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October 18, 2007
As folks in Hollywood and Washington DC will tell you, getting clean is hard work. First you have to admit to having a problem, then you need to find someone or something to blame for that problem and finally you need to take 28 days to fix it. And after it’s all done, heaven knows ... you need to celebrate. Of course my reasons for detoxing were not nearly as scandalous as certain starlets or members of congress. I simply needed to take a break from partying so I could finally quit smoking. It’s been a lifelong battle and the time had come for desperate measures. So it was four weeks of water, ginger ale and the occasional Shirley Temple. The support and playful ridicule of my friends got me thru it. I had several reasons for picking The Irish Rogue (356 W 44th St) to host my party. One was simply because I had never been here before. Another was for the killer happy hour prices which included $4.00 drafts, $3.00 bottles, $4.50 margaritas and $4.00 Cosmos. The final reason was for the live music. All together, these added up to a perfect party environment, with little to no effort on my part. The Irish Rogue is a big, traditional pub with all the amenities we needed such as good food and perfectly poured pints of Guinness. There are also plenty of screens if feel the need to watch sports and a lounge and game room upstairs, but I never made it up there. Since I had been on the wagon for four weeks, I paid close attention to my drinking pace. I didn’t want to be face down too soon. So my first pint lasted me a full hour. But my pace picked up nicely as the girls from Cazadores Tequila started handing out free shots. Before the nastiness of multiple pints and shots had a chance to rip at my belly, I was smart enough to eat a hearty dinner. I got their Irish Rogue's Burger (Irish bacon, cheddar cheese and sautéed mushrooms) with fries. It was delicious, only $8.95 and laid a nice foundation for the rest of the night. One bit of complaint has to do with the bar's odd double-decker pub tables. With a full table, the lifting and setting down of drinks and utensils can be awkward. The service here is top notch. Everyone is all smiles and drinks are delivered quickly. Well that is except for the Guinness. But then again, If you’re like me you understand that a slow pint is always more desirable than a quick one. So when you’re in a real Irish joint such as this, you know to order your next pint when you are about halfway done with your first. In fact, at that point is usually when the kind waitress asked if I was ready for another. The music tonight was provided by The Mickey Finns who entertained us with an array of covers, traditional songs and originals all done in a wholly Irish, laid back style. They confess that key factors in putting the band together were free beer and fun. Keeping it simple with guitar, drums, fiddle, mandolin and vocals, these three guys delivered a captivating and fun set of music. They play here at the Irish Rogue every Thursday night so stop by and see them some time. The night ended with a contingency of friends heading out to K-town for Korean BBQ and more drinks. I forgot to mention that there were actually two parties going on at the Irish rogue. My buddy Will had been let go from his job and we were doubling up the night to celebrate his new found freedom from corporate shackles. But it was late and this was my first foray back into the fray, so I conveniently ‘didn’t fit into either of the cabs’ and walked to the Port Authority to get my bus. Once home, the spinning of my bed felt oddly comforting. Links:
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