Ice Ice Baby | O’Keefe’s | The Brazen Head | The Custom House | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
I was not around during the Ice, Ice Baby phenomenon but man what a time this must’ve been. This song soared to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking as the #1 song in the country on November 3, 1990. @Ireland I’m not letting you off the hook about this either, you let it be your #1 as well.
Robert Van Winkle aka Vanilla Ice claims to have written this when he was 16 years old in 1983. (Source: The Guardian) The chorus “Ice, Ice, Baby” was actually used in Spike Lee’s School Daze (1988) as part of a chant for the national black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha.
Alright stop, this was nominated for a Grammy? Thankfully it lost to MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.”
Death Row Records CEO, Suge Knight, allegedly held Vanilla Ice tightly over a balcony because one of his signees co-wrote the record that Vanilla Ice claims to have written as a sophomore in high school. Vanilla Ice denies this. (Source: XXL Mag)
Ice Ice Baby would be Vanilla Ice’s only hit so it did kind of stop. That said, the man did make $10 million off this song. (Source: The Things)
This rhyme scheme for this whole song is A, A, B, B, C, C, D, D, E, E, F, F, G, G, H, H, I, I, J, J, K, K, L, L, M, M, etc. It changes in each stanza and he never used the same rhyme vowel.
Verse 2, I might as well bring up how the iconic beat that got the party jumpin’ came from Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.” Queen & Bowie threatened to sue Mr. Van Winkle for copyright infringement. They were not credited on the song. Both parties ended up settling out of court. It’s tough to kill Mr. Van Winkle here on this because so much of hip-hop's best beats come from samples of older songs.
The part that pissed most rappers off at this time was the fact that hip-hop was still in its adolescence stage and people felt Vanilla Ice was ripping off the culture from fashion to Mr. Van Winkle rapping about the streets while growing up in the suburbs. While I agree with the criticism I should take heed of the lyrical poet because let’s face the facts:
1) This song came out well over 30 years ago and here I am in ‘23 writing about it.
2) Vanilla Ice probably already gets dunked on by everybody on the internet.
3) Hey at least I still get to save “Under Pressure” for a later date. Could be worse.
4) It was on in the background at one of these great bars in Brooklyn and Ice, Ice Baby has been stuck in my head ever since.
On to the Pints…
Guinness Challenge Season #1
@Kids don’t try this at home. Not just because you’re underage and will have plenty of pints to drink if that ends up being your thing when you’re older but also because Guinness is actually best served in a pint glass from a tap. A pint of Guinness varies depending on the drinking establishment. If the keg it sits in is rarely poured, it can lead to some underwhelming taste. Rather than stealing gimmicks, I’d like to start taking Notes while drinking Guinness. My grandfather from Connemara, who I never got the chance to meet, Thomas Davis, used to drink pints and by all accounts was a self-taught thinker. The one rule I’ve imposed on myself is that I will only have 1 pint per sitting from each establishment I review, so @AnyoneWorrying, don’t worry about my drinking habits. The Guinness Challenge is to “cut the G” on your first sip (more like a gulp and a half). If this is your first time hearing about it, I didn’t come up with the fun challenge @YouTheReader can try the next time you have a Guinness. The 0.0 to 10.0 scale will be extraordinarily nuanced but as a reference point, the only perfect 10.0 I plan ever to give out is at the Guinness Factory in Dublin one day.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: It’s Cinco De Mayo! Sports bar. Arnold Palmer or John Daly are recommended. For the spring and summertime, O’Keefe’s frozen margaritas are a hit. Brick exposed behind the bar. Stuffed bear and stuffed deer heads on the wall. The deer has an Oklahoma State helmet on its head. The steak sandwich is recommended. It’s been O’Keefe’s since the 70s. Oklahoma State bar. John is the bartender.
O'Keefe's Bar & Grill has been serving Brooklyn Heights for 45 years. It is a neighborhood institution. They have a Happy Hour every day from 4 PM to 7 PM and 2 Select Drafts from 7 PM to 2 AM where you can get a $5 pint. Their daily specials are as follows; Mondays: $5 Modelo Cans, Narragansett Pint, & Miller Lite Bottle; Tuesdays: $1 Tacos and $8 Frozen Margaritas; Wednesdays: $1 Tacos and $8 Narraganset Pint & Shot; Thursdays: $10 Mussel Mania with $5 Miller Lite Bottles, Modelo Cans, & Shots; Fridays: $8 Frozen Margaritas; Saturdays: $8 Bloody Mary & Crush Drinks; & lastly, Sundays: $5 Miller Lite Bottles & Pints of Bud Light. It is a sports bar with 20 draft brews with even more bottles&cans and plenty of TVs. I look forward to grabbing another pint at O’Keefe’s Bar & Grill!
Song On In The Background: Love Is The Law by The Suburbs
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Jenna is the bartender. She likes it here and has been here for about a year. Jenna is from Connecticut originally. You can bring in your own food. Neighborhood bar. They sell a lot of draft beer and whiskey bourbon. The KCBC Superhero is recommended. “You get a decent enough do in the Brazen Head” was what James Joyce wrote in his 'Ulysses'. They have sound on during big games. Jenna is a Messi and Barcelona fan. Bar’s bar but they do sell popcorn, cheeseballs, and epic pork grinds. Dog-friendly spot 🤝.
Established in ‘00, The Brazen Head has been serving Brooklyn since the millennium. They are not only a neighborhood staple for locals but always welcome the same warmth to newcomers. The friendly neighborhood bar features craft beer, an extensive array of Single Malt Scotch, Bourbon Rye, and Whiskey & carefully selected but affordable wines by the glass or bottles. On Mondays, they host trivia night where you can win a $40 gift card for 1st place. On Mondays, they have a Happy Hour of $8 Misguided margs $7 cab, sauv blanc, or rose, & $6 well drinks $5 Aslin Old Town Lager. On Tuesdays, it’s $1 off all well and wine $1 off Misguided Spirits $1 off House Cocktails $5 Aslin Old Town Lager $1 off Old Town Shandy Beer Frosty. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays they have a nice deal of $7 can of Miller and a shot of whiskey or $8 can of Modelo, and a shot of tequila. On Sundays, you can get a complimentary bagel with your Sunday cocktail. There were also some good boy doggos at The Brazen Head when I was there so can confirm they are dog-friendly. I look forward to grabbing another pint at The Brazen Head again soon!
Song On In The Background: **Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice**
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: 2nd Round of the Wells Fargo Championship is on TV. Exposed brick and high ceilings. Debra is bartending, she’s been here at Custom House for 2 years and is from Queens. “Neighborhood and after-work crowds.” The wings and turkey burger are recommended. Also, the fish and chips looked great. Cosmos and margaritas are Debra’s favorite drinks to make. She has been a Giants fan since her childhood. Fine China plates hanging up on the walls of the restaurant area seating.
The Custom House was the birthplace of my rivalry with Patrick Cantlay. He was taking his time on the golf course and I was losing my patience. It was destiny that he or his public relations team that run his social media decided to view the @you_the_reader mention and we’ve been mortal enemies ever since. Is it mortal or immortal enemies? I don’t I’ll have to Google that later. The Custom House in Brooklyn has a long classic marble bar complimented by a fireplace and couch area. Their menu is both American and European influenced. They also have a nice front patio and a back garden. The Custom House has a brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 3:30 PM where you can get Lemonades, House Made Bloody Marys, Bellinis, Classic Mimosas, Mojitos, and Brooklyn Height’s Lemonades to go with their exceptional brunch menu. I look forward to grabbing another pint at The Custom House again soon!