrug and was told the bartender hadn't showed up and the sign was wrong.

It Was Not To Be


Oh well, I knew a couple other bars not far away that would be showing the game and opening early.  I opted for The Atlantic Chip Shop where a crowd was already gathering.

The Early Crowd


It looked kind of like a methadone clinic, but I guess an addict is an addict and these people were obviously World Cup addicts.  Well, except for the Mysterious Chinese Woman who was just keeping an eye on me.

As the crowd grew and became more lively the methadone clinic ambience quickly faded.

Showing Their Colors


Not that I am a big England fan, but I opted to have my picture taken with the prettier of the flag bearers.

She Even Had A Cute British Accent


The Chip Shop didn't open until 9:30 AM, but that was still half-an-hour earlier than Brazen Head.  And I got here early enough to get a place in the crowd close to the dooor.

At Least Their Sign Was Correct


And the crowd did continue to grow.

Lot's Of People Skipping Work


They were showing both the England/Slovania and the U.S.A./Algeria games.  To the owner's of Chip Shop's credit, they did relegate the England game to the screen in the back.  Not to their credit were the fact that all of the seats at the bar and at the tables closest to the TV's were reserved for their friends or regulars.  Oh well, we had pretty decent seats so no real complaints.

A Full House


Given the limited staff that was on duty the service was quick and efficient.  Especially so because a lot of people were having breakfast and beer.  I opted for a heathy sausage sandwich and a Scotch egg, a hard boiled egg coated with a lardy sausage and served cold.  I figured the beers would cut the chloresteral.  And I had a Speckled Hen followed up with Tetley's Ale.  Two mighty fine brews, even if they were served in plastic pint glasses.

The game was pretty exciting and it almost looked like the U.S.A. was going to get hosed again by a bad call.  They had one goal called back due to a non-existent off-sides.  But despite a lot of shots at the goal, other than that one nothing was going in.

And then, pandemonium.  In those minutes that somehow mysteriously get tacked on to the clock, Landon Donovan kicked one in and the U.S.A. was on its way to the next round.

Man Hugs All Around


It was pretty exciting, too.  England had already won their game and if the U.S.A. had just tied they would have been eliminated.  Now I will grant you that "soccer" is still catching on in the United States, but this was as passionate a crowd as I have ever seen watching a sporting event at a bar.

It was just a bit past noon and the Waterfront Ale House, which didn't open early for the game, was open now.  That seemed like a good place to wind down with a beer and shot of Van Gogh double espresso.

Just Chillin' Out


It was a very good day and the Mysterious Chinese Woman said she was glad she followed me around.  Probably because she got to order chicken wings.

On Saturday there will be a bit of a dilemma.  I am supposed to be going to Chinatown for dim sum to celebrate a Mysterious Sister-In-Law's birthday.  Then a whole crowd is coming back here for an ice-cream cake.  Somehow, watching the game with a house full of ice-cream cake hyper-energized little kids and in-laws won't be quite the same as catching it at a bar.

Nothing Says Beer Like...

Well, like Oktoberfest and Australians.  And what could be better than drinking beer with a bunch of Australians at Oktoberfest?

I have mentioned the Thirsty Swagman before in this blog.  They sponsor what one can only say are extreme beer drinking experiences.  And they have one coming up with room for another two or three people.  If I hadn't already made plans for a river cruise that includes visits to Berlin and Prague early in September I would seriously consider going myself.

Kenneth Hart, one of the organizers, sent me an email saying they had openings for two or three more people, so this is your chance to have what might be the ultimate Oktoberfest experience.

Check it out at http://oktoberfestpubcrawl.com/

I have already decided that I am going to be joining them next year.  The Mysterious Chinese Woman isn't so sure, but I have the vague feeling she wouldn't let me go alone.

Even if you don't plan on going you should check out the Thirsty Swagman website, it is a hoot.  And if it doesn't make you thirsty for a beer there is something wrong with you.

http://www.thirstyswagman.com/

There is a fairly new Australian bar not far from me, Sheep Station, that I popped into the other day for a nice Coopers Sparkling Ale.  Australian beers, other than Fosters which is about as Australian as Budweiser, are not that easy to find so I look forward to visiting Sheep Station again in the not too distant future.  The food looked good as well and the people at the bar I talked to said it tasted as good as it looked.

The bartender, obviously Australian himself, was very friendly as was the crowd.  I would have liked to have lingered longer, but the Mysterious Chinese Woman tracked me down and hauled me out so we could meet my neice and a couple of her friends across the street for dinner at Ghenet, an Ethiopian restaurant.

Katie's Visit Continues

First, a bit of a flashback.  Before we left Coney Island we stopped at Footprints for some mighty fine Caribbean food, some of the best in the city, in my opinion.  A nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Coney Island proper.

I can't remember all of what we had, the Zombie that I started with might have had something to do with that.  I do know we had fish fingers.

Who Knew They Even Had Them
 

They came with an assortment of condiments and Katie really like the pickled red cabbage.  They were nice enough to bring her an extra side of it, too.  Just be careful of the habanaros.  They are deadly.

Obligatory Embarassing Picture


If you are ever at Coney Island and are getting a bit tired of the beach food I urge you to give Footprints a shot.  Beach food of a different kind.



Later that evening we decided to pop into the Greek Orthodox street party just down the block from where I live. Great stuff, much of it cooked by the church ladies so it is the real deal. And they have great gyros too. Always a lively time.

Party In The Street


We Settled For The Gyros


They used to have Retsina, a Greek wine with a decidedly pine taste to it. But, alas, they haven't had that beverage here since, oh, for a couple of years, at least. I settled for an Ouzo.

The next day we headed to Chinatown for dim sum. It was Katie's first time and she was quite impressed by the variety of food that was available.

Loading Up Our Table


Digging In


Katie seemed to like most of the stuff, but there were a few things she wasn't quite sure about.

Monkey Paws Or Chicken Feet


Afterwards we took a stoll down Mulberry Street to grab a desert at Ferrara, a somewhat touristy Little Italy institution.

A Couple Of Heads With Cones


Eating your way through New York when you visit is kind of a tradition. While, actually, drinking your way through New York is more up my alley, but I was sensitive to Katie's delicate condition.

I've got a few more pictures of her trip, and I will try to get them posted tomorrow. Katie visited the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens with The Mysterious Chinese Woman and she took a bunch of pictures. Maybe I will throw some of those up as well.

I can't help but thinking that Tony Hayward, BP's CEO, is one of the most obtuse people in the world when it comes to public relations.  The only thing that can be said in his defense regarding his yachting around this weekend is that BP's Chairman Carl Henric-Svanberg has decided to push Hayward aside and turn over his duties to BP Managing Director Robert Dudley.  Still, you would think someone would have advised him to just lay low and not provide anymore fodder for a press looking to hang him out to dry.

Of course if I had been President Obama's PR guy I would have suggested he spend the week-end down in the gulf, not playing golf.

It is funny that nobody has hired me, considering all of the great ideas I have.

Say What???

Now I normally like Dave Barry and consider him to be one of the funniest humor writers around.  However, in a recent recent issue of AARP  he was talking about his recent colonoscopy and said "I like the drug they give you - propofol, I think it's called.  I think it should be part of my day, really."

Given Micahel Jackson's recent death as a result of abusing propofol, I am surprised he would say such a thing.  And I am equally surprised that AARP would publish his comment.

Oh yeah, another reason I am not going to the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island today;  last year, after spending who knows how much on beers at Ruby's Bar & Grill, they charged $1 to use their bathroom.  I still think that, in addition to being morally indefensible, this might actually be illegal.  I think that in New York a bar has to provide a restroom for their customers.  And I don't think they are allowed to charge you.

Speaking of restrooms, Montero's, as many of you know, is one of the last waterfront dive bars in my neighborhood.  However, it is also the closest place with a bathroom to the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge Park area at the foot of Atlantic Avenue.  As a result, young mothers and nannies taking their toddlers to and from the park seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable to use Montero's as a public restroom.  To Montero's credit they quickly put a stop to this by posting signs saying that their restrooms are for customers only.

When you start to see strollers in Hank's Saloon and Montero's you know the world has turned upsidedown.

Coney Island Boardwalk A Mess

Yesterday I posted about how I probably wouldn't be going to the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island this Saturday beause the boardwalk is so torn up and the place looks so grungy.  I guess I am not the only one to notice this because today's New York Daily News had a column headed BOARDWALK TRASHED.

It seems that because the Boardwalk is so torn up that half of it is closed, trash cans have been removed to relieve congestion on the half that is still open.  In the words of Diana Taft-Shumate, who does promotions for Ruby's Bar and Grill, "It almost looks like a tornado hit the Boardwalk.  It's really gross."

Only in New York can you turn a Boardwalk that recently won top honors in Travel & Leisure magazine's list of best boardwalks into a trash heap by removing trash cans.  And just in time for summer.  Perfect timing.

Just In Time For Summer


Under The Boardwalk


You may have heard that Ozzy Osbourne has been asked to donate a sample of his blood to Knome, a research company that is going to map out his genetic code in an attempt to figure out how he survived all those years of abusing drugs and alcohol.  What you may not know is that they asked Ozzy only after I turned them down.

Neice Katie's Visit

My neice, Katie, came for a nice little visit last Friday.  She recently finished up her course-work in Alaska where she earned a degree in environmental science.  She also served as the only intern at the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.  She did her undergraduate work at Southwest Minnesota State University and was recently featured on the cover of Focus, a magazine for alumni and friends (you can't get this if you still go there, I guess).

Katie, The Cover Girl


As any good uncle would do, I took her to my favorite neighborhood place for dinner on her first night in town. And you can probably guess where that was.

Burgers And Beer At The Waterfront Ale House


Now, to be honest, Katie only took a sip of the beer. She is preggers so she was behaving herself. I am not sure, but I think she might even have had a veggie-burger.

The Mysterious Chinese Woman Went For The Ribs


I had the crab sandwich again and a Brooklyn Brewery Buzz Bomb Ale. This is a bit of a different brew in that it uses wildflower honey for 25% of its fermentable sugar. They also throw in a bit of orange peel for a citrus punch. It isn't a sweet beer, by any means, coming in at a more than decent 8% ABV.

The Buzz Bomb is bright gold, kind of like honey held to the light, and, despite the citrus honey flavor has a very dry finish.

Buzz Bomb Ale is kind of a throwback to braggot, a combination of mead and ale that has a long history. In fact it is mentioned in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and definitely worth tracking down.

The next day we headed out to Coney Island and, of course, once again I had to introduce Katie to one of my favorite haunts, Ruby's.

World Famous Ruby's


My favorite bartender, Willie, was still pouring the brews, although she said this would be her last year. She is retiring to Florida at the end of the season.  Her husband retired last year.

Katie, Willie, And The Mysterious Chinese Woman


Spot The Difference


A Burger And A Root Beer


I was a bit dismayed to see that the boardwalk is pretty torn up for repairs. You really would have thought they would do all of this work before the start of the summer season. There was actually a chainlink fence separating Ruby's from the beach and a torn up stretch of the boardwalk.

Next week is the Mermaid Day Parade but it was such a bummer last year with confusion over the route and bad weather that I will probably just skip it this year. Quite frankly, despite all of the hoopla about the "new" Coney Island it still looks pretty desolate and torn up.

Speaking of desolate and torn up, we had to stop by Hank's Saloon on the way home so I could show Katie my favorite neighborhood dive honky tonk.

No Visit To New York Would Be Complete...


There is, of course, more to this visit, but it shall have to wait.