When it’s hot in New York, a dark pub is a welcome retreat. Who am I kidding? A dark pub is ALWAYS a welcome retreat, and a few weekends ago, we frequented one of the best in the city—The Old Town Bar and Restaurant on East 18th in Manhattan.
I came across this lovely joint as I searched for places to write near Benjamin’s office and places to meet friends for food and drink. I loved that it was described as “a haven for writers both accomplished and aspiring.” Poets, novelists, and playwrights hung out at The Old Town. Yes! I loved that it was described as having “unique character, reasonable prices, and a casual and unpretentious ambience that has outlasted every trend and fad…” In a city with two-hour waits for brunch, and items on menus a little too ‘fusion’ for this girl’s tastes, these words were welcome.
So we ventured to The Old Town to meet Ben, Rachel, and Jane. In the past, we have had great discussions with Ben and Rachel about things like “Deadwood” and how it was truly one of the best television series ever. We have enjoyed ourselves at one of their back yard BBQs, where Ben grilled some delicious fish, and Rachel and I discussed the few merits and many pitfalls (so many pitfalls) of Fifty Shades of Gray. Between the four of us, there have been margaritas, (many, many margaritas) and when we left for Berlin, Ben and Rachel gifted us with a lovely back roads travel book. When you meet good people like the two of them, it is a fortunate thing. And when they introduce you to a woman like Jane, well, the world just seems smarter and funnier.
We sipped Augustiner beers from Benjamin’s favorite Bavarian town. Yum! So flavorful and creamy! For me, these were the closest thing to the tank beers we drank in Prague. The Old Town felt like the old country in another way too—no screens. Ok, yes, there was one television mounted in the corner of the bar, but it was not turned on. Imagine! Conversation without competing noise! Yay!
We had quite the conversation too. The three NYC tourists graced us with tales of Coney Island, where Ben’s wallet and phone fell from a rollercoaster and questionable hot dogs were consumed. We heard about some late night roof top antics in their Air B&B, and we saw some bar napkins with lists of celebrities that our travelers fancied for various reasons. We all agreed that it is never a good idea to marry your cousin, due to the potential of developing, as Jane put it, an ‘octopus beak.’ Heh heh…Yes, this was after the second beer, which I think hits you faster in the heat, but this tasty quote was also indicative of Jane’s sense of humor. Her wit was fantastic! Like Ben and Rachel, she was good people.
After the pub, there were other adventures in libations, including a bit where I performed a miracle, turning my water into wine, but I’ll refrain from those and keep the focus on 18th street. We look forward to seeing our friends again- in D.C., Irvington, or Manchester, and we will certainly make The Old Town Bar and Restaurant our regular New York City haunt.
