Congratulations to Hung, the new Top Chef

I don’t watch much television, but "Top Chef" is a great show that keeps me coming back every week. The season finale was fantastic, and I’m glad to see that Hung’s consistent skill and culinary imagination was rewarded. Great job Hung--congratulations on winning Top Chef!

The Collins Bar Says Goodbye

The doorway to the immediate left of the porn palace that Travis Bickle enters in "Taxi Driver," after getting his hack job, is the doorway of 735 8^th Avenue – The Collins Bar (look in the upper left hand corner to see the Collins' famous "BAR" sign. The picture below shows a comparison of how the bar looked on its last day.

On Sunday, July 22, this fine Hell’s Kitchen drinking establishment will shutter its doors forever. It is a sad phenomenon indicative of changes occurring all over Manhattan where a glut of high-rise condos are springing up and squeezing out community gathering places like The Collins Bar. Sunday night (July 22) will be a blow out gathering of Collins Bar regulars. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by for a beer and soak up the last moments of a truly great old-school New York bar.

(The Collins Bar 7/20/07)

The End of the Collins Bar.

Sadly, I report that the Collins Bar will be closing at the end of July. They received a "termination of lease notice" that spells the end of one of New York City’s last truly great bars.

If you’re in midtown Manhattan between now and the end of July, by all means enjoy a refreshing beverage at the Collins Bar – on the west side of 8^th Avenue between 46^th and 47^th streets.

The Collins Bar

Forget that what is now The "Collins Bar" is featured in "Taxi Driver" as a '70s Hell's Kitchen Bar, the fact that this old school "long bar" is still one of Times Square's best kept secrets is plenty of reason to pop over to 8th Avenue (close to the corner of 46th street, on the west side of the street) when you're hanging out in NYC.

Hell, Ted Rall and I had some great conversation there just a few hours ago.

Great jukebox, great bartenders and plenty of great beer - this place is my favorite bar in New York. And, without naming names, it's a regular haunt of several other well-known film critics you might overhear dispensing opinions about movies they've just seen at press screenings in the area. This place rocks!