August 3, 2011

Tonight another great East Village bar bites the dust. EV Grieve reported yesterday that tonight is the last night for Banjo Jim’s to be open. Banjo Jim’s had live music every night of the week with no cover charge and decent prices at the bar. A new bar is moving in and it’s supposedly going to be an "artisanal neighborhood cocktail bar" tentatively called, The Wayland. It’s supposed to open in the fall and I’ll check it out when it does. But for now, let’s go and say goodbye to Banjo Jim’s.

A crowd has gathered outside of Banjo Jim's on the last night of the saloon's existence.

And here we are, the last night of Banjo Jim's. Let's go inside and see what's happening.

It was crowded inside as expected.

Singer/songwriter is the last person to play on Banjo Jim's stage. He was great and you can check him out here: Aaron Short.

Kevin was the friendly bartender on duty for the last night of Banjo Jim's.

The view of the bar from my perch.

Kevin plays on...

As the crowd listens and takes photos.

Happy feet!

Flyers from gigs gone by line the front window.

The new owners of the bar say that they're hoping to keep this piano. We'll see.

The weather-beaten red stools are part of the charm in here. I doubt they'll survive the re-opening.

A shot of the other end of the curly-Q bar.

The corner of the bar has a comfortable couch lining the walls.

Aaron's set was coming to a close...

He dedicated the last song to Banjo Jim's. It was the theme of Cheers. Listening to it and thinking of bars that had closed since I moved here—The P&G, Stoned Crow, The Rum House, Fedora, Mars Bar—I admit I got a little teary eyed thinking about it. Lots of friendly places with kindred spirits on both sides of the bar are closed and they've either been shuttered or replaced with grim replicas of what they once were. I wonder what this place will be like in six months?

I chatted with Aaron after the show and congratulated him on a good set and for giving Banjo Jim's a decent last night's show.

Aaron packs up...

And it's out the door. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

And so another door closes in the East Village. In the fall it will reopen and artisanal cocktails will be flowing in this space. Actually, one of the new owners, Robert Ceraso was answering questions in the comments section at EV Grieve and he was being nice and civil, even to wiseasses like me. He promised five buck bottles of Budweisers and at least one beer in the four dollar range. He seems like a nice guy. So did Ted Bundy. We’ll see what happens in the fall. Good luck to the former owners, bartenders, musicians and everyone who was connected to Banjo Jim’s. Another one down.

Further reading: EV Grieve, EVGif, Jim’s Roots and Blues and Now I’ve Heard Everything.

You Might Also Like: Blowing in the Wind, Dust in the Wind and Pissing in the Wind.

Four Banjo Players
Steve Martin
Earl Scruggs
Peter Tork
John Hartford

 

Dance with a hole in your shoe.

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2011年8月2日

今晚，我想我只是很容易，去唐人街，并采取一些随机的照片。没有计划，只是我，我的相机，当然你。

好了，我们坐地铁，运河街......哦，吉兹，看看这个，大家的一个他妈的喜剧演员！

哇，那种死了。

我称之为“一个车库的肖像。”

有一家熟食店，嗯......

这就是我要找的！

好了，现在，我们已经有了我们的道路苏打水，让我们的道路上，这说明了！

在路上了！

有疑问时，拍摄的霓虹灯，我总是说。

热该死的，最后一个地方来存储我死童子军尸体！

他妈的，没有逃生！

佛身陷囹圄。

看看这个古怪的壁画。

更古怪的艺术！

而这里的上眼罩的不干胶标签相同家伙。

痴迷... ...这让我觉得有人......

一个中国的纸箱人啊！啊！

延伸阅读：叉道，纽约杂志，虚拟旅游 和 RK千石网络画廊。

您可能还喜欢：指节铜环，铜猴子 和 黄铜的屁股。

四家中国的事情

跳棋

农历新年

中国筷子

小鸡中国中国鸡

 我生活在一个中国的岩石，
我所有最好的东西都在飞节。

档案

(惊喜的链接......按一下就可以了......我敢说你！）

August 1, 2011

Two of my favorite blogs are EV Grieve and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York. They’re two great blogs about New York and I’ve found many kindred spirits at both of them through their comments section and even met some of them in person. And tonight I’m meeting another. Crazy Eddie is always good for a laugh with his witty comments and I take his observations on New York City to heart, because he’s lived in the East Village for his entire life. He picked the spot to meet at and guess what? It’s a bar! And it’s called Percy’s, so it’s off we go.

And here we go down 14th street. Even though it's 7:45, it's still bright out, one of the few things I hate about summer, it gets dark too late.

Union Square Park is filled with people. Note the walking texter, God I hate that!

This sign always makes me think of Dr. Ruth's vagina.

And speaking of EV Grieve, whenever I see a vacant lot, I think of ET.

I keep meaning to come here some night to this coffee shop. It looks about as old school as you can get.

And here we are, Percy's Tavern. Let's check it out.

Since it's a Sunday, there's plenty of seats at the bar. This is why Sunday's are my favorite night to go out.

And Sarah, the lovely bartender on duty is quick with a beer.

A view of the bar from where I was sitting.

There's tables up in the front of the bar.

And a long communal table and stools line the wall near the window opposite the bar.

There's also outside tables to dine and drink at on the sidewalk.

A Guinness painting in the window.

An impressive list of the beers available at Percy's.

A long shot of the bar.

And here he is, the man of the hour, Crazy Eddie. I have to keep his real identity secret because, well, I can't tell or both my big toes would get broken and we don't want that to happen, now do we? But I did have a great time hanging out with Crazy Eddie, a kindred spirit and a life-long East Village resident.

There's Jameson on the walls...

Jameson on the bar...

And here the lovely Orla serves us up shots of Jameson.

Cheers...

And goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark. Special thanks to Crazy Eddie for picking Percy's and hanging out with me. I hope to see you soon again!

Percy's Tavern
210 Avenue A (Between 13th & 14th St.)
212-473-7770

Further reading: Shecky’s, Beer Menu, Eugene and Metacafe.

You Might Also Like: Eden Bee, Aunt Bea and Beedababeedababeedaba ... That’s All Folks!

Five Other Crazy Things
Crazy Eddie
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Crazy From The Heat
Crazy Cat Lady
Crazy

River deep, mountain high.

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July 31, 2011

Live from New York, it’s Cheeseburger Saturday Night! Starring Amity Hall with special guests Gene and Terry from the BBC and featuring the Ready For Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome tonight’s host, Amity Hall!

Out on the town with 2/3 of the BBC, Terry and Gene. We started out at my apartment. They generously brought some beer including...

One lone Sol to replace the former orphan. Okay, Britta, this beer's for you!

After a few pre-bar beers we head off into the night.

And here we are at Amity Hall. One of the last stops on the bar crawl last year. (See: "Further Reading," below.)

Here's two familiar faces, Shannon and Nav! Great to see both of them again and they remembered Gene and I from the bar crawl last year.

The BBC and me!

Teagan was also on duty and here she is gooning with Shannon!

Wooden candle-lit tables line the wall opposite the bar.

A shot of some of the bottles behind the bar.

MAD presents an exclusive "Behind the Bar" photo.

Shannon pours a beer...

While Teagan presents a cashew!

The condiments are placed on the bar which means dinner is not far away!

Gene and Terry got the Angry Burger which has spicy cheese inside. I got that last time and it was great, but I decided to go with...

The Sliders. I had a late lunch and wasn't that hungry, so I thought I'd try something not quite as filling. They were delcious, but I have to admit the Angry Burger is a little better.

But I'm not complaining, the sliders hit the spot.

As always Gene cleaned his plate and worked up a sweat while doing so!

After diner Shannon gave us shots of Jameson on the house.

Cheers!

As we were leaving we said goodbye to Nav who was in his DJ booth. He DJ's at Amity Hall Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4am and is available for private parties and other venues. You can call him at 646-418-1180 or email him at: DJ Nav. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

Further reading: 365 Bars, New York Magazine, facecrack and Beer Advocate.

You Might Also Like: Silly String, Laffy Taffy and Funny Face.

Five Other Halls
Carnegie Hall
Monty Hall
Rich Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Hall and Oates



If you're not an easy mark,
It's a shot in the dark that hits the heart.

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-----------------------------------------------
Bonus Photos By Gene and Terry At The Blarney Cove!

I had a drink with the BBC (minus Smoopy) at the Peculiar Pub after dinner and then pussied out and called it a night. They soldiered on to the Blarney Cove and here’s some photos of their time there, plus their bar crawling schedule from yesterday.

• 1.   1:36 pm—McGuinness's Saloon (Queens)
• 2.   2:23 pm—Gaslight (Queens)
• 3.   3:45 pm—Valhalla
• 4.   4:35 pm—Brickyard Gastropub
• 5.   6:22 pm—Ipanema
• 6.   6:41 pm—Johnny's Bar
• 7.   7:27 pm—Marty's Apartment
• 8.   9:17 pm—Amity Hall
• 9.  10:32 pm—Peculiar Pub
• 10.  11:29 pm—Blarney Cove (til 2:30am+)

The Blarney Cove, the magnet that always pulls the BBC back at the end of the evening.

Inside, this woman doesn't want her photo taken...

But this birthday girl isn't so shy and poses with Gene.

Here comes Terry with drink refills!

And last but certainly not least, Gene just sent in this photo from Pete's Diner where he and Terry were having lunch and who walks in but Shannon from last night! I told you Gene was stalking you Shannon! Two words: "Restraining order!"

July 30, 2011

I have to work late tonight and I have to work tomorrow on Saturday as well. Normally this would be a problem and I’d probably retreat to one of my Fortresses of Solitude, but tonight someone else is going out on the town for me. Two thirds of the BBC (Baltimore Bar Crawlers) are in town this weekend and for once it’s not Gene and Smoopy, it’s Gene and Terry. And as usual, they are on a tear in NYC. They pulled into town in the afternoon and ended up with a 13 hour BBC Bar Crawl Tour of New York City. Here's the itinerary:

• 1. 1:31 pm—Walters Bar
  2. 2:21 pm—Billy Marks West
  3. 3:34 pm—Skylight Diner
  4. 5:22 pm—Courtyard Ale House - Queens
  5. 7:55 pm—McGuinness's Saloon - Queens
  6. 8:27 pm—Gaslight - Queens
  7. 9:56 pm—Duke's
  8. 11:00 pm—Molly's
  9. 11:59 pm —Blarney Cove
  10. 12:50 am—Blue & Gold
  11. 1:08 am—International Bar
  12.. 2:20 am—Maggie Mae's - Queens

And here's the photo documentary sent in by Gene. There's no captions because I wasn't there, view it like a silent movie of the BBC on one of their legendary bar crawls. It starts out in Penn Station and ends in Queens, with all the above bars and side shots in between. Take it away Gene!

(Aaaahhhhh!)

Further reading: 365 Bars, MAD, GAS’D and BBC.

You Might Also Like: ABC, NBC and B.C.

Four BBC Weird Nature Clips
Alcoholic Vervet Monkeys
Magic Mushrooms & Reindeer
Mexican Jumping Beans
Horror Story: Candiru: the Toothpick Fish

BBC Five, BBC Six,

BBC Seven, BBC Heaven.

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-------------------------------

Bonus Photo From Crazy Eddie!

Crazy Eddie sent in this photo from the Howl Festival that happened earlier this summer in Tompkins Square Park. It's a full color painting of someone who looks a little familiar...aaaahhh!

July 29, 2011

Okay, yesterday in the comments section there was some comments about walking down the escalator as opposed to standing there and riding it down. I addressed it in the comments section and I’m going to write about it here as well, because as I explained to a commenter, I’m an obsessive nut about a lot of things and that escalator is at the top of my list.

So I understand that some people are in a hurry, especially at a place like Penn Station. People have schedules and if they don’t get to their platform on time, they miss their train. So you see people running and trying to cut corners to get to their destination. But I’d like to make a point and I think I’ll do it in pictures. I had to work late tonight and they want me to try and get in as early as possible tomorrow, so I don’t have much time to do anything tonight, so this is a perfect night for this. We’ll be there in a second.

Okay, here we go, off into the night in search of an escalator. The excitement never ends here!

And here we are at Penn Station. Now let's go look at something.

Okay, there's the escalator and there's some jackass yammering away on a cell phone. Let's forget about him for a second, no matter how hard that is to do. Yeah, say you're running late for a train or you need to use the bathrooms in here or you're jonesing for an Auntie Anne's pretzel, why wouldn't you run down this escalator and push people out of your way to get where you're going? After all, you don't have time to "dick around" like some of us and you have places to go and people to be. You're an important person and you can't waste time riding this thing while standing still. I totally understand except...

THERE'S A HUGE FUCKING STAIRWAY RIGHT NEXT TO THE ESCALATOR THAT IS FOUR TIMES AS BIG! God, I hate typing in all capital letters, but sometimes a point has to be made and I can't sleep until it's understood. Okay, tonight they're working on the stairs, so it's not the best of nights to make this point. But if you're in a hurry, why wouldn't you run down this ample space instead of knocking into people riding the escalator who aren't in a hurry? Yesterday, a commenter called people who stand and ride the escalator "lazy sows." Well a lot of nights when I ride that escalator I've just come off a twelve hour shift at work and I just want to ride the escalator and not have some asshole push at me, even though I'm standing as far to the right as I can. In a hurry? Use the stairs!

Another commenter (and one who seems like a nice person whom I'm not giving attitude to, just making a point here) said that you save time walking on the escalator because it's faster as it's moving and the stairway is stationary. I understood that point and decided to give it a test. I rode the escalator down and timed it and it took exactly twenty seconds for the whole trip, standing still. Next I wanted to try it walking down and see the time I saved, but since the stairs were closed it was too crowded to do it.

But the up escalator was wide open, so I decided to walk up and time it. It's the same distance as going down, so away we go!

And boom, here we are outside. And it was quicker. It took just six seconds to get from point A to point B. So we saved 14 valuable seconds by walking the escalator. Maybe that's important to you to get to your destination 14 seconds earlier, but personally I'll take the 20 second ride anytime and take a queue from my friend the Chillmaster and chill the fuck out for a few extra seconds. Why the fuck not?

While we're here, we may as well check out the greeting cards here at Duane Reade. In the past they've had some suspicious cards in this store.

Fuck you Ziggy! I'm just trying to make a point here!

You can't sleep? Well, I think you're in the wrong aisle...

You need to be over here, my dear, next to the beer. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow after dark.

Further reading: Big White Guy, On Common Ground, Washington Post and Etiquette Guide.

You Might Also Like: Puff Pastry, H.R. Pufnstuf and Puff the Magic Dragon.

Of Otis and Escalators

Otis
People Daily
Bloomberg
Oits
Otis

Oh baby I was blind to let you go,
But now since I see you in his arms,
I want you back.

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July 28, 2011

It was just about a year ago that I went to Fedora’s bar and restaurant in the West Village. I had a great time drinking and chatting with Fedora, the 89-year-old owner. She told me tales from the old days, stories about Lauren Bacall, her husband, some of the people who had worked there and she showed me pictures of her great-grandchildren. In the end it was a bittersweet day though, because she confirmed the rumor that it was closing. She told me she just couldn’t do it anymore and who could blame her for wanting to retire? Not me. She told me she had sold it and said that the new owner promised her that they would keep the original sign hanging as a tribute to her. That made her smile and it made me smile as well. At least a small chunk of the past would be preserved.

So months passed, they gutted Fedora and brought in shiny new things and a highly polished bar and tables and chairs. Oh and within the first week they took the sign down. So much for promises. The new owner, Gabriel Stulman, claimed it was too old and damaged and was beyond repair. Hmm, I wonder how a functioning neon sign could be “beyond repair?" Anyway, they made a new one. Now everything had been changed by Stulman and nothing of the past is left. It’s all his and I’m pretty sure that’s the way he likes it. I swore I’d never go back, but I’m curious now as to what the new Fedora looks like, so that’s tonight’s destination.

Here we are at Penn Station, it's really nice out tonight.

This asshole woman just pushed me aside as she ran down the escalator. And there's a huge stairway to the left, I'll never understand this shit. You ride the escalator, you walk/run down the stairs. Pretty simple rules that some jerkoffs can never understand.

And here we are, the West Village, Fedora's is just a few blocks away.

Here's the new sign. You really can't tell the difference much, but it still sucks.

Let's go inside and get this over with.

Wow, it's completely unrecognizable from the original Fedora. And it's loud with stupid chatter in here. Everyone's trying to talk louder than the next person, really annoying.

A black leather banquettle and tables line the wall opposite the bar. Gabriel Stulman said he'd keep some of the old photos and memorabilia from the original Fedora, but it's all gone.

Lots of high-fiving going on in here. Woo and hoo.

There's a black and white picture of Jay Z in the corner where the pay phone used to be.

The bar is packed with the chattering masses.

And people texting and staring blankly and lovingly at their phones.

Here's the bartender having a passionate moment with his phone. I've had enough.

Two word review of the new Fedora: Vomit, eruptis. Obnoxious people talking two octaves too loud, fake-laughing at each other's ironic jokes in a loud and sickening manner. Those that weren't screaming at each other like wild hyenas amped up to the nines on crystal meth were texting and hypnotized by their cell phones. Music played in the background, but all I could hear over the loud chatter was a bass line reverberating like a ball peen hammer hitting a trampoline in an echo chamber. A chubby blonde woman who made it clear that she was from Chicago broke out into an impromptu dance between the bar and the tables and shook her head, hair and hips in a manner that brings a new definition to the words, "ridiculous and embarrassing."  Fedora's is dead. It's gone from a nice cubbyhole where you could escape and talk to real people and hear stories of the old days in New York while nursing a bottle of beer to an asshole emporium with an all you can eat buffet of everything that's wrong with this world. To quote Col. Kurtz and the final words in the fine book "Hell's Angels" by Hunter S. Thompson: "The horror...the horror. Exterminate all the brutes!" Zingo!

Here’s a paragraph from a review of the new Fedora on New York magazine’s website by Adam Platt:
“Let the feasting commence,” said one of the merry hipsters at my table, as we pondered the impressively gigantic “big pork chop for two,” which was smothered in pork meatballs, no less, and served with a stack of fluffy scallion pancakes. An equally massive côte de boeuf special was buried, not entirely successfully, in drifts of bok choy and Cantonese fried rice, and if you order the fried chicken leg, it comes over a pile of fragrant, faintly sticky sushi rice, with its gnarled claw still attached.

Merry hipsters? A big old pork chop smothered in pork meatballs? Oh my.

And here’s a few lines from a review of the original Fedora on the same website written by Kathleen Squires:
To nightly applause from diners, Fedora takes her spot behind the bar to serve up strong drinks, generous smiles, and a tale or two from the old days. So who cares that the mashed potatoes taste half-instant? You don’t come here for the food, after all.

Well, Fedora is gone and a bearded, pork-obsessed jackass who wants to change the neighborhood to something called, “Little Wisco” has taken her place. I don’t really have any reason to ever come here again. Look what they’ve done to your song, Fedora...better still just walk away and pretend this place just doesn’t exist anymore.

Further reading: Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, New York Magazine (old review), New York Magazine (new review), Grub Street (Note the third comment down from some wiseass!) and The Half Empty Glass.

You Might Also Like: Ted Turner, Hooch and Turner and Hooch.

Four Celebrities Wearing a Fedora And One Greasy Dude
Humphrey Bogart
Keith Richards
Shawn Chittle
Cary Grant
Greasy Dude (Getting all handsy with Whitney Port. Is it bad that I have no idea who Whitney Port is? She sounds like a bottle of wine to me.)

You can't put your arms around a memory,
Don't try, don't try.

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July 27, 2011

Okay, it’s Tuesday, the night I go out in search of a swizzle stick. Originally I was searching for a glass swizzle stick, but now I’m finding that so few bars have them anymore, I’ll settle for any kind of a swizzle stick. Tonight I thought I’d try Pete’s Tavern. Pete’s is a classic New York Tavern that’s been open since 1864. It’s been used as a prototypical New York bar in numerous TV shows and movies and several  beer commercials have been shot here. One of the things that Pete’s Tavern is known for it that writer and regular O. Henry wrote the Gift of the Magi at the tavern, in one of the booths by the front door. You’d think a bar this rich in history would have swizzle sticks. And that’s just what we’re about to find out.

The internet is a magical place. One minute you're at the corner of 31st and Sixth...

And the next second here we are at Union Square Park. It's a nice night out and there's lots of people in the park. Okay, just a few blocks to Pete's Tavern from here. Off we go.

God I hate that fucking place.

And here we are at the legendary Pete's Tavern.

I always love it when bars have gold leaf lettering in the windows.

Lets go in and see if there's a swizzle stick in our future.

It's crowded for a Tuesday night, but I see a seat at the end of the bar and I see a familiar face...

It's Mike the bartender who we met last year on the bar crawl!

Sadly, there are no swizzle sticks here at Pete's. Oh well, maybe next week, in the meantime let's take a look around the joint.

Here's a shot of the bar from my perch.

The light fixtures overhead reveal a tin ceiling.

The bottles are lit up behind the bar.

Some of the draft beers available.

A copy of a book by O. Henry, a writer and a regular years ago at Pete's Tavern.

And here's the famous booth where he supposedly wrote, The Gift of the Magi.

Press clippings and vintage photos adorn the walls of the booth.

While this is good advice, I think Red Foxx's is better.

Okay, one glance out the window and time to call it a night. See you tomorrow after dark.

Pete’s Tavern
129 East 18th Street @ Irving Place
212-473-7676

Further reading: 365 Bars, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, Black Book and Betsy Bie Photography.

You Might Also Like: “Hello Walls,” Hello Newman! and Hello Larry.

Five Other Pete’s
Pete Townshend
Pete Seeger
Pete Rose
Pete Doherty
Peat Moss And The Fertlizers

No one respects the flame quite like the fool who's badly burned,
From all this you'd imagine that there must be something learned.

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