Motorcycles, Tattoos, Bars and Beatniks

I went out to Coney Island today and checked out the "Motorcycle and Tattoo Show" and I have to say it was pretty tame. I went a few years ago and it was a much bigger and wilder scene. I guess all the bikers were riding around in the Catskills this weekend as the weather has been stunning.

More interesting was that I was in Ruby's having a cocktail with a friend and struck a conversation with Elly Simmons who is in NYC on vacation and happens to be the daughter of Richard Simmons who owns Specs' Bar in San Francisco. F.I.B did two years in San Francisco to see what it was like outside the tri-state area in the early 1990's, so I'm familiar with this historic bohemian/beat bar in North Beach located in an alley across from Lawrence Ferlinghetti's famous City Lights bookstore. Being a fan of all things beatnik, I was thrilled to make her aquaintance. Elly is in the process of making a documentary on her father and his historic watering hole, which, at the age of 78 he still manages, so watch out for it!

You have to love a bar that has cards for the ladies that say "SIR, THE LADY DOES NOT WELCOME YOUR ATTENTION." These cards are at Specs' not at Ruby's!