Otto's Shrunken Head
Okay, I feel like I’m going full circle with this post. I’m meeting some friends at Otto’s Shrunken Head tonight, the very first bar I went to on my 365 bar crawl. It’s hard to believe, but it was over two years ago on a Sunday evening that I started that beer-fueled journey. I’ve been back since, but never on a Sunday. I’m looking forward to taking a step back in time! And I’m hoping that Lani Ford is bartending, she has the dubious honor of being the first bartender on this bar crawl, let’s go see!
Otto's is a straight line down 14th Street. It's not always such a straight line on the way home!
And here we are at Otto's Shrunken Head, I love their neon sign!
Every Sunday at Otto's Frank Wood hosts the popular, "Wind Down Sunday," that hosts a good number of bands and there's no cover. It's a great deal and a fun night.
Tiki carved heads are on display in the front window.
And here we are inside Otto's. It's always nice and dark in here with a bit of a green glow. A nice little oasis.
And here's Lani! Lani's a musician and songwriter and has a new band called, Tania and the Revolutionaries.
Here's the new CD, check out some of the tunes and more information here: Tania and the Revolutionaries.
A shot of some of the lit-up bottles behind the bar.
The view from my perch at the bar.
A hula goddess hangs on the wall in the front of the bar.
And here's the host of the evening, the legendary Frank Wood! I told him that Clacky sends his regards from Australia and he said to say hello, so hello to Clacky from Frank Wood! Then he told me to stop stalking him via my blogs!
Then Goggla and Ed showed up, Ed was a llttle camera shy, so I took a solo shot of Goggla. Then she gave me a gift...
A Gumby shot glass! Too cool! We Ottomized him with a monkey and an umbrella.
Time to break him in, Lani pours a shot of tequila in Gumby.
Cheers! Hey...you can't turn your back on that Frank Wood guy for a second!
A tiki mask and shelves of tiki mugs.
Wow, I was going to check out some of the bands, but it's standing room only.
So it's back to the front half of the bar.
I love the vintage cash register at the bar.
Some Tiki albums decorates this section of the wall in the bar.
Eric showed up and I introduced him to Frank.
Check out Eric's Mars Bar shirt, too cool! It's designed by NYC artist, Sergy and it's a design he originally put on the outside of the Mars Bar. Here's some photos of Sergey in action: EV Grieve. If you'd like a shirt, you can get one here, but you better hurry, there's a limited amount available. All profits from the shirts are going to a non profit charity.
And the party's complete as Lindsay, Shawn and the Duncester show up!
Meanwhile, back at the bar, it appears Gumby needs to build up a little tolerance!
So I took him home to join the rest of the Gumby family. See you all tomorrow!
Otto’s Shrunken Head
538 East 14th St. (Near Avenue A)
212-228-2240
Further Reading: Tiki Central, Village Voice and critiki.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
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Bonus Photo by Shawn Chittle!
Shawn sent me this photo. A Peoria Emporium in New York? Well, there's 7-Elevens on every corner now, so why not! Thanks for the photo, Shawn!
East Village, Gumby, Otto's Shrunken Head Posted on Monday, February 20, 2012 at 9:42AM
Reader Comments (29)
looks like a great night out! ottos is too cool! love that gumby shotglass, a new addtition to the gumby family. lol!
Very cool, looks like it would be a great dive bar. And on 14th Street, hell, I used to live on 13th Street it would be like a drunken coming homecoming for me.
Nice night ! ... I like Otto's - but the problem is that the Blarney Cove is right there - and after boozing it up at the Blarney - I need a little break and wander off to a different neighborhood :(
@Bobby D: I love the Gumby shotglass, thanks again to Goggla for the nice present!
@Mykola Mick Dementiuk: It's a cool bar, like a combination of Tiki and Punk Rock, how can that not be great?
@GEne: I hear you, maybe the trick is to split up nights with the bars. And it was a nice night out, thanks to all who showed up!
I agree with Mick--the combo of Tiki and Punk Rock rocks!!!
@Melanie: It rocks...and it rolls!
"Wind Down Sunday," that hosts a good number of bands and there's no cover."
Now that is awesomeness.
Glad to hear you had such a fun time!
Good times at the shrunken head! Howdy Frank!! Ya crazy bastard!
@gumby: once again you've embarrassed Marty in public. Get a grip, man!
@Meleah: Thanks, a ton-o-fun as always!
@Clacky: Frank was happy to hear from you. And yeah, Gumby is grounded!
Lobotomized, sodomized, and Ottomized. Poor Gumby.
I like the smiling Tiki.
Tanya and the Revolutionaries should do a rock version of the election song from Citizen Kane as an inside reference.
I just love Otto's. Great R & R Bar. I haven't been there in a long while though. I did have a wild makeout session in the back with a very wild L.E.S. punk girl. Now what was her name?
@csp: Do not feel sorry for Gumby, he lives rent free in Manhattan!
@DaveW: Good idea, maybe they'll take you up on it!
@Danny The Freelancer: Sometimes it's best not to remember! And yes, Otto's is a great bar!
Peoria Emporium...thats a classic....Remember the Emporium Bar in the Heights, sauceheads
@tehennessey: That's the first thing I thought of when I saw it! I remember throwing beer bottles at the wall in there and busting them! Oh the good times!
Ahhh memories from the Crawl.
Buddy Luve was playing!
You should have muscled your way inside!
Buddy Love gets regular airplay on the 'Secret Weapon'.
Speaking of...
I'm hoing to have to get some Tania and the Revolutionaries on the airwaves!
Good seeing Otto's again.
The Gumby shot glass is priceless!
(I still want one of the 'Flamed Elvis Head' glasses Daddio, as seen on that early Crawl post)
The glass as seen in Tiki Drink Number 2 on the post.
Like a Flamed 'Elvis Sideburned' Zombie.
It's so fucking cool.
@"Boris:" That would be cool to get Tania and the Revolutionaries on the Secret Weapon, I'll get a CD to you soon! And I need to get you one of those "Flamed Elvis Head" glasses too, Daddio! I'm working on it!
I love the Gumby shot glass. So cool of Laura to find this treasure for you. I love Gumby.
@Melanie: Gumby rules and that shotglass is too cool! A true treasure for my Gumby collection, thanks again to Goggla!
Poor Gumby! It's not safe for him to be so polluted next to an open flame like that!
@LIBERATION: You're right! I'll try and be more careful with him in the future!
Without question one of the most fun nights I've had on the LES in years. Years! The crowd was FANTASTIC. Laid back, artists, punks, no Sex & The City anywhere (well, until about 10pm, but they didn't last long). Live music was great, DJ was even better - that guy played a great array of rare and popular punk/rock.
Sunday's at Otto's is not to be missed for anyone lamenting the loss of culture in NYC and/or the East Village.
@Shawn: Otto's on Sunday's is a great night. The best of all world's, live music (for free!), good DJ, friendly bartenders and crowd. Really glad you made it out, great hanging out as always! And thanks for the bonus photo! Too cool and funny!
You can't keep a good Gumby down.
Thanks for the plug Marty! Great to see you!;)
@Biff: Gumby never says die!
@Lani Ford: Happy to do it, the new band sounds great! Great to see you, too!
I just realized that Otto's Shrunken Head used to be Barmacy http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/nyregion/the-9-lives-of-deb-parker.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm , both by awesome and legendary Deb Parker. http://gawker.com/deb-parker/ . Hung-out with her, cool chick (and that's not derogatory to her, if anything it's a compliment).
Have had one too many drinks at Barmacy, maybe that's why I 'm now remembering things.
@esquared: Thanks for the links! Great reading, too cool that Deb Parker's dad created the Byrlcreem line: "A little dab'll do ya!"