Williamsburg's gay bar Sugarland joined the party last year. Located at 221 North Ninth Street, in the hip Brooklyn neighborhood, it has apparently begun to receive positive press in the Sunday New York Times. A quote taken from the article notes, "HIDDEN among the vacant lots and bleak brick warehouses of industrial Williamsburg, a go-go boy shimmied." Over here, we aren't sure when the author may have visited the bar? Was it in the 1990s before the advent of chic condos? This is industrial Williamsburg no longer.
The inviting roof-top terrace looks onto a series of empty lots, cleared for incoming condo developments. All of the adjacent blocks are filled with expensive and expansive new homes. One wonders how long Sugarland will hold out, with pretentious neighbors facing this gay Eden below. Yes, the bar will literally be surrounded on all sides by new construction. With the face of Williamsburg so quickly changing, why would the bar's owners want to locate here?
This "happening" bar, that gay men are apparently are rushing to get into, has been empty the two times I have visited. Admittedly, the party must get started in the wee hours of the night, but one of the two times I visited was New Year's Eve, at about 11 pm. You would think with just an hour to go until 2008, the place would be packed with revelers. But it wasn't, which likely means it isn't for everyone, just those interested in seeing the sun rise.
There is nary a mention of the true gay hipster haven in this article. Metropolitan Bar, located a few blocks away at Metropolitan and Lorimer, is the true landmark of Gay Williamsburg. It too offers no cover, a laid back vibe, a jukebox, and crowds. Thankfully it will probably be a part of the neighborhood for the long haul.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Disputing a New York Times Review: Sugarland Brooklyn
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
do your homework. metropolitan is owned by the same people as sugarland. IT even has the SAME manager and some of the same staff. sugarland is just a new angle on the same vibe, with a focus more on having a space to dance, play, and perhaps in the future, see performances. Justin Bond of kiki and herb performed there, along with underground queer bands Woman of Color and Fierce Perm and several others. When are these blog "writers" going to quit relying on lame terms like "hipster" and focusing on the condo situation as some huge fat cat brew ha ha? I suppose this is the first time gentrification ever happened ONE STOP FROM MANHATTAN ON A SUBWAY TRAIN.
as far as the New Years Eve scenerio. MOST bars have slow business until after the new year rings in and then business picks up after people ring in the new year and start to go out or bar hop. I work in a established east village bar as a bartender. at Midnight i had 15 dollars in tips. by 4 am, i had $650. Had you popped in at midnite you would have thought it was going to be dead.
Not to mention this bar has only been open for a couple of months. this article was full of nothing but half assed opinions. and while we are throwing out half ass opinions, i've got a few to add. When are people in NY, which is supposed to have this vibrant night life, going to quit expecting these just add water and shake situations when it comes to nightlife? the party is made up by the people that attend. so if the party is lame, its because the people there are lame. I've been to sugarland MANY times and had a great time. probally cuz i brought the party with me, and wasn't waiting around like a lame duck for someone cooler and more fun than me to come in and make me feel special. LOOK if you just want to be in a full bar with a bunch of pretentious cobrasnake photogs, take your ass to manhattantowne. If you have HALF a personality and aren't some cunty SNOB, than sugarland can be a riot.
or you could just sit in your house and work on your blog. we know how important the blogosphere is to the state of the world. what would we do without poorly written, under researched articles by people who DON'T know what they are talking about?
just an opinon.
oh, oh, snap.
Post a Comment