Jimmy's Corner, NYC
Times Square is like that remote-control car I always wanted when I was a kid. When I finally got it I only used it a handful of times and from then on it sat on a shelf, gathering dust. Times Square is built up as something big, something special, a must-do in Manhattan, but whenever I go there I’m surrounded by other tourists trying outdo each other’s selfies, the lights flicker, taxi horns screech. When I get there all I can think of is planning an escape. I ran from Times Square in search of some respite and Jimmy’s was there, Jimmy’s was the answer. A narrow, blink-and-you-miss-it, old-school dive bar, with walls plastered with boxing memorabilia and a piece of plain white paper pinned to the bar, surrounded by dollar notes, written in capitals, ‘Let’s not discuss politics here.’ It sums up Jimmy’s Corner. It’s an escape, a fantasy world, a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, life, politics and all the demons. A world of only bourbon, beer and boxing. A stark and ref...