McSorley's Next Generation

Went to work in NYC today for a meeting at 195 Broadway with my boss and a VP for media.     One of the great things about that part of the city, is getting to see the new Freedom Towers and at least remember and keep in our thoughts all the people who never made it of the WTC on 9/11.

Took almost 2 hours door to door, and if it weren’t for the weirdo I had to sit next to for the ride into Penn Station, I could have took a nap.

Today was a good day, and a productive meeting at work, followed by a Sushi lunch, and a nice cup of Starbucks coffee in the late afternoon

Instead of rushing home, Sue and I decided to meet in the city and visit the village like we used to when we were much younger.  For those not familiar, that is Greenwich Village, and still one of the coolest places on the planet.

This day in history “On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13, the third lunar landing mission, is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronauts James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise. The spacecraft's destination was the Fra Mauro highlands of the moon, where the astronauts were to explore the Imbrium Basin and conduct geological experiments. After an oxygen tank exploded on the evening of April 13, however, the new mission objective became to get the Apollo 13 crew home alive.”

I get to the village before Sue and txt her that I am waiting for her at Broadway and Waverly Place.  We did not see any witches, or wizards around this station.  Guess the Wizards of Waverly Place are just on TV.

Once Sue finds her bearings, we meet up and make our way toward Astor Place, past the old haircutters, and head towards the bowery. 

Sue spots a new building around Coopers Union, a shiny steel building that looks like it was intentionally dented or hit by Optimus Prime from the transformers.  A building we have not seen before, and hey, we have not been to this part of the city in a while.

I used to work at NYU, and we used to meet college friends quite often  Why should this nite be different, we are meeting Joan and Ryan who are seniors and ready to graduate from NYU.

As usual when in this part of the city, we find a landmark, and decide to go inside to see if it looks and smells the same as it used to. 

I tell you, the place has a way of transporting you back in time.  The smell of ale and old wood, the feel of saw dust under your feet, and the familiar thud as two fistfulls of the half pint glasses hit the table.

The waiters look like they have been there forever.  Sure some of them may have retired, and a new generation of pleasant Irish or Scottish servers have come to take their places.  Armed with pencil and a simple flip order pad, the waiter asks what we will be havin.

We decide on 3 dark, and one light.  The waiter comes back with 2 dark and 2 light, but that’s ok, as I take one of each.  Duck, Duck, Duck, Goose  Sue ordered the light, the other three of us the dark.

An order of cheese, crackers, and onions gets shared, along with some stories of the “good old days”  Sue and I reminisce about our college days and meeting at McSorley’s with friends.

Joan and Ryan share a few stories with us in regard to their time at NYU, the neighborhood, and the dorms or apartments they have called home the past 4 years.  We grab a couple of pub burgers and fries to share, and then make our way to see Ryan's apartment, just down the block.  Great view from the rooftop !!

A new generation has replaced the old generations at NYU, but the scene at McSorley's will likely always be the same.  Filled with good times, and several generations of people seeking the simple pleasure of a beer, cheese and crackers, and a bar burger.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

Photo of the day “McSorley's Next Generation”

A NYC Tradition since 1854.  Some things never get old.