Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Put another dime in the jukebox, baby


jukebox
Originally uploaded by Total Mess.
I forgot all about sharing the details of last night's adventures with you - my bad (another Americanism)!

On Monday afternoon I emailed Caroline and asked whether she'd like to join me for dinner at a restaurant up the road from me that I'd been dying to try for ages. It's a basic Italian trattoria called "Angelina's", but it always looks so warm and cosy in there, that I couldn't help but wonder what the food was like.

Caroline accepted, and we met there last night. After a glass of Chianti; an onion tart; and half a delicious pasta, I declared the venue "fantastico" and retired with Caro to the bar next door.

Now I am just old enough to remember when the Royal Oak Hotel back home was what I like to call "a bum-crack pub". You know the type I mean - the sort of place you'd expect to find the cast of Cheers, sitting around in flanny shirts with their bum cracks peeking out over their ill-fitting jeans.

Well "Joe's on Broadway" is just such a place. And I loved it. There were about 6 people in the bar, all passing around the one set of dentures between them.

The barman alternated his time between solving the crossword and serving beers to his parched patrons. [Memo to me, he had a rather extensive list of imported beers, which was a lovely surprise].

But it was the jukebox that gave the joint a gold star in my book. I treated the crowd to some real gems - a bit of Van Morrison, some Monkees, the dulcet tones of Sam Cook, and then I threw in some good old John Cougar Mellancamp - just to keep the spirits high. Oh how we enjoyed it.

Okay, oh how I enjoyed it. Whatever. I'll be back, and they'll be sorry.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gaarbi - My Sherona and Dancing Queen should get the crowd going. They may even let you hold their teeth while they are on the dance floor....

Unknown said...

I should be so lucky...hmm that reminds me of ANOTHER song I could have picked. Ahhh, coulda shoulda woulda!

Anonymous said...

They're probably thinking "Eh, City Slickers!" and shaking their heads making their wobbly, wrinkly cheeks wobble even more.

Mind you I did see that you did not have my song!! Sweet Caroline.

Unknown said...

Oh haha I forgot to mention that - I did request it, in fact. Caroline wouldn't let me sing it to her though. She's no fun.

Anonymous said...

Caroline's no fun then! Coz we all know there is more to Sweet Caroline than singing - there's the dance actions as well!!

Pretend microphone, one hand grabbing and clutching at air in all the passionate song moments eg: Hands, Touching Hands, Reaching Out, Touching Me, Touching You.

Hip swaying to "Sweet Caroline BAH BAH BAH"

You haven't sung or danced to a song until you dance to Sweet Caroline - oh, and ACDC Thunderstruck. haha

Oh, and Living End at Le Mans New Years Eve "Just keeping jumping Gab".

haha Man that was a great NYE - I jumped around like a ninja!!

kilabyte said...

And let's NOT forget Chumbawumba ....

Parisienne said...

This brings back fab memories of the Royal Oak back in the day.

I seem to remember a butt crack patron many years back, on seeing our gracious hostess here purchasing a bottle of champagne, say "are you celebrating being pregnant?", "would you like to be?".

Ah, good times ;) Save a spot up on a bar stool for me there sweet pea.