Staten Breeze

What is a better way to spend an afternoon than on a free ride out to Staten Island? Well, I'm sure you might have a better idea for example: 1) spending time with family, 2) taking a day trip to the country, 3) ski trip, 4) going to a movie.

Since 1) my family is a couple thousand miles away, 2) the country is expensive and far away, 3) I left my skis at my parents, and 4) I can't find a decent movie theatre in this city, I thought, "Hell, why not!" and boarded the ferry with THE SOUTH for a chilly ride past the Statue of Liberty.

Seemed appropriate since the next day was a national holiday anyway. How better to spend the day before Presidents day than glimpsing our nation's most recognizable symbol.

So that is what we did.

Of course, being too cheap to actually take the ferry to liberty island, we flirted past the Statue on the free ferry which actually does give you a pretty decent, though fleeting, view.

Once at Staten island, THE SOUTH and I decided to actually check it out seeing as neither one of us had actually visited Staten before.

Sadly, I can report there isn't much to see. But I can tell you where to get a decent sandwich, beer and listen to Ace of Base. Ah, yes, it appears we lunched in the '90s. And you'll be happy to know the sandwiches are significantly cheaper, as is the beer, and Ace of Base pretty much sounds the same.

We left after dark and caught a glimpse of the Statue all lit up, torch and all, then headed to a speak-easy in Manhattan. An honest to God speak-easy. Of course it's legal now, but still hard to find. Just a dark door on a non-descript neighborhood street.

I was slightly disappointed that we didn't have to know a special knock or something but regardless, it was a pretty interesting place. The walls were plastered with pictures of famous writers who had frequented the establishment in the past, and the micro-brewed beer wasn't too bad either.

We crossed midnight into Presidents day as true Americans having viewed the Statue of Liberty, rocked out to Ace of Base, and sampled the brews at a bustling speak-easy.

picture courtesy of www.kevincraig.us