Sleep On The Floor | Aunt Bernie’s | The Flying Cock | Nassau Bar | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Last year, my 1st Pint&Pen&Paper was a Lumineers song called Flowers In Your Hair off their debut album. This is year 2 of #GuinnessChallengeSeason, so it’s only fitting to start it with the 1st tune (Sleep On The Floor) off their 2nd album, Cleopatra.
The opening line to this album immediately sets the tone. Grab the least amount of your essential belongings and let’s skip out of town. The Lumineers are from Ramsey, New Jersey. They grew up right here, with the same rules we did, yet when they were starting as a band they decided to head to Denver. While this tune is about a couple taking chances and leaving home, they also write this from the perspective of how they felt at the time, “It was kind of interesting to go to Denver of all places, and that’s where we finally started getting some movement, or some traction, and we began to tour as a real band would. And I found that there was so much restriction in these expensive cities, it kind of kills your artistry. If you’re trying to do what we’re trying to do, which was tour a lot.”
Also, I gotta mention the born to drown line, which I think means getting lost in the drink. While I do drink my fair share of pints, I always try to drink responsibly. Of course, after I have a couple of Guinness a part of me always is tempted to drink a gazillion in one session, but I honestly try to limit the amount of pints I drink to 3. Unless of course, I travel more than 2 bridges, tunnels, or highways for some Guinness, then I’m having more like 5. Lastly, I also don’t drink these pints and then go home to slug a 6-pack. Sorry for the PSA and sounding like a nerd, but I don’t want to give people the wrong impression, I was not born to drown, baby come on.
I don’t necessarily think The Lumineers taking a shot at religion, but more so just driving home at the unconventional wisdom it can be to take chances like leaving home in the middle of the night.
These lines are about the possibility that after the couple leaves, things might not work out. Bridges break, meaning they break up. There is always a risk whenever you take chances in life, but if you go for it, at least you can say you tried! Sometimes things may not work out, that’s a part of life, but you can’t dig yourself a grave, you gotta rail against it, that’s how you grow as a person. Plus, there is always the possibility that things do work out. For instance, two of my good friends from high school left New York, one moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and the other went to Nashville, Tennessee, both of them met very nice girls and are doing well!
This verse is about struggles working against the couple. It could be clever wordplay about how the saying the sky is the limit doesn’t even apply to them because it’s nowhere in sight. The next lines are likely about how the American Dream is more expensive than past generations. It implies you either have to come from money or work your ass off and the singer in this case doesn’t want to live with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
These lines are when the song starts to pick up, it’s the singer saying, forget the possibility of failure, we’ll worry about that later. Lastly, while there is no lyric of Sleep On The Floor, it’s implied.
Last year, on January 14th, while I was only 2 weeks into my Guinness travels, I met a lady named Theresa at Harry’s Steakhouse. I particularly remember the conversation because when I was talking to her about Week to Week Notes and what I was trying to do, she could tell that I was passionate about it. “I’d say do what you have to do. Sleep on the floor. Go for it.” She told me a story about how when she was in her twenties she had been seeing a very nice guy who wanted to marry her, but a part of her just didn’t feel 100% right about it so she broke things off. Her parents at the time were disappointed, this was in the 1980s so it was a different time, but she wanted to pursue her career instead. Long story short, it worked out for her because she met her husband later on and also became very successful in her career. The conversation was completely random happenstance, she was just ordering takeout to go and sat down for a Martinez cocktail. The bartender was busy so I asked her if she likes Harry’s and what she recommends etc. I’ve had so many cool encounters like this that truly make me believe that everything happens for a reason, you just gotta be willing to take chances.
Great fidduck’n tune!
The music video is the YouTube Rabbithole today and it does an even better job describing the song.
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.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Turtle shells as lanterns, there’s a first. Behind the bar, there are branches holding candles of the stone-crafted finish. Mya is the bartender. She’s an FIT student from Seattle and loves New York. “The oysters are what call people in but the tart flambee is my personal favorite.” She recommends the Negronis in the summer, Manhattans in the winter, and Martinis on Mondays. They also do wine flights as well. She got into fashion because “I always used to make Halloween costumes as a child with my mom and I love the confidence aspect in fashion.”
Aunt Bernie was a real person, a true New York native, she was the epitome of bon-vivant — never missing an opportunity to entertain in any one of her many over-decorated homes and hideaways. With a style uniquely her own, Bernie welcomes you to her timeless aura rich with story and history. Feel free to find your rightful spot amid the artists, the thieves, and the people who love them. The night ahead is Bernie’s legacy; the hangover merely the price of admission. (Source: Aunt Bernie’s) Aunt Bernie’s favorite niece once said, “There’s just something about Aunt Bernie’s. It’s probably the third Martini.” I too have an Aunt Bernie, so I’m a bit biased, but I defintiely recommend this bar. I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness at Aunt Bernie’s again soon!
Song On In The Background: Starships by Nicki Minaj
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Off to a 2-0 start on my College Football picks with Notre Dame’s 42-3 win. I’m about to watch the Jets-Giants preseason game at a crowded bar. Their Finding Nemo cocktail is recommended. The crispy flying cock sandwich is also recommended. They do Bottomless Brunches on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays. This is a happening spot for your early to mid-20s. They have pictures of rooster cocks all over the wall. You can book a party in the back. I was the weird old man at the loud bar with a pint of Guinness who asked the bartender if they could turn off the Jets-Giants game instead of the Notre Dame postgame that nobody was watching. Aaron Rodgers is making his debut and the Giants are starting this Jersey kid named Tommy DeVito.
The owner of the bar is from Ireland and he spent a ton of time on his grandma’s farm. One of my most vivid memories is being in the kitchen watching her washing dishes while smoking and looking out into the busy yard. One day she let out a scream and I asked “What is it granny?”. She replied in her unforgettable voice: “That feckin’ cock flew by the window & scared the life out of me”. We both laughed. The Flying Cock Pub is named after that memory. (Source: Flying Cock) I had to add that story after seeing it on their website, that’s funny. The Flying Cock is a very fun and lively bar located in Murray Hill. They are a very fun brunch spot which I can attest to attending before my Guinness adventures. They have a very nice menu with a ton of good options. You can do private parties or watch sports, they always seem to have a fun, young crowd. I look forward to grabbing another pint at The Flying Cock Pub again soon!
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: US Open on TV. Photo of Mohammed Ali and Elvis behind the bar. Massive American flag on the wall behind me. Their old pay phone in the corner doesn’t work, I checked. “What happens at Nassau Bar, stays at Nassau Bar.” The glass was iced cold so I’m giving it a .1 bonus bump. No music on so I have to think of a tune. How about Inception’s theme song by Hans Zimmer? A drunk guy next to me just asked another patron if he’s ever heard of the app “Too Good to Go.” He’s joining the movement.
Nassau Bar is an old dive bar with one of the cheapest happy hours in The City. Their Happy Hour is from 11 AM to 7 PM. Their website mentions that their bartenders typically wear bikinis but I swear I would’ve Noted that if I saw it! I look forward to grabbing another drink at Nassau Bar again soon!