File under Anecdotes, pt 4.

Ya know what, it's ok to go out and have a good time involving alcohol. Sometimes you get a new job or a promotion and you want to celebrate by having a drink or two more than you normally would. I have heard in Japanese business culture there is a common ractice where superiors and their staff will get together for a drinking meeting. The purpose of this meeting is after a superior and their staff have all had a drink everyone is on level ground and anyone can say what they would like and there can hopefully be an open line of communication.

Other times you run into random kids from Germany and learn what their drinking culture is like.

I cannot stress the importance of writing things down after you've been out and having a good time however.......

Hopefully your bartender can supply you with a pen and a coaster upon request.

File under Anecdotes, pt 3.

So you tried to date a bartender.

In any dating endeavor there is a 50% chance of success or that of faelure.

If it works out, know that you are lucky enough to date someone who is socially adept and usually will be a fun person to hang out with. They keep odd hours and tend to drink more than the average person, but relax, to those in the trade it can all be chalked up to research.

So if it doesn't work out here are some tips:

Don't go to their bar by yourself or on a date on the nights they are working. It shows either you are lonely or that you are trying to show off your new person. If you happen to be a part of a group that wants to visit the establishment don't feel awkward or the need to point out the fact that you and the bartender used to be an item. The bartender should be happy to have a group of people drinking and wont think you are sitting alone at home or you have a lack of friends.

If you happen to run into your ex-bartender at a different establishment there are different rules to adhere to, for both the bartender and the ex.

If the bartender is there on a date and the ex comes in by themselves, the bartender should realize that their ex was just going to have a drink or meet up with a co-worker or friend and since the bartenders plans are already set they have control over changing the situation and relocating.

If the ex comes in with a date, just play it cool. You are both doing your own thing now and feel happy for the other one. Just play awkward until the other one is adult enough to go and say hello.

If the ex comes in with a group then access the group to see if you know anyone, or if its seems like a group that you approve of, then use your ex as a lead into making a few new customers.

File under Anecdotes, pt 2.

So I had a couple in tonight who were hearing-impaired, and I've learned the basics in customer service when in this situation. Hand them a menu to look over and use pointing. A simple hand in front of the mouth, then extended downward towards the person means "Thank You",They're hands are gong to be moving constantly so pay a little extra attention as to when they are looking for service, or another drink. However I've found them to be in a minimum, and have noticed that because their hands are constantly in use they tend to take thier time with beverages, not a big deal.

So after two drinks one closed out and headed out the door.....

I noticed the one who'd left had left a pair of keys on the bar, so I handed them to the friend that stayed and they ran after and got stopped by our little alcove with the mail slot where a door handle could be.

A moment after, our former doorguy (whom I got my break into the bar from) who was outside for a smoke, came back in to mind his Woodford.

"Wow" he said....

"?"

"They must have gotten in a fight"

"?"

"The first one got about halfway down the block before the other one came outside, looked around and then ran about 10 feet, made a very large noise and threw a fuckin pair of keys at her. They are still out there going at it."

"LOL!"

I filled him in and we went back to our previous businesses as straight faced as possible until said person closed out and left.

File under Anecdotes.

The bar I'm working at is lucky enough to be next door to a coffee shop that has free wi-fi that a number of people who frequent the neighborhood coffee shop like to use at the bar after the coffee shop is closed. I use it too. I love putting on a favourite jazz artist's Pandora and letting that be the evenings soundtrack. I don't have to worry about playing DJ, and the music is usually great.

However there were tech issues and the interwebz was down for the day and I had to play DJ which is beneficial from time to time. ANYPLACE THAT PLAYS THE SAME GODDAMN PLAYLIST EVERY DAY IS BORING!, and a formulated, poorly run establishment.

I spent a superchunk of the night playing a lot of my older favorite bands and everyone had a great time on industry night. No I was not playing Ministry all night, It was happy hour, all night, for everyone that works in bars, kitchens, or coffee shops.

At one break I thought about putting on Waxwing.

At our bar, I played music in town for 10 years as did my boss, and majority of our barback staff has worked at Easy Street. We kind of have an unwritten rule that we don't play bands from Seattle. Tonight however forced into DJ mode and having a local crowd I was playing some hits and almost threw on said mentioned band about 10 minutes before a member stopped in for a beer.... I'm assuming after practice from a current project.

MxMo XLVI: Absinthe

The walk of shame fizz.

So my MxMo post is a little late, but I spent monday competing as a regional finalist for the 42 Below World Cup so please forgive me.

Speaking of which, what do you do the day after.......

This months theme is Absinthe and is hosted by Sonja at Thinking of Drinking. With a leftover supply of goods not normally found in the home due to my recent obsessions with fizzes, I decided to put a spin on one of my favourites, The Morning Glory Fizz. This video (which I believe was shot when Absinthe was still off the U.S. Market, hence the lack of mention) by Dale DeGroff shows exactly what I'm talking about.

So in swapping out a few ingredients I give you the alternate to the Morning Glory.....

The Walk of Shame Fizz

2 oz cask strength scotch (McCallans)

1/2 oz fresh lime/lemon sour mix

1/2 oz raspberry syrup

1 barspoon absinthe

egg whites

shake all ingredients vigorously

top with soda

A drink and a song...

A hellacious version of a Vieux Carre....

Devil Me

1 oz Sazerac 6yr Rye

1 oz Laird's Od Apple Brandy

1 oz Carpano Antica

1/4 oz Benedictine

Dash of Agnostura Bitters

Dash of Peychaud's Bitters

Yes, I'm a Yugoslav, indeed a Swede
Got two brothers, girlfriend, dad and mom
Good boxershorts I need, lots of maps I read
I would love to run my own farm

I like the Beatles, funk and punk
I watch hockey, basketball, play chess
I eat veggie-junk and I love SuperChunk
To boule and travel I say Yes

All this I adore, at the same time, it's just me
It's what I care for, it's what I wanna be

I want it all, I want it all to stay right here
I want it all to be a part of Slick Nick's sphere
I want it all to be sincere, where ever I go

Lisa, Madonna are girls who know where it's at
And Dr. Kris is a favorite rocker
My main star Miat, we have a car, a Fiat
Yeah, still my dearest sport is soccer

I'm not an ace on bass, it's what I face
But yeah I think it's king to sing
Sailingboats I chase, I'd like to go into space
Riding my silverfox is the real thing

I want it all, I want it all to stay right here
I want it all to be a part of Slick Nick's sphere
I want it all to be sincere, where ever I go
Where ever I go, where ever I go, where ever I...
All around the world I go, Pennybridge, Belgrade and even T.O.

Dear dude on a first date.

So I'm recently single again and feeling a bit jaded after working V-day again and saw some absolutely awful behavior tonight and wanted to share. I think a bunch of people finally worked up the nerve to ask out that co-worker from the other floor.

A pair sat down, looked over the menu, and the exchange followed...

me: "Anything looking good for ya?"

guy: "What were you having?"

girl: " Can I have a _____"

guy: "Ya, can I have one too? My ex said I ever made decisions, so I decided to have the same as you."

Someone wanted a Spanish Coffee for the fire show, hoping to impress, and failed to realize, that while she slowly sipped a warm, stimulating beverage, he had 3 whiskeys, started slurring, and faded fast.

Dear everyone, I take full responsibility for the grey haired couple making out. That was my fault and it was kinda funny for me.

If you do happen to get stood up on Valentines, its a major bummer, but don't get wasted and start hitting on other peoples dates.