Nestled in a non-descript location in downtown Manhattan’s kitschy Nolita area, on the cusp of the overpriced SoHo area is a bar called Botanica – a dive bar that gives all dives a good name. After walking through Nolita’s narrow (and expensive) side streets and coming across charmeuse blouses and wine lists that cost more than most outpatient surgical procedures, it feels great to enter a dimly-lit, affordable, no-frills spot that takes things back to the true basics.
Around 7:30pm on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, the group of barflies gathered is sparse yet varied. Dane, the trusty bartender is decked out in a simple v-neck white tee and rolled-up jeans, pouring drinks while listening to his favorite album again, The Walkmen’s dejection-drenched You & Me. There are no avant-garde remixes or unnecessary I-pod shuffle modes here – it’s the original album from beginning to end and it sounds particularly pleasant tonight.
The crowd this evening is noticeably subdued. The holidays tend to bring this sentiment out of New Yorkers. The drinkers are here for some liquid courage to face the unusually quiet streets of Gotham, and there’s no better watering hole than Botanica to douse any stressful or solitary feelings – or at least mute those unwanted thoughts for another day.
The interior décor of Botanica never ceases to grab my attention. You’ll see nautical-style circular mirrors strewn randomly on the oddly-hued monochrome walls, battered JBL speakers hanging precariously by some mysterious fastening mechanism, and burgundy-red couches paired with slightly wobbly wooden chairs that are surprisingly inviting. It’s an interesting clash of ornamental elements, but every regular will agree that it works together so well. The best furnishing touch is a lone armchair that sits regally in a shadowy enclave of the main sitting area. What is one supposed to do in this chair? Read an Ayn Rand novel in-between guzzles of Pabst beer or sit akimbo while sipping on warm bourbon? I have no clue – some Botanica secrets are just too deep to decipher.
I chat it up with Dane the bartender for a bit as I order my fuel for the evening – a gin & tonic for myself and a Red Bull & Vodka for my drinking mate. Dane’s part of a Brooklyn band called Salt & Samovar, and he’s only at Botanica three days a week. The small talk is short but sincere, and afterwards, we all slink back into our respective corners and go about our business. It’s nice here; everyone is cordial but nothing is ever forced, fast or fabricated. And to be honest, it’s the closest thing to a true “happy hour” I’ve ever encountered.
Words and Photos by Geo Hagan
Botanica Bar
47 E Houston St, New York, NY – (212) 343-7251
