My neice Katie is here for a visit, so I don't have a lot of time to post, but I had to say that Nate Robinson did himself proud again last night as the Celtics evened the series by beating the Lakers 96 to 89 last night.
Nate put in 6 points and 2 assists in the fourth quarter as the Celtics overcame a 2 point deficit to get the victory. He had 12 points for the game, just one less than Kevin Garnett.
Something tells me David Lee wishes he were still playing with Nate, but obviously not for the Knicks.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
This Is Embarassing
Who would ever think that I would live to see the day that New York grovels before a single man, even if that man is King James. And if this isn't the most pathetic groveling I have ever seen, I don't know what is.
Okay, LeBron is probably going to be a billionaire one day and he is already worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So what is New York's big plan to lure him here? Gene Lemay, CEO of Moishe's Moving and Storage (their motto is "Our Rates Are Low, But You Better Tip The Movers Well") is parking a trailer outside of Madison Square Garden so fans can fill it with gifts for LeBron.
So now New York is in the position of begging someone to come play here, and donated stuffed toys, T-shirts and toys are going to be used as a lure. On the other hand, this might be a good place for my New York Jets Brett Favre jersey. Oh, wait, that might be too painful a reminder of what happens when you get what you beg for.
How far the mighty have fallen.
And what makes it so much sadder is that there is seldom this kind of outpouring of generosity to help those who are truly in need.
On a vaguely related topic, Avery Johnson has reached a verbal agreement with the Nets to be their next coach. Avery, you might remember, compiled a 194-70 record over three seasons with Dallas. That is the hghest winning percentage of any coach in NBA history. Not good enough for Mark Cuban, though, who fired him in 2008.
And I happen to think Avery is one of the funniest men in basketball. If this doesn't work out for him, he should defintely try stand-up comedy.
Oh, and totally unrelated, but with all the news lately about Kim Basinger, How many of you remember what is arguably the creepiest video ever made - Mary Jane's Last Dance with Tom Petty? It just happend to be playing on VH1 Classic as I was writing this. Kim doesn't really emote too much.
Okay, LeBron is probably going to be a billionaire one day and he is already worth hundreds of millions of dollars. So what is New York's big plan to lure him here? Gene Lemay, CEO of Moishe's Moving and Storage (their motto is "Our Rates Are Low, But You Better Tip The Movers Well") is parking a trailer outside of Madison Square Garden so fans can fill it with gifts for LeBron.
So now New York is in the position of begging someone to come play here, and donated stuffed toys, T-shirts and toys are going to be used as a lure. On the other hand, this might be a good place for my New York Jets Brett Favre jersey. Oh, wait, that might be too painful a reminder of what happens when you get what you beg for.
How far the mighty have fallen.
And what makes it so much sadder is that there is seldom this kind of outpouring of generosity to help those who are truly in need.
On a vaguely related topic, Avery Johnson has reached a verbal agreement with the Nets to be their next coach. Avery, you might remember, compiled a 194-70 record over three seasons with Dallas. That is the hghest winning percentage of any coach in NBA history. Not good enough for Mark Cuban, though, who fired him in 2008.
And I happen to think Avery is one of the funniest men in basketball. If this doesn't work out for him, he should defintely try stand-up comedy.
Oh, and totally unrelated, but with all the news lately about Kim Basinger, How many of you remember what is arguably the creepiest video ever made - Mary Jane's Last Dance with Tom Petty? It just happend to be playing on VH1 Classic as I was writing this. Kim doesn't really emote too much.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
A Bit Of A Change
Last Sunday was a pretty nice day, kind of hot and humid, but no rain. The Mysterious Chinese Woman found a restaurant over in the Greenpoint Fort Greene area, not too far from where we live. It is just on the other side of Monsignor McGolrick Park, not that I have ever heard anyone call the park by this nam. Fort Greene Park. Everyone just calls it Greenpoint Park and I doubt if anyone knows who Monsignor McGolrick is anymore.
It is a very nice little park though with playgrounds for the kids and, very unusual, restrooms that are both open and clean. People in the neighborhood like to sit on the benches around the park and just lounge around or catch up with their friends, often times with a bottle of vodka.
Abistro, just a block away, is an easy place to pass by. It is right around the corner from Myrtle Avenue, a fairly busy commercial strip, but sits on a largely residential block with brownstones.
Abistro - Look Sharp Or You Will Miss It
This really is very small place. I think it might sit about 25 people maximum and at one point while we were there I counted 23 in the place. Nothing at all fancy here but the food is very good and it is obviously very popular. Most of the people eating here seemed to be regulars, but the people were so friendly that we kind of felt like regulars too.
Small, But Comfortable
The food is kind of a combination of West African and French. The owner and his wife are Senegalese which explains the West African influence but they also had mussels and steak frites on the menu. We saw the brunch menu and that didn't have either of those. But a few of the in-the-know customers ordered the mussels anyway. They looked delicious and I may have to make a return trip to check them out.
The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I decided to split the Senegalese fried chicken and it was plenty for the two of us.
A Mighty Fine Brunch
The chicken sat on two jasmine rice cakes that were flavored with pineapple. They were delicious and you could easily eat them as a desert. The rice cakes sat on greens of some sort that were also quite tasty. And the chicken was very good. Nice and spicy, and I did break a bit of a sweat. I think that was the Senegalese salsa on top.
Abistro is a BYOB place and almost everyone in there had a bottle or two of wine. A couple of people had a bottle of Proseco and were mixing it with grapejuice. A variation of a mimosa, I guess. I regretted not bringing a bottle myself, but not enough to go across the street to buy one.
The Bottles Are Handy
While we were eating some kind of a bicycle rally went by and there must have been well over a thousand people peddling away. Kind of like Rolling Thunder, only quieter.
No Playing Cards In The Spokes
We had a most enjoyable brunch and will certainly get back here again. I really liked the coffee, too. It had a nice cinnamon flavor.
I strongly recommend popping in here, as out of the way as it might seem to be. You will be pleasnatly surprised. Oh, the owner, he used to be a sous chef at Aureole, one of the top restaurants in Manhattan. Although he doesn't work the stove anymore he still hovers around and his cooks says he still sneaks "secret spices" into the dishes when they aren't looking.
I was a bit disconsolate about not bringing a bottle to brunch so I decided to stop into Thomas Beisl for a beer. I had a bad dining experience here one New Years Eve, but I still like their beers.
Thomas Beisl
It looks bigger than it is from outside, but is kind of narrow inside. They do have a little kind of outside eating area under the red awning. They don't have a large selection of beers, but the ones they have I do like.
Small Selection, Big Taste
And do check out the little reflections in the silver beer station. Another artistic picture.
I had a Czechvar which is brewed by Budweiser Budvar Brewery in Germany. Yes, the original Budweiser. You can't get the Budvar Budweiser in North America, only the Czechvar. And, for reasons that are too tangled for me to untangle here, Anheuser-Busch markets Budvar Czechvar in the United States.
Complicated, But Good
The beer is a nice golden color with a small head. Not a lot of an aroma and kind of a typical light Czech lager. A nice change from a Pilsner Urguel, but a lot harder to find, at least here in the United States.
The Mysterous Chinese Woman opted for a Gosser, an Austrian beer in the Marzen style. It was a nice golden yellow and quite refreshing, but nothing particularly disquishing in terms of flavor.
Went Down Nice, Though
Both of these beers would have gone really well with my Senegalese chicken, though.
Oh, and read the comments. I had my Greenpoint and Fort Greene confused, as well as the name of the park.
It is a very nice little park though with playgrounds for the kids and, very unusual, restrooms that are both open and clean. People in the neighborhood like to sit on the benches around the park and just lounge around or catch up with their friends, often times with a bottle of vodka.
Abistro, just a block away, is an easy place to pass by. It is right around the corner from Myrtle Avenue, a fairly busy commercial strip, but sits on a largely residential block with brownstones.
Abistro - Look Sharp Or You Will Miss It
This really is very small place. I think it might sit about 25 people maximum and at one point while we were there I counted 23 in the place. Nothing at all fancy here but the food is very good and it is obviously very popular. Most of the people eating here seemed to be regulars, but the people were so friendly that we kind of felt like regulars too.
Small, But Comfortable
The food is kind of a combination of West African and French. The owner and his wife are Senegalese which explains the West African influence but they also had mussels and steak frites on the menu. We saw the brunch menu and that didn't have either of those. But a few of the in-the-know customers ordered the mussels anyway. They looked delicious and I may have to make a return trip to check them out.
The Mysterious Chinese Woman and I decided to split the Senegalese fried chicken and it was plenty for the two of us.
A Mighty Fine Brunch
The chicken sat on two jasmine rice cakes that were flavored with pineapple. They were delicious and you could easily eat them as a desert. The rice cakes sat on greens of some sort that were also quite tasty. And the chicken was very good. Nice and spicy, and I did break a bit of a sweat. I think that was the Senegalese salsa on top.
Abistro is a BYOB place and almost everyone in there had a bottle or two of wine. A couple of people had a bottle of Proseco and were mixing it with grapejuice. A variation of a mimosa, I guess. I regretted not bringing a bottle myself, but not enough to go across the street to buy one.
The Bottles Are Handy
While we were eating some kind of a bicycle rally went by and there must have been well over a thousand people peddling away. Kind of like Rolling Thunder, only quieter.
No Playing Cards In The Spokes
We had a most enjoyable brunch and will certainly get back here again. I really liked the coffee, too. It had a nice cinnamon flavor.
I strongly recommend popping in here, as out of the way as it might seem to be. You will be pleasnatly surprised. Oh, the owner, he used to be a sous chef at Aureole, one of the top restaurants in Manhattan. Although he doesn't work the stove anymore he still hovers around and his cooks says he still sneaks "secret spices" into the dishes when they aren't looking.
I was a bit disconsolate about not bringing a bottle to brunch so I decided to stop into Thomas Beisl for a beer. I had a bad dining experience here one New Years Eve, but I still like their beers.
Thomas Beisl
It looks bigger than it is from outside, but is kind of narrow inside. They do have a little kind of outside eating area under the red awning. They don't have a large selection of beers, but the ones they have I do like.
Small Selection, Big Taste
And do check out the little reflections in the silver beer station. Another artistic picture.
I had a Czechvar which is brewed by Budweiser Budvar Brewery in Germany. Yes, the original Budweiser. You can't get the Budvar Budweiser in North America, only the Czechvar. And, for reasons that are too tangled for me to untangle here, Anheuser-Busch markets Budvar Czechvar in the United States.
Complicated, But Good
The beer is a nice golden color with a small head. Not a lot of an aroma and kind of a typical light Czech lager. A nice change from a Pilsner Urguel, but a lot harder to find, at least here in the United States.
The Mysterous Chinese Woman opted for a Gosser, an Austrian beer in the Marzen style. It was a nice golden yellow and quite refreshing, but nothing particularly disquishing in terms of flavor.
Went Down Nice, Though
Both of these beers would have gone really well with my Senegalese chicken, though.
Oh, and read the comments. I had my Greenpoint and Fort Greene confused, as well as the name of the park.
Monday, June 07, 2010
I Laughed So Hard...
After visiting Pacific Standard for a few pints I decided to head to Pete's Waterfront Ale House for a little lunch. I passed Hank's Saloon on the way and was pleased to see it looked as disreputable as ever.
Forever Seedy
I am glad to see there are still a few bars around here that aren't cluttered with strollers.
This has nothing to do with anything, but I thought it looked kind of cool. It was sitting outside a store on Atlantic Avenue that sells all kinds of neat old stuff, from a pinball machine to old LPs.
The Cock Of The Walk
When we got to Pete's the dining area was packed. It looked like there were at least two large groups celebrating something and then the rest of the tables were filled with people just stopping in for lunch. No big deal because I like to have a beer or two at the bar before sitting down at a table for my meal.
I started out with a 21st Amendment Golden Doom, a strong - 7.8% ABV - Belgian style golden ale. Very good, crisp and spicy and very refreshing. Maybe I should have had this at Pacific Standard because 21st Amendment is a California brewery. Actually, I don't think they had it there.
After finishing my beer and chatting a bit with Gaid, the World's Friendliest Bartender, the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I found a table and sat down for lunch.
I ordered a Blue Point Rasta Rye to go with what I had hoped would be my Duck Burger with Ginger Onions. The beer was good, another strong one at 7.5% ABV and a nice coppery color with a creamy white head. Similar to the Golden Doom in that it was also a bit spicy but with a little more hoppy bitterness. Quite good and very quaffable.
Unfortunately the large lunch crowd beat me to the Duck Burgers, they were all gone. But they still had the Soft Shelled Crab Sandwich so that is what I had.
One Of The Best
Went Well With The Beer
The Mysterious Chinese Woman said something funny and I laughed so hard I had a crab-leg come out of my nose.
Milk Is Bad Enough
The Mysterious Chinese Woman seemed to think this was most amusing. Especially after I reminded her that crabs that are just about to molt and could have the hard outer shell peeled off are called snots. Crabbers used to brake a joint of the claw leg to see if the crab was developing a second skin underneath, in which case it could be peeled. The term snot comes from the fluid that emerges at the break.
She Laughed Until She Cried
The Mysterious Chinese Woman had Chicken Wings and I am glad to say she had no mishaps.
Dynamite Wings
She seemed to be very pleased that she got through the meal with no bones coming out of her nose.
So Proud Of Herself
The wings here are always good, and you get a really nice portion. But it is hard to pass up the crabs when they are in season. I still wish I had been able to get the Duck Burger.
And my man Nate Robinson shot two for two including a three pointer and made both his free-throws to put up seven points (one more than Kevin Garnett) in the fourth quarter as the Celtics evened the series last night.
Forever Seedy
I am glad to see there are still a few bars around here that aren't cluttered with strollers.
This has nothing to do with anything, but I thought it looked kind of cool. It was sitting outside a store on Atlantic Avenue that sells all kinds of neat old stuff, from a pinball machine to old LPs.
The Cock Of The Walk
When we got to Pete's the dining area was packed. It looked like there were at least two large groups celebrating something and then the rest of the tables were filled with people just stopping in for lunch. No big deal because I like to have a beer or two at the bar before sitting down at a table for my meal.
I started out with a 21st Amendment Golden Doom, a strong - 7.8% ABV - Belgian style golden ale. Very good, crisp and spicy and very refreshing. Maybe I should have had this at Pacific Standard because 21st Amendment is a California brewery. Actually, I don't think they had it there.
After finishing my beer and chatting a bit with Gaid, the World's Friendliest Bartender, the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I found a table and sat down for lunch.
I ordered a Blue Point Rasta Rye to go with what I had hoped would be my Duck Burger with Ginger Onions. The beer was good, another strong one at 7.5% ABV and a nice coppery color with a creamy white head. Similar to the Golden Doom in that it was also a bit spicy but with a little more hoppy bitterness. Quite good and very quaffable.
Unfortunately the large lunch crowd beat me to the Duck Burgers, they were all gone. But they still had the Soft Shelled Crab Sandwich so that is what I had.
One Of The Best
Went Well With The Beer
The Mysterious Chinese Woman said something funny and I laughed so hard I had a crab-leg come out of my nose.
Milk Is Bad Enough
The Mysterious Chinese Woman seemed to think this was most amusing. Especially after I reminded her that crabs that are just about to molt and could have the hard outer shell peeled off are called snots. Crabbers used to brake a joint of the claw leg to see if the crab was developing a second skin underneath, in which case it could be peeled. The term snot comes from the fluid that emerges at the break.
She Laughed Until She Cried
The Mysterious Chinese Woman had Chicken Wings and I am glad to say she had no mishaps.
Dynamite Wings
She seemed to be very pleased that she got through the meal with no bones coming out of her nose.
So Proud Of Herself
The wings here are always good, and you get a really nice portion. But it is hard to pass up the crabs when they are in season. I still wish I had been able to get the Duck Burger.
And my man Nate Robinson shot two for two including a three pointer and made both his free-throws to put up seven points (one more than Kevin Garnett) in the fourth quarter as the Celtics evened the series last night.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Pacific Standard
My neice, Katie, is coming to visit at the end of next week and she expressed an interest in going to an Ethiopian restaurant. Guess they don't have much ethnic food in Alaska, except maybe raw seal blubber. I found one (an Ethiopian restaurant, not a seal) kind of in my neighborhood and decided to check it out. It was quite a walk and the place wasn't open, but at least it is still in business. Right across the street was an Australian pub named Sheep Station. Alas, it too was closed. We will go there one evening when Katie is in town, and they should both be open.
It was a bit of a walk and the day was hot so I bet you can guess the next part. You are right, I found a neat little bar to pop into.
Pacific Standard
Pacific Standard is on 4th Avenue, a still somewhat gritty stretch that is largely commercial. But, mark my words, it will undergo gentrification once the economy turns around. You are already seeing signs, and this bar is an early indicator. It has only been here three years although it looks older. Maybe there was another bar here before this one.
Nothing overly pretentious about the place, but kind of cozy looking, like an old pub. And they have a very decent selection of beers on tap.
A Nice Selection
I started out with a Rye Knot from the Chelsea Brewery that is located in Manhattan. I have written about the Chelsea Brewery before and it is well worth visiting. They have a nice restaurant with great views of the marina on the Hudson River.
Anyway, the beer comes in at a nice 6% ABV and is brewed using three types of rye that make-up about half of the total mash. A nicely flavored beer with a good balance of spice and hops. But not at all sweet. A very nice summer beer and you could easily spend an afternoon drinking these.
Quenching My Thirst
I followed that one up with a Captain Lawrence Kaptain's Kolsch. Captain Lawrence is located in upstate New York and I felt a bit guilty ordering this. The owner's of Pacific Standard are both from California and they did have several California micro-brews on tap. Maybe next time.
I generally like the Kolsch style of beer, kind of a light, slightly lemony flavor and very refreshing. This one is a 5.5% ABV and is a light, pale yellow color and true to its style. A nice alternative to weiss beers for a summeer brew.
The back room of Pacific Standard is a bit different. Where you would expect to find a pool table there is a little library.
The Reading Room
There are board games available so you could get yourself a beer or two and head back there to play checkers or read a book or something. Pacific Standard also hosts readings, so very West Coast. The owners are probably from San Francisco.
Pacific Standard has a nice website that also links to their blog:
http://www.pacificstandardbrooklyn.com/events.html
They also have their own beer glasses, not just the promotionals from the breweries.
A Glass With Class
As I mentioned, this bar has a bit of an old pub feel to it with little tables in nooks up front where you can sit and have a pint or two and chat with your friends.
A Cozy Corner
And let's not forget the mirror which gave me a chance for taking one of my "artistic" pictures.
My Artistic Picture
Actually, I consider any picture that has me in a reflection to be artistic. If you look closely at the first picture of the exterior of Pacific Standard you can see my reflection in the lower righthand corner. That makes that an artistic picture as well.
They don't serve food here but have no problem with you bringing in your own from one of the nearby take-out places. A couple of young ladies got a bag of chicken wings to go with their martinis and graciously offered to share them with the Mysterious Chinese Woman and me.
They might not have food, but they do have nice tee-shirts available.
Take Your Pick
All and all, it was a very comfortable and friendly bar. The bartender, Glenn, was affable and the whole place had a nice vibe to it. It was relatively early in the afternoon so it wasn't very crowded, but I will try to pop in one evening to check it out. It is a bit of a hike from where I live, but would make for a nice stroll on a pleasant summer evening.
It was a bit of a walk and the day was hot so I bet you can guess the next part. You are right, I found a neat little bar to pop into.
Pacific Standard
Pacific Standard is on 4th Avenue, a still somewhat gritty stretch that is largely commercial. But, mark my words, it will undergo gentrification once the economy turns around. You are already seeing signs, and this bar is an early indicator. It has only been here three years although it looks older. Maybe there was another bar here before this one.
Nothing overly pretentious about the place, but kind of cozy looking, like an old pub. And they have a very decent selection of beers on tap.
A Nice Selection
I started out with a Rye Knot from the Chelsea Brewery that is located in Manhattan. I have written about the Chelsea Brewery before and it is well worth visiting. They have a nice restaurant with great views of the marina on the Hudson River.
Anyway, the beer comes in at a nice 6% ABV and is brewed using three types of rye that make-up about half of the total mash. A nicely flavored beer with a good balance of spice and hops. But not at all sweet. A very nice summer beer and you could easily spend an afternoon drinking these.
Quenching My Thirst
I followed that one up with a Captain Lawrence Kaptain's Kolsch. Captain Lawrence is located in upstate New York and I felt a bit guilty ordering this. The owner's of Pacific Standard are both from California and they did have several California micro-brews on tap. Maybe next time.
I generally like the Kolsch style of beer, kind of a light, slightly lemony flavor and very refreshing. This one is a 5.5% ABV and is a light, pale yellow color and true to its style. A nice alternative to weiss beers for a summeer brew.
The back room of Pacific Standard is a bit different. Where you would expect to find a pool table there is a little library.
The Reading Room
There are board games available so you could get yourself a beer or two and head back there to play checkers or read a book or something. Pacific Standard also hosts readings, so very West Coast. The owners are probably from San Francisco.
Pacific Standard has a nice website that also links to their blog:
http://www.pacificstandardbrooklyn.com/events.html
They also have their own beer glasses, not just the promotionals from the breweries.
A Glass With Class
As I mentioned, this bar has a bit of an old pub feel to it with little tables in nooks up front where you can sit and have a pint or two and chat with your friends.
A Cozy Corner
And let's not forget the mirror which gave me a chance for taking one of my "artistic" pictures.
My Artistic Picture
Actually, I consider any picture that has me in a reflection to be artistic. If you look closely at the first picture of the exterior of Pacific Standard you can see my reflection in the lower righthand corner. That makes that an artistic picture as well.
They don't serve food here but have no problem with you bringing in your own from one of the nearby take-out places. A couple of young ladies got a bag of chicken wings to go with their martinis and graciously offered to share them with the Mysterious Chinese Woman and me.
They might not have food, but they do have nice tee-shirts available.
Take Your Pick
All and all, it was a very comfortable and friendly bar. The bartender, Glenn, was affable and the whole place had a nice vibe to it. It was relatively early in the afternoon so it wasn't very crowded, but I will try to pop in one evening to check it out. It is a bit of a hike from where I live, but would make for a nice stroll on a pleasant summer evening.
Friday, June 04, 2010
Not Jim
One of the reader's of my blog wanted to know if this was my brother-in-law Jim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=aJG9Tol1a0U
No, Jim isn't that talented. But they do look kind of alike.
Jim, A Drinker, Not A Drummer
And they are so cute at that age.
Thanks for sending me that video, Jerry, it was awesome.
My favorite part of the Celtics/Lakers game last night was the jump ball with Nate going up against Pau.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=aJG9Tol1a0U
No, Jim isn't that talented. But they do look kind of alike.
Jim, A Drinker, Not A Drummer
And they are so cute at that age.
Thanks for sending me that video, Jerry, it was awesome.
My favorite part of the Celtics/Lakers game last night was the jump ball with Nate going up against Pau.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Almost Perfect
Although it is a shame that Armando Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game the other night, look at the bright side. I do believe that what happened was even rarer than a perfect game. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that there are fewer instances of a pitcher throwing a perfect game through 9 2/3 innings and blowing it with the last at bat than actual perfect games.
Still, you have to feel bad for Armando, particularly when he would have been the one who actually got the last put-out. Now that would have been classic.
You will have to admit, Armando is one classy guy for handling the whole thing so well. I am glad he at least got a new car out of it, and I see a lot of potential endorsements in the future. It wouldn't surprise me to see an ad with both him and Jim Joyce in it in the near future.
Now I am starting to wonder, in bowling have there been more 300 games or 299 games?
Another prediction for the New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Nets: With Phil Jackson in the last year of his contract with the Lakers, look for Mikhail Prokhorov to make a play for him. What bigger lure could you dangle in front of LeBron, other than money.
Looking forward to watching the Celtics/Lakers series and am hoping that Nate Robinson can make a real contribution for the boys in green.
Haven't heard much about Isiah and Stephon lately.
Still, you have to feel bad for Armando, particularly when he would have been the one who actually got the last put-out. Now that would have been classic.
You will have to admit, Armando is one classy guy for handling the whole thing so well. I am glad he at least got a new car out of it, and I see a lot of potential endorsements in the future. It wouldn't surprise me to see an ad with both him and Jim Joyce in it in the near future.
Now I am starting to wonder, in bowling have there been more 300 games or 299 games?
Another prediction for the New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Nets: With Phil Jackson in the last year of his contract with the Lakers, look for Mikhail Prokhorov to make a play for him. What bigger lure could you dangle in front of LeBron, other than money.
Looking forward to watching the Celtics/Lakers series and am hoping that Nate Robinson can make a real contribution for the boys in green.
Haven't heard much about Isiah and Stephon lately.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Congratulations Nate
I wonder how many of Nate's former teammates on the Knicks wish they could have been traded to the Celtics. You might want to keep that in mind, LeBron.
Jury duty today and you have to love the government. You are supposed to show up at 8:30 AM at 360 Adams Street. Oh, wait, it says the main entrance is on Court Street. But there isn't any Court Street address. And if you aren't supposed to show up at the main entrance, why mention it? Also, if you take the subway and get off at the Borough Hall subway station and walk to the corner, Adams Street is Boerum Place. And Boerum Place and Adams Street is also known as Brooklyn Bridge Boulevard. I live on the corner of Schermerhorn Street and Boerum Place and I get confused.
Oh yeah, and your Social Security number that you are supposed to protect at all times, you need to write that on the form that you turn in. A form that will probably be seen by about a hundred people before the day is over. Ah, but what can they do with that if they don't know your name, address, and date-of-birth. Oh, wait, that is on the form too. I am suprised they don't want your mother's maiden name as well.
I won't get selected for jury duty anyway, I am wearing my tee-shirt that says "GUILTY" on the front.
Jury duty today and you have to love the government. You are supposed to show up at 8:30 AM at 360 Adams Street. Oh, wait, it says the main entrance is on Court Street. But there isn't any Court Street address. And if you aren't supposed to show up at the main entrance, why mention it? Also, if you take the subway and get off at the Borough Hall subway station and walk to the corner, Adams Street is Boerum Place. And Boerum Place and Adams Street is also known as Brooklyn Bridge Boulevard. I live on the corner of Schermerhorn Street and Boerum Place and I get confused.
Oh yeah, and your Social Security number that you are supposed to protect at all times, you need to write that on the form that you turn in. A form that will probably be seen by about a hundred people before the day is over. Ah, but what can they do with that if they don't know your name, address, and date-of-birth. Oh, wait, that is on the form too. I am suprised they don't want your mother's maiden name as well.
I won't get selected for jury duty anyway, I am wearing my tee-shirt that says "GUILTY" on the front.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Blast From The Past
I was in the neighborhood so I thought I would drop into one of my old favorite haunts.
Molly's
Now back in the day when this was pretty much my second home (I lived about half a block away) it was known as Molly Malone. Although the name and the ownership have changed, not much else has. It looks pretty much the same as it has always looked.
Just Like In The Day
I had the ever reliable Bass Ale to quench my thirst.
Still An Old Favorite
A lot of good memories in this place. I used to come in here with a friend of mine and we would drink our Bass Ales with shots of Old Grand Dad 114. One day we came in and they were out of the 114. We asked when they were going to get more in and were told they weren't going to carry it anymore because not that many people ordered it. When we protested that we ordered it a lot the bartender said that was the other reason they weren't going to carry it anymore. Ah, the good old days when we were young and wild.
Another thing that hasn't changed, their hamburgers which are some of the best you can get. The Mysterious Chinese Woman ordered a cheeseburger with mozzarella cheese.
Lookin' Good
Oh, yeah, the Mysterious Chinese Woman was lookin' good too as she dug in.
Digging In
I opted for the bacon cheeseburger with chedder and then gussied it up with the raw onions and pickles.
Built Big
Mine was a bit messier, though.
Messy, But Good
Ah, I have to admit, I miss this place, but Pete's Waterfront Ale House has become my new Molly Malone. But I don't go there nearly as often as I once went to Molly Malone, which was about 5 or 6 times a week. In fact I had a set of keys to my apartment hanging behind their bar in case I lost mine.
I should have tried one of their Irish Coffees, they were the absolute best that I have ever had in a bar and, for all I know, still are the best. Although their hamburgers are dynamite, all of the traditional Irish pub grub here is a generous cut above the average.
If I still lived in the neighborhood this would be where I would be hanging out.
Heading out to my Mysterious Sister-In-Law's place today for a big Memorial Day weekend. Smoking ribs for sure and who knows what else. Maybe a couple of chickens and a leg of lamb too. We will also be celebrating Jim's birthday so that means a decent feast with lobster, for sure.
We are going out today because Jim knows that I bought him Red Dead Redemption and he wants to spend a few days finishing up Zelda - Twilight Princess on the Wii before he starts it, and the Wii resides at the Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law's house.
Oh, yeah, speaking of the Wii, the Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law is a huge Beatles fan so she has that Beatles Rock Band. Watching her and my three neices, ages 7 through 12 singing along to the songs is both amusing, and a bit disturbing.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day and just think about this, Do you think the Rolling Stones would ever allow a video game to be made? Man, I really hope not.
Molly's
Now back in the day when this was pretty much my second home (I lived about half a block away) it was known as Molly Malone. Although the name and the ownership have changed, not much else has. It looks pretty much the same as it has always looked.
Just Like In The Day
I had the ever reliable Bass Ale to quench my thirst.
Still An Old Favorite
A lot of good memories in this place. I used to come in here with a friend of mine and we would drink our Bass Ales with shots of Old Grand Dad 114. One day we came in and they were out of the 114. We asked when they were going to get more in and were told they weren't going to carry it anymore because not that many people ordered it. When we protested that we ordered it a lot the bartender said that was the other reason they weren't going to carry it anymore. Ah, the good old days when we were young and wild.
Another thing that hasn't changed, their hamburgers which are some of the best you can get. The Mysterious Chinese Woman ordered a cheeseburger with mozzarella cheese.
Lookin' Good
Oh, yeah, the Mysterious Chinese Woman was lookin' good too as she dug in.
Digging In
I opted for the bacon cheeseburger with chedder and then gussied it up with the raw onions and pickles.
Built Big
Mine was a bit messier, though.
Messy, But Good
Ah, I have to admit, I miss this place, but Pete's Waterfront Ale House has become my new Molly Malone. But I don't go there nearly as often as I once went to Molly Malone, which was about 5 or 6 times a week. In fact I had a set of keys to my apartment hanging behind their bar in case I lost mine.
I should have tried one of their Irish Coffees, they were the absolute best that I have ever had in a bar and, for all I know, still are the best. Although their hamburgers are dynamite, all of the traditional Irish pub grub here is a generous cut above the average.
If I still lived in the neighborhood this would be where I would be hanging out.
Heading out to my Mysterious Sister-In-Law's place today for a big Memorial Day weekend. Smoking ribs for sure and who knows what else. Maybe a couple of chickens and a leg of lamb too. We will also be celebrating Jim's birthday so that means a decent feast with lobster, for sure.
We are going out today because Jim knows that I bought him Red Dead Redemption and he wants to spend a few days finishing up Zelda - Twilight Princess on the Wii before he starts it, and the Wii resides at the Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law's house.
Oh, yeah, speaking of the Wii, the Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law is a huge Beatles fan so she has that Beatles Rock Band. Watching her and my three neices, ages 7 through 12 singing along to the songs is both amusing, and a bit disturbing.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day and just think about this, Do you think the Rolling Stones would ever allow a video game to be made? Man, I really hope not.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Such Modesty
Now don't get me wrong, I have lived in New York for about thirty years now and love it. Although I travel quite a bit and there are other cities that I enjoy; Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Puerto Vallarta and many more, I prefer living where I do, Downtown Brooklyn.
But, having grown up in the, according to New Yorkers, sleepy little town of Minneapolis which may or may not be west of Chicago (New Yorkers are very poor at geography) I still recoil a bit from New York's over-the-top braggadocio. Case in point, today's New York Daily News front page.
Consider this, "Greatest city gets greatest sports event as NFL awards us Super Bowl 2014"
Now being proud of your city is fine, we all should be, unless you live someplace like Detroit. But is New York really the greatest city? Just wondering where that came from. A recent list of the cities with the best quality of life had New York at number 49, below Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Portland, Honolulu (the top rated U.S.A. city) and a slew of European cities.
And "greatest sports event"? American football is ranked ninth in popularity among sports throughout the world, well below Association Football (soccer to us) and Cricket. In fact, other than in the United States, ice hockey, baseball, and basketball are more popular than football. In fact, despite Mayor Bloomberg's statement "This isn't volleyball..., it's football for God's sakes," volleyball is actually more popular than football, worldwide. And the Super Bowl doesn't even come close to drawing the crowds of World Cup Soccer.
Okay, how about the "NFL awards us Super Bowl 2014"? Us? Excuse me, the stadium is in the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is not in New York, either the city or the state. Kind of makes you wonder about Justin Tuck's (Justin plays for the Giants) statement "I want to win the Super Bowl in New York City."
Oh well, I know this post will upset some of my New York friends, but really, the Super Bowl is not being played in New York. We tried to get a football stadium here several years ago, but it was voted down. We got two new baseball stadiums, though, and are about to get a new basketball arena (right down the street from me, in fact).
On the other hand, I would bet that most of the partying happens in New York.
But, having grown up in the, according to New Yorkers, sleepy little town of Minneapolis which may or may not be west of Chicago (New Yorkers are very poor at geography) I still recoil a bit from New York's over-the-top braggadocio. Case in point, today's New York Daily News front page.
Consider this, "Greatest city gets greatest sports event as NFL awards us Super Bowl 2014"
Now being proud of your city is fine, we all should be, unless you live someplace like Detroit. But is New York really the greatest city? Just wondering where that came from. A recent list of the cities with the best quality of life had New York at number 49, below Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Portland, Honolulu (the top rated U.S.A. city) and a slew of European cities.
And "greatest sports event"? American football is ranked ninth in popularity among sports throughout the world, well below Association Football (soccer to us) and Cricket. In fact, other than in the United States, ice hockey, baseball, and basketball are more popular than football. In fact, despite Mayor Bloomberg's statement "This isn't volleyball..., it's football for God's sakes," volleyball is actually more popular than football, worldwide. And the Super Bowl doesn't even come close to drawing the crowds of World Cup Soccer.
Okay, how about the "NFL awards us Super Bowl 2014"? Us? Excuse me, the stadium is in the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is not in New York, either the city or the state. Kind of makes you wonder about Justin Tuck's (Justin plays for the Giants) statement "I want to win the Super Bowl in New York City."
Oh well, I know this post will upset some of my New York friends, but really, the Super Bowl is not being played in New York. We tried to get a football stadium here several years ago, but it was voted down. We got two new baseball stadiums, though, and are about to get a new basketball arena (right down the street from me, in fact).
On the other hand, I would bet that most of the partying happens in New York.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
How Quickly We Forget
Nick Swisher, he of the New York Yankees, was quoted in the New York Daily News as saying "Minnesota baseball, they've never really had an outdoor stadium to go and enjoy the great weather they have there in the summer."
Guess Nick forgot the twenty years the Twins played at Metropolitan Stadium. Although, to give Nick the benefit of a doubt, that was 1961 to 1981, a bit before his time. Nick was born in 1980.
Funny though, the New York Jets left New York in 1983 and the New York Giants left for New Jersey back in 1976, I guess, by Nick's logic, New York football has never had a stadium in New York.
Still working on the designs for my New Jersey Jets and New Jersey Giants apparal. Somehow I need to incorporate seagulls into the design. If you have ever been to a game in the euphemistically named Meadowlands (Swamplands just didn't cut it) you would know why.
But no, I am no longer bitter about the $15,000 per seat PSL the Jets wanted to charge me to continue to be a fan. Or at least a seat in the seat kind of fan.
Guess Nick forgot the twenty years the Twins played at Metropolitan Stadium. Although, to give Nick the benefit of a doubt, that was 1961 to 1981, a bit before his time. Nick was born in 1980.
Funny though, the New York Jets left New York in 1983 and the New York Giants left for New Jersey back in 1976, I guess, by Nick's logic, New York football has never had a stadium in New York.
Still working on the designs for my New Jersey Jets and New Jersey Giants apparal. Somehow I need to incorporate seagulls into the design. If you have ever been to a game in the euphemistically named Meadowlands (Swamplands just didn't cut it) you would know why.
But no, I am no longer bitter about the $15,000 per seat PSL the Jets wanted to charge me to continue to be a fan. Or at least a seat in the seat kind of fan.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Coming Here??
So now the New York papers are full of speculation and anticipation that the Super Bowl will come here in 2014. Here? Excuse me, but don't you mean that it might be coming to New Jersey?
Mike Lupica actually said "If the Giants and Jets win this bid, the city wins. They would finally stop playing the biggest game there is out of town."
First of all, the Super Bowl is far from being the biggest game there is. World Cup Football anyone? And, secondly, if the New Jersey Meadowlands isn't "out of town," then I don't know what out of town is. Last time I looked it was about seven miles from Times Square.
Actually, Jersey Jets and Jersey Giants have a certain alliterative allure. And, if they changed the name of the teams you could then buy new New Jersey jerseys.
I mean, when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn they didn't still keep calling themselves the Brooklyn Dodgers.
I wonder if the Nets will still be known as the New Jersey Nets once they begin playing in Brooklyn. After all, it doesn't seem to matter where you play that determines the name of your team, at least not around here.
You know, I bet you could make good money selling New Jersey Jets and New Jersey Giants apparel.
Mike Lupica actually said "If the Giants and Jets win this bid, the city wins. They would finally stop playing the biggest game there is out of town."
First of all, the Super Bowl is far from being the biggest game there is. World Cup Football anyone? And, secondly, if the New Jersey Meadowlands isn't "out of town," then I don't know what out of town is. Last time I looked it was about seven miles from Times Square.
Actually, Jersey Jets and Jersey Giants have a certain alliterative allure. And, if they changed the name of the teams you could then buy new New Jersey jerseys.
I mean, when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn they didn't still keep calling themselves the Brooklyn Dodgers.
I wonder if the Nets will still be known as the New Jersey Nets once they begin playing in Brooklyn. After all, it doesn't seem to matter where you play that determines the name of your team, at least not around here.
You know, I bet you could make good money selling New Jersey Jets and New Jersey Giants apparel.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Gold Bubble
For those of you too young to remember, I am gonig to give you a quick history lesson regarding bubbles in gold and silver.
Back in the old days when there were spikes in the price of silver, people were actually selling silverware and other silver items just for the money they could get for the silver content. Of course this was pretty silly because most of the time the value of the item sold, silverware, for example, was worth considerably more than what you could get by melting it down. But people got swept up in the excitement. And, invariably, the price of silver dropped dramatically shortly thereafter.
What do you see on television today? Adds for you to send in your "unwanted" gold jewelry and you will be paid for the gold content. Sound familiar? This sounds to me like we have hit a bubble just like we have done with silver in the past.
Be forewarned.
And, vaguely related, I believe that watching too much History Channel changes your brain, much like reading too much National Lampoon and Mad Magazine once did. Ancient Aliens, anyone? I mean, How else could the ancient Egyptians have lit the inside of their pyramids other than by electric lights?
And what does "proof by indication" mean, exactly.
Back in the old days when there were spikes in the price of silver, people were actually selling silverware and other silver items just for the money they could get for the silver content. Of course this was pretty silly because most of the time the value of the item sold, silverware, for example, was worth considerably more than what you could get by melting it down. But people got swept up in the excitement. And, invariably, the price of silver dropped dramatically shortly thereafter.
What do you see on television today? Adds for you to send in your "unwanted" gold jewelry and you will be paid for the gold content. Sound familiar? This sounds to me like we have hit a bubble just like we have done with silver in the past.
Be forewarned.
And, vaguely related, I believe that watching too much History Channel changes your brain, much like reading too much National Lampoon and Mad Magazine once did. Ancient Aliens, anyone? I mean, How else could the ancient Egyptians have lit the inside of their pyramids other than by electric lights?
And what does "proof by indication" mean, exactly.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
And It Just Gets Crazier
Just a quick follow-up to my last post. The New York Daily News is now counting down the number of days until LeBron James becomes a free agent. Forty-four today, in case you are interested.
They even have a website you can visit:
http://www.getlebron.com/
And, in yet another bit of bizzare logic, the New York Daily News thinks LeBron should come to the Knicks because he can't win a title in Cleveland. Excuse me. This from the Knicks who don't even have a first-round draft pick this year because we traded it away to get Stephon Marbury.
In case you have forgotten, in that trade back in 2004 the Knicks acquired Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski from Phoenix for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-round draft picks and cash.
Yeah, the Knicks are sure the team you want to go to if you want to win a title because they have a history of building winning teams since Dolan has taken control.
Okay, Okay, I think I am gradually working through my anger at the Knicks. Maybe I can let it go after the play-offs are over.
Oh, by the way, what team is Stephon Marbury helping win a title this year?
They even have a website you can visit:
http://www.getlebron.com/
And, in yet another bit of bizzare logic, the New York Daily News thinks LeBron should come to the Knicks because he can't win a title in Cleveland. Excuse me. This from the Knicks who don't even have a first-round draft pick this year because we traded it away to get Stephon Marbury.
In case you have forgotten, in that trade back in 2004 the Knicks acquired Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski from Phoenix for Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, the rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-round draft picks and cash.
Yeah, the Knicks are sure the team you want to go to if you want to win a title because they have a history of building winning teams since Dolan has taken control.
Okay, Okay, I think I am gradually working through my anger at the Knicks. Maybe I can let it go after the play-offs are over.
Oh, by the way, what team is Stephon Marbury helping win a title this year?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Got To Love New York
I won't go into detail about my long and, recently, painful history with the New York Knicks. But I do have to scratch my head at the wishful logic of Knicks' fans.
When the Cavaliers were on a tear these Knicks's fans were all excited because, so the reasoning went, if LeBron could deliver a championship to Cleveland his work there would be done and he would be more willing to move to New York.
Now, with the Cavaliers not doing so well against the Celtics (my current favorite team because of Kevin Garnett) the logic goes that LeBron will want to leave Cleveland and come to New York. Why, because the Knicks will have enough cap room to pay him well and surround him with a couple of great players so he has a chance to win a championship.
Hope blooms eternal for Knicks fans who haven't had a team to root for in many years. I go to Minnesota this weekend for the Annual Fishing Opener gathering and it has been a long time since I have had to try to find a bar with a Knicks play-off game on their television.
But, and remember that you heard it here first, my prediction is that LeBron goes to the Nets and ends up playing in Brooklyn.
When the Cavaliers were on a tear these Knicks's fans were all excited because, so the reasoning went, if LeBron could deliver a championship to Cleveland his work there would be done and he would be more willing to move to New York.
Now, with the Cavaliers not doing so well against the Celtics (my current favorite team because of Kevin Garnett) the logic goes that LeBron will want to leave Cleveland and come to New York. Why, because the Knicks will have enough cap room to pay him well and surround him with a couple of great players so he has a chance to win a championship.
Hope blooms eternal for Knicks fans who haven't had a team to root for in many years. I go to Minnesota this weekend for the Annual Fishing Opener gathering and it has been a long time since I have had to try to find a bar with a Knicks play-off game on their television.
But, and remember that you heard it here first, my prediction is that LeBron goes to the Nets and ends up playing in Brooklyn.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Why White Men Can't Jump
Some fascinating news has been coming out concerning the relationship between Neanderthals and modern humans. It appears that somewhere around 60,000 to 100,000 years ago there was a bit of hanky panky going on between the two. As a result 1% to 4% of the genome of non-Africans today is derived from Neanderthals.
This may also account for why most hockey players are non-Africans.
This may also account for why most hockey players are non-Africans.
dba Brooklyn's Cask Festival
On Saturday I headed over to Williamsburg for the Cask Festival at dba Brooklyn. The dba in Manhattan was one of the first bars around here that sold cask ales. They had two of the hand-pump casks installed but usually only sold the ale during the cooler months.
I overestimated the length of time it would take me to get to Williamsburg. From here, in Downtown Brooklyn, you take a subway into Manhattan and then at Union Square transfer to another subway back into Brooklyn. Convoluted, but this time I hit all the connections and showed up a bit early.
Where's The Beer?
I actually walked right by the place the first go-around. When it is closed there isn't much to distinquish it from the places on either side. One metal door looks pretty much like any other.
Although dba Brookyn wasn't open yet Spike Hill was ready for business so I passed a bit of time there.
An Early Morning Kind Of Place
They have a few interesting beers on draft here and the Hacker Pschorr Maibock caught my eye.
Smooth, A Glass Of Brunch
Maibocks are a lighter form of Bock beer and, as you might guess by the name, is typically served in May. Very good.
I may have had a glass of brunch, but the Mysterious Chinese Woman thought something more substantial might be in order. Just down the street is a nice little Asian restaurant that we have been to before.
RED BOWL or redbowl
They seem to have a bit of an identity problem. One sign uses all Capitals and two words while the other signs use all small letters and run the two words together. I know, picky, picky, picky.
I had a plate of noodles to wash down my Sake.
Sake And Flowers, How Springy
Then it was time to head back to dba Brooklyn.
Better Luck This Time
And there was Alex, setting up his wares.
A Hard Working Guy
Well, it isn't like it was all fun and games for me, either. I had some drinking to do.
Started out with the New Jersey '1787 Abbey Single Ale,' a relatively mild 4.8% ABV. It is in the style of a Belgian Pale Ale and is considered a session ale. This means it is low enough in alcohol that you can make a session of drinking it. I thought it was pretty good but had kind of a coppery taste to it.
My next beer, a Fuller's 'London Pride,' was even milder at 4.1% ABV. You can get the London Pride in both bottles and on draft, but the cask version has much more flavor. Nice and well-rounded.
I finished up - yes, I know, a short session - with a fairly strong 10% ABV Stoudt's 'Double IPA.' As you can imagine, this was a fairly hoppy pour. And the hops was long lasting. It uses three types of hops, Warrior hops for bitterness and Cascade and Williamette to impart the hoppy aroma.
Savoring My Ales
For some reason, maybe because it turned out to be a nice Spring day, I didn't feel like sitting inside drinking cask ales all afternoon. Note, it was chilly and drizzling earlier in the day, hence the somewhat inappropriate jacket and hat I was wearing.
Anyway, I had been to the nearby Surf Bar before and thought that would be a nice change. For some reason I thought they served Australian beers. Maybe the used to, or I am getting it confused with the Sunburnt Cow in Manhattan, which is an Australian bar with a surf theme to it.
The Surf Bar
Well, no Australian beers this time around, but they had a nice outdoor seating area.
Lovely Little Place
They had a number of Tiki drinks, but I didn't like the looks of the recipes. A bit on the sweet-side for me. On the other hand, the Mysterious Chinese Woman found the Zombie to her liking.
What A Pretty Zombie
Peek-A-Boo
I have been on a bit of a Margarita jag lately so that is what I had. Not bad, but not as good as the ones I make. Alton Brown had an episode of Good Eats the other day where he demonstrated his Margarita making skills. I will have to try it his way. He doesn't use any orange liquor, kind of a staple, but does use fresh orange juice. He also makes a big deal about muddling the limes and ornages with a bit of agave syrup to extract all of the oils from the skins.
Another tip, he dips the glass in tequila and lets it dry for ten seconds before dipping it into salt. I will have to try this next time.
Not One Of Alton Brown's
Then it was back home after a quick stop at Spike Hill for a bathroom break and one final Margarita.
It would have been a perfectly fine day if it had ended there. However, such was not to be. Jim called and wanted to know if the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I wanted to hook-up at Capucine's. He was taking the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law out for an early Mother's Day. Well, how could I say No.
After heading back to Manhattan there was Jim, but he was by himself. Apparently the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law didn't feel like going out. So we ended up the evening with dinner, a couple of Rob Roy's and an after-dinner Rusty Nail.
Sadly, the next day I was supposed to go with the Mysterious Chinese Woman to meet the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law and a Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law for dim sum in Chinatown on Sunday at 11:00 A.M. I say sadly because I begged off on going and now, I am sure, I am in the doghouse with someone.
The life of Bar Man is not an easy life.
I overestimated the length of time it would take me to get to Williamsburg. From here, in Downtown Brooklyn, you take a subway into Manhattan and then at Union Square transfer to another subway back into Brooklyn. Convoluted, but this time I hit all the connections and showed up a bit early.
Where's The Beer?
I actually walked right by the place the first go-around. When it is closed there isn't much to distinquish it from the places on either side. One metal door looks pretty much like any other.
Although dba Brookyn wasn't open yet Spike Hill was ready for business so I passed a bit of time there.
An Early Morning Kind Of Place
They have a few interesting beers on draft here and the Hacker Pschorr Maibock caught my eye.
Smooth, A Glass Of Brunch
Maibocks are a lighter form of Bock beer and, as you might guess by the name, is typically served in May. Very good.
I may have had a glass of brunch, but the Mysterious Chinese Woman thought something more substantial might be in order. Just down the street is a nice little Asian restaurant that we have been to before.
RED BOWL or redbowl
They seem to have a bit of an identity problem. One sign uses all Capitals and two words while the other signs use all small letters and run the two words together. I know, picky, picky, picky.
I had a plate of noodles to wash down my Sake.
Sake And Flowers, How Springy
Then it was time to head back to dba Brooklyn.
Better Luck This Time
And there was Alex, setting up his wares.
A Hard Working Guy
Well, it isn't like it was all fun and games for me, either. I had some drinking to do.
Started out with the New Jersey '1787 Abbey Single Ale,' a relatively mild 4.8% ABV. It is in the style of a Belgian Pale Ale and is considered a session ale. This means it is low enough in alcohol that you can make a session of drinking it. I thought it was pretty good but had kind of a coppery taste to it.
My next beer, a Fuller's 'London Pride,' was even milder at 4.1% ABV. You can get the London Pride in both bottles and on draft, but the cask version has much more flavor. Nice and well-rounded.
I finished up - yes, I know, a short session - with a fairly strong 10% ABV Stoudt's 'Double IPA.' As you can imagine, this was a fairly hoppy pour. And the hops was long lasting. It uses three types of hops, Warrior hops for bitterness and Cascade and Williamette to impart the hoppy aroma.
Savoring My Ales
For some reason, maybe because it turned out to be a nice Spring day, I didn't feel like sitting inside drinking cask ales all afternoon. Note, it was chilly and drizzling earlier in the day, hence the somewhat inappropriate jacket and hat I was wearing.
Anyway, I had been to the nearby Surf Bar before and thought that would be a nice change. For some reason I thought they served Australian beers. Maybe the used to, or I am getting it confused with the Sunburnt Cow in Manhattan, which is an Australian bar with a surf theme to it.
The Surf Bar
Well, no Australian beers this time around, but they had a nice outdoor seating area.
Lovely Little Place
They had a number of Tiki drinks, but I didn't like the looks of the recipes. A bit on the sweet-side for me. On the other hand, the Mysterious Chinese Woman found the Zombie to her liking.
What A Pretty Zombie
Peek-A-Boo
I have been on a bit of a Margarita jag lately so that is what I had. Not bad, but not as good as the ones I make. Alton Brown had an episode of Good Eats the other day where he demonstrated his Margarita making skills. I will have to try it his way. He doesn't use any orange liquor, kind of a staple, but does use fresh orange juice. He also makes a big deal about muddling the limes and ornages with a bit of agave syrup to extract all of the oils from the skins.
Another tip, he dips the glass in tequila and lets it dry for ten seconds before dipping it into salt. I will have to try this next time.
Not One Of Alton Brown's
Then it was back home after a quick stop at Spike Hill for a bathroom break and one final Margarita.
It would have been a perfectly fine day if it had ended there. However, such was not to be. Jim called and wanted to know if the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I wanted to hook-up at Capucine's. He was taking the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law out for an early Mother's Day. Well, how could I say No.
After heading back to Manhattan there was Jim, but he was by himself. Apparently the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law didn't feel like going out. So we ended up the evening with dinner, a couple of Rob Roy's and an after-dinner Rusty Nail.
Sadly, the next day I was supposed to go with the Mysterious Chinese Woman to meet the Mysterious Chinese Mother-In-Law and a Mysterious Chinese Sister-In-Law for dim sum in Chinatown on Sunday at 11:00 A.M. I say sadly because I begged off on going and now, I am sure, I am in the doghouse with someone.
The life of Bar Man is not an easy life.
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