Remembrance of things Pabst

So we are trying to find a place for the wife's birthday party in the beginning of November. It is a big one so we want it to be special. We have spent the last couple of weeks checking out spots to see what is what.

We really wanted to have it at Fraunces Tavern where we got married but the place has really changed immensely and we don't know if it will cut it. The guy running it is getting back to us with a proposed menu and prices but the food just doesn't work. You see we have a long standing argument about things like this. The wife is always worried about the décor and the ambiance and the look of the joint. I only worry about the food. If the food is great then people will forgive pretty much anything. "Hey I hated to go to that hole in the wall down Red Hook in the Waterfront but the food was fantastic so it was worth it." The drinking would be great at the Tavern but most of our friends don't drink anymore. At least not enough to make it a big factor. So we need to concentrate on the food side of the coin.

We went to check out the rebirth of Montes which is an old school Italian restaurant in the neighborhood that has the great advantage of having a parking lot. We went there to check it out on Friday with the girls from the store. And the wife hated it. Complained from the minute she walked in. I mean I agree that the place wouldn't work for the party. The décor sucked and the tables were too small and we wouldn't be able to take over the whole joint because I don't think we would have enough people. There is no back or party room so it was a no go.

Then on Saturday we went to check out this joint on Smith Street called Panne E Vine. It is a relatively new joint that took over from a bunch of other places that had been in the same spot. Now it had a back enclosed garden as a party room that could work. The décor was no great shakes but the food was unbelievable. They had a polenta cake covered in a wild mushroom ragu that was off the hook. A sample plate of brussceta with stuff like avocado and goat cheese as well as fresh mozzarella and prosciutto that was outstanding. A great filet mignon and an outstanding pork chop. So the food was great. I mean really great. So it looks like we have a place.

But that wasn't enough. We had to check out this tapa's joint which is a hipster heaven. It seems that our cousin loves it and we went to check it out in Williamsburg. Now you know how I feel about hipster's right. When we get there it turns out that it turns into a disco at night. I had to have my hand stamped and pay a cover charge. Sure the décor was cool enough but they didn't have any food to sample. And it was a special night. It was black gentlemen and the hipster girls that love them night. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It is just not my crowd if you know what I mean. I was out of place. We were only there five minutes and I got three Five -O's and two hello officers. So we left.

The girls decide we are going to meet our cousin's friends in this hip bar in Williamsburg called Whiskey. First off we get carded when we go in. The wife loved it. She had them take a photo of it for posterity. I just shook my head. The bouncer kept apologizing but said he had to have it on camera for insurance purposes. I said "Can't I just take my granddaughter out clubbing with out all this rigmarole?" He kept apologizing.

So we go down this long stairway to a bar area that is packed wall to wall with kids. There was nobody less the twenty years younger than me. Most of them were thirty years younger. Grungy looking hipster trustafarians wearing dirty knit caps bouncing up and down to James Brown and Madonna from the DJ booth. I was better off with the brothers. But they wanted to dance so I got a round from the bar and stood with them fending off the losers who wanted to hit on the girls. Once again I was very out of place. I looked like Donald Trump at a rave. On thing I noticed that almost all of these snot nosed punks were a lot shorter and scrawnier than me. So when I told them to beat it they scurried off like the hipster pusssies they were. We had a few drinks and they had a lot of fun dancing while I snapped my fingers and swayed and gave people the fish eye. Once again everyone thought I was a cop because I had a jacket on and was thirty years older than everyone in the joint. Unfortunately some of the girls in the party were light weights. They dropped their drinks shattering them on the floor. Then one of them danced herself off her feet and showed her ku-ka as she fell on the floor. That meant it was time to go.

You see it is a lot of fun to watch Snookie and Dena at the Jersey Shore on TV. Hanging out with them at the club. Not so much.

But at least we found a joint for the party.