{"id":24871,"date":"2022-01-19T16:27:41","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T21:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24871"},"modified":"2022-01-19T16:27:44","modified_gmt":"2022-01-19T21:27:44","slug":"outabout-156","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24871","title":{"rendered":"Out&About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tangiers Blues Band live at Stitch Bar and Blues<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Paddy McCarthy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At long last I was able to go Out&About and it was like a breath of fresh air let me tell yea. I got off the train in Penn Station around 1 pm and I headed straight to Houndstooth Bar and Restaurant<\/strong> on Eight Avenue to meet one of the owners Nicholas Cohen<\/strong> and what a pleasure it was too as I hadn\u2019t been Out&About for a very long time. We had a good chat about the hospitality business and like everybody else it sucks of course over this pandemic that I know is affecting everybody else as well. I had a nice pint of Guinness <\/strong>that went down very well and as they say in Ireland was \u201cas good as mothers\u2019 milk\u201d, it\u2019s only a saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We then proceeded across the road to Stitch Blues Bar<\/strong> that is also owned by Nicholas and his partners, now this is some place. It what you would call a musician\u2019s delight as it has a professional stage and guess what? A full backline now that\u2019s what I\u2019m talking about as a musician myself it also had a full kit of drums wow! Yes, I was a bit thirsty so I had a Stella Artois<\/strong> that was nice and served by the bartender Ana who had a fabulous personality. I can tell you now that you just can\u2019t beat having a pint or a meal for that fact in a regular bar or restaurant; it\u2019s not the same as doing it at home. Guess why? It\u2019s the atmosphere. I am not knocking having a drink or a meal at home, it\u2019s just that when you\u2019re out and about meeting friends and colleges it has that buzz when you\u2019re in a bar or restaurant. I left Stitch Blues Bar and headed over to the Pig\u2019N\u2019Whistle on 36th Street<\/strong> to meet Cormac McCormack<\/strong> who is the managing partner of the establishment and boy does he run a steady ship. If you want to watch sports, any sports, especially rugby that\u2019s the place to be believe me. Yes! I had one or two as you know I was not driving. I\u2019m out of the shell so what else should I do? You said it, that\u2019s right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, I didn\u2019t stop there as long as I wanted to as I was trying to make up for lost time because of this pandemic and what it has done to the hospitality businesses it\u2019s a shame. No, I am not getting into politics about this as it is a pandemic that should be left to the doctors and scientist to tell us what to do, am I right? Every day some politician has a new idea of what should be done and 99% don\u2019t even know what they are talking about. I better stop as always promise myself no politics in this column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I almost took my mind off where I was going\u2026 it was down to Stout<\/strong> on 33rd Street right across from Penn Station. I planned that very well huh? Here is the really good news about Stout, you get a wonderful pint of Guinness in a 20-ounce glass just like at home, now where would yea get it? I have to tell you they have a very nice business as it\u2019s just across from Madison Square Garden and there were a couple of college games going on at the time with Stout right across the road; what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To all the readers of this column who\u2019ve requested and missed my visits to as many Irish bars and restaurants when I am out and about now here you got, well somebody has to do it so it might as well be me ha-ha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, on to something that\u2019s also uplifting so guess what that is? Saint Patrick\u2019s Day<\/strong> and the festivities that surround it. Hopefully all goes well this year so that we have our parade back as it brings so much joy to almost everybody Irish, Irish American and all those Americans who become Irish on that day, as it has to happen New York City needs it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brian Moran will be the featured speaker at the IBO’s January Evening Event on Wednesday January 19th<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Irish Business Organization<\/strong> are now going big time with their January 19th evening event. It will be held this Wednesday from 6.30 to 8-30 pm on Zoom and will feature Brian Moran<\/strong> who will be talking of \u201cMastering Time Management\u201d which should be interesting. Here is a little bit on Brian: \u201cAs the Founder & CEO of\u00a0Small Business Edge, Brian is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs achieve their objectives and to run better businesses. Brian, along with a team of top subject matter experts, is building a community platform that helps entrepreneurs run better, more efficient companies.\u00a0\u00a0Prior to rejoining the world of entrepreneurship, Brian was an Executive Director at\u00a0The Wall Street Journal\u00a0where he led the sales development and marketing programs for the financial and small business categories among the many Journal brands.\u00a0From 2002-2010, Brian was President of Veracle Media and Moran Media Group, two companies that provided relevant and practical information to business owners which helped them start, manage and grow their companies. The companies published three national magazines for the small-to-midsize business market:\u00a0Small Business Success, Urban Success\u00a0and\u00a0Winning Bids.\u00a0In 2012, Brian was a winner of SCORE\u2019s Lou Campanelli Award which recognizes outstanding individual volunteerism, leadership, vision and philanthropy in support of small business, entrepreneurship and SCORE. In 2012 and 2013, Brian was named one of the top 100 SMB Influencers in the country by Small Business Trends & Small Biz Technology.\u00a0 In 2015, Brian was awarded the Small Business Excellence Award by the Irish Echo Newspaper<\/em>.\u00a0Brian sits on several boards of small business organizations and is a strategic advisor to business owners and entrepreneurs worldwide through his interviews, published articles and blog posts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This next message I have to let you know about is very important. Only individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to enter The Irish Repertory Theatre<\/strong>.\u00a0All guests must wear a properly-fitting approved face mask over their nose and mouth at all times in the theatre, even while in their seat. They strongly encourage audience members to use\u00a0KN95 or N95 masks, and will have approved masks for anyone who requires one. As guidelines continue to change, they are constantly monitoring the rules and regulations put forth by the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and New York City\u2019s \u201cRestart NYC\u201d guidance for businesses as well as the new Key to NYC program instituted on August 3rd. If you have any additional questions, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact The Irish Repertory Theatre box office at (212) 727-2737.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a little reminder that the Installation Reception honoring The Aides to the Grand Marshal, James T. Callahan, of The 261st NYC Saint Patrick\u2019s Day Parade<\/strong> will be held at Antun\u2019s<\/strong> (96-43 Springfield Blvd. in Queens Village) on Sunday February 27th from 3pm. Installation\u00a0Reception<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a list of the Aides to The Grand Marshal for this year\u2019s parade: New York County: Thomas A. Beirne<\/strong>, Bronx County: Joe McManus<\/strong>, Queens County: Margaret M. Costello<\/strong>, Kings County: Julie Walsh<\/strong>, Richmond County: Noreen P. Hansen<\/strong>, Rockland County: Lillian C. Murphy<\/strong>, Nassau County: Thomas P. Costello<\/strong>, Orange County: James D. O\u2019Malley<\/strong>, Suffolk County: Stephen D. Lemanski<\/strong>, Westchester County: Ann Guerin Haugh<\/strong>, United Irish Counties: Ann M. Hearn<\/strong>, United Irish Counties: Thomas G. Tuffy<\/strong>, Grand Council of Emeralds: Edward Grayson<\/strong>, Knights of St Patrick: Thomas P. Reynolds<\/strong>, Aide at Large: Catherine Tully Muscente<\/strong>, Archdioceses of New York: Michael J. Deegan<\/strong>, NYPD: Desmond\u00a0Stokes<\/strong>, FDNY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For additional information about\u00a0the\u00a0reception, contact\u00a0Reception Chairs: Hilary Beirne or Katie Barrett\u00a0or email\u00a0GMevents@NYCStPatricksParade.Org<\/a>\u00a0or contact the\u00a0Parade office at (718) 231 4400.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About\u2026 <\/p>\n

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