Monday, May 3rd, 2010—Bar 113
Day 113—Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
Sunny’s Bar
I received a much needed donation today from Doug Monroe who’s stated purpose in the donation is, “To buy Marty a beer.” Thanks Doug! Doug’s a teacher and a writer and you can learn more about him by checking out his website right here: Doug Monroe. If you’d like to send a donation, you can either click the PayPal button to the left or send me an email on where to send cash or checks. Again, I don’t feel like I’m begging for money here, if you’re enjoying this blog and come here daily and could pledge just five bucks a month it would help out a lot. This bar crawl isn’t cheap and I’ve scrimped and saved to do it and could use some help. Think of it as a cover charge. Alright, on with the crawl!
Okay, I’m back in New York and I’ve been invited to a literary reading at Sunny’s Bar in Redhook, Brooklyn by author Manny Howard. I checked my social calendar and I’m free today (my next engagement is in the year 2525 with Zager and Evans) so I thought I’d go. Manny’s one of the readers and he’s reading from his new book, “The Empire of Dirt.” Here’s Manny on YouTube explaining the book:
Okay, it’s off to Sunny’s!
Here we are at Sunny's Bar. It's in Redhook, Brooklyn and I made it here after the cab I took got lost about a half dozen times and the fare was 26 bucks. I mentioned the PayPal button earlier, right?
I love this sign!
Gabriel's the curator of the reading's at Sunny's and has been in charge of them for the last eight years. Check out Gabriel's website here: Gabriel Cohen Books.
Jeremy and Bridgett were waiting for the joint to open up. Where's Sunny?
Why he's right here! Sunny owns the bar and his artwork hangs in the front room. Sunny's a great guy and supporter of the arts.
Mary is the co-owner of Book Court and was selling all three author's books who were reading today. Check out Book Court's website here: Book Court.
Sunny greets Mary.
Here's aforementioned Doug Monroe who contributed ten dollars today. Thanks again, Doug!
These statues are all gifts people have donated to Sunny's.
A view from the front window.
I got there early so I was able to snag a choice seat at the bar, which was lucky...
Which was lucky because within a half hour, the joint was packed.
Victoria and Tina were enjoying themselves at the bar.
Alexander got the choice job of cutting up the pastries for the event.
The pastries are cut and Alexander joined his friend, Amy at a booth opposite from the bar. He also pointed out that I had a sticker on my jeans that I had gotten for my birthday last Sunday, thanks, Alexander!
Sunny rings up a sale from the vintage cash register at the bar.
Marcy was seated next to me at the bar. She's a singer and a voice teacher, check out her website here: Marcy Jellsion.
Bartender Tim serves up a can of Pabst before the readings begin.
First up was Virginia Vitzthum reading from her book: "My Blind Date Went Blind! True Stories of Dates Gone Wrong." She had some hilarious stories she shared from her book.
Here's the man who invited me, Manny Howard who was there to read from his book, "My Empire of Dirt." The story of how he turned his Brooklyn backyard into a farm. The story originated and was originally assigned to Manny as a feature for New York Magazine. The editor who assigned it was none other than Faye Penn, a woman who was one of my first editors when I moved to New York back in 1993. It is a small world after all.
Manny had some help during the course of his reading from his two children. Sorry for the fuzzy shot, but my camera's battery was running low.
Virginia Vitzthum relaxing during a break during the readings at Sunny's.
Here's the backroom at Sunny's.
Here's where the music happens in the comfortable back room at Sunny's.
Here's myself and Sunny. Mucho thanks, Sunny and goodnight everybody! (My apologies to Lizzie Skurnick who was the third reader, my camera conked out and I didn't get any shots of her. Check out her book, Shelf Discovery right here: LIzzie Skurnick, Shelf Discovery.)
Review
Every once in a while, this bar crawl turns into a magical time and today at Sunny’s Bar was one of these mystical and fun moments. Sunny’s bar is one of those great places where the bar’s charms are equally matched by the owner, Sunny. Sunny’s one of those rare people who when you shake his hand you can feel a real warmth and friendliness radiating from it. Sunny has a long shock of gray hair, a mesmerizing smile and a laid back quality that made me think of the Chief from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Sunny’s has an odd schedule, it’s only open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays, with a reading by local authors happening the first Sunday of the month, but not in June and the second Sunday in July, you may want to call. There’s also live music in the back room and art on display from local artists and Sunny’s pieces decorate the front room.
There’s a full bar here and it’s a haven for artists, musicians, writers and free-thinking people. I didn’t see one person texting the whole time I was in the bar. It’s that kind of place and one I wish there were more of. Discovering places like Sunny’s makes this bar crawl worth the trek. Cheers to Sunny and all the writers who read today, you were great and a good time was had by all. This is why I moved to New York.
Sunny’s Bar
253 Conover St (Near Reed St.), Brooklyn, New York
718-625-8211
1 Reference
Reader Comments (11)
Looks like a comfortable place with friendly folks. I especially like that music room - don't see those every day! I'm going to check out those books. I have an empire of weeds, but maybe I can turn it into something useful like tomatoes. Mmmm...tomatoes.
sunny's looks very cool. how nice they support authors and books. hooray for sunny!
Looks like a fun place. I love the little plastic figurines--and the cello in the music room. You don't always see an instrument that fancy outside an orchestra hall! How cool that you got to read your work, too! You didn't read the "medicine cabinet" one, did you? :-)
Actually I wasn't a reader there, Aaron, just a not-innocent bystander! If I was too read there, the Medicine Cabinet would be a perfect choice!
I love it.. reminds me of Sausalito..and OK makes me a little homesick..
You know how much I love books so I would fit in just fine here... Sonny seams cool:)
The little figurines are super cool!
Looks like Sunny's bar is one of the few places you can go to have a real, honest to God conversation with someone worth talking to, and not be subjected to a bunch of power-lunching type a personalities bombarding you with all the latest and most pointless soundbites available as of late. Places like Sunny's are becoming a rarity nowadays and are sorely missed by yours truly.
Love Sunny's! Welcome back, Kotter! LOL!
I agree with Jaws the cabbie ! ;) that's cool there is still some places that support authors !!
Oh guess what?! Jason went to take a nap, and while this, I'm drinking all beers !!! that's my turn! haha!
But I'm thinking about something.... What about to draw on his face with a marker? Then he wake up and no more beer, so he goes outside to buy some with his funny face! hahaahaaa I love to be in NYC !!!! :D
Doug Monroe's my dad, and, as you can see, a killer writer and a righteous dude.
What a cool place. Like the look of the place and seems like it has a cool vibe going on with some nice folks! One of the more unique place's on the crawl!
What a wonderfully cool place!! Thank you for letting us tag along Marty!!
I am so glad that you had such a great time at Sunny's!!