One Last NYC bit

So after a day full of meetings on Tuesday a few of us headed out for a quick drink right by our offices.

The first place we tried to go to was called Live Bait, which, for many reasons rung a bell in this feeble old mind of mine but I couldn't place where.  It's right on the south end of Madison Square Park and looking like it belonged on a pier in the ocean somewhere in Florida.

Very fitting that there's Coca-Cola logos on the sign by the way, but I digress.

It was literally heaving with people/youngsters/hipsters.  It's part BBQ and part Raw Bar which would have been fun but alas, the three of us 40-somethings decided to go somewhere we could sit and talk and we went around the block to a place called Almond's which was very nice, but that's not important right now.

It bugged me as to why LiVE bAit stuck in my head and so the minute I got back to my hotel room (which was the one that cost $492.10 per night before taxes thanks to the U.N. being in session....damn diplomats) I cranked up the Internets and started Googling my backside off.

Found loads of reviews, fan pages, etc., but it was on about page 4 of the Google Search that I found it.  Like the scene in cartoons where the skies part, the heavenly angels music plays and the lights shines down upon you there it was.

Yes, just upstairs from this jumpin' joint was where, in late 1972, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss had auditions for a lead guitarist for their band Wicked Lester which of course went on to become "You wanted the best, You GOT the best, KISS".  This is where Ace Frehley showed up and three weeks later, was in the band.

Love this and had to take a picture.