Sloppy Joe by wysiwig
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Description
Jose Garcia Abeal was a very poor housekeeper. He had come to Cuba from Spain in 1904 and after years of working for others decided to open his own bar. When friends visited they noticed the place was always mess and so they bestowed the nickname of Sloppy Joe on Jose.
The food was not high end either. Rather than fine steaks, Jose served a sandwich made from a stew beef called Ropa Vieja which means ‘old clothes’ in Spanish. The sandwich was also known as Sloppy Joe. So now you know the origin of that concoction your school cafeteria and/or your mother served you as a child.
In the 1930s Sloppy Joe’s was discovered by Hollywood. As celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway, John Wayne, Spencer Tracy, and Clark Gable became regular visitors, the bar’s fame grew. However, despite its fame, in 1959, after the Cuban revolution, Sloppy Joe's Bar was closed and abandoned. In 2013, after fifty-four years it re-opened.
Comments (10)
Mulltipass
Awesome Capture of the Historic Bar and the Info is Fantastic!!! Like you mentioned, growing up my mom made these sandwiches with a tomato based ground beef and called them Sloppy Joe's!!!
Faemike55
Great capture and cool story we still serve them at the Lost & Found Cafe`
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God bless.
Cyve
WHat a fabulous place my friend... Fantastic capture also !!!
blinkings
What an interesting place. Unfortunately alcohol and my ulcers don't mix!
blondeblurr
... and here I thought, that term was original slang and an Aussie invention - what we actually call an old and well worn or ill-fitted, fleecy-lined long-sleeved sweatshirt/jumper - go figure ? LOL
On the other hand what an interesting bit of history there, it's always nice to experience that 'something old is new again' ...
big cheers BB
MrsRatbag
Well, my mom just made Sloppy Joes the other night, it's a regular around here. While I do like it, it's not really on my diet these days, so I don't do more than just taste it. I had no idea of the origin, so thanks for that; and I like the light coming through the window and the flag. Great view and shot!
anahata.c
what a delight. your story---new to me---and your image. I had no idea about Sloppy Joe's, and yes, we ate them in school cafeterias for years. "Old Clothes" is perfect. I actually liked them, but in those days I ate anything that didn't move, so......A wonderful bit of history from you. And your image---the light pouring in from the window makes the darkness of this interior quite intense, and the bottles are a lineup of staccato accents, bang, bang, bang, bang. With the golden liquors (or liqueurs?) in the background, giving more color to the shot. And the right side gives balance to the ultra bright left side (and tells us who this bar is named after). I love the shot, and its slight tilt, and the extreme contrasts in hue and light/dark. Tara would love this, as she goes crazy over bottles and glass...Another delightful combo of lore and image from you, Mark, with an image I really like. I'm sure there's a pun in Abeal, btw, but I'll let you rest. (See, if it were pronounced ah-beel, I could say something about the Court of Abeals, BUT---I fear it's pronounced Ah-be-ahl, since it's spanish. Which blows the whole concept.) (And btw, I recently tasted some very expensive Cuban rum, and man, it was beyond words. Sooooooo smooth and deep and rich. They told me the bottle costs thousands, so I only had a sliver, but whew, what a drink. "Dat vauss a drink, tateleh!" as my grandfather would say. Probably yours too. But when they were raised on Slivovitz, you gotta figure anything tasted better than that...) Delightful.
durleybeachbum
That narrative is a great read! Here, a sloppy joe is an oversized knitted sweater, of which I have a considerable wardrobe. The sight of all those bottles, although safely in a photo, gave me a twinge of the fear I feel when I smell whiskey (ok I know it's probably rum) . I associate the smell with violence. But, a clever atmosphere-filled image. The repetition of all those reflections is mesmerising.
wysiwig
Its funny but Brigitte mentioned something similar about slang for worn clothes. But then, it all seems to fit. The first Sloppy Joes were made with Ropa Vieja which is Spanish for 'old clothes'.
auntietk
Ummm bartenders and sandwiches? Who cares? Mark was right ... I'm all about those bottles! The way the backlighting plays with the glass and the liquids is just gorgeous. Not to slam your story or anything, but honestly ... those bottles are IT!