When I was finally sprung from cable duty today, I decided to head to the ol' East Village late this afternoon to check out this new Good Beer place on East 9th that ol' Grievey had posted about fairly recently. Being somewhat unduly enamored of the golden beverage, the notion of a new shop dedicated solely to "good beer" was one that intrigued me significantly. I had visions of freezerfuls of exotic lagers and far-flung selections. Sadly, I found the place filled to the rafters with lamentable yupsters, standing around like it was a cocktail party, kibbutzing in the aisles and blocking access to the freezers. The beers that I happened to spy weren't anything too special anyway. I didn't stay long, in any event.
I looped around on Avenue A and started heading back west on 10th street. I popped my head into my friend Mike Z's place, Obscura. Mike and I were fellow interns back at SPIN Magazine in -- good gravy -- 1989. We've kept in touch ever since. In any case, for the past several years, Mike's run this amazing little shop filled with bizarre antiques of every shape and description. Looking for a stately pair of candlesticks for your dining room table? Mike probably cannot help you. Looking for a jar containing a spotted piglet in formaldehyde, some genuine Third Reich poker chips or an ornate collection of Shriner fezzes? Mike's your man.
What I didn't know, meanwhile, is that Mike is now kinda famous. He's not just "internet" famous like some other bozos I know, either -- the shop now has it's own show on the Discovery Channel! Who knew, right? In any case, before I could shake his hand, Mike started rummaging around in a dusty cabinet and pulled out a present he'd been saving for me. Prized at some junk fair in Pennsylvania, I believe, Mike's gift to me was an old canister of --- wait for it -- PABLUM. I thought that was most cool.
Anyway, you should go check out Obscura. You can find its official website here, its Facebook page here and the show's website here. Below is a clip starring Mike himself!!!
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