MILANO'S
NEW YORK'S FAVORITE "DIVE BAR"
It's May 2nd, 2024. I'm at my favorite dive-bar, Milano's on Houston Street, enjoying my $4 Rolling Rock Beer. It's quite tasty and a "Godsend" at just 4 Bucks, this in a day and age when in Manhattan, a cocktail can cost you $20 or more. it's"Friggin Insane" !!! What's a guy to do? Well Thank God, that though there aren't many places left like Milano's, there still are a few.
Yes, thank goodness that there are a few great old dive-bars like - Milano's, Rudy's, 7B Bar, Blue & Gold on East 7th Street and a few other joints in lower Manhattan where the poor old working guy can still afford to have a beer or a drink or two, and it not cost an Arm & a Leg. These places are doing New Yorkers a service that's quite admirable. The owners a not so greed as to grab every single dollar out there, and taking all they need and not going overboard with overpriced libations. "I Thank You Sirs - ever so much."
I wrote a piece back in 2012 called "New York & The $3 PBR," Paste Blue Ribbon beer, and places like 7B & Blue & Gold Bar that served $3 PBRs, or other affordable beer offerings. What does this mean, well it means that instead of going to a place and spending $40 or more for 2 drinks, or $60 plus for 3 cocktails with tax and tip, you could go to Milano's or Lucy's, hang with your friends (or not) and have 3 Beers (PBRs) and leave the Bartender a good tip ($5), and only spend $16. Now that's not bad at all. Or if you only had 2 beers, you can get away with only 10 Bucks for the whole "Kit & Caboodle" of two beers and a $4 tip. Fast forward to 2024 and the Rolling Rock Beer I have at Milano's was a damn reasonable $4 a can. "No complaint there." I had two for just 8 bucks. But I sprung for a bag of Potato Chips for $3. Not cheap for a bag of Chips, but this was a little added luxury. I didn't have to get the Potato Chips. Now that's another Grip of Got. Have you noticed the price of Potato Chips these days? "Highway Robbery" !!! And Pretzels too ! It wasn't long ago that you can get a small bag of Potato Chips or Pretzels at a Bodega for only .50 Cents. Not bad, when you're walking around, a bit hungry and need something to nibble on and hold you over until your next meal. A slice of Pizza (now getting insanely overpriced) a Banana, or a small bag of Chips or maybe M&Ms could do the trick. Lately I've gone into modest grocery stores and Bodegas and see a small bag of Pretzels or Potato Chips for $2 a Pop. Are You Kidding Me? Highway Robbery ! And you're not going to get me to pay $2 for a small frogman bag of Potato Chips, "No Siree" !!!
Sorry, I swerved off the subject there a minute. But like the high prices of Manhhattan Cocktails, overpriced cocktail lounges, and the ability to afford a couple cheap drinks (or Beers), the high price of Pizza and Potato Chips these days, is most relevant. Wouldn't you say?
Anyway, let's get back to Milano's, the legendary New York Dive Bar that remains affordable, and has not been ruined by its popularity and notoriety as being one of New York City's best dive bars, if not the best. I had a great time there last night, and have only one minor gripe. Well it's been a while since I've been there, and they always had great music of the Jukebox, and it was famous as well. The Jukebox that is, Now, I'm sitting there chit-chatting with the bartender Dave (great guy), I'm sipping on my Rolling Rock, listening to the music, and all of a sudden some Shitty Crap Rap Hip Hop music comes on the jukebox. "What the Fuck" ??? Since when did they put this type of Shit into the Jukebox? "It's Sacrilegious" !!! I Fucking Hate this Stuff. So-Called music? I call it Shit! With a capital S. Anyway, I guess there's not much you can do. Well yes. The owner is able to not put that kind of crap in the box if he chooses to do so. No law against not putting Shitty Music in your jukebox. Not the last time I checked anyway. But who knows the way things are going these days? Politicians making insane new laws. It just might happen. I don't want to think about it. I want to think happy thought s today. Anyway, I wish they owner did not out that Shitty Stuff in his Jukebox. It was always great. But I was subject to having to have to listen to a couple of Shitty Hip Hop songs last night, which always bring my mood, and anybody who has good taste, it's enough to change you mood from happy and good, to something going towards the Negative. That's the affect that Crappy Rap so-called music has on people of good taste. I guess the owner wanted to put crap in the jukebox, as I guess he does have a few customers with Shitty Taste in music, so he caters to them as well. Equal opportunity I guess?
Well I had such a good time, that the couple shitty Hip Hop songs didn't bring me down much. The beers, the other great music playing on the jukebox most of the night, was enough to balance out the Crap Hip Hop stuff, the bartender Dave was great, as was the conversation at the bar, and the general upbeat vibe of the place. I really did have a wonderful time at Milano's last nigh, even despite the hip hop. I bought a box in the Kentucky Derby, which if I'm Lucky, I might wine. If not, no biggy, nothing will deter the good time I had, last night and every time over the years. Yes Milano Bar, "I Love You."
Basta !
DBZ
May 3, 2024 NYC
BLUE & GOLD BAR
BLUE and GOLD BAR ... 79 East 7th Street, East Village, NY NY
Everybody's favorite East Village dive pulls in a regular crowd of college kids, bikers, local senior citizens and random eccentrics—like the long-haired guy whose only sound is a high-pitched shriek. Mixed drinks run for as little as four dollars, but that means the pretty Ukrainian owner will have to head to the fridge in the back room for juice, and you might be out of luck with ice. Stay long enough to play pool on the ratty table and mine the juke's selection of hits from the '60s to the '80s. But if at all possible, use the bathroom elsewhere—don't say we didn't warn you. — Kenneth H. Hyman ExtraIn addition to black-and-white photographs documenting the bar's history, Blue & Gold's walls are decorated with fading pictures of European men blowing long Alphorns.
