Growing up in Bayonne, heading to "the city" on a Friday night at 10:00PM was nothing unusual in the 80's.
I was home from college as were my friends, we were legal at the time (19 in NYC) and we went dancing and occasionally drank too much. The same rule applied then as now: Go with your friends, Leave with your friends.
Danceateria, Cat Club, CBGBs, whatever they called that church on 6th ave coverted to a night club back then and other places I can't remember. Studio 54 was for people in their 20's and 30's back in the 80's.
I spent a lot of time (and money) on Bleeker Street then too. The Peculier Pub and the Bitter End (RIP) were my favorites.
McSorley's was a popular hang out of mine and I celebrated my 21st birthday there. And no celebration at McSorely's would be complete if we weren't thrown out by Brendan.
And of course the obligatory slice of pizza from Ray's on 11th and 6th before getting on the PATH on 9th St.
We were young, but not immature. Forcing young people to commit crimes in order to enjoy social activities that they will partake in for the rest of their lives is silly. Keeping them out of cars after the bars, I'm fine with.
whatever they called that church on 6th ave coverted to a night club
That would be the Limelight -- owned by Gatien and implicated in a murder that was turned into the movie Party Monster.
What? You missed Mill's Tavern and David Peel?
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Of the last three big stories of this type, that seems to be the common mistake made by the young women who died.
They left without their friends.
Exactly. You leave with the people you came with. And you ate at Gray's Papayas.
That's where my friends and I spent most of our post-college years hanging out. Loved the Peculiar Pub.
Hung around Mondo Cane, Kenny's Castaways, and The Red Lion the most though. Also used to go to Paddy Reilly's late at night, because Irish reggae/rock/punk/party band would play there until about a quarter to four.
McSorley's was fun in high school. We used to cut school and drag a cooler of beer around Central Park, listening to buskers all afternoon. Then hop in a cab to McSorley's. It got kinda old after high school though. Too many tourists! Best thing about leaving McSorley's though was the dope who hung up a sign that read "No Unnecessary Noise!" outside his building, which caused every single car that drove by to blare it's horn the whole way.
Misguided youth was a lot of fun. Got everybody through it alive, luckily.