白馬客棧/White Horse Tavern
1953年的一個冬夜，來自威爾斯的詩人迪倫湯瑪斯(Dylan Thomas)在這裡喝下十八杯的威士忌，踉蹌走出酒吧，倏然倒下。不久後就在醫院過世。
這是關於紐約文學酒吧最不朽的傳說。店裡牆上現在還有一幅他的畫像來證明這個都市傳說。
關於這家酒吧的另一個故事是，美國戰後最重要的作家之一梅勒（Norman Mailer）在這裡和他的同伴們飲酒高談時，想出創立一份另類文化的免費刊物：村聲雜誌(Village Voice)。後來村聲的編輯們也常在這裡開會。
敲打的一代（Beat Generation）作家克洛亞克(Jack Kerouac)更常在這裡喝到被趕出去。在其著名小說Desolation Angles中，他甚至說他在廁所牆壁上看到「克洛亞克滾回家」的字。
巴黎的文人們在昏黃溫馨的咖啡館中激辯哲學與藝術，紐約的文人們則在黑暗迷離的酒館中，用溫熱的思想下酒，在微醺或狂醉中追求解放。
是的，咖啡讓人頭腦清澈，酒精則讓人思想奔放。而紐約是宜於後者的，因為巴黎過於雅致與古典，紐約的骯髒與頹敗更宜於酒後的嘔吐、憤怒與昏眩----然則在那些嘔吐出的穢物中，你總是可以撿拾起瘋狂而美麗的文字。
那個文學巨人的時代或許已遠，但那些偉大的寫作者們還是常常隱身在酒吧內的暗影中。尤其，在這個酒吧禁煙的無聊年代中，如果你見到一縷煙霧，那很可能就是這些不識實務的老傢伙們。別忘了敬他們一杯酒。
1. White Horse Tavern
2. Chumley’s
3.McSorley's Old Ale House
4.Pete’s Tavern
6.
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Should an artist working within the revolutionary landscape of rock accept laurels from an institution? Should laurels be offered? Am I a worthy recipient?
I have wrestled with these questions and my conscience leads me back to Fred and those like him — the maverick souls who may never be afforded such honors. Thus in his name I will accept with gratitude. Fred Sonic Smith was of the people, and I am none but him: one who has loved rock ’n’ roll and crawled from the ranks to the stage, to salute history and plant seeds for the erratic magic landscape of the new guard.
Because its members will be the guardians of our cultural voice. The Internet is their CBGB. Their territory is global. They will dictate how they want to create and disseminate their work. They will, in time, make breathless changes in our political process. They have the technology to unite and create a new party, to be vigilant in their choice of candidates, unfettered by corporate pressure. Their potential power to form and reform is unprecedented.
Rock ’n’ roll drew me from my mother’s hand and led me to experience. In the end it was my neighbors who put everything in perspective. An approving nod from the old Italian woman who sells me pasta. A high five from the postman. An embrace from the notary and his wife. And a shout from the sanitation man driving down my street: “Hey, Patti, Hall of Fame. One for us.”
I just smiled, and I noticed I was proud. One for the neighborhood. My parents. My band. One for Fred. And anybody else who wants to come along.
