NYCBP Blog

I first met Alison more than 5 years ago when she was tending bar at Red Rock West. I think she was there for close to 5 years or so. Now she is on Avenue A at Double Down Saloon, a terrific bar that is hard rock nirvana. She really is a kick ass bartender, so you should have many drinks with her. She will knock you out. She is charming, funny, and a blast to drink with. Here we go...

Q: What is your favorite part of bartending?

A: You mean besides getting to sleep in every day? I love that I make money doing almost the very thing I would be doing after work if I had a day job. I go to the bar, hang out with my friends, meet and talk to new people and maybe have a drink or 5. But instead of paying to do it, I'm making money. It's a party every night.

Q: How does bartending in a dive bar differ from other bars?

A: Anything goes. I can come into work and be as loud as I want and no one's going to complain. I don't have to watch my language which is nice (I tend to curse like a sailor). And most importantly, I'm allowed to drink while I work. I could never work in a bar where I had to watch other people drink and I couldn't. People are much more comfortable in a dive bar to come in and be themselves and let their guards down. It's a meeting place. No plans? Show up at your favorite dive and you'll probably run into someone you know. And if not, you've always got the bartender to drink with.

Q: Why should people come and see you?

A: I like to think I create a fun atmosphere at my bar. I genuinely like talking to people and I'm pretty funny (at least people seem to laugh at my jokes). And I'm super high energy. Manic almost, which if nothing else is fun to watch. Oh yeah, and most importantly, I tend to have a heavy hand when pouring drinks. I pour em like I drink em. I don't really know why people come to see me. What I do know is I have more regulars sitting at my bar on any given night then strangers and a ton of drunks can't be wrong.

Q: What's the funniest/craziest thing you've ever seen while working?

A: There's so much I find funny that I could write for days. That's the best thing about being a bartender...you see everything. Crazy...another story. I think I'm jaded. I mean, gridskipper.com put Double Down #3 on there list of best places to get a blowjob in NY so "crazy" is really just every day normal. I have a million funny stories about ID'ing people. Like the time this guy gave me this whole story about how he only had his work ID and then when I checked it (just out of curiosity..not because I would have taken it) it said he was only 20. Idiots like that make my night. One night a few weeks ago I look up from the bar and I see this guy in a storm trooper outfit just standing there. I walk over to see what's going on, and next to him is a midget in a Darth Vader costume. They then got on the bar's pony to take pictures. That was kind of crazy.

Q: And what is your shifts, when do you work.

A: I'm at the Double Down Saloon on Ave A and Houston on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8pm-4am.

Thanks Alison! Now go and drink with her!

Labels: Interviews