Life Behind The Lens

His Majesty is not normally in the habit of throwing out endorsements, unless they are of a brewed nature, but here is one that strangely fits into that category. The Great Books Have Been Written is the photo blog of a fellow Imperialist, Danny Weiss (as in... Weiss Bier). A fine photographer from the school of William Eggleston, he's been shooting the New York streets for years. He managed to capture some familiar Imperialists in their pursuit of the revelry and merriment one evening. The joy of this moment is now forever on film.

A Taste of Old New York

Stuck in the Flatiron district, looking for a pint, can be a dire situation for some. Fear not, however, there is an Oasis. Old Town Bar is a drinking landmark. Thru and thru this is a turn of the century place. Both beers and food are on the level. Just walking inside you know you've arrived someplace special.

I went in one summer afternoon with a friend some years ago. I ordered a beer and the friend ordered a glass of wine and then excused himself to the bathrooms. The bartender brought over our drinks and asked me, "what's wrong with your friend?", as he placed down the glass of wine. Old Town, indeed.


7 out of 10 Pints.

Imperial Cinema - The Prestige

An addition to the annals of Imperial Cinema that might have squeaked by, if I hadn't rewatched it during a bout of unemployment, is 2006's The Prestige. Directed by Christopher Nolan of Batman fame and based on a book by Christopher Priest, The Prestige is the story of two feuding magicians at the turn of the century.

Great movie overall, the kind that creeps up on you after a couple of viewings. There are a few great scenes where Hugh Jackman indulges in the imperial pint in a wonderful looking establishment. Also factoring into this story is a drunken actor, who cannot refuse a "very welcome pint of ale".

The Daughter of a Pagan and a Catholic

A true imperial destination in the East Village is St. Dymphna's pub. A good pour and good food, the only issue being that it gets a little bit crowded at times. Being that St. Dymphna is the patron saint of mental and nervous disorders, maybe its fitting that a nice pint would calm one down in her namesake bar.

8.5 out of 10 Pints.