July 6, 2011
Anybody who’s followed this blog for any amount of time is familiar with the fact that from time to time I whine, piss and moan about my night job and here I go again! Tonight really sucked puckered ass, and again I’m not going to blog about my job, but my head feels like it’s been squeezed in a vice for 10 hours while someone poured Tabasco sauce in my eyeballs till I cried out, "Uncle Charlie." I was tempted to go to one of my Fortress of Solitudes and sulk, but since I goofed off last night, I figured I should go out and do my duty.
Since it’s Tuesday, it’s the one night of the week I go to a bar and search for the elusive swizzle stick, in addition to getting some shots of the place, one of the bartender and maybe a few shots of the patrons in there. Since I had to work late, I thought I’d hit a bar nearby and then I remembered a bar from last year’s bar crawl that kind of got the short end of the stick last year. I had had a night even worse than tonight and was in no mood to do my bar crawl routine and so I didn’t. The bar is Mustang Harry’s and while it’s not the type of bar I would normally hang out at, I really didn’t give them much of a chance a year ago. I just slammed three beers, took a couple photos and went home. I got some shit in the comments for being such an asshole (although it was kind of tongue in cheek) and I promised I’d go back and document it a little better. So I thought that’s where I’d go for the swizzle stick bar night. Plus it’s just about two minutes away.
See, I told you it was close by, but the bad news is they close at midnight. They informed me they had already had their last call when I went in. Motherfucker, some nights you just can't win. Time to take that lonesome walk.
Luckily, just two blocks away is Mustang Sally's, whom I guess is Mustang Harry's second cousin or something. The good news is that they're still open. Let's get this shit over with. Let the night begin!
Here's bartender Mike serving me up my double gin and tonic in a tall glass and sadly there is no swizzle stick.
There's the dreaded straw as a swizzle stick. But to be honest, the way the night has gone, I expected something like this. Let's take a look around Mustang Sally's.
Here's a longshot of the wooden bar. It's kind of empty in here tonight seeing that it's Tuesday and the night after a holiday.
Large booths line the wall opposite the bar.
Here's the view from my seat at the bar.
One complaint I have is there's too many TV sets in here.
A gang ebony and ivory shot!
The bar does get points for the tin ceiling hanging above.
There's tables up front for dining.
Some of the Happy Hour specials.
I love the McSorley's coaster at the bar.
But I really hate baseball and there's no escape from it in this bar...
So I take one glance out the window and head out for home. See you tomorrow after dark.
Mustang Sally’s
Mustang Sally’s isn’t a horrible bar, it’s just some place I wouldn’t normally hang out at. The crowd is usually equal parts tourist and bridge and tunnel people. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just that I’d rather be at the Mars Bar or the International Bar any old day of the week. They do have a large selection of draft and bottled beer and a menu that includes: Black Angus Sirloin Steak; Shepherds Pie; Rigatoni Bolognese with garlic bread and a Reuben On Rye. There’s booths opposite the bar and a spacious dining area in the back. It’s just a couple blocks from Madison Square Garden, so if you’re going to a game or concert, it’s a decent place to throw back a few drinks before or after your game or show. It’s not a bad bar, but you won’t find me in there too often, and that might be a selling point that Mustang Sally’s would want to advertise! Cheers.
Mustang Sally's
324 Seventh Ave. (Near 28th St.)
212-695-3806
Further reading: New York Magazine, nycgo.com, Shecky’s and Time Out New York.
You also might like: Popsicle, Pop Art and Pop Tate.
Five Other Sally’s
Sally Rogers
Sally Field
Sally Kellerman
Sally Rand
Sally Struthers
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride.
ARCHIVES
(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)
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Bonus Photo!
The first thing I did at work last night was to staple something. Check out the bottom of the stapler, there's no escape, I think he hexed the entire day and night. Aaaahh!
20 Comments
Reader Comments (20)
Sorry to hear they've been running you ragged at work lately Marty. Loved the Sally Kellerman link...I've had the hots for her since I was a kid...this condition was exascerbated ever since Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John ambushed her in the shower tent scene in the original M.A.S.H. movie.
I like baseball. I like bars that show baseball. I like beer & baseball together.
Sorry you are having an extra lousy time at work. I hope things pick up for you. Gumby is always on hand to root you on. BTW--I have been a fan of Rick Nelson's forever. When I was about 9--we used to write who we liked on our thighs--yes-we did--I always wrote Ricky--mostly everyone else wrote Elvis.
Mustang Sally's doesn't look too bad, just looks like almost every other bar in the world. Makes me think of the song, though, so it gets points for that. And the bartender looks just like a friend of mine from here in the 'hood. Plus, the rigatoni comes with a side of sandwich! SCORE!
On a side note, Cardboard Box Man is really becoming a sort of staple here at MAD! HA HA HA!
@Jaws: I loved that scene in MASH too!
@GENE: That's a very Dr. Seuss-like comment!
@Melanie: Today's even worse here! That's a great Ricky Nelson story!
@Biff: "Cardboard Box Man is really becoming a sort of staple here" Ha ha ha! You still gots it, Bifferoonie!
@MAD ...... bar crawling, baseball, beer = awesomeness ......... the only thing better is Sunday's during football season ! ...... I know a lot of people don't like sports -- but that's too bad for them ---- it's like a microcosm of the universe ---- the highs & lows of everything - everybody has an opinion --- sort of like real life without it actually impacting your life like bad governments, mayors, presidents, etc., etc., etc. ....
@GENE: I hear you, I'm just not a TV guy (cue transvestite joke here!) I think we can agree that the best view in a bar is one of Tiffany the bartender!
that sucks about the wrok place...that sucks that "harry's" has such an early last call...that sucks that a semi upscale place like "sally's" doesn't have a decent swizzle stick...they deserve MAD's patronage...
didn't understand the followin' in one review: "The tap selection is a little lacking (Murphy's in lieu of Guinness)" 'cause i count 15 including Guinness...
“MUSTANG, n. An indocile horse of the western plains. In English society, the American wife of an English nobleman.”
~ Ambrose
rr
damn evil computer...should have read "they DON'T deserve"...and brice should have been after ambrose...
rr
Goddam Nassau bar being closed when I wanted to go there!!!
Biff, you are the living end!
What really bothers me is that CBBM has taken on a metal form and now has teeth.
And you know who else has good teeth? Gene has good teeth. His dentist says so.
Bar crawling and football is the best fun you can have on one liver....
@MAD .... the ladies who work at Pizza Pub and Manitoba's are kinda cute also .....
@rr: Probably an old review. Tonight sucks even worse than last night. Great quote, as always!
@Clacky:
@GENE: True! Tonight is absolutely a horror show. There won't be much of a blog tomorrow. Fuck!
Maybe you need to visit the Fortress tonight. Beer and hot dogs fix everything!
A bar that closes at midnight in NYC? Sounds like work is living up to your MAD name, hang in there buddy! I blame it all on CBBM!
Hello Marty,
every now and then it's necessary to have an ordinary experience, which then helps us appreciate the extraordinary ones even more. I've been confusing my liver by drinking only water these past 4 days. I feel like a Buddhist monk already. Would it be possible to send me some of the pictures you took at the IBar in their original resolution? I would love to put some of them up. Any time you get around to it. I'll give you full credit. Thanks a lot.
unclewaltie@gmail.com
@Britta: It's too late, it's a little after three in the am and I'm going to post a quickity blickity blog for tomorrow and then get bombed out of my gourd after the day I had.
@Barfly: Work was indeed MADdening today!
@Uncle Waltie: You are right about that! You've only been drinking water? My God, I meet you for a second time and I've scared you sober! I'll send the photos tomorrow, I'm beat tonight!
You know what that means...you're now my sponsor. Hahahaha
My ex's grandma's nickname was Mustang Sally, so I like it just for that memory. And I like places with booths. Its like your own little private room. I'm pretty sure I want to be a Mustang, thanks @rr for cluing me in to that new definition.
"Motherfucker, some nights you just can't win"
Isn't that the truth!!
@Uncle Waltie: Ha ha ha!
@kari: The booths are nice in there, I will give them that.
@Meleah: That's the truth alright!