A Sky Full of Stars | Elysian Cafe | Dino & Harry’s | Metropolis | Pilsner Haus & Biergarten | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
I told you I had to get a bit melancholy before today’s tune, A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, gotta stay level-headed. I can’t be out here giving AI (not you @AllenIverson, sir) any ideas on how to design a proper cover/story/Reel or whatever the hell the kids call it.
Go ahead and tear it apart but I had to GIF it for the ones who might not see it on the Gram.
It’s a simple song, but hey it made it to #10 on the US Billboard Hot #10, #3 in Ireland, and #1 in Israel, Lebanon, & Luxembourg a decade ago in ‘14.
Goes to show how simplicity works. Sometimes I gotta just shut up and let the music play.
The Week to Week Notes logo reached a total of 44k people this month from the likes of The City, Ireland, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Baltimore, and San Francisco, thank you to all those who made it happen!
Started the month of January with Off That by Jay-Z, Timbaland, & Drake, where the King of NY Rap shouted out Chris Martin as his best white mate. This tune was an easy way to close out the final chapter of the 1st month of the New Year. Forgot to mention it was on in the background at one of these fine drinking establishments in Hoboken, New Jersey.
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.
Song On In The Background: A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Okay, I’ve lived in Hoboken for 2 years now. I know all about the Elysian Fields but still can’t confidently say the name of this restaurant. Nice bar, but what’s even cooler is it’s the oldest running restaurant in Hoboken, established in 1895. The bar itself came about in the 1930s. Amelie is the recommended drink. The calamari and steak are recommended off the menu. French paintings on the walls and ceilings. Would be a good date spot.
This place was around when the Doughboys left and came back from the Great War aka WWI. It originally opened up as Dillenger & Jefferson’s in 1895. During Prohibition, they fronted as an ice cream parlor and hair salon, meaning true men made their way inside the hair salon for pints. They now have a French-flared menu and were proudly Hoboken’s first 100% smoke-free bar. Frank Sinatra lit up the last cigarette of the joint right where I was sitting, nah I have no idea, don’t quote me on that. I look forward to grabbing another pint at Elysian Cafe again soon, hopefully on a date for my sake when she finally takes me up on it!
Song On In The Background: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: The host was very interested in the Guinness Challenge Season Reviews. This place is packed, not an open seat in the joint. I’m writing and drinking this at the bus boy station so I gotta be quick. Canned Guinness…they are sorry that it’s not on tap but that’s okay, this is an excellent steak and wine joint so I’m glad it’s even on the menu. I highly recommend the filet mignon, I go with medium rare, but to each their own. Would be a good date spot…if you really, really like her.
As soon as you walk in, they have a 150-year-old clock staring right at you. They also have stained glass designs that crown the expansive windows, a tiled floor, and a tin ceiling. It’s an old-school NJ steakhouse that operates in a building made in the late 1800s - the edifice is the original. The hand-carved cherry bar was made back in the 1800s. Maybe I’ll go back for a canned Guinness if the first few dates go well!
Song On In The Background: Loud Places by Jamie XX
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Leanne is bartending. She just moved to Hoboken and loves it after just starting a job in The City. This is her 1st real shift at Metropolis. The first floor at Metropolis is for cocktails. Over the summer they have a rooftop open, which is a huge attraction to Metropolis. I’m on the 2nd level where they serve pints of Guinness. The 3-level bar is a rare in Hoboken. They are a college football and NFL spot. Leanne is a Florida Gators fan because it’s her Alma mater. At UF, she was a gymnast and they were pretty good, drawing large sellouts. She’s not a huge sports fan but her boyfriend is. This was previously the Dubliner…Potentially a good date spot.
@Ladies Metropolis is already gearing up for a Galentine’s Day Brunch on February 10th so make sure to get your hair and nails all did-ed before. They are one of the few places with a rooftop bar in Hoboken, so maybe save that for the spring, summer, and fall, but check out their first two floors this winter. Their Happy Hour runs from 3 PM to 7 PM from Tuesday to Sunday; it includes small bites like hummus, tacos, and wings for under $10. They also have $7 glasses of wine and a cocktail menu that is very affordably priced. I look forward to potentially going back on another date again soon!
Song On In The Background: One Thing Leads to Another by The Fixx
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Köstritzer Schwarzbier is their closest drink to the Irish Champagne so I went with that. It’s October so I’m here for Oktoberfest SZN. The Octoberfest at Pilsner Haus started on September 15th, they’ve held 3 so far on the weekends. Andrew is the bartender. He is originally from England and recommends their plant-based burger. “The pretzels are phenomenal as well.” Before being the Biergarten of Hoboken, this was a belt factory. Andrew lives in Jersey City “It’s alright.” He supported Liverpool and the Wolves from back home. I messed up by asking which soccer team he supports, I should’ve said football, my bad that’s on me. They of course serve beer primarily but have other cocktail items as well. Andrew is a fan of all types of beer, “depending on the day, it can vary.” While England will always be home and where his family is from, “I’ve lived the American Dream to a degree” as he puts his index finger and thumb together gesturing a bit. Not only is Andrew a fan of football he is also a huge fan of cricket. He explained to me the scoring and went into depth about the England vs Pakistan Cricket Superover. Pretty cool! Take her to the next Oktoberfest!
Pilsner Haus has over 20 biers on tap and now that I’m checking out their current menu they now have Guinness! Might have to head back again before next Oktober for a Re-Review. On their food menu, they also have sausages and Austrain-Hungarian favorites. Fellas, if clean up your act and take her out soon, she might soft-launch you at Oktoberfest come fall!
YouTube Rabbithole
Coldplay - A Sky Full of Stars (Live at River Plate)