Slane: Understandably, most Irish pubs come in a standard Guinness-shaped mold. But when Giuliani scoured NYC, making it safe for bar-loving yuppies to stay out late and spend money without fear of being mugged, he may have scrubbed a bit too deep. In similar fashion, Slane is a bleach-cleaned Irish pub. New clean lines, French doors, polished brass, plasma TVs, Spanish-style arches, and free WiFi offer a glimpse of the “new pub.” Yes, it’s nice to have a drink in a bar where you don’t have to get a rabies shot after using the loo, and the mellow but gussied-up vibe does make for a nice third-date spot. But in the end, something cultural, something inherently New York, is lost. |
