Today we mark the end of an era in old New York folklore, as I have been informed that the Abbey Tavern is no more. St. Ides broke it to me gently in the following manner: “Oh! And did I tell you the Abbey closed down? It was a sad day in BDF history when Richie Rheingold walked by the place a month or two ago, and it was shut down and the windows were all covered with newspaper. According to (name removed due to vile content), the place has reopened as a trendy yuppie bar with some gay name like "Rumors" or "Twirlies" or "The Spin" or something like that.”
Twirlies???
I spent many a night at the Abbey during my formative years. It was an old traditional Irish pub, where the Guinness was fresh and the lads and lasses who served you spoke with a true Irish brogue. Whether you wanted corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, or one of the biggest bawdiest cheeseburgers in the city, this was the place to find it. The Abby was the real deal.
I never could tell you exactly where the Abbey was, somewhere near 21st Street and Third Ave., but I could always find it. Once, while working at the now defunct “Computer Era”, I decided to quit and found my way to the Abbey. After a cheeseburger and several “Black and Tans” I came to my senses and returned to my job. I knew it was the right decision. The following week the filthy sons of bitches fired me, allowing me to collect unemployment for nine months.
About a year after I had my heart procedure, I found myself back in the hospital suffering chest pains. After a battery of tests concluded that my arteries had not re-clogged, I celebrated at the Abbey, this time opting for the bacon cheeseburger with extra mayo. I remember thinking it was really nice that the Abbey was so close to NYU. Of course in retrospect I probably should have checked myself into the equally convenient Bellevue after I finished my meal.
When the Knicks went up two games to none against the Bulls in one of their myriad of playoff series in the 1980’s, I was at the Abbey with my cousin cheering them on. I remember yelling “Second City! Second City!” at the Chicago fans at the bar as the Abbey crowd cheered me on. The Bulls, of course, came back in the series to beat the Knicks. I wasn’t around for those games. One interesting aside: The Abbey had a historical attachment to the Knicks. Former head coach Rick Pitino grew up near the Abbey, and frequented the bar as well. The legend has it that Pitino, Hubie Brown and Al McGuire would meet at the Abbey after the Knick games and talk shop, diagramming defenses on the table using salt shakers and ketchup bottles. If you can find a copy of Pitino's book "Born to Coach" you can read about it there.
I loved the Abbey tavern. So it made sense that when St. Ides approached me several years ago and asked if I knew a good bar for BDF to meet near their 23rd Street studio, I recommended the Abbey. Well, the Abbey and “Live Bait” which was a really popular bar in the late 1980’s. St. Ides chose the Abbey and chose well, and in the end the Abbey became a BDF bar. The torch once again had been passed. Now, the stories of BDF’s ability to consume have become legends, as anyone familiar with the band can attest. I hope that my partner in crime takes some time to scribe his Abbey memories on these pages, for I can assure you that his stories are worth telling. But gentle reader, I leave you with this thought: once BDF had comfortably slipped into semi-retirement and were no longer regulars at the Abbey, the doors quietly closed on the old Irish bar and the Guinness flowed no more.
Coincidence?
No comments:
Post a Comment