Hey Bartender

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  It's time to answer more questions from my newly found adoring fans.  Since it is a brand new year, the first question is probably fitting.

What's a good hangover cure? First, since it's January 2nd, let me congratulate you on still being hung over.  That's an impressive way to ring in the New Year.  Keep up the good work.  But seriously, I've heard of some pretty crazy remedies for hangovers over the years.  My favorite one is the hair of the dog that bit you.  In other words, drink more of what you had the night before.  Sadly, as much fun as that sounds, it does not work.  Hangovers are a side effect of the ethanol alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages.  Ethanol has a dehydrating effect that causes headaches, dry mouth and fatigue.  The best cure for a hangover is to drink plenty of water, eat a good meal, and get some rest.  Seriously, that's it.  It's the weekend.  Lay on the couch and watch the first round of the NFL playoffs or a BCS Bowl game.  Your body will love you for it.

What's the difference between sloe gin and dry gin? Gin is made by re-distilling neutral grain spirits and raw sugar cane which has been flavored with juniper berries after other botanicals such as anise, orris root, licorice root, coriander, cinnamon and cassia bark have been added.  The term dry refers to the fact that a well-made gin tends to be relatively dry compared to other spirits such as vodka, tequila, rum and grappa.  Sloe gin is made by blending gin with sloe berries, which are the fruit of the Blackthorn tree.  It is native to western Asia, Europe and northwest Africa.   The berries are combined with sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and essence of almond to ensure that the juices are extracted from the berries.   Sloe gin has a dark red color and has a sweet taste as opposed to the clear color and distilled alcohol taste of dry gin.  Sloe gin is considered a cordial and is used as the key ingredient in a Sloe Gin Fizz.  So, the difference is that gin is a distilled spirit and sloe gin is made by blending gin with other ingredients to make a sweet tasting cordial.

How do you get the bartender's attention when it's busy? First, let's set the stage.  You're at work.  You have a 5:00 PM deadline to meet, a doctor's appointment that you can't miss at lunch time, two teleconferences that you have to listen in on, and an expense report that you have to finish because it's the end of the year.  There's no way that you can get all of this done by 5:00.  Just as you're about to scream, your boss stops by your cubicle to introduce you to the new employee who you will be responsible for training that day.  On a busy night, the bartender faces a scenario exponentially crazier than this one.  The good news is that a good bartender does see you when you approach the bar and will acknowledge you and assure you that he will be right with you.  We do see you.  Trust me.  We also recognize that you probably don't see what we see.  In Virginia, there's no such thing as a stand alone "bar".  If you're in a bar, its part of a larger establishment called a restaurant.  So, if the bar is busy, that means the restaurant is probably busy too.  The bartender that you see is making drinks for bar guests and restaurant guests as well.  In my case, if the restaurant is full, there are as many as 180 people, most of which you can't see, that I might be making drinks for when you arrive.  So, be patient.  We will get to you as quickly as possible.  Rumor has it that flashing wads of cash, platinum, titanium, or other precious metal credit cards, waving, yelling, screaming, and even lifting up your shirt to flash the bartender with what your mama gave you might get us to prioritize your requests.  In some cases these tactics work, but keep in mind that there are probably people that were waiting much longer than you who may not appreciate your ingenuity.  The best thing to do is make eye contact with the bartender.  We'll acknowledge you and get to you as soon as we can.  My bet is that if you look around and scan the surroundings before you lose your patience, you'll have a better appreciation for what we are up against on a busy night.  So, thanks in advance for your patience.  And by all means, flash me if you feel the urge.  I love a good distraction when I'm working.

What did you do for New Years Eve? I worked a 14 hour shift.  Then I grabbed a half bottle of Gruet Blanc de Noirs to enjoy at home while I played Little Big Planet on my PS/3.  I also thought about how painful it was going to be to not be able to do the one thing I always enjoy doing on New Years Day -- run two, yes two, 5K races.  Hopefully, I will be ready to run by the time the Shamrock takes place in March.  Who is coming with me?  Until next week...prosit!!!