Vibiana's Main Hall

In another example of “downtown is where it’s at,” one of the most notable new spaces to celebrate a party, wedding, concert, or other event is the restored historical landmark Vibiana.  Once the Cathedral of St. Vibiana, the building was set to be demolished to make way for a new modern cathedral complex, but was saved by the persistence of a handful of passionate members of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Now the former cathedral is known as simply “Vibiana,” and functions as an event space.  Corinne Bailey Rae’s Los Angeles appearance will occur here, and she follows in the wake of some elaborate weddings, entertainment industry parties, and charity galas.

The space is beautifully restored and is gorgeous even when undressed.  But add some adornments and fancy lighting and that main hall can be anywhere in the world:

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We were in the East Village, and I was on an archaeological mission: to grab a beer at the oldest (and arguably most famous) pub in New York City. The place doesn’t even merit a Jeopardy! question – it’s McSorley’s Old Ale House, and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re not a Beer Person. We’d tried to have noodles at Ippudo and failed; an hour and a half wait for ramen (regardless of how good it may be) would’ve taken a gash out of our night. Time was of the essence, even in the city that never sleeps. We were leaving the next day. I didn’t feel bad about not taking the boat to the Statue of Liberty; I’d have been devastated if we had missed McSorley’s.

Now, I’m a pretty good traveler, doing my very best to adapt to local cultures and learn the local history. I’d done a bit of research on the place – first opened in 1854; famous patrons included Abe Lincoln, Woody Guthrie, John Lennon; allowed women in 1970. Yes, that last one’s true, and yes, by a “bit” I mean a bit – I read the front page of McSorley’s website in the hotel room earlier that evening. I should have read more – knowing a place solely by reputation sometimes isn’t enough, and it can certainly can lead to awkward moments. I strode up to the bar, looking like (I thought) a local in my black wool peacoat and Harry Potter scarf. “What can I get ye?”, the barkeep asked, in an Irish brogue. I grinned. “I’ll have a Guinness.” He gave me the look reserved for Southern California kooks who think they’re all East Village because they have black wool peacoats. “Don’t serve it”, he growled. “Got the light ale, and the dark.” I felt the eyes of every regular in the place. “Uh…the dark.” Beth ordered the light. I wondered if the ale came with a side order of crow. While we waited, we took the place in.

Hanging from the dusty light fixture are wishbones, and they have a story.

The beer – excuse me, the ale – is served by the pint, split into two mugs. It’s certainly easy on the wallet – $4.50 per – and very easy on the pallet. The dark ale is not heavy, more like a black lager, with barely a hint of hops. The light ale is a passable American-style pale ale; hopheads will be disappointed, but I liked the biscuity flavor and the sweet finish. The place serves food – I was told later that we shoulda order the famous cheese plate.

We were content to just sit and marvel. The decor hasn’t changed much over the past hundred years or so – the walls are completely covered with photos and newspaper clippings and art, some of which dates back to when McSorley’s first opened for business. There’s no TV, no music, just the hum of conversation. In the center of the pub is a marvelous, fully-functioning wood burning stove – it was roaring that night, and made the place warm in all respects. You’ll find a pair of Harry Houdini’s handcuffs if you look hard enough. And you’ll see dusty wishbones hanging off of the light fixture over the bar – the story goes that Yanks heading to Europe during the First World War hung them there, to retrieve them upon their return to the States. The ones that weren’t claimed remain.

We finished up our pints and headed out – destination, the Empire State Building. (The ale, sadly, didn’t provide me with enough liquid courage – the view from the top was lovely and completely terrifying.) I’ll make sure I return to McSorley’s for some ale and cheese the next time I’m in New York, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a little history with their beer – er, ale.

(Photo courtesy of Ontheinside.info)

My first trip to the Big Apple, and I was running on fumes. I’d been there for 72 hours, and in that span I’d seen Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Wall Street, a couple of Villages, a bit of Chinatown, some of Central Park, and all of the Met. (That’s a lot of statues, people.) I also managed to squeeze in some actual work. Oh, and there was a snowstorm. I had one last night in the city. And I needed a drink.

I was meeting up with a couple of fellow writers, Nathan and Matt from the urban dad collective DadWagon.  Nathan had suggested the Hudson Yards Cafe, a gastropub on the fringe of Hell’s Kitchen. Beth and I took a cab from our Times Square hotel to 10th Avenue. I was a tad nervous – Hell’s Kitchen conjured up images of Irish mobsters and Daredevil comic books.

The bar at the Hudson Yards Cafe, well stocked with booze and books.

My fears were, of course, unfounded. The Hudson Yards is a quintessential neighborhood bar, a regulars’ joint with a small but distinguished trio of beers on tap (Guinness, Stella Artois, and regional favorite Yuengling). The food’s a mix of happy hour favorites – we dove into a plate of fried artichoke hearts, and chased those with some excellent hot wings and calamari rings – and more sophisticated bistro fare. The bar’s fully stocked, and the wine list looks solid. The walls are adorned with show posters and photos of celebrities (I geeked out over the photo of That Guy actor Clancy Brown – you know, that guy who played The Kurgan in Highlander and the main guard in The Shawshank Redemption – and was please to see a print of Hunter S. Thompson hanging prominently over the bar). And the bookshelves placed between the liquor racks are a quirky touch.

The crowd was sparse at first – there was a small group next to us playing a dice game, and a couple of guys watching Olympic curling on the TV. But it filled up quickly with the post-work crowd. One hears so much about New Yorkers – hard, rude, mean – but during this trip I found the opposite to be the case, and the Hudson Yards patrons and staff were all smiles and cheer, even after a long snowy day. I ordered a Bombay martini and enjoyed the warm vibe, hoping it would carry us along. We had a few more stops to make, and it was going to be a cold night.

(Photo courtesy of my iPhone.)

Epcot Center? Or Hollywood?

One of the coolest places to see a movie in Los Angeles is the Arclight Hollywood on Sunset Blvd.  The dome-shaped theater was once the Pacific Cinerama Dome, and when the Arclight company assumed ownership of the spot in 2002 they added a new parking garage and refurbished the sprawling lobby with a bustling restaurant and bar.  While waiting for your friends, your dinner reservation, or your movie to start, browse the art and cinema exhibits or shop in the gift store.

But the movie viewing experience is priority number one for all of Arclight’s locations.  Read More »