So very New York...

There are theme pubs, there are theme pubs, and then there is the theme pub from beyond the grave. Quite literally in the case of Jekyll and Hyde down in Greenwich Village, where I found myself sipping an ale or two with my friend Matt, husband of my good friend Nina and all round top bloke.

Now, before I describe Jekyll and Hyde, I should say that this week has been more or less unexceptional...getting on with the work, trying to keep a lid on everything, basically. My Mum comes to visit for a week tomorrow, so it was good to have the opportunity afforded by Matt's visit on business (with expense account, I might shamelessly add) to catch up with someone I go way back with. There aren't many of them around here right now.

So we had a bite in Chinatown, some decent if not exceptional General Tso's chicken (I have a sneaking suspicion he was mentioned in the dynastic histories I've been reading in Chinese lit) and various other variations on a theme. Thus sated, we went to Greenwich Village to look for a watering-hole. The thing about the village is it's very trendy - I almost felt like I shouldn't be there...someone was going to come up to me and ask me to leave because I wasn't cool enough, to get a decent haircut, or at least put some more work in on my biceps, for goodness' sake.

Anyway, we saw what looked like a good option, the aforementioned Jekyll and Hyde. The decor - well, um, it has to be seen to be believed. Allowing that Halloween is still ten days away, this place looked like it was gearing up for it - skeletons, coffins, old grimoires on the wall, stuffed monsters - the lot, really. But this stuff was apparently there all year round. The restaurant was called, if I remember rightly, the Crematorium, and behind the bar was a talking skeleton who would harangue people waiting to get drinks. Over the PA were broadcast such legendary hits as The Monster Mash, The Time Warp, and more, plus house specials, consisting of singalong classic such as "He's a Werewolf" and "The Mummy's Curse", which we suspected the staff might find a bit grating after a while - this we confirmed later.

And to be fair, it did do a decent drink, though when I asked where the bathroom (we don't say toilet here, it's vulgar) was, the pretty blonde girl on the door told me, with a completely straight face, "Second fake bookcase on the left. Press the books until you find the right one." And so it was. Not easy to find, and Matt managed to embarrass himself by misunderstanding the instructions and walking straight into the Ladies'. Happens to us all mate, don't worry. I won't tell Nina, honest.

But it was a good night, all things considered. I love to welcome people to cities and locales I call home, no matter how exotic or bizarre...and considering how many different places I have lived in, I guess I've had quite a bit of practice.

Earlier, on the Subway, I was priviliged (?) to see a plain-clothes NYPD officer arrest a man on the subway and haul him off at the next stop. All this in one night? You betcha. It's what NYC is all about.