My, aren’t we the epitome of class - deride a place and then mention how we’ve danced on the bar too…
Jesus, everybody knows Carnegie’s is a meatmarket for middle-aged foreign guys to pick up on Chinese chicks, but so is 99, 45, Spin, and most other places that have been around awhile. and what the hell is wrong with that anyway?
How bout a review of some of the more interesting places, like on Linsen N. Road?
God bless Taiwan!
The fellows decided on Carnegie’s last night for our man’s night out. It’s been a little while, and I’ve haven’t been there as a single guy for more than a year, so I went along. Oh my. Foremost among the comedic events I observed:
-A fight between a tall Taiwanese girl in a very short skirt and an Amazonian blonde. Pushing and shoving and some well-placed high kicks. Boyfriends intervened, laughing their asses off.
-Whilst talking with a friend of a friend, a young lady presented herself in front of me, grabbed me by the hips, and promptly started grinding me. Turns out she was someone else’s date for the evening. Someone I know. Surreal.
-Looked up from a conversation to find another friend begging me to spell him on the dance floor, where he had apparently been grabbed by a horny woman from somewhere in Europe. I walked over before you can say “Ew!” she had her hands on my ass. Uh, ew.
-Was midway through a whizz when a lovely young shaojie bounded out of the stall in the men’s room, took a look at me and the other guys whizzing, and ran out without washing her hands.
The place was full of pauncy, geeky, middle aged foreign males who would be so much better off spending those hours in the gym (or at home with the wife, if one exists) rather than trying so unsuccessfully to charm the young babes there. As I wrote earlier, I feel for them, but God, seeing it in person was a bit pathetic.
I managed to have fun drinking with the boys, got some good laughs at the scenes being played out, and met a nice young lady with whom I chastely exchanged phone numbers. I think once was enough for the next six months or so. I’m sure they won’t miss me either.
T.
[quote]Taiwan Forced to Go It Alone by WHO
Posted May 29, 2003
By Douglas Burton in Taipei
The spirit of rock ‘n’ roll still seems to rule the demon of SARS on ladies night at Carnegies dance bar on Taipei’s tony An-Ho Road. As per tradition, more than two dozen juk’in’ patrons danced on Carnegies’ long bar, and the room was packed shoulder to bobbing shoulder as Insight visited in May. But all is not well, says Bob Marshall, the bearded expatriate manager, as he presses an electric thermometer to the foreheads of two twentysomethings applying for entrance. “This isn’t nearly the crowd we normally have,” he says. “Usually at this time on Wednesday there’s a line of people halfway down the block waiting to get in.” Even so, with rare exceptions, no one is wearing a surgical mask, required at this moment in Taipei of airline flight attendants and policemen standing at the entrances to government buildings.
“This is all a charade, really,” Marshall deadpans as he checks an ID. “The only reason we’re doing this [checking temperatures] is because the public demands it; the fact is that somebody with the [severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)] virus could come in here and infect everybody and not come down sick for two days.”[/quote]
insightmag.com/news/437031.html
What’s juk’in’ anyone? Is it like twistin’? Sandman? Blueface?
“This is all a charade, really,” Marshall deadpans as he checks an ID. “The only reason we’re doing this [checking temperatures] is because the public demands it; the fact is that somebody with the [severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)] virus could come in here and infect everybody and not come down sick for two days.”
What an amazing thing to say. I wonder if he really said that or if its a miss quote. If he did , this must rank close to Gerald Ratner referring to his companies products as "crap " for business suicide comments to the media. ie Come to my bar & you all could die.
I’ve never been to Carnegie’s, until this afternoon. I have had a few pints with Bob, the manager there, and he seems a very nice fellow, despite the fact that he enjoys telling nasty jokes about GW Bush.
Today, my boy and I were walking home from Forchetta and as we passed Carnegie’s, we noticed that it had a deck outside with chairs and tables… saw Bob there and decided to stop and have a pint of Guinness on the deck (I frequently make that decision… though this was the first time that it involved Carnegie’s). It was absolutely lovely… beautiful day, nice breeze, pretty girls walking by, and a pint of Guinness on the deck (while my boy had several sips of my pint, he had his own Coca-Cola).
From all the comments re the place at night, I’d probably never go there then… but it was really quite nice this afternoon, just after lunchtime. Honestly, it reminded me a bit of sitting outside in the square in Amsterdam drinking beer. I can imagine going back again for more of the same.
I’ve never been a fan of the big Cs, but they’ve had some decent deals lately. NT$80 for Boddington’s, not to mention for a (Bombay) gin and tonic. Good place to go for happy hour - then get the hell out. Also, those high ceilings and the open seating area provided a certain sense of, um, safety during the SARS crisis.
Nothing else growing then…
Yeah, I must admit its the bar-dancing dweebs, shoulder-to-shoulder sardine can, gold-digging females, ageing testosterone atmosphere and cheesy music (is that DJ the worst in the known world or what?) that has coloured my opinion of Carnegies, but I drove past there on Sunday afternoon and it really looked great with those tall windows flung open, people sitting outside, a bit of greenery – really looked inviting and made me want to stop in for a beer.
As mentioned above, the place has two lives. The daytime one is not halfbad. The opinions expressed here are accurate accounts of its darker side.
Maybe they should try and market it this way. Come and enjoy a NT$80 Boddington’s and a burger on our relaxing deck. Then, if you dare (and if you’re prepared to be deloused the next day), stick around past nine for Carnegie’s “darker side.”
Follow up… visit Carnegie’s for Baby Wipes…
Some additional opinions about the Spirit of Rock n’ Roll:
Check out their website, especially the bar dancing pics and…forum???
Here’s one from HK:
i’ve heard that the bouncers get aggressive if you’re snapping pics in carnegie’s. anyone had such an experience?
They have Hoegaarden Draught in Carnegie’s now. At last something decent to drink on tap. The glasses are huge.
‘Hoe-gaarden’… that’s a good nickname for Carnegie’s.
‘Hoe-gaarden’… that’s a good nickname for Carnegie’s. [/quote]
I’ve never seen any ho’s there. Just party animals at night and relaxing businessmen/women during the day. Both day and night are fine when you’re prepared for that sort of thing. Just good clean fun with alcohol.
Chou
aint nothing good n’ clean about the place…try ladies nite on a wednesday and you’ll see some low-down and dirty fun the way the good lord intended it… 
B&Q is the place for hoes.
…very droll…
despite that the manager said openly he didn’t want the young english teacher type to patronize his establishment, he is getting them! the rich expats are moving to ziga zaga now