Inside the pub, everything is stripped-down and cool: the décor is white and RAF blue, with simple wooden tables on bare floorboards.
In a room above a Dalston pub, everything - politics, art, history, madness in Hackney - got discussed by a splendidly diverse group.
It's miners and pubs, everything that is not Islamic".
"I know it's bullshit," we say, then go down the pub and regurgitate everything as fact.
There is Father Damien the priest, Fifi the misty and lonely widow, Sister Bonaventure the ancient nun, and Dara and Mona who run the pub and hence everything else.
And while we're on the topic of music, the West Village has the Village Vanguard (villagevanguard.com) for jazz, hot and otherwise, and City Winery (citywinery.com) for folk and country music; in NoHo, Joe's Pub (joespub.com) has everything from comedy to classic rock.
No wonder Ireland shut down more completely than any other country in the world -- schools, pubs, business, transport, everything -- on its day of mourning for the Sept. 11 attacks.
I would programme an immersive day of music throughout London, in squares, courtyards, alleyways, warehouses, pubs, and churches, everything from Lieder to chamber music to large scale orchestral works, with a treasure hunt taking you from one musical experience to another, each one linked to the one before.
We - mostly tourists, with one or two locals, a mix of gay and straight; but all word-perfect in Abba lyrics and up for it - meet at the Oxford Hotel, a seen-it-all, done-everything pub in the heart of Sydney's gay district, where Claire's outfit raises not an eyebrow.
James is welcome in my pub any time but everything in moderation.
Almost everything, from pub fare like fish and chips and shepherd's pie to hearty sandwiches, is $8 to $10.
