Kelly's Bar

Kelly's Bar
Originally uploaded by jggrossm.

My friends pleaded with me not to write about Kelly's Bar on my blog.

Kelly's bar is on the Southwest corner of Cresent & Broadway. It's seductive. From the outside. If you've ever walked by it you know what I'm talking about. It is in a very nice brick building with a European castle-like structure on top. Then the bottom part is what seems like a kelly green stucco. So, it sticks out and, if you're like me, or my friends, you just have to know what's inside.

Now, there's a lot of Irish pubs in Astoria. Many of them have good bartenders, Guinness and Bass on tap, Irish folk music and at least of few older Irish dudes at the bar who all seem to know each other. What's not to like? Plus I *love* when the Irish bartenders call me "lovely lady" or something like that. It just turns me to jelly.

Kelly's did not turn me to jelly. It did however, make me consider the possibly that the Twilight Zone was based on real-life events. The inside of Kelly's is doused in American flags and Christmas lights as though the first was used put out a fire from the second. There is a karaoke machine on the wall and, at least on Sunday nights, it is used. There are no taps and the beer selection is limited, unlike the clientele who are quite diverse, uninhibited and friendly.

Kelly's is not my scene, but it is a scene and I think it's cool get in touch with all different parts of the community. If you check it out, let me know how it goes.

- Joey