Tonight, I planned to watch the Dutch football match at Tonic Times Square bar. I woke up around 11:30 am, got ready quickly with a shower, shave, and brushing my teeth. Afterward, I messaged Steve to tell him about my plans and invited him to join if he felt like it and had the time.
The Tonic Times Square bar I found online was going to be packed with Dutch fans, so I knew I had to get there early. If I didn’t, they might send me to their sister bar, where I’d read they’d immediately send families with children. I wasn’t exactly in the mood to celebrate the game surrounded by kids; I wanted to be with the hardcore fans, haha. So, I decided to arrive early to secure a spot.
Dressing Orange
As Dutch people, we tend to wear orange for national sports events. However, I didn’t have an orange t-shirt yet, so I picked one up at the Foot Locker on Ditmars Boulevard for 20 dollars. It was a great deal. I had a fun chat with the staff and told them to cheer for the Dutch team this afternoon.
The game started at 4 pm, and I arrived at Times Square at 2:30 pm. The Tonic Times Square bar was easy to spot, with all the Dutch fans in their orange attire. I hadn’t had breakfast yet, so I decided to head to the McDonald’s near the famous stairs. I passed the bar and made my way toward my McDonald’s goal. At the corner, I spotted a man holding a Subway sign, which made me start doubting. Subway or McDonald’s—life’s big decisions. I ultimately decided to follow the sign and go for Subway instead, a much healthier choice.
The Subway Girl
I entered the store and waited for the customer ahead of me to finish ordering. The door swung open, and the bell rang. A cute girl with brown curly hair and sparkling eyes walked in, wearing an orange t-shirt. We made eye contact and both smiled, amused by each other’s shirts. After I ordered my sandwich, she placed her order, and I struck up a conversation. “Wow, no Dutch accent at all, I’m impressed,” I said. She laughed and replied in Dutch, “I moved to the US when I was ten, so I got rid of the accent a long time ago.” She asked if I was going to watch the game at Tonic as well, and I nodded, confirming I was. I paid for my sandwich and told her I would eat it there, planning to meet up with her later at the bar. As I ate, I secretly nicknamed her “the Subway Girl.”
Making More Friends
Back at the bar, I was lucky to get in. About fifteen minutes after I arrived, the place was packed, and they stopped letting people inside. The bar had televisions mounted on both sides of the walls, showing the game. I made my way to the far end and ordered a beer. It was crowded, but I didn’t mind— it felt strange but refreshing to see so many Dutch faces again. Once I got my beer, I started chatting with some random people. I met a family from Noord-Brabant who were in town for vacation. I told them I had some cool acquaintances from that area, and mentioned how much I loved people from Noord-Brabant. They were known for their carpe-diem attitude, always barbecuing and drinking beers every summer day.
I met another group from Saint Martin who had just moved to the US and were watching the game here. At one point, I walked through the bar, asking people if they knew where I could get my face painted. I wanted to have some flags or something cool done. The girls I asked told me there was someone at the entrance painting faces, so I made my way back there.
Reunited with Subway Girl
Instead of finding the painter, I ran into the Subway girl again. She had just entered the bar. I greeted her, and we started talking once more. She was with a friend, who I got to meet shortly after. The Subway girl’s name was Kim, and she was about 21 years old. She had moved to LA with her family but now lived in New York on her own. She worked for a company that organized events and parties, which sounded pretty cool. Her friend, Marc (or Mark, I’m not sure), had met Kim only a few weeks ago. He worked as an engineer, but I never quite caught the details. I had some great conversations with both of them. Kim mentioned she’d be in Amsterdam around August or September, and I told her I’d share my Facebook so we could meet up there.




Robin and Jackie
I ordered beer after beer at the Tonic Times Square Bar and soon found myself in a great mood. Just before the game kicked off, I struck up one last conversation with a couple sitting at the bar. They were Dutch too, and I was curious about how they had ended up in the US. We had a nice chat, and later on, I learned their names: Jackie and Robin. Robin worked for a software company that gave him the flexibility to live almost anywhere in the US. They were currently living near Central Park. I couldn’t help but envy their lifestyle, haha.
Then the game kicked off. It was frustrating, of course—the Dutch team had plenty of opportunities, but they just couldn’t score. The tension in the bar was palpable as we headed into extra time without any goals. Penalties. With every goal, the bar erupted in cheers and screams, the energy was electric. People were hyped, it was an incredible atmosphere.
We Are the Champions
I filmed the final goal and couldn’t believe my camera made it through the chaos. People were jumping, screaming, and hugging each other at the Tonic Times Square bar—of course, I joined in while the camera kept rolling. Watching the footage the next day was hilarious. I chatted with Jackie and Robin, and thought Kim and Marc were still at the bar, but I guess they had already left. I had such a great conversation with Jackie and Robin—really nice people.




Sandra and Yadira
Eventually, Jackie and Robin left to meet another friend. I searched for Kim and Marc but couldn’t spot them. By this point, the bar was nearly empty. On my way to the bathroom, I noticed two women standing next to the bar. The conversation started unexpectedly, but it quickly turned into a fun one. By this point, I was tipsy, nearly drunk. Another beer was ordered, and the conversation continued with Sandra and Yadira, two women from Panama. Sandra was a teacher living in New Jersey, and her friend Yadira was visiting her in New York. They had been cheering for the Dutch team at another bar, but came here for another drink afterward. Unfortunately, they were too late to get in, so they had to watch the game at a less exciting bar.
I had to guess their ages and was surprised to find they were much older than I had thought. We talked about travel, and Sandra shared her story of how she ended up here. It was a fun conversation. After a while, we decided to head somewhere else.
Outside, there was a guy with a snake. I asked him the price and decided to go for it. Normally, I wouldn’t pay for such overpriced stuff, but being drunk and in a good mood made me do it. Sandra took a cool picture of the moment.
The Joshua Tree
Sandra knew a lot of bars around here and recommended one that played 80s and 90s music—perfect for all of us. We took a cab and arrived in about 15 minutes. The bar wasn’t busy at first, but it eventually filled up. At the start, we just chatted and had a few more drinks, all of us feeling relieved that the Dutch team had won the game.
I couldn’t stop joking about this older guy who had been dancing for a solid two hours. I kept telling Sandra and Yadira to go dance with him, but of course, they weren’t having it. The music at the bar was great—classic hits from Michael Jackson, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and more. I’m actually surprised I still remember the name of the bar: The Joshua Tree Bar (unfortunately as I rewrite this in 2025, the venue isn’t in business anymore).




Saying Goodbyes
Sandra and Yadira invited me to New Jersey to stay over and spend the day at the beach with them. I was tempted, since it would be nice to see the beach, and I joked about meeting Snooki (Jershey Shore reference). Unfortunately, the last train to New York had already left, so they had to wait until around 7 am. It was a bit much for me, though—I was getting drunk and knew it was time to stop drinking. I told them I’d head back to the hostel, as it was getting too late. I said I’d decide the next day if I’d make it to New Jersey, as I still had other things on my bucket list to check off.
We said our goodbyes and took a group photo. By then, it was around 11 pm, and I’d been drinking since 3 pm. I could’ve stayed longer, but that would’ve meant another early-morning walk back to the hostel.
Around midnight, I arrived back at Ditmars Boulevard via the subway and caught the last bus to the hostel. Once in the dorm, I relaxed and drank plenty of water to sober up for the next day. I finally went to bed around 3 am.