Saturday, May 22nd, 2010—Bar 132
Day 132—Friday, May 21st, 2010
The Merlin Room (in the Vincci Avalon Hotel)
Okay, every once in a while I hit a wall on this bar crawl and tonight I’ve hit it hard. I’ve had a busy week at work, I hung out with the Baltimore Bar Crawlers at the beginning of the week, hit a rooftop bar and then stayed later than I usually would last night at the Mug Lounge. And I just found out I have to work this weekend. If you recall from my whining in last Friday’s post I worked last weekend as well. That means coming up this Friday I will have worked 19 days in a row without a day off. And at night I do my bar crawl thing and tonight I am burned right the fuck out. So, I need to find some quiet little place, have my required three beers and stay my allotted hour and get the fuck out and go home and get to sleep. I am beat. I searched the internet and found a place just a few blocks from work called the Merlin Room in the Vincci Avalon Hotel. There’s only one review I found and this is it: Merlin Room Review on New York On Tap. It says there’s not much to recommend about this place unless you’re looking for a discreet rendezvous. Well, that sounds like a nice little quiet place, so let’s go rendezvous and then I’m going to get some sleep.
Here we are, the Vincci Avalon Hotel, let's go find the Merlin Room, have three beers and go home.
This looks like the place!
It looks perfect for this burned out bar-crawler. Small, intimate and just one person at the bar on a Friday night.
Bartender Sergio pours me the first beer in this laid back joint.
Ravi was the only other person in the bar and he was a friendly fellow.
We clink our glasses and toast each other in this quiet bar. Cheers!
It's small in here, but as you can see they have a full bar with lots of booze.
There's cocktail tables opposite the bar.
The windows have a nice view of 32nd Street in all its glory.
I always say this sign should have one next to it saying: "Warning: Drinking Alcoholic Beverages Can Lead To Acts That Will Cause Pregnancy."
Off to the side is a nice little lounge area.
And a glass of matches can only lead to one thing...
...Fire! (I never get sick of doing this!)
I told you I was burned out. Goodnight everybody!
Review
The Merlin Room is a quiet little cozy bar adjacent to the restaurant in the Vincci Avalon Hotel. The bar is small and can seat about a half a dozen and there’s cocktail tables opposite with windows giving you a view of 32nd Street in Korea Town. The patrons are mainly tourists having a quick drink before retiring to their rooms or heading on to other destinations.
There’s a full bar available and on Friday Happy Hour lasts all day and night with three dollar bottled beers. While New York is a city that never sleeps, this place does and it closes at the early hour of 11:00 pm.
I got there at ten and just made my one hour and three beer allotment. Now it’s time to recharge for a more exciting crawl tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Merlin Room (in the Vincci Avalon Hotel)
16 E. 32nd St. (Between Madison & 5th Ave)
(212) 299-7000
15 Comments
Reader Comments (15)
WOW! You were worn the f out.
I'm recharged today and ready for a more exciting crawl tonight, after work.
GREAT!
Can't wait to see where you go tonight.
ha! good call on the pregnancy sign.....
19 days of work in a row...i have a hard enough time just doing 5...but we know you are tough after the "99" tour of "duty"
rr
I'm with fitzy on the pregancy warning, nice to see you can still bring out the funny even on an off night! LOL! Keep on crawling!
Sergio the Bartender looks like he's trying to make up his mind what to think of you. Must be the red eyes and the black rings under them from your rough day at work and heavy boozing of the previous evening. You're a mensch, Marty my man, a lesser man like myself with a low blood sugar count and a bad attitude to match might have said; "Bleep'em if they can't take a joke, I'm going to bed! Keep on slogging dude.
Sadly ... when I get to Afghanistan ... I get to work 30 days in a row at 12-16 hours a day !!! I could only wish that I could hit a bar afterwards !!! Glad to see you're in better shape today ! I feel guilty we kept you out too late earlier in the week :(
Godspeed GENE....stay safe mate....
@Gene: No worries about staying out late with you, Smoopy and Terry, it was a blast and I look forward to crawling with all three of you again. And I echo Fitzy's sentiments, stay safe over there, my friend! P.S. After hearing what your schedule is, I'll try not to complain again! 30 days in a row with no booze, yikes!
19 days in a row without a day off + the 365 crawl? Damn you don't just need a break , you need a vacation!
@365 Beers: I'll be safe ... I'll just dangle those 5 days in NYC in October in front of me to get through the tough days. I'll probably get drunk off of 3 beers when I return. I've never gone over 4 months of not boozing it up at some point !
@Fitzy: Thanks !
I think tequila is responsible for at least two of my three kids. Wish Jose Cuervo would fork over some support.
Cheers Marty and Ravi!!
Nice place, very intimate ad inviting.
"Warning: Drinking Alcoholic Beverages Can Lead To Acts That Will Cause Pregnancy." HAHA !! I think my mom got her 6 children this way!! And indeed, look at me..... BIRTH DEFECTS ARE HERE!!! I'm the coocoo zioum zioum the chainsaw!!! :D LOL
PS: Fiiiiiiiiire !