Mine | Mary O’s | Ways and Means | Parnell’s | Jets-Chargers | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
The first part of this was written before the Jets Monday Night Football debacle.
Today’s Pint&Pen&Paper Week 45 (Vol I) was a song requested by one of these fine establishments. Mine by Taylor Swift was the tune they wanted to be connected with the bar. Great choice, it falls currently at #22 on my Taylor Top 25 Power Rankings. It should go without saying that this is Taylor’s Version, Scooter Braun can kick all the rocks.
Strong open, feel-good, and catchy.
This is sung with such pure innocence. Oh wait, no this is Taylor’s version so she just recorded this in ‘23. I mean, the lyrics are crafted with such pure innocence.
This song was set to be released on August 16, ‘10, but a low-quality MP3 file of the song was leaked on August 4, ‘10. "[My manager] said, 'I don't want you to panic.' And I said, 'The song leaked, didn't it?’ I turned on my phone and there were texts saying, 'Congratulations.' A leak is so out of my comfort zone, but it ended up good in the end. It made me so emotional that I started crying." (Rolling Stone) That ain’t right, unbelievable!
Taylor told Ladies Home Journal about her writing process: "I have an app on my iPhone that's a voice recorder. I'll be in the middle of a conversation and will literally walk away and record a bridge, a pre-chorus or half of a hook, then go right back to the conversation like nothing happened." (SongFacts)
When she won the Video Of The Year at the ‘11 CMT Music Awards, Taylor made sure to accept her award via satellite from a concert. It was a bit so that Kanye West couldn’t take the award from her.
She told Rolling Stone this is what she thought out, "I was reflecting back on a boy I liked at a certain time, The song is about what it would be like if I actually let my guard down."
Imagine being the guy that teenage Taylor Swift wrote this about. Sheesh, quite the fumble. Prayers up for that guy.
I refuse to believe Taylor Swift as a teenager ever stayed up until 2:30 AM. Defintiely fibbing a bit here, sorry, what the kids would call capping here. I’m calling cap.
Nice throwback Taylor tune…
On to the pints!!!
#GuinnessChallengeSeason
@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: Mine (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: A ton of Odlums flour in this pub. Like a ton, in a cool distinct way. Tayto Chips behind the bar. Mary O from Mayo is bartending, she is also the owner. Every Thursday, Mary O’s hosts a traditional session. She and the pub are famous for their Irish scones and soda bread. They have been sold all around the United States thanks in large part to the Humans of New York feature. During COVID, as an extra means to keep business going, she would bake her scones and soda bread from scratch using her own recipe. The baking side of things took on a life of its own as it became much more popular, but she still handles every aspect of the operation. I had to try the scones and soda bread, they were phenomenal. She also makes a blackberry jam, which was also a delicious compliment to the bread. Mary O has kids around high school age. She has a son who is very much into sports and her daughters are very big fans of Taylor Swift. Mary O got a kick out of how I tried asking Taylor Swift out for a pint of Guinness on social media (this was before Travis 🫤), but her daughters, who came in to visit their mom, requested Mine by Taylor Swift be the Noted song on in the background.
I honestly feel really lucky getting to meet new people all the time doing the Guinness, but this was definitely one of the more genuine conversations that I’ve had. Very nice people, very nice family, and last but not least amazing Irish soda bread & scones that I highly recommend. Mary O mentioned that I needed to visit again soon, so I’ll be back for a pint and of course Irish Soda Bread before the New Year!
Song On In The Background: The Less I Know The Better by Tame Impala
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: In the spring of ‘22 before I first started writing Week to Week Notes, I went on a Hinge date that spontaneously ended up at a comedy show at Ways and Means. This was right after a hobo on the street tried attacking me, the date thought I played it off cool. Went on 2 more dates afterward, didn’t work out, but very nice girl & ended amicably. The comedian was funny, roasting us for going to a comedy show on a first date. The glass that the Guinness is in is throwing me off. Ways and Means doubles as a comedy shop in the back. Eddie is bartending. Their chicken sandwich is recommended. He also recommends the margaritas, mules, and espresso martinis. The Guinness pint glasses are on the way so I’ll have to do another pint without the optical illusion of a glass this was poured in. Around the walls of the bar are movie posters such as Pulp Fiction, True Romance, A Bronx Tale, My Own Private Island, The Gambler, and The Thief. Eddie says there is a reason for those exact films but I still haven’t quite figured out the connection.
Parnell’s Pub (@InstagramlessParnells) 7/16 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.6
Guinness Challenge: Count It!
Song On In The Background: The Walk by Jimmy McCracklin
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Eric is the bartender. He thinks “NY is alright. I’m from a town of 800 people so I’ve met a lot of people that never would’ve happened if I didn’t leave so that’s my cool experience with The City.” The bar is named after Charles Parnell. He has his own corner dedicated just to him. Irish-owned establishment. Eric is a Cubs, Patriots, and Canadians fan from say up north, closer to Montreal than he was in Boston. He recommends the crispy buttermilk chicken sandwich with hot pepper is a good touch. “This place is kind of like Cheers. I see the same people 80% of the time and we have an old-school register.”
Charles Stewart Parnell was the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party as well as the leader of the Home Rule League from the 1880s to his death in 1891. He got the Charles Stewart part of his name because his mother was from New Jersey and her father was the American naval hero Admiral Charles Stewart - one of George Washington’s bodyguards. Parnell was an important figure in leading the Irish nationalism movement and used his American connections to finance its beginnings. Located in the heart of Sutton Place on the corner of 53rd Street and 1st Avenue, Parnell’s is a neighborhood pub where hospitality is a priority. The dark wood floors, Tiffany lamps, and red brick walls give the pub a real welcoming and home feel to it. I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness at Parnell’s again soon!
Song On In The Background: Monday Night Football Theme Music
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Jets vs. Chargers on Monday Night Football. Dougherty drinking next to me is a Chargers fan who predicts a 17-13 San Deigo win. “An interesting but ugly game.” He got a Philly Cheesesteak from one of the in-stadium vendors and is complaining that they jipped him out of steak. “Other guy on the line got more.” We’re in the Casamigos Bar & Lounge inside of MetLife Stadium. Standard in-stadium bar and lounge, nothing to write home about.
- Walking into the stadium I got 2 free T-shirts honoring Darrelle Revis and Joe Klecko. I’m a huge free T-shirt guy at a ballgame so we’re off to a good start.
- The Jets have really stepped up their introductions. The bracelet lighting thing looks cool in person, confirmed.
- So far I’ve 2 pints of Guinness.
1st Quarter
- Nothing like a J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets chant at kickoff.
- On the 2nd play of the game, the Chargers take a deep shot with Quinten Johnston. Jets’ Sauce Garder swats that ish out of here. LA goes 3-N-Out to start.
- The Jets get the ball and they go 3-N-Out. Hot start to this game.
- Chargers’ rookie punt returner Deris Davis (not related to me in case you’re wondering) takes a punt 87 yards for a score. Dougherty next to me is yelling “Too bad he’s too fast. Too bad he’s fast.” This is not good. 7-0 LAC.
- The Jets get their 1st roughing the passer call in their favor in 2 years. Garrett Wilson fumbles the ball a few plays later. Very not good, but it is okay because the Jets’ defense holds LA to a 3-N-Out.
- Zack Wilson hit Xavier Gipson for a 1st down. Later on, Zach Wilson fumbles. Not great.
2nd Quarter
- I missed the start of the 2nd quarter meeting up with Drew real quick. He also does not think this game is going well. Also got a 3rd pint of canned Guinness, but who is keeping track? 14-0 Chargers.
- Also while I was up out of my seat, the bathrooms were crowded and smelled like piss but now I’m just complaining.
- Jermaine Johnson picks up a sack. Zach Wilson sucks. John Franklin-Meyers gets a sack which gives the Jets great field position.
- On 3rd & long, rather than trying to run for a 1st down when he had room, Zach Wilson tries to flip a ball for a 5-yard gain to a flat-footed Michael Carter who immediately gets tackled. Wilson has no feel.
- The Jets force a 3-N-Out as Sauce and DJ Reed each have pass breakups. Doesn’t matter though because the Jets’ offense doesn’t want the ball, they send it back to the Chargers who score right before the half to make the score 17 to 3 LA.
Halftime
- Hall of Fame Jets CB Darrelle Revis was honored at halftime. He read a speech thanking the fans directly from his Notes app on his phone. Thank you #24.
3rd Quarter
- The Jets open up the half with possession. Zach Wilson hits Garrett Wilson on a deep strike. The drive ends up stalling and the Jets kick a FG. 17-6 LA.
- The Chargers get the ball and go 3-N-Out. Sauce with another swat, this time on 3rd down on a pass to Ekeler.
- 4th and 1 Jets go with Wild Cat (RB Breece Hall takes the snap instead of QB) up the middle to pick up a 1st down. Zach Wilson proceeds to sack us out of FG range. Awful.
- Jets rookie pass rusher Will McDonald picks up a sack, nearly a fumble.
4th Quarter
- The Chargers start the quarter with a 3rd and 9. They convert it. Doherty tells me Herbert has had the most tipped passes thrown since he entered the league. The Jets need to catch one of these tipped passes. The Chargers end up driving for a FG. 20-6 LA.
- Zach Wilson misses on another throw. Garrett Wilson gets called for a block in the back after the play right before he was jawing with the same CB. Stupid penalty.
- Zack Wilson takes a sack for a 20-yard loss. Can’t have that. This is ridiculous. A fan behind me yelled out “This ain’t BYU asshole” and I think he was being nice. A few plays later Wilson fumbles again on a sack.
- The Chargers score to make it 27-6. We started heading for the exit. LA’s offense did absolutely nothing today and they won by 3 scores. Zack Wilson stinks. MetLife to Seacacus train was packed.
- I take full responsibility for this loss. The Jets were on a 3 game winning streak and I shouldn’t have attended. I need to be better, this Jets loss in Mine.