Pint&Pen&Paper Week 133 (Vol II)

Praise the Lord (Da Shine)

Praise the Lord (Da Shine)

- Witching Hour (@witchinghourbk)

- Phil’s (@philsbrooklyn)

- Filthy Diamond (@filthydiamondbk)

- YouTube Rabbithole

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Alright @YouTheReader,

Today’s tune is A$AP Rocky’s Praise the Lord (Da Shine) because it was on in the background at one of these many fine drinking establishments in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Wow, maybe A$AP Rocky receives the same random number scam texts we all get. Who would’ve thought?

Timely chorus over here in New York. At least it’ll be a good week for the plants.

On to the pints…

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#GuinnessChallengeSeason

Commonly Asked Questions

What the hell is “hashtag Guinness Challenge Season?”

I don’t know; it was invented after a Jets loss and quite a few pints on New Year’s Day of ‘23. The “Season” was supposed to last from New Year’s to Saint Patrick’s Day, but the bit has stuck for 133 weeks now.

What is a Guinness Challenge?

When you split the G of a proper pint of Guinness in one sip, it's fun. You should try it next time. See the picture above for reference.

Is there a difference between Guinness at different places?

Why yes, of course, great question. Guinness varies more than any other beer. It comes in all shapes and sizes like bottles, cans, and drafts (draughts, as the Euros say it). A proper pour of Guinness is a work of art. Guinness kegs must be run quite a bit, and their lines must be cleaned extensively. As a self-proclaimed Guinness connoisseur, my 0.0 to 10.0 scale is extraordinarily nuanced, but for reference, the only perfect 10.0 will be at the Guinness Factory.

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Witching Hour (@witchinghourbk) 2/6 ‘25

Service & Staff: A

Guinness: 4.0 (Standard Can)

Guinness Challenge: N/A (No Logo)

Song On In The Background: Praise The Lord by A$AP Rocky

Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: They got a creepy ass photo of kids from the 1920s wearing rabbit masks on the wall. Spooky spot year-round, their King Ink cocktail is recommended. Witching Hour has magic tarot cards on the bar. The card I happened to pick was the fool. Its planet is Uranus, and the class is “air.” No idea what any of that means, but I like that they have these cards on the bar. Fits the environment. In the corner of the bar is an old-school Nintendo, with patrons playing Mario.

The Witching Hour hosts “The Bitchin’ Hour Karaoke” every Monday at 8 PM. While they are typically a bar’s bar with no food, they will normally have Yece’s Kitchen Pop Up, specializing in empanadas on the weekends. The local haunt has an everyday happy hour until 8 PM, which includes a Beer + Shot Special for $4 and $6 Old Fashions or Margaritas. I know the Witching Hour as NFL Sundays from 3 to 4 PM, when madness just starts to break out. However, according to ancient folklore, the witching hour is said to be 3 to 4 AM when ghosts, demons, and demons are most active. Cool spot if you’re looking for a bit of a frightening time!

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Phil’s (@philsbrooklyn) 2/6 ‘25

Service & Staff: A

Guinness: Black Duck Porter Sub

Guinness Challenge: N/A (No Logo)

Song On In The Background: Time to Pretend by MGMT

Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: It’s that kind of cold outside and warm inside that makes your glasses fog up for the first seven minutes you enter a new climate. Phil’s Bar in Brooklyn doesn’t serve Guinness, so I went with their Black Duck Porter as a substitute. It’s brewed locally out east at Greenport Harbor Brewing Company. The bartender recommends their Hot Toddy off the cocktail menu. She said, “Phil is the owner, but she’s a girl.” On a projector screen in the back of the bar lounge area, they are playing “There’s Something About Mary.” Love that movie, classic 90s comedy.

Phil’s describes themselves as a neighborhood wine dive bar. Their food menu includes a wide range of hot dog options and grilled cheese sandwiches. From 4-6 PM every day, Phil’s Happy Hour consists of $5 Beer + Shot Specials, $4 Picklebacks, $6 Wines, and $3 High Life Beer. Every Tuesday at 9 PM, they host a crossword puzzle competition. (I've been to quite a few bars, that’s a new one, good stuff!) On Wednesday, they have a Dinner Special. On Thursday nights, they have a late-night happy hour from 10 PM to Midnight. With plenty of board games, darts, and their movie projector, they have plenty of entertainment in their lounge. Phil’s also has a fun backyard patio, perfect for a summer night. Cool spot, and I just gotta say they know good movies!

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Filthy Diamond (@filthydiamondbk) 2/6 ‘25

Service & Staff: A

Guinness: 7.4

Guinness Challenge: I Failed. ❌

Song On In The Background: Moon Dust by Cherry Glazerr

Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: On the corner of the bar is a record player playing a Cherry Glazerr album called Apocalipstick. The Filthy Diamond is about to start their weekly community sing-along. In their back game room area is a rare Sopranos pinball machine. Very cool. They also have an old piano that still works and chessboards in their game center. The bartender explained they came up with the Filthy Diamond. “Filthy because of our martinis. Diamond because a lot of people were getting engaged around the time we opened.” During the week, Filthy Diamond hosts a People’s Piano, Chess Clubs, and Jazz Nights.

This past March, Filthy Diamond celebrated its second anniversary. It’s already become a neighborhood staple, with music and chess every Monday at 8 PM. Ridgewick Chess Club hosts the chess club. Filthy Diamond regularly has live music on the weekends. They also have a nice patio out back. Every Sunday, they host Cocktails & Coloring, providing coloring books, crayons, and colored pencils along with your drink choice. Cool spot with some entertainment and live music!

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YouTube Rabbithole

There’s Something About Mary (The Scene)

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