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When a tech executive with a thirst for antiques stumbles across an 18th-century home with a storied history as a bustling tavern, she finds the perfect reclaimed venue for all things vintage…and doesn’t have to go far to toast her latest wares.

While Dana Schwartz may have a decidedly contemporary career— the digital branding executive travels to fast-paced cities like London, Oslo, and New York for work—her New Hampshire home is happily, intentionally old-fashioned. Situated just 40 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, the storied 256-year-old property, which includes a carriage house and barn, was formerly known as the Dudley Pike Tavern. (Read more about its history on page 72.) Despite its stuck-in-time appeal, it was, in fact, modern technology that first introduced Dana to the property. She was listing her own home online (antiquehomesmagazine.com) when she happened upon the 1763 Cape. Dana soon scheduled a visit and immediately fell in …

A year ago, I posted some excerpts from an article in The New Yorker dating back to 1940 about McSorley’s Old Ale House, a tavern in Manhattan’s East Village. That article discussed how aggressively behind the times the old tavern was … and it’s now 75 years later. In the 161 years of its life, a lot of people have visited and commented on it, obviating the need for one more report. Well, this is a blog, so you’re getting it, anyway. My guide was All About Beer Magazine editor (and friend) John Holl, who recently took me over for a beer. These are my findings.

A few things have changed, but McSorley’s claim to fame is its continued aggressive antiquity. Three or four people mentioned that not too long ago, somebody in an official capacity wandered through and was horrified by the hairy accumulations of dust on the old …

Who are we kidding? There are too many pubs and locally brewed ales in England to choose a top 10. And who wants to limit themselves? But if you don’t have an entire vacation to devote to the search of the perfect pint, here at 10 English pubs that offer visitors a little bit of everything — a perfect sample of towns, styles, fare and ale.

The Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead
In 1585 The Spaniard’s Inn was built as the country house of the Spanish ambassador. Or perhaps it was owned by two Spanish brothers who dueled over a woman in a classic love triangle. When a pub is as old as the Spaniard, the line between fact and folklore is delightfully blurred. Perhaps this is why John Keats was inspired to write “Ode to a Nightingale” here. The terraced bar is the perfect spot to come for a pint …

Alcohol, bars, and innovation have a storied relationship. Whether it’s the infamous Pet Rock, which Gary Dahl conceived while drinking with friends, or the idea behind A Few Good Men, which Aaron Sorkin thought up while bartending at the Palace Theater, alcohol has infused some of the most famous and infamous aspects of American life. However, to truly comprehend the roles alcohol, and more specifically bars, have played in America’s history, one must harken back to the Colonial era when taverns, as they were then called, helped shape American history.

While alcohol was a prominent fixture in Colonial life, oftentimes the location where one consumed said alcohol was equally as relevant. Public houses, and more specifically taverns, played an especially important role — they weren’t simply places to drink. Rather, they served as a venue to meet like-minded individuals, and functioned as clearinghouses and test beds of revolutionary ideas. As …