The blog Boteco do Cacique is a Brazlian blog and he's also one of my Twitter friends. Check out his fine post here:  Marty Wombacher termina sua jornada de 365 bares em 365 dias...

I really had a lot of fun at Mike's Tavern on the 365th night of the bar crawl. A good crowd showed up and I got to hang out with a lot of friends I don't get to see very often. One of those friends is Jim "Butch" Borho. I've been friends with this guy for years. We've had many crazy times together (we once shared a stripper, a long story I'm not going to get into now) and I'm always happy to see him. He came to the party at Mike's armed with not only a powerful thirst, but a camera as well. He took lots of photos and here they are. Thanks, Vern (he's one of my two friends I call Vern, don't ask why, I really don't know), I look forward to seeing you in April!

(Note the second to last photo, it's Polaroid I had sent to Vern decades ago when my hair was actually black. Check out the caption, clearly a blogger at heart, even back then!)

Goodnight, everybody!

Mike’s Tavern

Okay, this is it. To quote Bobby Zimmerman: “It’s all over now, baby blue.” I decided to wind this whole crazy journey back at the bar that I first had heard of as a little kid growing up in Peoria, Illinois, Mike’s Tavern in West Peoria. It seemed only fitting to end it here. One of my favorite relatives of all time is my Grandpa Seitz, who died back in 1980, but when he was alive, Mike’s Tavern was his hangout and he was a regular and a character in this tavern. I’ve written about this before, but when I turned legal drinking age in Peoria and stopped in at Mike’s, I wasn’t welcomed with open arms, until they found out I was Leo Seitz’ grandson. Then I was treated like a rock star in this place. Years later, when I was publishing the magazine POP, Mike Foster wrote a great feature story about Mike’s Tavern and its owner, Tony Ward and we had a great day hanging out there. This is the only bar I’m repeating on the bar crawl. I can do this because there were a few days when I went to more than one bar in the same day, so in actuality, I’ve been to over probably 370 bars in my travels. So today we make a well-deserved repeat visit to Mike’s Tavern. And here we go to the 365th bar in on the 365th day. A year of beer is soon to be over. Come along, a splendid time is guaranteed for all!

It all begins and ends here. I've got so many pictures from this great night out, that I can't possibly write captions for all of them, so I'm just going to post the photos and let every picture tell its own story. Thanks to everyone who showed up, it was one of the best nights of my life. Okay, here we go!

Review

You can read my Mike’s Tavern review and story about my Granspa Seitz here: Mike’s Tavern. TO LEO SEITZ AND TO MIKE’S TAVERN!

Thanks so much to my family who supported this crazy idea and all my others in the past. You guys are the best and I love you lots! Thanks for all you do for me, any other family would have had me committed years ago.

And now it’s all over. 365 bars in 365 days. I’d really like to thank Tony Ward for allowing the last night to happen at his fine bar, Mike’s Tavern. Thanks to 365 resident artist, “Boris,” for the great artwork and for maintaining the 365 Bar Store (the store will stay open by the way!) And thanks to Gidget for creating the 365 facebook fan page and to her and “Boris” for maintaining it (check them both out on Woody Radio.) A big thank you to the Waugh family who supplied food on the last night and are always there when I need them, thanks for being my second family. Thanks to Tim and Colleen Carey from Butch’s Pizza for supplying pizza, I ate a fair amount of Butch’s Pizza on the bar crawl and I suggest you all try it, you can order it online if you don’t live in the Peoria area (just remember to cut it into squares when you serve it.) I also want to extend a big, whopping thanks to all of you who have read and commented on the 365 blog, those of you who have written about what I did and every single person I’ve met while doing this and that is literally thousands of people. Think about it, I was able to meet thousands of people in bars this year and share conversations, stories and ideas with them. Really crazy, but that’s what I’ve always said was the purpose of this bar crawl, to go out and meet people and then report about these people and the bars that they were housed in the next day in words and pictures. I thank and appreciate all of you who played along with this kooky idea. 

Exit 197

Okay, a couple more last minute donations have rolled in! My friend and co-worker, Mike Pyrich sent in a generous donation of twenty dollars. His message stated: "Good Luck on finishing your project,I hope it leads to a million dollar movie deal." Me, too! Are you seeing this Marin Scorsese? Thanks so much, Mike!

Next, Lenny Herold sent in a more than generous donation of fifty dollars! His message he sent was: "For a few buds and maybe some Jameson on the side. From @GatorLenny from bar #267 - wish I could buy you a beer at the finale." Thanks so much Lenny, and here's a shot of Lenny from bar # 267:

Lenny! Thanks for the donation Lenny, next time we meet, I'm buying the first round!

Alright, just like Willie Nelson and Canned Heat, we’re on the road again. One guy who has helped me out from before this blog was born is my good friend and 365 resident artist, “Boris.” He designed the banner art and logo for the website, put up and maintains the 365 Bar Store (and you can still buy the 365 shirts and products that “Boris” designed!), and he helps maintain the 365 facecrack fan page along with Gidget who created that page (and don’t forget to tune in to both Gidget’s and “Boris’” shows on Woody Radio). So anyway, this whole year “Boris” has told me about the bar and liquor store where he buys his Lotto tickets and how they’ve been wanting me to bring the bar crawl to their bar. Well, with help from my parents who are driving me out there and “Boris” who is driving me back home (I don’t drive as you may have surmised), the bar crawl tonight comes from Pontiac, Illinois. Usually it’s Cheeseburger Saturday Night at the bar crawl, so let’s see what they can whip up for us at Exit 197 (that’s the name of the bar, not the actual exit.) Okay and we’re off!

And here we are taking off. That's Jerry, my dad and owner of Jerry's Bar behind the wheel.

There's my mom in the co-pilot seat...

Here I am still passed out from last night resting up for today's bar crawl.

The wide open spaces of the midwest.

And before you know it, we're in Pontiac and here's "Boris" ready to take over the driverly duties from my folks. Thanks for the ride, mom and dad!

We don't have far to go, it's about eight feet away.

And here we are at Exit 197, looks like a great place!

Beer tour? Did they know I was coming?

This place really gets cranking at night, but since we're here at four in the afternoon, there's plenty of seats at the impressive, wooden bar. Shall we?

And here's super-cute and friendly Lindsey serving up the first beer of the day. I like it in here!

And here's "Boris" and I, together again! Cheers to you all!

There's hand-painted wooden tables and chairs opposite the pool table.

A pool table stands opposite those tables, it's a large front room here and there's an even bigger dance floor in the back.

Here's Jason and Susan who were chilling out at the bar. They loved the 365 bar crawl idea and are nice people.

A long shot of the highly polished wooden bar. "Boris" looms in the distance and wonders if I'm ever going to quit taking pictures.

There's bottle caps embedded on top of the bar. Very cool!

And they have Butch's Pizza here! That trumps a cheeseburger any night of the week!

Here I am with the lovely Shelley at the bar. And look, I'm wearing my Gidget t-shirt that "Boris" designed. I have to get a "Secret Weapon" one when I get home.

Here's Lynn, who came in to the bar to show me the daily edition of the Daily Leader.

And look who made that day's edition, Mr. Publicity Whore himself! Mucho thanks to the Daily Leader for putting that in, very nice!

And Lynn not only bought me a paper and a beer, he donated five bucks to the bar crawl! Very, nice Lynn, thanks so much!

Hey, that reminds me, we still need to order a pizza.

Here's "Boris" with Kim who had just stopped by the bar.

And here we are, a delicious Butch's Pizza! And yes, it's sliced in squares, Lindsey said she was told to do it that way. Slices, squares, who cares, let me at that pizza!

Callie was seated next to me and presented me with a beer cozy from her wedding. A wedding with personalized beer cozies, that's my kind of couple!

Here's "Boris" with the original owner of the bar, Cathleen. Cathleen originally opened the place in 1984 and it was called the Shamrock back in those days.

And here's the two present-day owners, the lovely April and Amy. They're very friendly and two of the most hospitable bar-owners I've encountered on this bar crawl!

They even let me hang out behind the bar to get a view of the action from that side. That's the first time that's happened on the entire bar crawl, very nice. From left: Yours Fooly, Amy, April and Lindsey. I call this picture, "The Beast and Three Beauties."

And on the way out, the pretty and friendly Shelly sells me a Lotto ticket. If I win, I'll come back and drinks and pizza are on me. Goodnight, everybody!

Review

Okay, I’m crazy-ass busy today as I have to get ready for the last bar crawl and it’s happening in a couple of hours. Amy and April, the owners of the Exit 197 were kind enough to send in a summation of their great bar. And here it is, take it away, Amy and April...

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Exit 197 offers something for everyone!  With a huge dance floor, comfortable ambiance, smooth drinks and a wide variety beers, Exit is one of the most happening bars in central Illinois.  The front bar has a roaring 20’s theme with murals featuring some of the period’s most notorious people.  In the early evening hours, Exit caters to the local crowd, offering a world beer tour featuring 197 beers.  The bar also offers over 40 varieties of vodka that make up an impressive martini menu.  As the night grows later, the friendly atmosphere jumps to life with music as the back bar’s 1000 sq foot dance floor crowds with people. The bar hosts a variety of entertainment, from karaoke to DJ’s to bands.  THe beer garden also offers live music, bean bags, and live music when the weather is warm.  In the winter, the area has heaters to help keep the smokers warm!

The bar is attached is also attached to a liquor store which is convenient for grabbing beer at the end of the night!

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Thanks April and Amy! And they also told me to let people know that if you come into the bar and mention my name, the name of the 365 blog and what number Exit 197 was on the bar count (364) you get a FREE beer! I have to get back to Pontiac soon! Thanks again to Amy and April and everyone at Exit 197, it was a great time! And an extra special thanks to “Boris” for the ride home, all your help with this blog and for your friendship, Daddio! And it was a special treat to stop and meet your lovely mom as well! Thanks Brother and I hope to see you again soon.

Exit 197

952 W. Reynolds (Just off Interstate 55)

Ponitac, Illinois

815-844-2343

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Bonus Halloween Photos from Exit 197

We were at the bar early yesterday, so I didn’t get any shots of the huge dance floor where bands play and DJ’s spin tunes, but Amy and April sent in some shots from their Halloween party, check it out!

The Tartan Inn 

First off, the old donation bell has rung twice today while I’m here in the home stretch! My friend, Torquil Scott-Dewar has sent in a generous donation of 30 dollars and included this message: “For beer and a couple of shots of Jager!” This isn’t the first donation that Torquil has sent in and I appreciate your generosity, my friend. However, I don’t think I’ll be doing any Jager shots, the last time I did those I ended up in jail. It’s a long story and one I’ll tell at a later date, but suffice to say, it wiped out the taste of Jager for good for me! Thanks, Torquil!

Steven Altemus sent in a generous donation of 50 dollars and his message simply stated: “For the finale.” Thank you so much, Steven! This bar crawl has not been cheap and every cent that was sent in was used in buying drinks for myself and people I’d meet. If for some reason you sent money in and I didn’t thank you, it’s because I get tons of spam email and maybe missed your notification from PayPal. Thanks to you all, I don’t think I could’ve afforded to keep going on my own limited fundage.

Okay, today I’m hitting the Tartan Inn. I’m here in Peoria and while there are lots of places to go to, my friend and Journal Star writer, Phil Luciano recommended this place, so you know it’s going to be a good stop (and if you missed Phil’s column yesterday which was about Peoria, New York and Yours Fooly, check it out here: “It’s A Wonderful Life.”) Plus it’s rumored that my old friend Joe Waugh may be stopping by, so let’s go check it out.

Here we are at the Tartan Inn. My mom grew up about a block from here.

It's just a little after noon, so there's plenty of seats at the bar, hey that guy looks kind of familiar.

And it's none other than Phil Luciano, bottle of Bud in hand (would you expect any less?) As noted yesterday, Phil is one half of the Markley/Luciano radio show, get the details of the show here: Markley/Luciano show.

But thoughts of Phil vanished as the pretty and friendly Val approached me with the first beer of the day.

Jimmy C. was seated next to me and he's a regular at the bar. He lives in the neighborhood and is a good guy.

And here's Gary, seated at the end of the bar. I didn't have to ask if he's a regular here, he's just got the look of one. Hey, after 362 bars you get to have a sixth sense about this stuff.

And here's Val and Gary, chatting at the end of the bar as I wander around and bug people with the 365 camera.

They have a state of the art dartboard in here.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're proud to introduce the musical stylings of Karen Carpenter! Okay, that was a little tasteless, but would you expect anything less from me?

Val pumps up the volume...

As Phil puts some tunes on the jukebox. The party is kicking into high gear now.

There's tables and stools up front, but I'm staying away from them right now, a little too bright for my tastes!

Check out the specials on the board, there's free hot pussy tomorrow. Damn, I'm going to miss that...and I love Chinese food.

Here's Mike at the bar who just got here to enjoy the afternoon's festivities.

It's starting to fill up in here.

Here's a trio of hooligans up to no good on a Friday afternoon. From left: Phil, Yours Fooly and Nate. Nate works third shift and lives in the neighborhood, as do a majority of the fine patrons in here.

And here's Justin! Justin's a fan of the 365 blog, so he immediately knew what pose to strike, excellent work, Justin!

And here he is, my old friend Joe Waugh! Joe and I have had many adventures in the past and I'd love to write about them, but I don't know if the statute of limitations is up on any of them. Thanks for coming by, Joe, I'm sure I'll see you and maybe some other Waughs before this is over.

Here's the legendary Peck with Phil at the bar. Peck's done a lot in his day and it turns out he was friends of my uncle Bill Wombacher. The two of them hung out at the Puff back in the day. Oh if only the Puff was still open, it would've made the bar crawl for sure. To Peck and my uncle Bill!

Here's a shot black and white shot of Peck behind the bar that Phil discovered somewhere. Let's just say that Peck is "mugging" it up for the camera.

And here's the lovely Val serving it up. As you can see, Justin is a little more than hungry. I wonder what that fellow has been smoking?

I was getting ready to go when Donna wandered in and posed with me for the 365 camera.

And here she is with Phil unleashing her inner Gene Simmons.

Okay, final shots are poured...

And drank! Thanks to everybody for stopping by and to the Tartan Inn and to Val for the hospitality, definitely a highlight on the old bar crawl! Cheers and good afternoon, everybody!

Review

The Tartan Inn is a nice neighborhood joint in West Peoria. It’s not fancy, but it’s clean and a nice, friendly place to have a beer or seven in. The patrons are an eclectic mix of mainly neighborhood locals, but strangers and newbies are treated friendly if you walk in with a smile on your face and maybe a few bucks to buy a few shots for some of the new friends you’ll make in here. If you’re lucky, Val is bartending and you’ll be treated to one of the prettiest and friendliest bartenders in the Peoria area. If you see Luciano, buy him a beer, tell him a story and the odds are you’ll get two beers back and three stories to boot. And his stories are always killers.

There’s a full bar with a good selection of bottled beers and a couple of draft selections to be had. There’s nightly drink specials and pizza and chips are available to soak up the suds. Sometimes hamburgers are passed out in here and other times the patrons are (hardy, har har!) And the sign on the wall guarantees that there’s free hot pussy...tomorrow. The story of my life!

 The Tartan Inn

428 N. Waverly

Peoria, Illinois

309-495-8149

Jerry’s Bar

First off, I’d like to thank Phil Luciano for writing about me in his column today in the Journal Star, check it out here: "It's A Wonderful Life." Phil joined the bar crawl the last time I was in Peoria and if you missed that post, here’s a link to it: Phil and Marty at The Trolley. In addition to writing for the Journal Star and teaching at Bradley, Phil also has a great morning radio show with Jamie Markley on 102.3 Max FM. Check it out here: Markley and Luciano. See you at lunch today, Phil!

Alright, time to reveal where I’m traveling to (pretty much everyone knows anyway)...Peoria, Illinois. Yeah, just like Bob Dylan, I’m bringing it all back home.  One trouble with today’s bar is I’ve done the early morning bars in LaGuardia Airport and I only have so much time in O’Hara Airport in Chicago to make my connection to Peoria. So where can I go for my nightly bar? Well, the answer is simple: Jerry’s Bar in my parents basement. This is a bar that’s been transplanted from the house I grew up in, to the place where my parents live today. I’ve had a lot of kooky times at this bar through the years, I’ve probably drank over thousands of beers here, I’ve passed out on top of it and tonight, I share a drink a few beers with my parents at it. And you’re welcome to join the party! But first we have to get to Peoria, so let’s go see if the car service guy is downstairs.

Okay, he was right on time and we're off to LaGuardia Airport. Usually these cars smell like a combination of bad curry and diarrhea have a distinct odor to them, but today's is fine. But the driver is rattling on about his girlfriend and I can only understand like every fourth word. This is going to be a long ride.

And through the magic of the internet, here we are! Check out the sign in the back, thanks for the Jefferson Airplane moment, LaGuardia Airport!

Been there, done that, but I need a couple pre-flight drinks, so we'll do it again.

Caroline's the pretty and friendly bartender on duty. (I think it's Caroline, I lost the napkin I wrote your name on, if I'm wrong feel free to correct me in the comments section below.)

Cheers and prepare for take-off...

And landing! Welcome to Peoria...deja vu...didn't we do this like a week ago? Lisa Fink should make a donation for all this free advertising I'm giving her!

And here we are, Jerry's Bar! Let's get inside, it's downright freezing here in the midwest.

It's located at the foot of this tartan-colored stairwell.

And here it is, just how I remember it. There's a couple people at the bar, but I see a seat at the end, let's go snag it.

And here's the friendly bartender Jerry, serving up the first of many ice-cold Budweisers.

Cheers, from Jerry's Bar. I better behave down here or I'll get sent to my room for the evening.

Free snacks! Pistachio peanuts! Actually there's a whole pantry of food upstairs, I always gain about five pounds when I come here.

The bar is illuminated by this unique lamp at the end.

The official Jerry's Bar coasters.

As you can see, it's not quite a "full bar..."

But there's plenty of beer in the refrigerator off to the side of the bar. I think that'll hold me for the night.

And here I am with the other pretty and beautiful patron at Jerry's Bar, my mom!

The base of the bar is made from wooden casks, sadly they're empty.

Comfortable stools line the front of the bar.

There's a pool table off to the side of the bar. This doesn't get much action these days, but back in the days when my parents would go on vacation and my brother Jim and I would have a week-long party in the house, the pool table and bar saw lots of action. I'm sure it's bringing back fuzzy memories to a lot of readers out there. I bet there's even a fellow clutching an axe while reading this and remembering the good times of our youth.

A long shot of one end of the bar.

And a shot from the other end of the Formica-topped bar.

Here's bartender Jerry posing with some fellows that are hanging around.

And here I am with four good Buddies at the bar. Goodnight, everybody!

Review

There’s no place like home. (Click heels three times.)

P.S. Once again while in Peoria, I won't have much access to the internet, so I won't be able to comment much here or on other people's blogs. Thanks for following me to the home stretch!

Jerry’s Bar

Peoria, Illinois

First off, another last minute donation, from friend, commentator, blogger and DJ extraordinaire, Gidget! Gidget sent in a generous donation with this message: “ok 20 bucks for you back home in peoria. and an extra five for good measure.” Thanks Gidget, that’s very generous. For those of you that don’t know Gidget started the 365 Facecrack fan page and maintains it with our resident artist, “Boris.” And she has a great radio show on Woody Radio, check it out here: Woody Radio.

I got a nice write up today on a friend of mine's blog. Check it out here: Groovyrick's Blog. Thanks, Rick, I'll see you soon on the bar crawl!

Okay, I’m not working tonight because tomorrow I’m traveling. Yes, that’s right, I’m traveling, as in flying out of New York City. What’s going on here? Well that’s for me to know and you to find out. Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah! Anyway, I need to find a place nearby because I still need to pack and get to bed early because my car service to the airport is coming at the ungodly hour of 7am. Yikes! Luckily I remembered a place I’ve been meaning to go to for a while, Slate on 21st Street which is just five short blocks away. We’ll be there before you know it. Watch.

See, here we are, let's go check it out.

Wow, a long and winding bar. And since it's four in the afternoon, there's tons of seats. You should see this place on the weekends, it's three deep at the bar then.

Here's Jamie, the friendly and pretty bartender serving up the first beer.

I'm keeping it down to my minimum of three beers tonight, because I still have to go home and pack. I need to keep my wits about me, my last trip I forgot my cell phone and camera charger. But I guess that's better than the time I left my suitcase at the Hilton Bar across from the O'Hare Airport and showed up at my parents house empty-handed at Christmas. Whoops! I think I'm the only person in the world who's mom says to him before he travels, "Now don't leave your suitcase at a bar on the way home again."

Peace, love, beers and cheers!

As you can see, it's a full bar in here, I don't think they're going to run out of booze anytime soon.

The bar from my point of view.

Louie was seated next to me at the bar. He's the manager/operator of Slate. He was very supportive of the 365 idea and was happy I chose Slate as my last New York bar. Last New York bar? Did I say that, well, never mind.

Here's a shot of the bar from the other end.

I found this lively crew up front by the door. From left: Abby, Carla, Nerissa and Colin. Nerissa is part of a blog called, Magenta Speakers that's part fashion, part music, part fun and part sex. Well I gotta check that out and so should you, here's a link to the blog: Magenta Speakers.

Here's the lit-up stairwell that leads to the pool tables and games on the second floor. "And she's buying a stairway to...billiards?"

There's lots of tournament style pool tables down here.

Foosball!

Ping pong!

And if you don't feel like playing games, you can always play the piano! I'm having a Bill's flashback.

Meanwhile back at the bar, Jamie's taking care of business.

Okay, my third beer is done, I have to go home and pack. God I hope I don't leave my luggage in a bar tomorrow. Goodnight, everybody!

Review

Alright, as I said up in the introduction I’m traveling today. And no I’m not saying where, but I don’t have time to write a review because the car service will be here any minute. Here’s a review from New York magazine (it's a critics pick).

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Like playing games with your date? Well, whether you're looking to work through dominance issues or you just want to meet up with friends to shoot some pool, this is the best billiard joint in Chelsea. Though it's not the cheapest place to rack 'em up, this well-lit bi-level pool hall maintains its tables beautifully. And unlike with many of its competitors, there's more than enough room between the tables: You'll actually spend more time between shots conversing with your own group than enduring the inevitable drama at nearby tables. There's also food available in the attractive upstairs dining room. — Charles Runnette

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Okay, I’m off! Stay tuned to see where my travels are taking me. Cheers!

Slate
54 W. 21st St. (Near Sixth Ave.)
212-989-0096

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Bonus art from The Chief!
The Chief who runs the fine Peoria Bar Review, sent in a piece of art he created at our Christmas stop, The Last Chance. The drawing is of someone I took a photo of. See if you can match it up! Thanks for the artwork, Chief!

Attention Penn Station: The holidays are officially over, time to take that fucking shit off the walls. Thank you.

Here's the train and once again to quote Fat Al, lean back, motherfuckers!

Look at everybody hypnotized by their texting devices. Hi, assholes!

It's freezing out and the streets are empty up here.

Here we are, the Abbey Pub, let's go in and have a drink or three.

There's lots of people in here for a Tuesday night, but I see a spot at the end of the bar, let's grab it.

And no sooner do I sit down, than the lovely and friendly Francis serves up an ice-cold Corona.

Bottles behind the bar surround the vintage cash register.

Natalie and Dan were seated next to me and wished me well on the last stretch of the 365 journey.

A quick glance above reveals what all classic bars have, a tin ceiling.

Francis and I toast to the 360th night in a row. Cheers!

Free popcorn!

A line of stools are lined up to sit at when the bar is full.

There's seating rooms to the side and back of the bar.

The wooden booths look a little like church pews. "Our Father who art in Pabst..."

There's also tables and chairs to relax at and hoist a hearty brew.

Which is exactly what Kayla and Kevin were doing back here.

Here's someone working the room, let's go say hi.

It's Heather who's a pretty waitress at the bar. This Sunday Heather's taking part in the No Pants Subway Ride of 2011. Check out the details here: NPSR of 2011.

Meanwhile life goes on back at the bar.

I was going to take an obligatory bathroom mirror shot here, but there's no obligatory mirror in the bathroom. Uhh...well...umm...goodnight, everybody!

Review
The Abbey Pub has stood tall on the block for over 50 years. It’s a low-lit bar with brick walls, a long wooden bar and tables and large wooden booths off to the side. The bartenders are friendly and the crowd is a mix of neighborhood locals and Columbia students. The regulars tend to hang at the bar leaving the booths and tables to the rowdier Columbia kids.

There’s a full bar with a nice selection of inexpensive beers and drinks available. The food is your basic bar choices including burgers, chili and fish and chips. The kitchen is open till 11:30pm during the week and till 1:30am on the weekends. Happy Hour runs Monday through Saturday from 4pm to 7pm and on Sundays from noon to 7pm with one dollar off beer, wine and well drinks. There’s also nightly drink specials available at the bar.

The Abbey Pub
237 W. 105th St. (Near Broadway)
212-222-8713

Cheers to Al Rizo for picking another winner! (Al co-pilot artwork by “Boris.”)

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Bonus Photos From Clacky’s Bunt Custer’s Bar: Part II—The Search For More Booze And Bird Flippage!
Yesterday we featured photos from the opening night of our Aussie friend and 365 commentator, Tim “Clacky” Clack’s Bunt Custer’s bar. And now here’s part II, with captions provided by Clacky. Oh, Clacky...

Umm...this raunchy removal of clothing was stubbornly denied in the following days.

Who's the stud? Why it's Bunt Custer himself!

Here's Chris and Mick Hogarth. Chris is a great chef and Mick is Chris' dad. He and wife Julie we're visiting from Tasmania.

As you can see Bunt's is friendly to Dogs and feet.

Some fine fare cooking up behind the bar.

And the wonderful aromas attract some unwanted attention. This is my dog. her name is Baps and that's Chris's dog Dio named after the late great Black Sabbath singer.

For those about to drink....We Salute You!

Closing time at Old Bunt's.

Here we are, Bill's Gay Nineties, let's go check it out.

Here's Rita, the lovely coat-check woman and hostess. She pointed me to the direction of the bar.

Which is right throught the swinging saloon doors.

It's Monday, so there's plenty of seats at the bar, let's settle in.

And here's beer number one, served up by the friendly and hospitable bartender, Marc.

A shot of the festive bar.

Bob and Tony were holding down the end of the bar and posed for the 365 camera. Cheers, guys!

Vintage photos line the walls in here.

Many of them are old-time sports photos, like these two baseball players.

Here's a wall of antique boxing photos.

And a photo of a horse, of course, of course! Even if that horse isn't the famous Mr. Ed.

A long shot of the dark wooden bar.

The lone chandelier that illuminates and hangs over the bar.

There's tables for dining opposite the bar.

Which is where I found this party enjoying drinks and the ambiance at Bill's. From left: Molly, Carrie, Tony and Ashely.

There's a piano player on duty every night at Bill's, let's go check him out.

It's Elliot Paul and he's quite the entertaining Piano Man. Billy Joel would be proud of this guy!

Here's Elliot in full swing.

And now he's got some of the crowd up on there feet dancing.

It looks more like Friday night than Monday in here.

But, alas it is Monday and I have to hit the road to get my beauty sleep for the last few nights. Here's a parting shot with everyone from the bar. Goodnight, everybody!

Review
In 1924, Bill Hardy opened up Bill's Gay Nineties as a speakeasy and it became a roaring success, housing three floors of rotating entertainment. After prohibition ended, the shutters came off the window and you know longer needed to know the secret word to get in the door. And today the bar pretty much remains the same, which is nice in this era of cookie cutter sports bars that get thrown up and then go out of business just as soon. The bar is classic old school New York from the well worn bar itself to the blue-checked table-clothed tables and chairs opposite and in front. The walls are lined with vintage photos from the past and you could spend the evening perusing them and not see every thing in one night. It’s a true classic New York bar in here.

They have a full bar at Bill’s with friendly and expert bartenders who can handle any drink selection you throw at them. Bill’s has a lunch and dinner menu and the kitchen is open till 11:30pm. All entrees are served with a potato and vegetable and here’s a few selections from the menu: Pan Seared Maryland Crab Cakes; Broiled Filet of North Atlantic Salmon; Shrimp Scampi sautéed with Garlic and White Wine and Bill’s New York Strip Steak.

Bill’s is one of the last original piano bars in town and there’s three pianists on duty Monday through Saturday. The piano gets fired up around eight o’clock at night. Feel free to request a tune, and while you would think that “Free Bird” isn’t in their repertoire, request away, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Bill's Gay Nineties
57 E. 54th St (Near Madison Ave.)
212-355-0243

Mucho Thanks as always to my Co-Pilot, Al Rizo for suggesting this place months ago!

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Bonus Photos From Clacky’s Bunt Custer's Bar!
Our friend and commentator Tim “Clacky” Clack in Australia has opened his own bar in his backyard and sent in some photos from the opening party. Here’s part one of the photos from the celebrations from his bar, fondly known as “Bunt Custer’s.” Take it away Clacky!

Opening day at Bunt Custer's, Maryville, Newcastle.

The Cliff Richard "Wired for Sound" memorial corner...Is Cliff even dead?

Party ready to go!

Shan does first drinks. Margarita time!

This happy chap is Dr. Nay Field. Doctor, beer drinker and co-builder of the Bunt Custer's Bar.

Things got lively when Gerant rocked up in a dress and Nay put on a Mexican wrestling mask.

Hey it's a 365 salute all the way from Australia! (keep in mind Shots of tequila had begun buy this point.)

Thanks for the photos Clacky, stay tuned for Part II, tomorrow!

I told you it was close by, here we are already.

The bar is crowded for a Sunday afternoon, but I spy on seat at the bar. Let's go snag it.

And no sooner am I seated, than Hal, the very friendly bartender serves up an ice-cold beer.

Cheers, seven more to go (pretend I have two extra fingers on my hand.)

Joe and Carolyn were seated at the end of the bar and we had a nice chat about my 365 journey.

A view from my perch at the bar. Wow, that TV is bright, someone needs to tone that down a bit!

Some of the drafts available at the bar. As you can see, there's a TV on either side of the bar, Gene, you'd like it in here!

Lou was seated next to me and he's a somewhat regular in here who lives nearby.

There's a long wooden railing and stools opposite the bar to hang out at.

And behind the railing are some tables to sit and dine at.

And the main dining room is located to the left of the bar.

Kimberly, a pretty waitress at the bar waits for a drink that Hal is preparing. Hi, Kimberly!

Speaking of Hal, here he is in action behind the bar.

Carolyn and Joe are enjoying brunch at the bar and chatting with a friend.

Mike took Lou's seat next to me at the bar and we had a nice conversation about modern technology and the horrors of texting.

A vintage Budweiser sign hangs behind the bar, topped with holiday stockings.

Okay, night has settled in and the bar becomes darker, illuminated by round globes hanging overhead.

And here he is, tonight's special guest star, Paul Scanlon. I always tell people, that it's not the bars that are the best part of this 365 journey, but the people inside of them. Well, this turned out to be a real highlight. I knew Paul would have some classic Rolling Stone stories and boy did he ever. I don't have room in this caption area to tell them and most of it were off the record but some of the name's in the stories included, Jann Wenner, Hunter Thompson, Andy Warhol, Chet Flippo, David Felton, Ben Fong-Torres, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Buddy Miles, Cameron Crowe and it just went on and on. Great stories from a great era in journalism that will never be duplicated. Thanks for an entertaining evening, Paul!

By the end of the evening Paul got into the 365 spirit and joined me for a one-finger salute! Goodnight, everybody!

Review
Mumbles Restaurant and Bar is located near Union Square and has a real neighborhood feel to it. There’s nothing too spectacular about the place, but it’s a friendly spot, mainly filled with locals from the neighborhood. The bar is dark and wooden and globe lights hang overhead. There’s dining tables behind it and a full dining room off to the side of the bar.

It’s a full bar with a good selection of bottled and draft beers. Mumbles also has a large and varied menu with a decent selection of burgers and sandwiches. There’s also pasta and four types of pizza available and if you have a big appetite some of the main entrees include: Blackened Pork Chops, Oven Roasted New Zealand Rack of Lamb, Chilean Sea Bass and one of their specialties, “Better Than mom`s” Meatloaf. That’s a pretty bold statement, because my mom makes a mean meatloaf, so next time I’ll check that out.

Mumbles has brunch on the weekend, available till 4pm. Delivery is also available.

Mumbles
179 Third Ave. (@17th Street)
212-477-6066

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Bonus Paul Scanlon Photos!
This morning, Paul sent me a few photos from back in the day and here they are.

Paul with Hunter S. Thompson in the spring of 1973. Paul was one of the first people that Hunter showed the original "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" manuscript to.

Here's Paul with writer Fred Exley, best known for his book, "A Fan's Notes." This was taken from 1978 when they were working on an excerpt from his novel, "Last Notes From Home," for Rolling Stone.

And here's a classic photo of a good portion of the Rolling Stone staff watching Nixon resign. Great photos, Paul, thanks for sharing them!

Here we are at my friend and downstair's neighbor Deloy's door. Hey Deloy, Christmas is over, you might want to pack up the trees till next year.

And here she is, my lovely and beautiful neighbor, Deloy. A woman who once helped me pick up chicken wings off the stairwell after I tripped head over heels and about broke my neck. It's a long story and yes, I had been drinking.

Through the miracle of the internet you're spared us getting on the wrong train (my fault, of course), and then ending up in midtown in a throng of tourists where it's impossible to get a cab. Deloy saved the day and miraculously hailed a cab for us.

Hooray for Deloy!

And here we are, uptown at Mel's Burger Bar.

There's plenty of seats at the bar. Don't worry there fellow, we're not here to bother you, you just keep talking on your cell phone.

Justin was our friendly bartender and he quickly served up a couple pre-dinner beers.

Cheers from Deloy and I!

The back of Justin's shirt is adorned with a quote from Hunter S. Thompson. I'd have preferred this HST quote, "The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon." But I guess it wouldn't be fitting for a family restaurant in this day and age. Too bad.

There's tables and red leather banquettes opposite the bar.

Just in case you forget where you are, there's a subtle reminder on the back wall.

In addition to a fantastic burger selection, Mel's has a great beer menu.

Here's the informal back dining room.

Brooke's the friendly and pretty manager. She suggested I try the Broadway burger and I told her I would. It's a done deal.

And for the record, this guy is still talking on his cell phone.

Okay, it's Cheeseburger Saturday Night, time to order some food!

We started out with an appetizer of friend pickles. Neither Deloy or I had ever had one, so it was time to try them out.

Deloy liked them and so did I. Both of us agreed that anything fried can't be too bad.

And before we had a chance to get too pickled, dinner is served!

Deloy got the Kobe Sliders...

I got the Broadway burger that Brooke had suggested. We also got fries and onion strings and everything was delicious! If you're a cheeseburger lover, you have to check this place out.

Okay, dinner's over and he's still talking on his cell phone. Sheesh! Goodnight, everybody!

Review
If you’re looking for a place to unleash your inner Wimpy, Mel’s Burger Bar is the spot to do it in. There’s over a half dozen original variations on the burger to be had here. If eating at the bar is your thing, there’s a large semi-circular bar to dine and enjoy a drink or two. There’s tables and chairs opposite the bar and a dining room in the back. The bartenders and waitstaff are friendly and more than willing to assist you in choosing a burger of your choice.

There’s a full bar including a large selection of draft, canned and bottled beers. They also have four specialty house drinks, homemade punch cocktails and a Bastard Series including a Suffering Bastard, the Dying Bastard and the Dead Bastard which is Jack Daniels, Brandy, Beefeater, Bacardi, Lime Juice, Bitters and Ginger Ale. If you’re going to be a dead bastard, might as well go out with a smile on your face.

There’s plenty of burgers to choose from here including: The Original, a burger served on white toast with lettuce, pickles and tomatoes; The Cadillac Burger which is a bacon cheeseburger served on a potato roll; The Nurse Betty is a veggie burger with Monterey Jack Cheese and it comes with an onion focaccia roll and The Broadway which is served on sourdough rye bread and topped with melted Swiss cheese, bacon and jalapeno’s. In addition to burgers, Mel’s also offers Rotisserie Chicken, BBQ Ribs, Chicken Meatballs and Spaghetti and a French Dip sandwich. Brunch is also available Saturday and Sunday from 11pm to 3pm.

Mel's Burger Bar
2850 Broadway (Between 110th and 111th Street)
212-865-7100

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Bonus “Thought Glasses” Photos!
My friend Joe Freedman sent me a New Year’s gift. The gift is a pair of “Thought Glasses” he made from his production and design studio, Leafpdx in Portland, Oregon. The Thought Glasses subtly add subtext to your conversation and let’s people know what you’re really thinking about. Check them out below. Thanks, Joe and Happy New Year to you!

California dreaming on such a winter's day.

Hey, that reminds me, I need to check my Mega-Millions ticket!