Camp, exactly like you imagine.

CAMP!

When you think of camp, what do you imagine?  Log cabin walls, an open fireplace, kayaks, deer heads, smores?  Then you’re in luck!  Camp, at 179 Smith Street, is all that and more.  You can hang out in the front at the beautiful bar cabin style, do some virtual hunting on Buck Hunter, play board games, and roast smores during happy hour.  The service is very friendly and the atmosphere is perfectly cozy.  If you live in Brooklyn and are craving the good old outdoors, coming indoors to Camp is a perfectly good substitution.

I happened to roll into Camp at the same time as Adam, a guy I had witnessed taking apart the PacMan (I think) next door at Boat.  I got a seat in the back and started watching two guys play an intense round of Buck Hunter and he sat down to wait for them to finish.  I had to know more about someone else whose job also entails going around from bar to bar (except he gets paid and I don’t, slight difference).  Adam gave me the basic run down and let me know apparently his company puts in the machines for free and the bar and the company split the profit 50/50.  Genius.

Adam, doing his thing

Bar Fly: So, what exactly is your job?
Adam: I work for a vending company, Sunstar Vending, based in Sunset Park, but we have locations throughout the tri-state area.
Bar Fly: Do you often encounter this? (I’m referring to two guys who won’t stop playing to let him do his job).
Adam: It’s better when I come when it’s empty.  But it’s my last stop so I’m having a beer.  I go to about 15 or 16 locations daily.  Not always bars, sometimes laundromats, cranes with stuffed animals, whatever people randomly put dollar bills in.
Bar Fly: How often do you come here?
Adam: Every two weeks.  Just to check up, a lot of old games have problems.
Bar Fly: Most popular bar game?
Adam: Most or makes the most money?
Bar Fly: Both.
Adam: Most money in the photo booth.
Bar Fly: Because people don’t like what they look like and keep trying again?

I don't eat dear, but it works at Camp!

Adam: Probably.  And most popular… well we have jukeboxes too.  Those make a lot.  Surprisingly pinball and Buck Hunger make a lot too.
Bar Fly: What are you drinking?
Adam: Bud.  At least I thought it was Bud.
Bar Fly: Looks a little dark. How long have you been doing this?
Adam: Two months.
Bar Fly: Like it?
Adam: A lot of paperwork. Double checking and triple checking.  I come up a quarter short and it comes out of my paycheck.
Bar Fly: Favorite bar?
Adam: I live in Marine Park (soooo far).  My favorite bar is probably 3rd and 7th.
Bar Fly: What’s it like?
Adam: It’s a dive, local crowd.  I see a lot of old places I haven’t seen in a while.

Adam and I chatted for a while, and the great bartender gave us some free drinks.  Camp is great.  Makes you feel warm and cozy all over.  Next time I’m totally wearing a sleeveless zip-up vest there.  It just sounds appropriate.

Boat Bar on Bergen

Renata at Boat Bar

Even though I resisted it (hump-day struggles) I made myself get off at the Bergen Street stop in Carroll Gardens.  Not far from the stop I found Boat Bar, 175 Smith Street.  I walked in the unmarked doors to find a good size crowd for a Wednesday.   Brick and bright yellow walls, candles flickering on an assortment of tables, and booths.  The bar area was decorated randomly with all things oddly nautical, a booey, pirate flag, fake leg for a peg leg (why do pirates always lose their limbs?).  The crowd was cool 30-somethings, plenty of plaid, glasses, and all things that make me a little excited.

During a few lulls I grabbed an interview with the bartender, Renata.  She’s a tough, cool chick who gets right to the point, and serves her customers with an edgy friendliness.  She gave me the low down on the Boat, which is actually the sister bar of Buttermilk in Park Slope, one of my early posts.

Bar Fly: How long have you been working here?
Renata: Eight and a half years.
Bar Fly: Do you love it?
Renata: Yep.
Bar Fly: What’s your favorite thing about it?
Renata: It’s a nice neighborhood bar, a lot of good friends.
Bar Fly: Best night?
Renata: Wednesday, for me it is.
Bar Fly: Favorite drink to make?
Renata: Ummm, I don’t know.  I think I’ve gotten a little lazy in my day, but I like people who can have a good beer.

Free Books! Now that's just awesome.

Bar Fly: Is that what you drink?
Renata: It is. … It’s actually slow tonight.
Bar Fly: (Really?) This is slow?
Renata: Yes, Wednesdays are good.
Bar Fly: Most ridiculous thing that has happened here?
Renata: Most ridiculous… probably a big lawyer fight.  It started with one of them peering in a corner and ended up being a big brawl.
Bar Fly: That certainly is ridiculous.
Renata: **Says hello to a regular, tells his friend who’s playing with a candle, “Don’t be a jackass.  Give me the candle.  Not on my watch,” and the guy storms out.  She’s so kick ass.)***
Bar Fly: What’s up with the free books?
Renata: One of the bar owners is really into sci-fi.  Those are all for the taking.
Bar Fly: The owners own other bars?
Renata: They also own Great Lakes, in Park Slope and Ontario, in Williamsburg. Oh, I love your ring.
Bar Fly:  Thanks. (It is a pretty awesome ring) … Boat Bar is a great place.
Renata: They have a very simple formula that they like to stick to.  Good jukebox.  Good people.
Bar Fly: It works.

Check it out.

Bzzzz… Bar Fly

Down into the Dove Parlor

Strolling the West Village, I noticed a cute building with a not-so-shabby basement bar.  The problem with basement bars is descending those stairs is a commitment.  Once you go down, it looks really silly to come back up.  If you have no clue what you’ll find, as in the instance of The Dove Parlor, (228 Thompson Street) this can be daunting.  But I’m a brave soul and popped into The Dove to be pleasantly surprised.  It is indeed a par-lor, not just a bar.  One syllable can’t do this place justice.  The walls are an elegant red print, with fancy-shmancy couches and lounge chairs everywhere.  It’s really a shame you can’t smoke in bars, because the only thing missing was a gentleman in a top hat with a pipe.  That would have really made my night.

Fun ladies... great wallpaper

But instead of this imaginary gentlemen who would have matched the decor so well, I found Lauren and Molly.  No complaints, I assure you.  These twenty-something ladies were getting a drink after Laurens midterms (she’s in grad school at NYU) and were happy to share some thoughts of drinking, bars, and being single ladies in NYC.

Bar Fly: How’d you find out about this place?
Molly: I came here once for a birthday party.  It was super crowded, but drinks were very good.  We also have a group of friends who organize a bi-weekly happy hour and we call ahead to a bar and a get a drink special or reserve a section, or something and we came here once.
Bar Fly: What a smart idea!
Laura: Yeah, it’s great.  There’s a facebook group for it.  It’s sort of marketed as a singles meet up.  (Sexy)  There always have a great promotion.  Like food or something.
Molly: Yeah, and it’s in the bars best interest because were a happy hour group.  …sometimes we even have a section roped off!  (Behind the velvet rope… heaven.)  It started off as just friends and now some web group exists and random people just come and it’s a great way to meet people.

Swank Bar

Bar Fly: Awesome.
Molly: We haven’t been doing it recently, but it’s coming back.  It’s run by three guys who are just the sweetest, nicest best friends.
Laura: I think it’s definitely coming back.
Bar Fly: Obviously, pretty smart too.  They figured out the secret to get single girls to the bar they’re at… drink specials.  …What are you drinking.
Molly: French lavender, which I had here before.  It’s delish.
Laura: I’m drinking Chardonnay because they didn’t have Pinot Grigio.  I’m a wine drinker.

Wine drinkers are always so proud aren’t they?  It’s cute, I think.  Fun girls, very nice lookin’ place. Come back with friends and a wear something vintage.

The Half Pint

I was instantly attracted to The Half Pint, at 76 West 3rd Street, as it was already decorated from top to bottom for Saint Patrick’s Day (the best holiday ever, that luckily is part of my birth-week).  As I got my seat at the corner of the bar, a guy in across the room was mouthing something to me.  It looked like an invitation to something I didn’t want to attend, so I turned my back and ordered a beer.  The bartender poured me  Hoegarden, and said “Thank you, love,” in a perhaps fake brogue.

The Half Pint

I wanted to sit and enjoy the beer before doing an interview, but a big, burly, (excuse my french) bitch of a woman came and sat next to me and started Ranting (capital R for how Ridiculous she was), about how she was a lawyer, and everyone’s an idiot, and she was going to sue everyone.  Now, I’m a feminist too, don’t get me wrong.  But be a lady for Christ sake!  I don’t need to hear the C-word while trying to enjoy my beer.  Suddenly, I wanted that man to mouth me another invitation so I could get the heck out of the raging estrogen zone.  But, he was sadly gone.  So, I picked up my beer and went off to find another gentlemen, as I was in no mood for a female.

Around the other corner of the bar, I got a seat next to Yasha, a cute British guy who apparently loves soccer, I mean “football.”

Yasha: I’m actually doing something similar (to my blog) with soccer.  I just want to portray the love we have for soccer in Europe in to people in this country.
Bar Fly: Where are you from?
Yasha: London.  (Yummy accent)
Bar Fly: So you blog?
Yasha: No, not yet at least.  I will be filming some segments, putting them on youtube, the person I’m doing it with is a graphic designer so he’s kind of an expert in the field.
Bar Fly: So you love soccer?
Yasha: It’s my raison d’être.
Bar Fly: Sorry?
Yasha: Reason for living.  You should know that, you’re a writer!

Yasha, what a dear

Bar Fly: Woops.  So, why is it you’re reason for living?
Yasha: Why is it?  I don’t know.  When you do something that completely takes you to another place, parallel universe.  it’s stronger than a passion, nothing else matters.  It’s how people should live their lives.
Bar Fly: You play for who?
Yasha: In London I played for a lot of teams, for Cyprus.  In Tabago I played for Stokeley Vale.  And I’ll be here until April or may, then I’m off to South Africa for the world cup.  People here don’t probably know it’s taking place.
Bar Fly: Is that frustrating to you?
Yasha: Well, I’m sure if they don’t have a love of soccer they have a love of being healthy, meeting people…. In the first World War there was a day where the troops took a day off to play football, then they got back to war.  It’s just amazing.  …I plan to set up an academy of sorts, a free thinking school, for sports, with soccer at it’s core.
Bar Fly: That’s an amazing goal.  (we chat about soccer some more) …What are you drinking?
Yasha: Erdinger.  I’m a white beer fan, it’s a little bit dryer.  I like Hoegarden.
Bar Fly: That’s what I’m drinking!  Have you been here before?
Yasha: Yes, less than ten times, I guess.  I work two doors down at the grill.  So this is where we go after work to unwind.
Bar Fly:  …How’d you get that?
Yasha: My cousin manages the bar, so I kind of cheated.
Bar Fly: How are bars in NY different than in London?  (I’ve been to London, but don’t exactly remember, since I was ridiculous the whole time.)
Yasha: Well, it depends.  Pubs for example generally have a large group of regulars.  They’re not standoff-ish, but cliquey.  You don’t just sit down and start speaking to people as freely as over here.  I guess NY seems to have a lot of people traveling through and trying to meet people and in their home times they might not [be as social].
Bar Fly: Craziest thing you have done at a bar?  Or are you very sensible all the time?
Yasha: Well, I never forgot anything or blacked out.  I have taken a random girl home.  That’s probably it.  And that’s out of character for me so obviously alcohol inspired.
Bar Fly: And how’d that work out?
Yasha: With a regret.
Bar Fly: Enough said.

Who knew soccer players were so chatty?  Had a great time talking to Yasha and at The Half Pint (once I escaped sitting next to the most annoying woman ever).

Back Fence at Bleeker

The Back Fence Bar, Corner of Bleeker and Thompson

The West Village is not something I have come to understand yet.  So, to bar fly there I mostly just meandered around until the first thing caught my eye.  Unfortunately, the first thing to catch my eye was a big dude standing outside a bar, who said to his friends, “I’ll take that home with me.”  Umm, no.  So, I had to look for the second thing to catch my eye.  That was The Back Fence Bar at 155 Bleeker Street.

Inside a random crowd was being entertained by Greg Aulden, who had some admittedly corny humor but good vocals.  He was doing a simple, pleasant cover of the Beatles, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” as I ordered a cheap beer and got a stool at the nearly-full bar.  The Back Fence is named for the back fence that lines the wall behind the stage.  There were cliche checkered tables with candle light in the front and a bar with an overhang in the front.  With sawdust and peanuts all over the floor and Christmas lights hanging around the ceiling, you might as well be at a lakeside bar in Upstate New York.  And yes, as an ex-Upstate girl, that is a compliment.  As Greg wrapped up his set and called “Steady Matt” up to the mic I asked server, Faith, for a quick interview between her work.  Faith has a blog of her own informative and funny blog about foot, called Two Girls From a Bar.

Bar Fly: What’s your best night?
Faith: For me or the bar?  (Either) I work Friday, but probably the best is Saturday.  But I also work Tuesdays, and their always enjoyable.  Greg’s been here playing for 20-some-odd years.
Bar Fly: What’s one of the worst or funniest performances you’ve had?

Faith and Bar Owner Ernie

Faith: I wasn’t here, but we’ve had many.  One time one of the owners, Fred, fired a musician on the stage.  I guess the guy was complaining about playing here, and the owner was like you don’t have to, and he was like are you firing me?  And the owner said, “Yes!  You’re fired!  Get off the stage!” (Whoa.) And once we had a full bar and the lead and the bassist got into an argument and were smacking each other, but it looked like two nuns fighting (How? I’m not sure) and one pushed the other right into a garbage can full of bottles, while the whole staff just sat here (points) at table 22.  It’s always amusing just to see if our bass player can stay awake.  (I had to wonder…. Heroin addict or old dude?)
Bar Fly: How many peanuts do you go through a day?
Faith: 7,675 a day… A lot!  Their actually salted twice, which makes them sooo good.
Bar Fly:  But they’re everywhere!  How long does it take to clean them all up?
Faith:  Actually, they rake it every night, and then they sprinkle down more saw dust.
Bar Fly: Classy. So, you have table service but do you have food?

Steady Matt- There is a crowd in the bar, we're just all at the bar not at the front tables!

Faith: No, food.  Because its musicians and we have sets we have table service.  We’re one of the few in the area that has both table and bar service.  On weekends it gets so busy and crowded.
Bar Fly: And who comes?
Faith: A mix of everybody!
Bar Fly: How would you describe the decor?
Faith: It’s exactly the same as it ws 40 years ago.  One of the oldest bars.  Some of our customers will tell us how they came in when they first turned 18 (good drinking age), and now they bring their kids and grandkids. It hasn’t changed at all, except the TV!

Faith introduced me to bar owner, Ernie who informed me the bar has been open for exactly 65 years.  I finished my beer as Steady Matt sang his own song about “Real Men.”  “Men don’t text their friends when their alone,” had to be my favorite lyric.  Mostly because I don’t believe it.   The Back Fence is such a relaxed place, I suggest you go there and listen to some lighthearted tunes, throw peanut shells on the floor, and drink the cheap stuff.

Calling All Bar Flies… Suggestions, Please?

FYI: Bar Fly needs you just as much as you need me (Do you need me?  Let’s pretend you do.).  So, please do me a big one and give me some suggestions.  I love bar flying blind, but there are some great places out there and I know you know about them!

Help a sister out and point me in the right direction!

Love, a thirsty Bar Fly

It’s been a busy month…

The following is the complete, alphabetized list of the bars Bar Fly has blogged about with the addresses provided.  Links are to the associated websites, or of one does not exist, a fairly informative site about the bar.  I give my greatest recommendation to 95% of these wonderful drinking holes.  For more information read up, you’ll figure out who’s in that dreaded 5%.  This list lives and breathes on the page Complete Bar Fly List…. but I just wanted to give you guys a preview, so you know it exists!

Bar 4 - 444 7th Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Bar Great Harry -   280 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens,   Brooklyn

Brooklyn Social -   355 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

Building on Bond -   112 Bond Street, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Buttermilk Bar -    577 Fifth Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Botanica -    47 E. Houston, LES, Manhattan

Continental –   25 Third Ave, East Village, Manhattan

El Rio Grande -   160 East 38th Street,  Murray Hill, Manhattan

Floyd, NY -   131 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn

Huckleberry Bar –    588 Grand Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

International Bar -  120 1/2 First Ave, East Village, Manhattan

Jake’s Dilemma -  430 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West, Manhattan

Last Exit Bar & Lounge -  136 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn

Lucky 13 Saloon -  273 13th Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Lucy’s – 135 Ave A., East Village, Manhattan

The Mars Bar – 25 East 1st Street New York, East Village, Manhattan

McSorley’s  Old Ale House -  15 E. 7th Street, East Village, Manhattan

O’Lunney’s Time Square Pub -    145 West 45th, Times Square, Manhattan

Quarter -  676 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Saint Jerome’s -  155 Rivington, LES, Manhattan

Slipper Room -   167 Orchard Street, LES, Manhattan

Third & Long -    523 3rd Avenue, Murray Hill, Manhattan

The Wing Bar -    275 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn