Fame For Sale | YouTube Rabbithole | The Magician | Essex | Nurse Bettie
Alright @YouTheReader,
I heard this song on in the background at one of these bars and made Note of it as always. At first, I was convinced it would be one of those TikTok tunes that I must’ve missed the boat on. It turns out this song Fame For Sale by Jean Tonique was released in ‘15 so this tune is 8 years old. The YouTube video with this tune has 53k views, which is obviously nothing to scoff at, but I’m shocked a quality retro 70s funk song like this isn’t a bit more popular. I could be wrong, but I think this is a real gem. There aren’t even lyrics to this song on the internet so I tried my best with what I think they’re saying…
“You don’t want,
to be had
You give all your love (something) with a mask
And it’s too late to try, something else
Something, something, head & shoulders, here on Earth”
Again I’m not 100%. I just liked the beat of the song after giving it a few listens.
“You say, you never want to stop
The flashing of lights
You never want to stop, the flashing of lights
You call it fame for sale”
I have absolutely zero Fame For Sale, but Week to Week Notes will try to sell you on this tune as well as getting a drink at these 3 awesome bars in The City. Here’s the YouTube Rabbithole, if you can decipher the lyrics better please send them my way with your own annotations!
YouTube Rabbithole
Jean Tonique ft Jessie Chaton - Fame For Sale (Official Audio)
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.
Song On In The Background: Bed’s Too Big Without You by The Police
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Bar’s bar, no food. I’m a bit spooked out, am I about to get tricked? Watch me house this pint in 4 gulps - abracadabra. Happy Hour until 8 pm every day. Reefer Madness collectibles in their back room area, are very vintage. A sign reads “youthful marihuana victims” from the 1950s. Their 100-Year Secret cocktail is recommended. “People come in and ask me all the time. The magic is right behind me” as he points to the booze. No, it is not required to be a magician to work here, I made sure to ask!
Let the Magician cast its spell on you. Their 5 to 8 PM daily Happy Hours include $6 well drinks, $6 draft beers, and $6 wines. As the Magician puts it, there’s no rabbit in a hat or coins picked behind ears - just good company and cheap drinks. The Lower East Side staple has been a spacious neighborhood dive bar for decades. It still smells like beer and old wood, plus is dimly lit in some trippy signs & clocks. The Magician is perfect for celebrations as their back room can host up to 40 people for parties, email JASONFURLANI@GMAIL.COM to book. I look forward to grabbing another pint at The Magician again soon!
Song On In The Background: Fame For Sale by Jean Tonique & Jessie Chaton
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: 76ers and Celtics Game 5. George is the bartender, he’s a Man U fan. Maradona was his favorite player growing up. He’s been at Essex for 5 years and likes it. The Ribeye steak and octopus are recommended. They also have roasted cauliflower, which is their trendy vegetarian option. Palomita is the recommended cocktail. Brunch spot. They can hold 500 to 600 people with their upstairs. The Essex first opened in 1999. The name comes from being in Essex.
The Magician highly recommends ordering The Essex food when you decide to have a party there. The Essex is a great brunch and dinner spot. For brunch of 1 to 7 guests, you have a choice of Entrée with 1 to 1.5 hours of Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Screwdrivers & Narraganset Draft Beers for $44.95. For parties of 8 or more, you have a choice of Entrée with 2 hours of Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Screwdrivers & Narraganset Draft Beers for $54.95. Their brunch menu has plenty of options ranging from their Angus NY Strip Steak & Eggs to Quinoa & Kale salad. For dinner from now until August 20th, they have a 3-course menu for $45 which include a starter, main, and dessert. Their Happy Hours at the bar are Sunday to Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm where all signature cocktails are $8, wines by the glass are $7, and draft beer & sangria are $6. These Happy Hours also include deals on fresh east coast oysters, flatbreads, and snacks like fried calamari. Lastly, The Essex was just named Tri-State’s Best Fusion Cuisine by Diners’ Choice, so book now on Open Table. I look forward to grabbing another drink and trying out their fusion cuisine again soon!
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Banks is the bartender. He’s been here since ‘06. Burlesque bar, they do shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Bar’s bar. The Evil on the menu is popular and the Negroni is Banks’ personal favorite. Neighborhood and Lower East Side crowd. Exposed brick and paintings of women in lingerie. Their logo is a keyhole - “looking is cool.” $7 well drinks, wines, and drafts of beer. They also have comfy couches.
Nurse Bettie is located on the Lower East Side. The 1950s pinup burlesque bar. Just wait until you hear about what the keyhole symbol stands for, it’s a Nurse Bettie secret! They are the longest-running weekly burlesque show in The City. Every Monday, Friday, and Saturday nights a DJ comes in at 10 PM. They have a Happy Hour until 7 PM every day. Wednesdays and Thursdays are when they host weekly shows and you can get tickets on their website Nurse Bettie. I look forward to getting another drink at Nurse Bettie’s again soon!