Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Day 324—Monday, November 29th, 2010
Bailey’s Corner Pub
In the last couple days we’ve been to a bar in a bakery, a bar with a lot of art and a bar that blinded us all with Christmas lights and ornaments and creepy dolls, I think it’s time to get back to the basics tonight. And when I’m looking for a nice, dependable basic bar I always turn to my co-pilot on this mission, Al Rizo, a 365 commentator from Miami. Al has suggested numerous bars as this journey has moved on and they’ve all been winners. He recently emailed me a link to Bailey’s Corner Pub on the Upper East Side and it looks perfect for tonight. So let’s go check it out and see if Al has picked another winner.

Here we are at Bailey's Corner Pub.

I like their attitude already! Let's go inside and check it out.

Very nice! Al, you've done it again!

Mike the friendly bartender is quick with a bottle of Corona. The perfect antidote for a Monday evening.

This gentlemen was seated next to me at the bar and we had a nice conversation about New York and bars. We also discovered we have something in common, his name's Marty too.

Which of course leads to the inevitable Marty Squared photo. Cheers from two guys named Marty!

The back of the bar is long and well-stocked.

The fellow next to me didn't want his picture taken. There's reasons, but I'll never tell, I want to live through the day, but he did let me take a photo of his cap and beer. Needless to say, he was happy with Monday Night's Football score.

Up above I spy the mark of a classic bar, a tin ceiling.

Pinball! I hope Spiderman is doing better here than on Broadway.

Phil and Lindsay were watching the game and enjoying a drink at the bar. They were very supportive of the 365 bar crawl and wished me well on the last leg of this journey.

Antique lights illuminate the bar.

Any bar that has a framed photo of Joe Strummer is A-OK in my book.

Here's Adam who was drinking a pint of Guinness at the bar. Cheers to you, Adam!

A shot from the back of the bar.

There's a state of the art dart board back here that gets a lot of use.

And here's Ignacio putting the board to use.

Just as I was putting on my coat and getting ready to leave, who shows up but the owner Sean. Sean has owned the place over a year and was a bartender here for over 12 years.

One look out the window and I'm on my way home. Goodnight, everybody!

Review
Bailey’s Corner Pub has been on this Upper East Side corner for close to 60 years now. It’s got a long wooden bar with tables and chairs opposite it. The back room houses a well-used dart board and there’s TV’s lining the side walls that are tuned to the latest sports games. The atmosphere is friendly with neighborhood locals that have been frequenting the bar for years. Newbies are treated like long time regulars and the bartenders are welcoming and attitude-free. A nice respite from some of the frat bars that dot the Upper East Side.

There’s a full bar and a nice selection of bottled and draft beers with selections including: Heineken, Corona, Bass and Guinness. And the skillful and friendly bartenders are happy to whip up any drink you’d like to order. Happy hour runs from 3pm to 7pm with Budweisers and Coors going for $2.50 a pop and three dollar drafts of Miller Lite are offered up as well.

There’s no food, but patrons are encouraged to either bring their own in or order in and have it delivered to the bar. Everybody may not know your name in here, but there’s definitely a Cheers-like vibe going on in Baily’s Corner Pub.

Bailey’s Corner Pub
1607 York Ave. (@85th St.)
212-650-1341

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Great suggestion, Al! (Al art by "Boris.")

Monday, November 29th, 2010—Bar 323

Day 323—Sunday, November 28th, 2010
Rolf's
I want to send out a thank you to Nick Petri who sent in a generous donation of fifteen dollars to keep this bar crawl on the road. Accompanying his PayPal donation, he sent along this note: “Thank Rick Halberg, he sent me the link to your website. You will need to come to Minonk, IL., to buy me one though... Nick Petri, Petri's Pour House. Rick knows where we are. Good Luck.” Alright Nick, thanks to my pal, Rick Halberg and thanks again to you Nick. Our paths may cross in December!

And now on to today’s bar crawl. It’s the last night of my Thanksgiving four day weekend, but it’s really the start of the holiday season. I thought I’d end this weekend on a festive note, so I’ve decided to visit Rolf’s German restaurant and bar. I had never heard of Rolf’s till a couple of week’s ago when I saw this post on the fine blog, EV Grieve: Lights, Camera’s: Rolfs! It looks like when it comes to holiday decorations they really go over the top, so that’s tonight’s destination. Ho, ho, ho!

Here we are at Rolf's, let the festivities begin!

Holy shitballs, it looks nuts in here.

Ali, the lovely hostess pointed me towards the bar.

Wow, the bar is packed. Looks like a lot of other people had the same idea I did. Let's take a look around till a spot opens up. Warning: You may want to put on some sunglasses for this.

There's lots of dolls hanging around and I have to confess they creep me out a little bit.

There's tables in the back all lit up by the holiday lights.

Okay, these dolls are starting to creep me out big time! I don't like the way the one on the right is staring at me.

Yikes! Can you say, "Redrum?"

I'm starting to get a Christmas sensory overload in this joint, I hope a seat at the bar opens up soon, I need to sit down!

Ask and ye shall receive, I think I spy an empty seat.

Okay, I'm situated into the bar and friendly bartender Shoriful brings me a much needed beer.

Cheers and happy holidays to you and yours!

A shot of the bar from where I sit and an obligatory bar room mirror shot. Can you find me in the lights and glitter?

And hidden away behind the decorations and lights is a tin ceiling.

Richard and Jen were seated next to me and we had a nice conversation about the 365 bar crawl and bars in New York City.

There's booths opposite the bar to sit in and take in the kooky atmosphere in this place.

A long shot of the bar. Bartender Shoriful told me there's over 70,000 lights they put up and it takes five people to do it.

Here's Rachael, Andy and Jennifer who were enjoying some holiday drinks at Rolf's.

Goodnight, everybody!

Review
I know I said I’d start writing my own reviews again today, but it’s Monday, after a four day weekend and I overslept. So once I again I turn to New York magazine and use their review. I hate Mondays.

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Ignored by New Yorkers much of the year, the rustic, tchochke-packed dining room at Rolf’s is transformed into a Christmas spectacular that’s as much a December institution as the Rockettes and Rockefeller Center. Twinkling lights, Teutonic dolls, and green garlands like so many boughs of Black Forest don the front bar, while a seasonal roast suckling pig is ceremoniously served at the roughhewn tables and booths in back. Not surprisingly, the food is a mediocre throwback to another era, so don’t be surprised if the stringy sauerbraten can’t hold a candle to your grandmother’s three-day ginger snap-marinated wonder. But crispy potato pancakes and simple, hot-dog-like wursts keep kids complacent, while a few steins of the remarkable array of German pilsners and hefeweissen will find mom and dad satisfied, if not altogether oblivious.  — Carla Spartos

Recommended Dishes
Potato pancakes, $9; wurst, $23.95

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I told you I hated Mondays, right? Good. Sneeze ya tomorrow.

Rolf's
281 Third Ave. (@21st St.)
212-473-8718

Sunday, November 28th, 2010—Bar 322

Day 322—Saturday, November 27th, 2010
Jerry's Cafe
Live from New York, it’s Cheeseburger Saturday Night! Starring Jerry’s Cafe with a special guest appearance of Shawn Washburne and the Visual Vaudeville art exhibition. Featuring the ready for prime beef player, Marty Wombacher. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Shawn Washburne, Visual Vaudeville and Jerry’s Cafe!

One of the cool things about doing this bar crawl is the interesting people I meet along this journey. A week or so ago I was in Biddy Early’s bar and I met Shawn Washburne who is an artist and President of Toast—Tribeca Open Artist Studio Tour, and he told me about an art show they were putting together called, Visual Vaudeville. I told him I’d stop by and check it out and so tonight I did. The video above is from the opening night and Shawn explains the idea behind the exhibition. Below are some photos I took of some of the art in the show.

Here's the front window display of Visual Vaudeville at 368 Broadway. The exhibit answers the question of, "What if Andy Warhol and P.T. Barnum shared a bottle of wine?"

And here's artist and President of Toast, Shawn Washburn. Behind him and above are two of the planets he created for the show.

More of Shawn's planets and globes float overhead. Art is everywhere in this three-floor installation. Let's go check some of it out.

"Sunken Garden," by Jonathan Lux.

This was an interesting painting by Eric Wats. This side is the painting he created for the show...

And the backside is an older painting, he did earlier on the same canvas.

"Shadow," by Alkan Nalllbani.

"Untitled," by Mark Demos.

Obligatory Visual Vaudeville mirror shot.

"Warrior Doll," by Natasha Shapiro.

"Logan Airport," by Judy Somerville. A funny thing happened while Shawn and I were discussing this painting...

Judy walked in the front door! Here's Shawn greeting her on the first floor.

A portrait of the artist and her art.

Hanging on the door to the basement level display is, "Mask On Canvas," by Olga Spiegel.

"Natasha," by Lizzie Pantirer.

They also had art on display that wasn't done on a canvas, such as, "Blue Electric Guitar," by Chris Totaro.

And art in the form of hats! "13 Hats," by Jacqueline Lamont.

By now my stomach was grumbling and Shawn suggested we stop by Jerry's Cafe which is nearby and is famous for their cheeseburger, among other things.

It's just a couple of blocks away and here we are!

Since it's a holiday weekend it's unusually slow and we have our choice of seats at the bar.

Friendly and cute bartender, Angela serves up a Corona and lime using Jerry's patented lime inserter.

Ana's the lovely manager of Jerry's and she was doing some research for the bar. "Drink up?" I'll drink to that!

Cheers!

A shot of the zebra-styled bar.

Ana is also a mathematician and Angela is an actress. So while Angela tapdances a drink your way, Ana is busy preparing your bill.

Happy hour!

There's tables and chairs opposite the bar and in the back room. Art and photos line the walls.

And it's not just your run of the mill art on the walls either. The owners are art collectors and this is a Robert Rauschenberg original.

Here's another Rauschenberg piece.

There's several photos by John Albash on the walls, with inscriptions by him below the photos. This one says, "Jersey boy in market place."

Here's an original Andy Warhol piece. And thanks to Shawn and Toast, we all know now what would've happened if he would've met P.T. Barnum and shared a glass of wine.

A couple of pieces of art by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who did The Gates installation in Central Park a while back.

A famous photo of painter Marcel Duchamp playing chess with a model.

Meanwhile back at the bar, Shawn, Ana and Angela are discussing various ways to throw people out when they want to use the bathroom without asking or buying anything.

Robert came in and gave me several suggestions for bars, which I dutifully recorded in my notebook.

Here's Natasha and Siobhan who are artists and are from...(drumroll)...Melbourne, Australia! I keep running into Australians and I love it. You can check out Natasha's website here: Natasha Johns-Messenger.

Angela poses with Brian, who's rumored to be 21-years-old.

And finally, the star of tonight's show, the cheeseburger from Jerry's Cafe!

Delicious!

And here's the man responsible for the delicious burger, Santiago, posing with Shawn as we get ready to leave. Goodnight, everybody!

Review
Okay, this was a massive post to put together, so once again I slack on the review section here and I’m posting a review from New York magazine. I’ll be back to writing reviews tomorrow, unless I’m too lazy to do it. Thanks so much to Shawn, Ana and Angela for a wonderful evening on the bar crawl!

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In 2008, the original Jerry’s in Soho fell victim to skyrocketing rent. Owner Jerry Joseph picked up and moved operations to Tribeca, where he opened a short-lived fast-food joint called YourAsian. He’s now reverted back to his roots: Despite the diner décor and the location on an out-of-the-way block of Chambers Street, the full bar up front and Gramercy Park Hotel alum chef in the kitchen make it clear that Jerry’s is a far cry from a gritty greasy spoon. The shiny, black-and-white checkered floor is set off by red vinyl booths and a dash of zebra print here and there. The staples are the star of the menu—the namesake burger, cooked to order, is served on a brioche bun with perfectly crisp shoestring fries—but adventurous inclusions like grilled-octopus risotto with mascarpone, brick roasted chicken with broccoli rabe, and grilled pizza with goat cheese and fig preserve elevate Jerry’s above the average neighborhood diner. — Randi Eichenbaum

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Jerry's Cafe
90 Chambers St. (Near Church St.)
212-608-1700

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Bonus Interview From the Greg and Dan Show on WMBD Radio!

I was interviewed by my old friends Greg Batton and Dan Diorio on the Greg and Dan Show on 1470 WMBD—Peoria’s News and Talk Station and yesterday Gene from the BBC found the podcast link. Check it out here: Marty interviewed on the Greg and Dan Show.