Can you name this former East Village dive bar?
Old Skool New Yorker that I am, I’ve been a fan of Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York for a while now. So I was excited when I came across an article in the Times featuring Jeremiah Moss (not his real name). Ok, the article is a week old, but I only came across it yesterday.
Jeremiah moved from Massachusetts to the East Village 15 years ago, a few years after I had already declared the neighborhood a tourist trap. Little did I know how much worse it could get (or better, if you prefer the new improved suburbanized NYC). On the main page of Vanishing NY is an image of Travis Bickle with gun in hand. The text underneath reads “yuppies, hipsters, real estate developers, billionaire businessmen, frat boys, princesses…”someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets”. Gotta love it!
Of the places on Mr. Moss’ death watch list are the Polish-Ukrainian East Village Meat Market and B & H Dairy. There is a photo of him taken in front of Katz’s Deli, which is something I worry about since the death of Morris Dell earlier this year. His son Alan is co-owner of Katz’, along with Fred Austin. It was my understanding that Morris had alot to do with the purchase of the deli, although Alan is running the show.
Another East Village landmark which I know isn’t going to last too much longer is the Holiday Cocktail Lounge. Owner Stefan is in his late 80’s and although he owns the building, his sons don’t want to take over the bar. I hope Holiday (and Stefan) hold on at least another 9 months so my husband and I can celebrate our 20th anniversary there. It was, after all, where we met.
10 Comments
Funny you posted this…it’s not in the same league but I was having pangs of missing Scrap Bar and Alcatraz this weekend…perhaps it was the Van Halen show that put me over the edge.
Alcatraz…is that the one on A & somewhere between 7th and 9th? I remember that place. Alittle too trendy for my taste. I preferred the old man dives like Holiday, Blue and Gold, Joe’s and The International. Gosh, I was a lush.
Yeah…it wasn’t trendy when I was there…it was just drunk metal heads.
Holiday! I had to click on the pic before I remembered that. Ahh yes, the college boyfriend and I used to go there quite often…funny, I didn’t think of it as a dive at the time.
I KNOW I’ve been to the bar in the photo. I can’t remember the name!
Downtown Beirut. What do I win?
Hey, isn’t that CBGB’s?
I too worry about every little place I love in NYC disappearing. If the Holiday goes under I want two of the banquettes and a table that will be placed in the middle of my living room.
2:52 wins the prize (which is a pat on the back). It is indeed Downtown Beirut.
Old Lady,
I’ll take the telephone booth if that’s oks with you.