Used to be, back in the lazy summer days of 2004, we had months of quiet buzz to discover and enjoy a spot like Freeman's before the inevitable Times article brought in the hordes.
We live in accelerated times. How fast has the secret downstairs bar at Lafayette Street tacqueria La Esquina gone from hot to Sunday Styles? An Eater buzz timeline:
1) 6/14/05: NYC blog Verbose Coma posts about the food; no bar mention.
2) 6/17/05: Testosterone-fueled email newsletter Thrillist offers first word of the bar-to-be: "[They] are constructing a basement-level Mexican speakeasy which will boldly pour 100 kinds of tequila."
3) 7/22/05: DailyCandy pens a blind item about the bar, which has just opened: "Head downstairs and walk through the kitchen. Stop when you see the lovely hostess."
4) 7/22/05: DailyCandy's blind item outed by Gawker and Eater.
5) 7/29/05: Gothamist sneaks a camera into the basement den (above).
6) 7/31/05: Sunday Styles drops its bomb, tossing in the unlisted phone number (646-613-8880) for good measure. Says a rep, "At the moment we're not hiring a bouncer. But we realize it's only a matter of time."
Time from first bar mention in media to NYT saturation: 44 days. Fun while it lasted, eh?
· Remember, You Didn't Read About It Here [NYTimes]
