Blinding Lights | St. Cloud | Mermaid Oyster Bar | South Soho Bar | Jets-Commanders | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd because it was on in the background of one of these fine drinking establishments. The tune was originally released in November of ‘19 and it was extremely popular, becoming the first song to be in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for a year straight. Last New Year’s Day, Spotify announced that this song had overtaken Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You" to become the most-streamed song on the platform. The Toronto pop star performed this at the Super Bowl LV in ‘21. I thought it was pretty memorable, there was a part when he had hundreds of backup dancers in face bandages, but never knew what it was about.
After not typing anything for about 36 hours, I too, was having withdrawals and nervous I would forget how to press buttons on a laptop.
The music video for this song is set in Las Vegas, which I didn’t know in December can reach temperatures as low as 39 °F (4°C for those across the pond).
The Blinding Lights in this tune could be about the city lights, his music fame as one of the world’s biggest artists, or a woman. The internet is saying he was linked to Miss Bella Hadid, but Week to Week Notes can’t confirm or deny.
Honestly, I kinda like The City during the winter. 3 pints of Guinness in January is equivalent to 1 pint of Guinness in the summer. You’re cold, you feel like you’ve earned the right to have a few just because it’s cold outside and there isn’t much to do. Nobody’s going to judge you for ordering a handful of winter pints to stay warm, but a side effect is your vision may become blurry so please drink responsibly before you’re completely gone.
For those like myself wondering what the full-face bandages were about at his Super Bowl Halftime show, The Weeknd for months was seen in a ton of full-face bandages. He told Variety, “The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrity and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated.” So there you have it, sorta like a trolling publicity stunt.
Fun tune to listen to while Stumblin’ Along Times Square drinking Guinness!
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, whom 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.
Last We Left Off…
The Yankees had just got swept in the Bronx by the Sox…vibes were suboptimal…
Song On In The Background: Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Rooftop bar at the top of the Knickerbocker Hotel. The bartender recommends “Ulysses. They pour a proper pint.” He’s right! They do pour a nice pint on Stone Street. Humus and lobster sliders are recommended. Very cool setting with some cool views. The Yankees right now are terrible. Fire Cashman. Okay, I should really head home…but I can’t finish on a bottle.
Named for the late 19th century hotel that originally occupied the site, St. Cloud offers the Times Square experience, with an offering a progressive cocktail menu, craft bottled beers, and an upscale, seasonally focused small plates menu. More on the Knickerbocker Hotel later. I look forward to grabbing another drink at St Cloud again soon!
Song On In The Background: Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: My handwriting has gotten better on my 6th pint. Believe it or not, I haven’t drank this much in a day since March and I feel it in my face. Last night I spent $85 for an annual blue checkmark on Twitter. We’ll see if Elon likes Week to Week Notes. Their shark bite Broadway special is recommended, it’s inspired by the Broadway production - The Shark Is Broken. I guess the oysters are also recommended. Okay, now I really have to get back home to write Mock Draft Monday with Take Care on in the background.
The Mermaid Inn has 3 locations in New York City, I was at the one by Times Square. Established in ‘03, they started out as a spot-on rendition of a casual New England fish shack and has morphed into an American seafood brasserie, replete with style, hospitality, and a menu marked by bold and seasonally inspired cuisine. Their goal is to make you feel like you’re on a mini-vacation in New England every time you visit. I look forward to getting another drink at Mermaid Inn again soon!
Song On In The Background: Get It Together by Drake & Jorja Smith
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Alcohol behind the bar goes up 5 levels. It is so high they need a ladder. The ice-cold mug they provided is a .5 bump. Food-wise, their chicken nuggets Polynesian style come with bomb sauces. They also have a great steak sandwich with a dip sauce. South Soho has its own riffs on every classic cocktail. Sloe 75 is recommended. The customer in the corner says they have the best bathroom in the City. I gotta check this out. He also said that their butter and bread “used to be crack.” Laurie is the bartender. She’s from Texas and has spent a year in NY. Laurie is a fan of sports documentaries, not so much current ones on TV. Their Espresso martini is superb, I just got 1 on the house and it’s given me a jolt to have a few more pints of Guinness.
I’m no self-claimed connoisseur of Espresso Martini (like I am Guinness) but it was a 10 out of 10 Espresso Martini, I highly recommend it! The South Soho Bar opened up in September of ‘22 and already has become a neighborhood fixture in the South Soho area. I got to see the ladder get some use. They have plenty of drink options with all their levels of spirits. I look forward to grabbing another drink at South Soho Bar again soon!
Jets vs. Commanders
Christmas Eve (Week 16, ‘23)
- I hope Santa was good to you!
1st Quarter
- The Jets are starting Trevor Siemian at Quarterback. He is their 4th starting QB of this dreadful year that was over 4 plays into the season.
- Tony Adams gets an interception on Washington’s 1st drive. The Jets’ offense can’t punch it in as they settle for a field goal. 3-0 NYJ
- I’m a bit hungover, last night I had 87 pints of Guinness at Noonan’s. Nice session!
- Jermaine Johnson blocks a punt. Washington stinks! Jason Brownlee scores a TD on a slant. It is the first touchdown of his NFL career, a nice moment for the undrafted rookie! 10-0 NYJ
- The Commies don’t look like they want to be out there playing, it’s almost like they just showed up for work expecting to get paid.
- Breece Hall scores a 36-yard TD as the Jets go up 17-0.
- Decker is nagging me to wake him for a W-A-L-K. This doggo is relentless. BRB.
2nd Quarter
- Decker pooped and peed like a good boy in case you’re wondering.
- The 17 points the Jets scored in the 1st Quarter were the most since ‘14. Washington’s Jamison Crowder (former Jet) just gifted the Jets a fumble on a punt return. This game is getting out of hand. 20-0 NYJ
- Trevor Siemian just fumbled the snap and the Commies scored. 20-7 NYJ
- Breece Hall's 2nd TD today was sick. He is so good. I’m going to give him the Week to Week Notes’ Game Ball.
3rd Quarter
- That 1st half was an hour and 45 minutes, this is going to be a very long game.
- Decker just ate brownies that were sitting on the table— a bad boy.
- Great special teams tackle by Irving Charles, he’s been an excellent gunner on punt return coverage.
- CBS just missed two plays because they went on a commercial break. They are claiming it was a technical issue but I think they are trying to speed up the game while maximizing profits.
- Great pass breakup by Sauce Gardner. Quincy Williams gets an interception on the very next play.
- Trevor Siemian throws a Red Zone interception, the Jets should be running the clock out.
4th Quarter
- Washington has benched their starting QB Sam Howell for Jacoby Brisset. He scores a TD to make this game 27-14.
- The Commanders get a questionable pass interference call in the end zone. They score on the next play to make it 27-21.
- The Jets just blew the lead as Washington scored again making the game 28-27.
- New York’s offense drives down the field with nice plays by Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson. Greg the Leg hits a 55-yard field goal to make the score 30-28.
- Coach Saleh’s clock management was very odd at the end of the game. Called a timeout with 12 seconds left to play and then ran a play where Siemian just threw it away. It was not too aesthetically pleasing, much like most of this game, but a win is a win.