Daylight
- Roebling Sporting Club
- Banter Bar
- Iona Bar
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune to start the 80th Week of Pint&Pen&Paper is Daylight by Matt & Kim. This tune was on in the background of one of these nice drinking establishments in Brooklyn, New York.
Matt & Kim formed as an indie electronic duo formed in Brooklyn 20 years ago in ‘04. They met at Pratt Institute.
Opening verse describes cutting their ripped jeans and ditching shoes into the ocean. Very bohemian start with the upbeat sound, let’s hope there isn’t a kicker.
Using a Slip’n Slide on subway grates and walking on ice without skates sounds dangerous, but each their own.
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The previous verse mentions subway grates so they could be in a city, such as New York, where it’s all white lines due to most streets being one way.
I have no idea what these lyrics mean. Thankfully they did an interview where Matt explained their writing process is, “Bascially Kim will just write sentences on a page. Just tons of sentences with no relation. Just immediate of what is in her mind of what she thinks when she hears the song and then I’ll go through the sentences. I’ll pick out ones that resonate with me. Then we pop that into a song and the songs will kinda write what they’re about themselves.”
(Source: Baeble Music)
Good to know now, this is how it felt…
So I guess Daylight is partly about a laidback road trip? No phones, everybody just living in the moment as if it were Iris in Buffalo on July 4, ‘04. What a time.
5 different clocks would drive me nuts, but maybe not a bad thing if you’re so laid back you can lose track of time. There are studies from institutions that say people who are often late may live longer and happier.
(Source: Harvard)
I thought we were getting somewhere with the yellow lines and hitchhiking to Maine, but the message of the tune is to enjoy life.
Daylight was Mat & Kim’s first hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was on in the background of a Bacardi Mojito commercial.
Great commercial about the drink standing the test of time. Oddly enough it fits with this song quite well.
According to the internet, Matt & Kim are a romantic couple, confirmed. Nice tune, always thought it was an upper with random lyrics and glad it doesn’t have some dark meaning behind them.
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.
Roebling Sporting Club (@roeblingnyc) 1/21 ‘24
Service & Staff: A
Guinness: 8.5
Guinness Challenge: I Failed. X
Song On In The Background: Daylight by Matt & Kim
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Established in ‘13, this sports bar currently has the pregame of English Premier League on TV for this fine Sunday morning. It is freezing outside but I’m off tomorrow and Stumblin’ Along into another museum. Roebling is a Florida Gator bar. They have an alumni association called the Gotham Gators who Robebling host’s for Gator games. “The NFL games get crowded here too”, says Simon on bartender. He’s from Dublin and grew up playing rugby in Ireland. “10 years in New York, but home is still home.” His favorite pub in Dublin is Blue Light Bar, he explained it has a great view and it’s a bit out the beaten track, but an authentic Irish pub. Aside for Blue Light, Simon also recommends Grave Diggers, Dublin City Towers, and Brazen Head. On the wall of Roebling Sporting Club is a poster titled, “A meticulous metric of team names.” Interesting and looks cool. The name of the bar comes from it being located on Roebling Street. The fried chicken sandwich and wings are the go-to food options off the menu.
Roebling Sporting Club has 14 large HD TV screens for all the sports you could think of it. Whether it be a EPL, Gators game, the Olymipics, Euro 2024, or Rugby 6 Nations, they show it. They have a very nice rustic laidback vibe to the sports bar and it has plenty of space for private parties as well. The Gotham Gators have specials such as 6 Modelos for $20, $6 Tecate and Shots, $5 Fireballs, $7 High Noons, and half-off nachos during Gator gamedays. On the weekends they also open up a half hour before EPL & International Soccer. Simon was good craic and Roebling Sporting Club is a fun sports bar. I look forward to having another pint there again!
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Banter Bar (@banterbrooklyn) 1/21 ‘24
Service & Staff: A
Guinness: 9.0
Guinness Challenge: Count It!
Song On In The Background: Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Good bit of banter going on at the bar as everybody is here for the Liverpool match. It’s the 1st half. Banter Bar hosts an industry nights every Wednesday from 11 pm to 2 am. Their kitchen stays open late. Big English Premier League pub, they have flags from all over the world and football (soccer) banners from all over Europe. On the wall is a famous portrait of Raquel Welch. What a doll of her day.
Banter Bar is where football (soccer) never sleeps. They pride themselves as a home to all fans fans of the beautiful game but when I was there they were packed with Liverpool supporters. They show the EPL, MLS, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 games. They have been distinguished by the likes of many other media outlets as an outstanding soccer bar and it was easy to see why. Aside for footy, Banter Bar is also a good bit of banter for Trivia. They host Trivia Nights on the 2nd and last Wednesday of every month with prizes such as $50 bar tabs, shot giveaways, and drink specials. The Raquel Welch poster was a very nice touch. I look forward to grabbing another pint at Banter Bar again!
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Iona Bar (@ionabarbrooklyn) 1/21 ‘24
Service & Staff: A
Guinness: 9.5
Guinness Challenge: N/A (Iona Logo)
Song On In The Background: Never Ending Circles by CHVRCHES
Notes if you can’t read my sloppy scribble: Halftime of the Liverpool match. I just attempted to go to City Reliquary at noon sharp but nobody was there. No bother, on to another pint of Guinness. Simon recommended Iona’s and for good reason. They serve an excellent pint of Guinness. The Scottish-Irish pub won “Guinness pint of America in ‘08.” I can see why, it almost tastes fluffy. Their Guinness… it tastes so good when it hits your lips.
Thankfully, I had the wrong time on City Reliquary’s opening and got to check it out after this pint. Iona is named after an ancient and historic island that was a burial ground for Scottish Kings. Iona Bar was established in 2000. It was previously an old candy store. Much like Roebling Sporting Club and Banter Bar, Iona Bar is home for sports fans, espcially of soccer. Not only do they serve an excellent pint of Guinness indoors, but they have a outdoor beer garden as well. After reviewing hundreds of Guinness pints, I’ve had to become a bit more of a snob with the scoring. The shtick on their Guinness is straight out of a movie. Exquisite fluff to it that I remember to this day. I look forward to grabbing another pint at Iona Bar again!
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