Last month MBIP contributor, Gene Rubbico debuted his monthly bar crawling post called, “Gene’s Bar Exams.” It was part one of a two part New York bar crawl. If you missed the first part, just click here to catch up. If you don’t need to catch up, mustard your way onto part two, directy below this paragraph.
12:20pm: Dalton's—After an eleven hour and 56 minute break since Slattery's last night, we arrive at Dalton's to begin our Sunday! We are hungry and ready to watch the Ravens versus Colts playoff game. Smoopy really wanted to be in front of a tv by 1:00pm to see Ray Lewis's "Last Dance." Ray is retiring after 17 seasons of Hall of Fame play with the Ravens, and this is his last home game. We got good seats at the bar and settled in for the game! PS: Ray didn't kill anybody in Atlanta!
1:47pm: I've had an omelette for breakfast, a bloody mary, and look who has joined us? Terry! The whole BBC hasn't been together in NYC since Nov. 14, 2010, when the ABC, BBC, and 365 all collided for a glorious four days! Terry is up for the week for work and he just got off the train and joined us. The football game has been uneventful so far, as the first Quarter ends in a 0-0 tie.
2:13pm: Rudy's—Unfortunately they were not open. There was a sign in the window saying they were repairing the floor behind the bar, and would be closed for a week. So we have to take that lonely walk to the next spot now.
2:21pm: O'Flaherty's —One of my favorite bars in the city. If I can't go to Rudy's and have a hot dog, I'll take this place!
2:31pm: We arrived here to watch the Ravens/Colts second quarter and I ordered up a Granny Smith's Cider, which was good! O'Flaherty's is a really cool bar, there's like five different sections to it. I should have 5 drinks and sit in each different part, but not today!
2:33pm : Halftime now!Ravens 10 - Colts 6.
2:34pm: I didn't want to leave so quickly so I ordered up a Labatt Blue bottle.
3:20pm: Bourbon Street—We don't venture too far to the next spot, this is only 3 buildings down the street. Two Abita Amber pints are consumed by myself as we watch the rest of the Ravens/Colts game. Ravens win 24-9! This sets up a matchup with Peyton Manning in Denver next Saturday. I can't wait!
3:28pm: Christmas decorations!
3:34pm: Smoopy flashing me the 365 salute!
4:30pm: Nourishment! I got a hot sausage, with mustard and sauerkraut.
4:43pm: Blue Ruin—Got a pint of Vodka and Tonic and a lime to wash down my sausage. We arrive here for the next football game of the day—the Seattle Seahawks at the Washington Redskins.
4:52pm: This place lives up to it's name, It's really blue in here! Redskins are up 14-0 in the first quarter. Everyone is happy, singing the Redskins fight song, things are looking good!
5:08pm: It's really nice out today and we're taking a little walk down 9th Ave. to stretch out a little, we're only going 11 blocks though.
5:21pm: Not sure what is going on here? Hopefully it's only a remodeling?
5:21pm: Thankfully BillyMark's is only mere feet away!
5:24pm: Mark is working tonight, his brother Billy is in Miami for the Notre Dame/Alabama Championship Game tomorrow. Terry gets me a bottle of Pabst!
5:29pm: Men's room.
6:16pm: Cab ride!
6:26pm: Blarney Cove!
6:32pm: I get a Captain Morgan and Coke. It's dead in here and we don't stay long, plus we were here yesterday. I'm wanting to hit the next place sooner than later. I'm not sure what Smoopy is looking so horrified at here, but RGIII of the Redskins is limping around badly now. Nobody scores in the third quarter, so we go to the 4th with a one point game. The tension mounts. Redskins 14, Seattle 13.
6:48pm: Otto's!
7:10pm: Frank Wood!
7:22pm: Lani!
7:24pm: I had a German Chocolate Cake Tiki drink, watched some band, which was pretty good, in the back for a little bit. But ... it's time to go, Redskins lose 24-14. They scored the first 14 points of the game—Seattle scores the last 24. The Redskins quarterback has torn his knee to shreds, and will be getting major surgery that will put him out for about 8 months. What a horrible game ! What bummer way to have your season end.
7:37pm: Tompkins Square Park at night - you can see the Freedom Tower in the background, it should be pretty cool when they finish it this year.
7:42pm: Manitoba's! Pabst in a can, the only drink I get here.
7:51pm: After dancing with the bartender, Terry sits back down for a rest, and gets a little smooch from her!
7:56pm: Manitoba's isn't big, but it's one of the cooler bars around. There are a lot of places to go that are closeby - but one has to stop in here. We're rolling now. This has been the eighth stop of the day!
8:18pm : Josie's. Got one of the best Guinness beers I've had!
8:28pm: I love the interior of this place and, bring your dog on down if you have one! There were two here and they were friendly!
8:34pm: Another shot of Josie's from the back. I got back to my seat, and Smoopy told me that Terry texted her, he was in a cab back to his hotel! He disappeared out of thin air. I guess 9 bars with us was enough, he has important work to get to in the morning!
9:45pm: Ray's—I had a hankering for a soft chocolate ice cream cone and it is pretty good here! After this we stood on the corner and caught a cab back to Korea Town by our hotel.
10:02pm: Ginger Man.
10:14pm: Great beer here but I was in the mood for a vodka/tonic/lime. Sometimes you get full on beer and ice cream and need something lighter to drink! I felt a little dirty drinking vodka in this beer mecca though.
10:50pm: Smoopy called it a night. I dropped her off at the hotel, and started to wander for a nightcap, it still felt early to me and I had one more spot left in me!
10:52pm: O'Reilly's. I didn't feel like going to any of the other bars in this area, and chose here, it's been a few years since I was inside, so I was due!
11:33pm: It was a good choice, quiet, peaceful, had a good conversation with the bartender about football and enjoyed a pint of Bass. I was going to get another Bass, or a vodka, but I vetoed myself and was back at the hotel by midnight. That is a little early by BBC standards—but we were out for 11+ hours, had a blast, and visited 11 pubs. We were on a NJ transit train out of Penn Station at 11:07am, got breakfast at a good diner in Trenton, New Jersey and drove home the rest of the way. Another successful weekend ! 23 spots in two nights. Missed not seeing Marty for the first time in 3 years though.
An Award From Jaws the Cabbie!
Jaws made this award for you Gene, I hope it fits in your trophy cabinet! Thanks, Jaws!
