Avoiding the usual trappings of St. Patrick’s Day
The rule of thumb for me is to avoid any bar with an Irish name on St. Patrick’s Day. The reasons are fairly obvious. These places fill up quickly with the fake Irish bridge-and-tunnel types who are–for the most part–amateurs. Because of this, they also tend to charge outrageous covers. I don’t fault places for it. After all, why shouldn’t they make a bit of extra scratch when they can?
In the end–if I don’t just stay at home–I’ll usually seek out an empty(ish) bar with some non-Irish moniker because sadly that is all it takes for these amateurs to stay away. I’m always mystified by this since the booze is exactly the same at whatever place. Oh well, more breathing room for me. So when by coworker Gina began to spread the word that we’d all be getting a few drinks after work, I kept my fingers crossed that she’d pick a safe place.
Photo courtesy of ps450.com
Luckily the place that was decided upon was called PS450 (450 Park Ave S, NYC). Just a short walk from the office and being practically empty, the place already had two things going for it. I was impressed by its thick, dark, manly decor. Warm lights, sleek bar, wood and leather, I can picture this as a comfortable place for the lawyer/stockbroker crowd to let loose. I was (as usual) just a tad underdressed. There is apparently an intimate room in the back for private parties, dinner and whatnot, but I never ventured beyond the bar,
I got a shot of Jameson’s and (happily) a decently poured Guinness. Too many places have taken to selling Guinness without teaching bartenders the art of the pour. Anyway, I felt it was an appropriate way to begin my St. Patrick’s festivities. Someone had ordered a round of whiskey shots. I’m not sure who it was, but not everyone was drinking them. So I did my duty. After all, I just couldn’t let the stragglers go to waste. It’s sinful.
Running into a couple of friends as well, this was a perfectly relaxed yet fun way to celebrate while avoiding the usual annoyances of St. Patrick’s Day. By the way, the name may sound like a school, but as far as I can tell its actually based on the address. I could be wrong. Then again I never did pay much attention in school. Maybe if they served booze, things would have been different.
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PS 450
