St. Patrick's Day 2006 Celebrated with Beer, Basketball and Samba

Robert Abrams
March 17, 2006

Can you think of a better place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than an Irish restaurant? I went to Jake's Saloon. The place was packed with people wearing green, celebrating St. Patrick's Day and watching about 6 different NCAA Tournament Basketball games on the many flat screen TVs. Every table was filled, as well as the spaces between the tables. The patrons really got into the basketball games. At one point a group rooting for California started getting into it with a group rooting for NC State. No blows were exchanged but it got exciting for a moment. Actually, despite ample beer drinking (I had the house beer, the Jake's Ale) the crowd was rather well behaved. The atmosphere was lively and fun. I had a hamburger, which was just what I needed after a long day, and chicken wings, which had more than enough spice to wake me up. Service was friendly, and reasonably prompt considering there was almost no room to move. It just goes to prove that Jake's Saloon is a great place for special events.

After I finished dinner at Jake's Saloon, I went to what might be the least likely place to celebrate St. Patrick's Day: a Brazilian Samba party.

Joann Jimenez's party at The Sullivan Room (218 Sullivan Street, between 3rd and Bleeker) plays what is described as neo-Brazilian fusion (www.emergingarts.com/alma.html). I would describe it as a transitional social dance environment. The music played has a formal dance style that is associated with it. In this case, that style is Brazilian Samba. People can choose to dance in idiom, or if they just like to move, they can do their own thing and bop. When I got there around 11 pm (the party started at 10 pm), there were four women who had most of the floor to themselves. They were dancing true Brazilian Samba. They clearly knew what they were doing, threw themselves into the dance with abandon and enthusiasm and were a pleasure to watch. By about 11:30 pm more people arrived and the floor was packed. I would estimate that at this point half of the people were doing Brazilian Samba in a contained fashion (a legitimate and often necessary variant) and half were doing their own thing. There was even one guy dancing Samba wearing a St. Patrick's Day shirt.

The music was a mix of DJed CDs overlain with live drums. The party had a homey, den-like vibe. If you are into Samba or freestyle, you should check out this party. Admission is a reasonable $15 at the door (and email Joann for $10 All Night w/RSVP to muzikbutrfly@earthlink.net). The coat check is a reasonable $3. There was only one problem: the bar doesn't serve Caipirinhas. Fix this one minor flaw and Joann and colleagues and The Sullivan Room would have a perfect Brazilian party. Add some Forró into the music mix and it would be better than perfect. There were a few couples dancing together to the Samba - it would be great to give them some related music that is meant to be danced together.

St. Patrick's Day at Jake's Saloon
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Aaron takes an order for the hungry crowd at Jake's Saloon
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Team California watches the game at Jake's Saloon
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Watching many games at once at Jake's Saloon
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

The drummer at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Dancing Samba at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Dancing Samba at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

The drummer at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Dancing together at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

The place is packed at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams

Dancing Samba in St. Patrick's Day attire at The Sullivan Room
Photo courtesy of Robert Abrams