A Little Bit of Tierney's in My Life

Meet the Pink Lady. I don't know what's in it, but it looks pretty and chic.
H. prefers a tall glass of Smithwick's Irish red ale-style beer. I hate beer.

I never thought I'd like a neighborhood bar. In the town I grew up in, they seemed dark and suspect. Lonely and secretive. Otherworldly, all wood paneling and dirty floors. Actually, I wouldn't know, because I never stepped inside. But I do know my taste runs more to the Palm Court at the Plaza. Yes it does. My name is Alice Rose, and I would like my drink in a fancy glass, please.

But tonight I went with H. to Tierney's on Valley Road in Montclair. It's been around since 1934. He goes once a week [usually Wednesday nights at about 9:30] with his friends M. and J. After we chose our firm, king-size mattress @ Sleepy's--with some expert help from a very nice salesman named Norman, who said I think you'll be very happy with this bed--H. asked if I wanted to head to Tierney's. I said OK.

I've been there before. Our close friends love it, and we've met them for casual Friday night dinners, with and without our kids. The fare runs to tuna melts and burgers, and H., the vegetarian, gets his signature melted Swiss on rye with sauerkraut.

A week ago, I was there with five of the boot camp girls--we surprised Patsy with a birthday lunch [grilled chicken sandwiches] and I brought a chocolate cake with sour-cream frosting made with Lake Champlain Chocolates dark chocolate chips. [Please note, it was a single round layer. I know my Patsy & Co. don't like to overindulge.] A while ago, my friend Anne's wonderful husband, M., had her 50th surprise party at Tierney's in the upstairs room. It was great fun.

What can I say, my Lilly Pulitzer aqua and green Murfee scarf and Tory Burch tote still seem out of place there. That's what I thought walking in tonight.

In spite of myself, I liked it. It was cozy and intimate and really nice to sit next to my H., knee to knee. He had on his blue Levi's. He had his Smithwick's, and I had seltzer with lime, b/c I was planning to get some work done later, which I didn't. I could imagine generations of other people--men, mostly--who had lifted their glasses before us. I'm beginning to think H. really does have some things to teach me.

Here's the link: www.tierneystavern.com

A toast to your health and happiness. Good night.

P.S. I have never had a Pink Lady but hope to one day. That might be a good hint to my big sister, who takes me everywhere and shows me lots of sophisticated things.

Thank you, Wikipedia: A pink lady is a classic gin-based cocktail with a long history. The egg-whites and cream mix creates a foam that floats on top of the drink and gives it a unique texture. Due to its name, color, ingredients, and texture, the Pink Lady is traditionally a very feminine drink choice, colloquially known as a "girly drink." Writer/bartender Jack Townsend speculated in his 1951 The Bartender's Book that very non-threatening appearance of the Pink Lady may have appealed to women who did not have much experience with alcohol. Ironically, the Pink Lady is very dry by today's standards, with its gin base and slight grenadine flavoring lacking the extreme fruit flavor or sweetness that modern drinkers associate with girly drinks. The plain taste of the drink reinforces Townsend's hypothesis that this drink achieved its feminine reputation by way of appealing to women with little experience in drinking.