College Point Class Conflict Pub Crawl 2007 Update

It's on! I've been meaning to have an update here since early summer, but times are busy. For those of you who are just joining us, the CPCCPC is an urban alchotourism exploration of the blue-collar New York City neighborhood that spawned the Bellinger brothers. We take a group of white-collarized native New Yorkers, mix in some out-of-town friends, and go drinking in a neighborhood where our ilk is not supposed to exist. Last year, we had great conversations and were given free drinks all night.

You can read the preview of last year's adventure here, or see a Dan Meade Photoset of the tour itself here. Dan also posted a summary here. I've yet to finish writing mine.

There will be some important changes to the routes this year. First, the Point Bar and Grill has finally gone out of business after a long decline. I'm honored to have pissed in the venerable trough there less than a year before the bar went out of business. Our Uncle Len said that back in the 60s, College Point was known as a town of "barbershops and bars." The Point Bar and Grill was probably the only existing establishment whose roots reached back that far.

We also have two new establishments to work with this year:

1. A. R.'s Tavern. Which actually has a website, and free wi-fi. Pre-opening photo here.
   
2. Halligan's. Offers free breakfast at 8am, as well as a free first round to all Pepsi route drivers based at the College Point bottling plant. Was formerly J.R.'s, which had been shut down by the NYPD.

So here's a proposed route, which will start either at 8am or 8pm the day after Thanksgiving (or the day before Thanksgiving):

1. Bellinger Family Homestead
2. Pour House, 9th Ave at CP Blvd.
3. A.R.'s Tavern, CP Blvd at 14th Rd.
4. The Five Corners, 14th Ave at 15th Ave. and 127th St. The last German restaurant in town, which will probably go out of business soon. Have never eaten there.
5. Metal/Sports bar at 14th Ave and 130th St. We had bet on having a fight here last year.
6. Return to "downtown" CP for memorial viewing of Point Bar and Grill's remains, CP Blvd. at 15th Ave.
7. Rob Roy Spirit's [sic], CP Blvd between 18th and 20th Aves
8. Halligan's, CP Blvd at 23rd Ave (or, tour could start here with breakfast)
9. The SPORTS GARDEN at 23rd Ave for 2nd annual grand finale--lasting past 3am.

Again, the rules are no cars and no weapons, which puts us at a distinct disadvantage in Queens but holds up well with juries.