Thad's New York Bar Crawl
Sometimes I do some pretty surreal things.
Last Monday, after the Devils hockey game in Newark, NJ, I thought I'd go into New York and visit a bar or two. (I'd considered this before leaving home; it wasn't totally spur-of-the moment.)
So I hopped on the PATH train to NYC, changing at Journal Square in Jersey City for the train to Christopher Street. My plan was to start at Ty's, an old-school gay men's bar.
Ty's was busy. I didn't think I could get a drink without a long wait...and then I'd have nowhere to sit.
So I checked out Marie's Crisis Cafe, a very mixed piano bar which is great fun when not too crowded. It was too crowded. I didn't even go in.
I roamed the neighborhood, considered the Stonewall Inn, but the Monster was across the street and was not crowded at all. I sat by the piano and caught Kenny Allen Smith singing and playing. People came and went. It was fun, but after two beers (unhurried) I felt it was time to move on.
I continued down Christopher Street, past Pieces, which was packed with a drag contest. I wanted to go to the Boiler Room on the Lower East Side, and had a little wifi difficulty before my phone gave me directions. It involved a subway ride for two stops. And, unfortunately for me, the Boiler Room was closing at 2 am. Many NYC bars are open until 4. But I hurried, got to enjoy a beer, caught the last of karaoke night and met the host. I want to go back sometime and fully enjoy it. It was my favorite stop of the night.
But it was 2 am...where to go? Ah, the infamous bar The Cock was open and just up 2nd Avenue. There was a cover charge but I was OK with it...
Turns out it's a backroom bar, or sex club. I was oddly detached and considered it a "look but don't touch" situation. Nobody came on to me, anyhow. But it was like live porn being two feet away from a really hot fuck. My inner voyeur was thrilled. Would I go there again? Probably not, but I certainly know what to expect.
The first train home leaves after 4 am, and there's another after 5. I decided to walk to Penn Station even though there was plenty of money on my MetroCard. It was a cool clear night and I'm always excited having the city streets almost to myself. I stopped at a 7-Eleven for coffee, took my sweet time, and missed the train after 5. The next train was at 6:20 so I had way too much time at Penn Station.
But I got home, slept almost all the day...and didn't tell anyone of my adventures. Until you, now.