What’s up @YouTheReader? I had to hop into an associate’s Spotify Playlist of Nostalgia and pull out “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes.
Does anyone else remember being around 17 years old and looking up at people who were 25? When I was a kid, I always thought I would have it all figured out by the time I was 25. Now more than 3 years after my 25th surprise birthday party, I’m still shocked I got-got like that and I’m lucky to be filled with hope. I might not have a new destination I’m striving for necessarily, but the destination for Week to Week is becoming more evident, slowly but surely.
Anyway, I won’t bore @YouTheReader with more annotations to this great throwback song. It did bring me back to another throwback though that you might’ve remembered from simpler times so here’s a YouTube Rabbithole for your Super Bowl Sunday…
YouTube Rabbithole
Budweiser Whassup Super Bowl Commercial Compilation
Still gold… They just don’t make ‘em like they used to…
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. I’m planning on this to be a SEASONal thing for me because I don’t know about you, but I prefer a pint in the cold weather months until the end of March. The 0.0 to 10.0 scale will be extremely nuanced but as a reference point, the only perfect 10.0 I plan to ever give out is at the Guinness Factory in Dublin one day.
Sir John’s NYC 2/3 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 9.2
Guinness Challenge: N/A (No Logo)
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Arsenal Man City on in the background. Johnny is the bartender at Sir Johns for 4 months and really likes it. 18 years in NYC. “I’m still here. NY is NY.” He enjoys tennis and golf. Has a friend who coaches tennis so he enjoys playing it, as for golf he enjoys “practicing” it. Tacos and burgers are really good here. Joker and Nadal are his favorite tennis players to watch. Johnny attends US Open every year. Sir John’s used to be Foley’s. Used to come here before and knew it as a baseball bar that umpires would come to. “Don’t drink at work. Okay, I’ll just go down the street.” 8 months in at Sir Johns, decorations are all new.
I had no idea this was previously Foley’s where Sean from GMT Tavern used to get free tickets to Yankee games because he was serving the umps pints. Pretty cool, @YouTheReader you should check out what they’ve done to the place, it looks great! Johnny was a very nice guy and he used to go to Sir John’s when it was Foley’s. He worked down the street and they didn’t want their workers to drink at their own establishment so he networked with MLB Umps as well. I look forward to getting another pint at Sir Johns's NYC again soon!
Bryant Park Cafe 1/27 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.3 (7.8 Standard Can + 0.5 NYC Can Bonus)
Guinness Challenge: Failed. *I Failed.*
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: That Don’t Impress Me Much by Shania Twain on in the background. Andy is the bartender. He grew up in the city and has lived here all 50 years. This is “more of a summer spot. This is only the 2nd year we’re open in winter.” Andy is a big Mets fan and likes Stevie Cohen. His favorite players were Keith Hernandez and Daryl Strawberry. A bit nervous and excited about Cohen’s “hell or high water promise to win a World Series in 5 years.” Why has he stayed in NYC? “The people. The energy. If you like it, it’s tough to duplicate. There may be a limit at some point I haven’t hit it just yet.” Bryant Park has curling and igloos that are sponsored by the City. NY Guinness can bonus. A lot of locals come here but of course some tourists as well.
It was freezing at this point. The Guinness at Bryant Park did a great job keeping me warm inside! The curling look like a ton of fun for kids and many parents were in the same boat as me hanging around the bar for warmth. I’m looking forward to checking out Bryant Park Cafe & Bar this summer!
Quick Intermission…
I had to catch up on some sleep after my Friday afternoon of Pints and sightseeing the Empire State Building…
TJ Byrnes 1/28 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.8
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Drew from Missouri is the bartender. He is a Royals and Chiefs fan. “I was at the game last week.” His favorite Chief would be Joe Montana but “not fair though because he’s a Niner. Derrick Thomas would have to be the guy.” TJ Byrnes has a cool old-school cash register. Drew has spent 11 years in NYC and loves it. At first, he wanted to check it out. It was “cheaper to move here than it was to visit.” When he first moved East, he cooked in the city for a while. Drew let me run my card even though it was under the $15 minimum, much appreciated! TJ Byrnes is home to “some of the weirdest gambits ever of neighborhood and college kids.” As I was leaving Drew ask, “you’re going to make me famous, right?” I’ll try!
Off the record, I asked Drew how loud Arrowhead Stadium is and he said “objectively it is the loudest stadium in the NFL. Seattle can eat a…” Drew was very funny and passionate about the Chiefs. Should I go back to get his Super Bowl prediction? I’m looking forward to getting another pint at TJ Byrnes Bar again soon!
Dorlan’s Tavern 1/28 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.8
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: “Last Nite” by The Strokes is on in the background. Marlene from Mexico City is the bartender and she has been in NYC for 28 years. She loves NY because “it is a big city with a lot of opportunities.” She has worked at Dorlan’s Tavern for 7 years and loves it. “The spicy shrimp tacos are amazing.” Dorlan’s Tavern always has a mixed crowd. Marlene really likes having the Seaport nearby for concerts and just recently went ice skating in the City. She is a big fan of the Mexican fútbol national team and is very excited about the World Cup in ‘26. Dorlan’s Tavern's slogan is “the favorite place to be.”
The Oysters here are elite and it is easy to see why this is the favorite place to be. I’m looking forward to checking out Dorlan’s Tavern again soon!
Cowgirl Seahorse 1/28 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.6
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Very cool ocean vibe. Steve and Brittany sitting next to me. “Brady is coming back.” They’ve spent 10 years in NYC but are from the Tampa Bay area. Here because of the “culture, social aspect, and it’s fun.” They recommend Aaron the bartender, that’s part of the reason they come to Seahorse, “he’s a really good guy.” Aaron is from Massachusetts and is a bit busy, it’s a Saturday night. “Fournette needs more playing time. The o-line is weak. Julio is a bit too old.” Aaron is back and recommends the rattlesnake bites and fried pickles, “they’re a hit.” Steve and Brittany play tennis. They prefer clay courts “all day. Better on the legs.” Knicks vs Nets on TV.
Steve was funny because at first he mentioned he wasn’t all that into sports when I jumped into the couples conversation about Week to Week Notes. 5 minutes later he was rattling off the Bucs offseason needs and wants. They were a very nice couple! Off the record, I had another very nice conversation with a seasonal regular who was in the US Coast Guard. He loves both NYC and San Francisco. Whenever he lives in one place, he misses the other. I felt that, can’t have everything. This place feels like you’re down the Jersey Shore and is located right by South Street Seaport. I’m looking forward to checking out Cowgirl Seahorse for another pint soon!