East 7th Street, Mcsorley’s — © Brian Rose (digital camera)
After a sub-freezing week featuring several inches of snow, today warmed up well into the 40s. I went out with the view camera near the end of the day and took one photograph as the light began to fall. I did several versions similar to the view above.
This scene in front of McSorley’s Ale House has been repeating itself on weekends for years. McSorley’s is very old, famous bar, but ultimately just a bar. Nevertheless, out-of-towners–one presumes–line up to be admitted into the hallowed taproom.
To the rear is the new apartment tower on Astor Place, the brownstone Cooper Union building, and the construction is related to a new Cooper building just out of sight to the left. I’ll have more on that later.
What I wouldn’t do for a pair of their sweet, dark ales right now- not to mention their ham sandwiches with the tear inducing, nasal passage clearing mustard (on an early weekday afternoon)…
They do have great beer–haven’t had the sandwiches–but I’ll pass on the weekend line and ambiance. Snobby New Yorkers like myself avoid the so-called bridge and tunnel crowd at all costs. When cornered, however, I lose my snarl and tend to be quite friendly to the non-natives. Go figure.