@YouTheReader this is another new-old song by Frank Sinatra I hadn’t heard before Week to Week Notes.
Another song where ‘Ol Blue Eyes seems a bit down.
Same here Frank in terms of the champagne. I do differ from you in that I get a Thrill from drinking Guinness and talking to people. I practically say it every day.
@YouTheReader after asking if Can I Kick It? yesterday I’m admitting I Get A Kick Out Of You. Did you see what I did there?!?!?!?
Ahhh never mind, here is a Pint&Pen&Paper…
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.
The Ale House 2/9 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 9.3
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Africa on in the background. Vinny is the bartender. He was born & raised in West New York. He’s been with the Ale House for 7 years. “Best owner, great benefits, and really great guy.” He mentioned he worked for other prior who weren’t up to the same standard. Ale House is a bar’s bar - no food, just drinks. Of course, you’re free to bring food of your own. Mondays they have 9 ball pool. Tuesdays they do darts. Wednesdays is 8 ball pool. They’re hoping to bring back a shuffleboard league soon for Thursdays. People are always playing pool at the ale house so you’ll always have someone to play with. Vinny is a Giants and Nets fan. It’s been a tough 24 hours because they just sent KD to the Suns. “We’re turning into the Clippers of the ‘90s.” His favorite Nets were Kenny Anderson, Derrick Coleman, and Dmitri Petrovich so he’s been a true fan before the J-Kidd, K-Mart days. As for the G-Men, his guys were Mark Bavaro, LT, and Phil Simms. He mentioned he to give a shoutout to the regulars who’ve always gone to the Ale House. During COVID they would buy 6 packs and alcohol at the Ale House instead of liquor stores.
Most Fridays it looks like The Ale House of Hoboken has a Yappy Hour from 6 to 9 pm where proceeds are donated to the Liberty Humane Society. @YouTheReader if you need a drink after a long week of work and love dogs, why not go check it out? I’m looking forward to getting another Guinness at The Ale House again soon!
Mills Tavern 2/10 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 9.3
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: If I Lose Myself Tonight by Alesso on in the background. Cough, cough, still slaps if you’re wondering, cough, cough. Mike is the bartender. NYE in ‘15 was his 1st day at Mills Tavern. They have a DJ every Friday and Saturday night. Mike is a die-hard Eagles fan (& this was the day before Super Bowl). His prediction is 38-24 Philly. He grew up with Randall Cunningham as his favorite player but had to mention Donovan McNabb as well. “T.O. was a very fun year.” Mike is from South Jersey. Football is his main sport. Everything on the menu at Mills is good, “Philly cheesesteaks especially. Everything is made in-house.” He also makes a mean vodka club. He’ll be getting to go wings from Mills for his Super Bowl watch party. Mike, Monica, and Cynthia talked about their previous Polar Bear Plunge experiences and it was easy to tell that at Mills Tavern they are like family more than just co-workers.
Off the record, I ended up having a very nice long talk with Mike about football. @YouTheReader let’s just put it this way, the man really knows his X’s&O’s. As I finished my pint, another bartender named Monica, asked if I wanted another one to which I said no thank you. Mike said, “one pint, everybody knows the rules.” I really like the ring to that. I look forward to grabbing another pint of Guinness at Mills Tavern again soon!
Quick Intermission…
…*Cuts the Frank Sinatra music momentarily to play Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in the background.*
The Shepherd & The Knucklehead 2/12 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 9.0
Guinness Challenge: I Failed.
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Rihanna singing “Run This Town” is on in the background. Gary is the bartender. He’s from Hillsdale originally, has spent the last 6 years in Hoboken, and 5 of which he’s worked at The Knucklehead and Shepherd. He likes Hoboken because “it’s close to the city. When you do find parking, you can walk everywhere. A ton of young people.” Knucklehead and Shepherd were awarded the best burger in Hoboken. They are also known for their wings. They have their regulars during the week with a recent uptick in private parties. Gary is a huge fan of 90s Rock such as blink 182. “There’s gotta be a Hoboken guy.” They were rated the best sports bar in ‘20 by a girl from Hoboken. Tacoria in Jersey City has the best steak quesadillas. The Shepherd and The Knucklehead is based on a novel made by the owner’s father (Chris S.) It is similar to the tale of two cities in which it explores how at certain points in life one may be the knucklehead in certain situations and a shepherd the next. In a sense, the bar name is pretty paradoxical as to how any human can behave on any given night.
@YouTheReader you can check out the book that The Shepherd and The Knucklehead is based on in the Amazon link below. I’m going to have to buy a copy soon to Celebrate the Duality in Man. They also have trivia night Wednesdays on specific topics like Taylor Swift and have The Gilmore Girls tonight if you’d like to reserve a table. I’m looking forward to checking out The Shepherd and Knucklehead again soon for a pint of Guinness!
Dear Maud 2/13 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 9.5
Guinness Challenge: N/A No Logo
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: “Poets should never marry. The world should thank me for not marrying you” - Maud Gonne is the quote on the coaster I’m staring at as I sit down. Dear Maud is THE hottest date spot in Hoboken. Danny is the bartender and he is from North Bergen. Dear Maud only opened up this past July, “we’ve been doing quite well. Way better than expected.” I asked Danny why he thinks it’s been such a success so far, “the uniqueness of this place in town. It has a real NYC lounge/club feel to it.” They don’t serve big entrees. The tuna crispy rice cakes, burgers, and salads are all recommended. They have a little bit of everything here. “We try to cover all demographics and lean towards women with certain menu choices. The owners of Dear Maud are Irish and also own a spot in the city called Jack Daw. They were hoping to be distinct in Hoboken. With the demographic that Dear Maud’s crowds are majority women, 80% of their drink choices and food options cater towards women. Danny recommends the Dear Maud drink and their Spicy Margaritas which are notably the top-seller. They also have a cold brew martini you could try out as well. “I’d say we’re well-rounded. We have a lot of talented bartenders who have been given freedom from our owners to try new things as mixologists.” He’s currently working and researching a bit on different drinks that may possibly be added to the menu come spring. “I love this place. It’s amazing.”
Maud Gonne was an Irish Patriot who played a major role in Ireland’s Independence. Now that I know she is part of the reason Dear Maud has its name, I will be sure to do a Stumblin’ Along on her sometime in the near future. Dear Maud gave Week to Week Notes my first repost of an IG story back in October. A very simple gesture that I’ll always keep Noted. At the time that was a huge step in the right direction for a sports media publication and a nice confidence boost for a no-name writer. It gave me some form of credibility and introduced the Name&Logo to a new audience. It also allowed me to make this edit. I get that it looks silly, when I first made it back in November it was part of a bit for a laugh, but hopefully, it’s starting to look just a bit more than just “a bit” every time you see it. That’s the goal. I’m looking forward to grabbing a Guinness at Dear Maud again real soon!
Zack’s Oak Bar 2/16 ‘23
Service & Staff: A+
Guinness: 8.7
Guinness Challenge: N/A Notre Dame Logo
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Nick is the bartender. He likes living in Hoboken. Been at Zack’s “for a while.” The brisket blend is the recommendation on the menu. “I can make it all - no favorite cocktail.” Zacks is a great candlelight date spot. I’ve been here on Hinge dates with some pretty amazing women. They have old classic Hoboken pictures on the walls. Not a lot of networking going on around me, just romance. An unnamed source (not Nick) mentioned the owner’s middle name allegedly is “Zack” although this is unconfirmed.
I’m looking forward to grabbing a Guinness at Zack’s again soon!
YouTube Rabbithole
I Get A Kick Out Of You - Frank Sinatra | Concert Collection