The 2006 Holiday Season

This years New Year's eve was one of the most fun I can remember in recent history, in spite of the down side, of which there is always at least one. First of all, I worked on New Year's Eve. I am a barrista, as you should know if you have been faithfully reading the blogs of this justified sinner and party boy (at least as faithful as I have been in publishing). Fortunately we closed the bookstore and therefore the coffee shop at 6:00, which means I was able to get out of that place by 7:00. I was not completely caught unprepared for the festivities however, and as such I brought three flasks to work with me filled respectively with Scotch, Vodka and Irish Cream. These ibibements were enough to help those faithful workers among us get through the evening of inanities at the coffee shop with out taking a hostage.
When the Tank and I got home after work we showered and cleaned up and dressed in our best and were to paint the town a lovely blood red to go with the eyes. Myself, the Tank, The Sharkman and Mr. Sober left our apartment at around 8:00 looking for diversion. Unfortunately the first joint we visited would not let us in. We looked great but unfotunately we over-looked the fact that we needed a reservation to get into the "Tempe Piano Bar" on Ventura. I am ashamed to admit that at this point I panicked. My internal organs function only with a perfectly tuned balance of Lust, Gin, Violence and sea-food and I was afraid I would be thrown off my groove. Luckily just down the street from the Tempe is a great little joint called "Marmalade Cafe," and they always let me in. Parking on the other hand turned out to be an issue. Resorting to desperation I jumped out of the jeep that Mr. Sober was driving and directed traffic on the busy boulevard so that we could get a decent spot, and we entered with zero incident. Kelly, the bartender, seemed to anticipate our arrival and he had my martini already prepared. A perfect 4 to 1 mixture of Bombay and vermouth with a twist of lemon and no olive. I downed it at once to prevent any further mishaps of rage and vertigo. We sat in the corner and ordered. It was a fantastic meal of appetizers (that's all I ever get there...it's all I need) and booze. I had my Martinis, the Sharkman had Tanquerey and Tonics, The Tank had Pinot Grigio and Mr. Sober had diet Pepsi. We ordered Calamari, Bruschetta, Nachos with Guac and some soup. A great time was had, even if I was over served. We returned home so that we could continue the party, meet up with my wife (who also had to work) and watch the ball drop in Times Square.
When we returned to the pad I immediately broke out the gin, as it had been 20 minutes since my last drink and once you really get going the tendency is to keep it up till you can't stand. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be any mixer, at least any mixer that I wanted, so I began drinking the gin straight with only a couple of ice cubes. Everyone else was drinking Champagne. Wisely I had bought a case plus some at cost-co in preparation for the festivities. The rest of the evening went exactly as you might expect from a gathering of the too much fun club, including the champagne cork battle at the end of the evening. As a side note, those sons a bitches hurt when they hit you. To bed at around 3:30 and up again at ten...it sucks but I had to work. Thank God I work at a place where the coffee flows like water.