Monday Quick Hits Vol 3

Well, recent news has totally overtaken the Monday Quick Hits.

Unless you live under a rock (RANDY!), you are aware that Osama Bin Laden was killed yesterday.

My Celebratory drinks last night were two-fold. At first it was pretty simple, a (several) pint (s ) of Guinness and then later my last Cohiba Cuban Cigar. Ultimately it lead to a new-

The Osama Bin Laden -

• Crystal Head Vodka
• Spicy V8 Juice
• Stirred with Bacon (sadly, only Microwave Bacon, but it was 1AM at this point).
• On ice and served in a highball glass

Congrats to the my brothers and sisters in the Military (and especially Intel). Great Job.

Now, moving on to my other tidbits from the weekend- We have two bars that I stopped by at locally here in Ashland.

First was El Ranchito, located right off of 63/Route Y Exit next to Moser’s. Obviously, but the name, it is a Mexican Themed Restaurant and is one that we frequent quite often, but I have never thought to write it up.

The food there is really good, and the service is excellent. They have a pretty diverse beer list, the highlight being Dos Equis on tap and their margaritas are pretty good. On Saturday, May 7th, they are having their Cinco De Mayo celebrations starting at 10AM. With live music, I could see this being a pretty happening place. Perhaps we will stop by after the Missouri Beer Fest.

I can’t stress though how much I like the wait staff there. They have gotten to know us on sight, and jokingly refer us to our “Regular Table”. They know the foods and drinks we like, and are always willing make a joke. I even learned that in Mexico, there is a bread company called “Bimbo” and they sponsor a soccer team. I have to get Debi one of those Jerseys

The next place I went was Woody’s Pub and Grub. Also off of 63 (easiest access when going southbound), this is your typical Small Town Bar. Excellent Pub Grub (Huge Portions and try the fried pickles) and Guinness on Tap….I only wish Debi liked this place more (she complains of the smoke).

Saturday night I took Richard and James there, and we were able to watch some PPV UFC, play some shuffleboard (James loves it) and have a great meal (even Richard was full). They also have pool tables and darts…even Kino if you are so inclined.

The bar tab was reasonable and people friendly. A good place for a “Guys Night Out” and definitely worth picking up some takeout.

Next, as a preview….I am working on a story regarding Walmart’s Sales Policy on Alcohol and Tobacco products. I was carded this weekend, and learned their policy is 40 (almost twice the legal age). I’ve already interviewed the Asst Manger (and got some great quotes) and am awaiting a callback from the Store Manager today. This could be really interesting and I look forward to putting it all together. Save your opinions for the upcoming report and survey.

Finally, only one week left before the Missouri Beer Fest on Saturday the 7th. Hopefully you have your tickets….I hope to see you there.

Happy Monday everyone

Don’t go Kung Fu Fighting in the Isle of Wight

Political Correctness. I hate those words.

Today, PC has taken control, and while 99% of the population think it has run it’s course and become a hassle, sadly there are laws all over the world that now enforce it.

Case in Point – Enter Simon Ledger, pub singer in the Isle of Wight, who was singing “Kung-Fu Fighting” and was arrested for offending two Chinese people who were walking PAST the pub. Two people who were offended by a snippet of a song that they heard as they were walking down a boardwalk.

At least Mr. Ledger has sense of humor for posting the following on his FB page-

"If the lad who phoned the police is reading this, WHAT IS WONG WITH YOU? Sorry, what is wrong with you?"

Of course, that is until he gets further charges against him.

Check out the story after the video and chime in your opinion in the comments section. Do you think Political Correctness has gone to far? What’s next, banning Hong Kong Phooey?

Nicked for singing Kung Fu Fighting in front of Chinese pair

A PUB singer was arrested for alleged "racism" after belting out the chart hit Kung Fu Fighting as two Chinese people walked past.

One of them complained to cops, who later nicked stunned Simon Ledger - in a Chinese restaurant.

Simon, 34, often performs the song in Sandown, Isle of Wight. He said: "I hadn't even seen these two."

Now he fears he could get a criminal record.

Cops sprang into action and arrested Simon despite the fact that he regularly features the 1974 No1 in his act at a seaside pub.

Simon, who has performed on TV with Michael Barrymore, was doing a spot with a pal at the town's Driftwood Beach Bar on Sunday afternoon.

All went well until he began the Carl Douglas disco classic, with its famous Chinese-sounding riff.

Simon said: "We were performing Kung Fu Fighting, as we do during all our sets. People of all races were loving it. Chinese people have never been offended by it before.

"But this lad walking past with his mum called us w*****s and did the hand sign before taking a picture on his mobile phone.

"We hadn't even seen them when we started the song. He must have phoned the police.

"They phoned me when I was in a Chinese restaurant that night. They arranged to meet me and I was arrested.

"I thought it was a joke but they were serious. They seemed pretty amazed but said the law is the law and it was their duty. It's political correctness gone potty."

Simon added: "There are plenty of Welsh people at our shows - does it mean I can't play any Tom Jones?"

Bar owner Sean Ware said: "The song is in no way racist and nor is Simon. There is no way he would abuse anyone.

"He didn't start the song just because Chinese people were walking past. He had already started playing it."

Simon, who is on bail until today, wrote on Facebook: "If the lad who phoned the police is reading this, WHAT IS WONG WITH YOU? Sorry, what is wrong with you?"

A police spokesman said a 32-year-old man of Chinese origin had claimed he was subjected to racial abuse.

He added: "Police are investigating an allegation of racially-aggravated harassment. A man from Shanklin was arrested on suspicion."

Monday Quick Hits Vol2

Here we are again, with the latest installment of the Monday Quick Hits, stories or experiences from over the weekend that I was just to lazy (or they don’t warrant) to write a whole blog post about.

The first one I want to speak about is in regards to Bennigan’s and recent my poor experience there. It made the Vol1 of the Quick Hits, and I wanted to say that the Manager has reached out to me and was thankful for the feedback. We had made arrangements to re-try Bennigan’s (as guests of the Manger), but were unable to connect….and this was 100% my fault. I do plan to revisit in the future (after Baseball and Soccer are done) and will let everyone know how it goes.

Next we have more on “The Royal Wedding”. I originally thought I could cover the wedding with ONE POST, but then two new stories came out this weekend that both shocked me and made me laugh.

The Daily Mail is reporting that beer has been banned from the festivities. WHAT??? Ban Beer? The article has some real nuggest of info -

• “Let's face it, it isn't really an appropriate drink to be serving in the Queen's presence at such an occasion.”
• “while the younger royals enjoy a pint from time to time, neither Kate nor William is a big beer drinker so they decided to leave it off the menu.”
• Miss Middleton has never particularly enjoyed drinking - preferring to sip one small glass of wine.

So let me get this straight, beer isn’t good enough for the Queen and Ms. Middleton doesn’t enjoy drinking? There goes the fate of the free world, plus I doubt Windsor Knot will be sending any cases soon.

Which leads me to my next story (also involving the Royal Wedding), where again the Daily Mail reports on a Mr. Cameron Reilly, a member of the Scots Guards, and his opinions of Ms. Middleton, London and Jews.

• Bearskin, 18, called her 'posh b****' and 'stuck-up cow' on Facebook after perceived snub
• Said he fantasized about shooting Jews while on duty
• Described London as a 'Paki holding cell'

Of course, this wouldn’t be Smokes and Booze material unless he was a little off. With a quote of “He's a big boozer and not what you'd call a thinker. He downs Buckfast fortified wine and likes raucous nights out.” and pictures of him kissing a bottle of Vodka….he does us proud.

Finally, I want to give a shoutout to a great local bar, but one that only a few of you can frequent. The bar in question is at the VFW Post 280 in Columbia MO. Stepping into this bar is like stepping into any other bar around the US. There is a jukebox, a pool table and shuffleboard. TVs play sports and they even have free popcorn. What makes this bar special are the people that frequent it. These are the men and women that “have been there and done that”. Some are older, veterans of WWII, Korea or Viet Nam. Others are of my generation, Gulf War 1 or the countless conflicts since (and still ongoing). Walking in, you feel an immediate sense of belonging and everyone there is very accepting. An added bonus, as a private club, it’s one of the few bars in Columbia you can smoke in. This isn’t a place you’ll write home about, and it’s not all flashy….but honestly, I don’t think I (or any of the other patrons) would have it any other way….as long as the beer is cold and keeps on flowing.

If you are a veteran, you should check out VFW.Org and see what they have to offer in your community. You earned it.

Cheers-

Brewmaster Pees in Beer Glasses

Considering that Goose Island Brewery just sold out to InBev/Anheuser-Busch, maybe the Brewmaster was practicing serving AB Products.

Brewmaster apologizes for bar pee

CHICAGO, April 12 (UPI) -- The brewmaster of Chicago's Goose Island brewery apologized for urinating into beer glasses while standing on a bar during a birthday party.

Brewmaster Greg Hall, 45, whose family's Goose Island brewery was recently purchased by Anheuser-Busch for $38 million, said he was highly intoxicated Friday when he stood on the bar at Bangers & Lace and urinated into two beer glasses, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.

Hall said his memory of the incident is incomplete due to his intoxication level, but he admitted it happened.

"I did what I did and I take responsibility for it," he said.

"I feel awful. I wouldn't stand [for] it if someone did it at my place or if one of my people did something like that."

Matty Eggleston, the Bangers & Lace bartender who cleaned up the mess, said he does not accept the apology.

"It was disgusting, vile and revolting," he said. "We all do dumb things; that went to a level that was pure insult."

However, Bangers & Lace co-owner Matt Eisler said the establishment is taking "the high road."

"You can imagine we're not happy, but an apology has been offered and we'd like to move on," he said. "It's too bad because it started off as a cool night with a bunch of people from Goose coming to our bar to drink beer."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/04/12/Brewmaster-apologizes-for-bar-pee/UPI-82651302643710/#ixzz1JLieGPlP

Coming Soon- 44 Stone Public House (an Interview)

 

Recently I blogged about a new Pub going into the Forum Side of CoMO (HERE).  I felt it was my civic duty to reach out to the owners and find out the inside scoop of the establishment, what to expect and maybe a tidbit or two of inside information.  I was pleasantly surprised to get some great answers (YES- STEEL TIPS) and even to make a suggestion (Connemara Irish Whiskey).  I hope everyone enjoys the interview AND passes it along to their friends.  CoMo has been screaming for an REAL Irish/English Pub and now we finally get one.  Let’s help them succeed.

Cheers and Good Luck to Dave and Mark. 

44 Stone Public House, the dream of 2 Men- Dave Faron (31) and Mark Sulltrop (39) who have a vision and a sense of humor.  It’s that humor that shines through in the Restaurant's very name- 44 Stone Public House.  A “Stone” is a weight of measure that equals 14 pounds…together, they weigh 44 Stone.  I like these guys already

Accomplished Chef’s at some of Mid-Mo’s best restaurants (Jack’s, Le Bourgeois, Bleu and the Tiger Hotel…just to name a few), these men have believe they can bring British “Gastro” Dining to Columbia.  Looking at their resumes and chatting briefly with them online, show ME they have the skills (I’ve eaten at all of the above and loved the food) and desire to do just that….and more.  I really think they have found the niche market and I can’t wait to stand back and watch them be successful. 

What brought you two together as chefs- We were brought together by Mark hiring Dave as his A.M. Sous Chef in the summer of 2008.  We worked together well and shared a common culinary vision/philosophy.  After both of us were gone from Bleu in 2009, we started "scheming" a joint venture.  It first manifested itself as a downtown, upscale pizza joint called "Fat Guys Pies."  Then we attempted our first gastropub downtown, which didn't come to pass.  Finally, we continued the self-deprecating name theme (we are both big fellas) with 44 Stone Public House (our combined weight in stones, an English unit of weight).

Do you believe you have the same or complimenting cooking styles- We definitely share similar cooking and management styles.  Our goal is to get the doors open as quickly as possible and hopefully break even in our first year.  More than that, we just want to do things our way and have a good time doing it.  We both love the restaurant business and all things culinary.

What type of menu are you looking to offer?  Can you explain the "Gastropub" style- A Gastropub is a casual, convivial place modeled after the great pubs of the British Isles with exceptional food and appealing beer and spirit selections (wines will also of course be offered).  We will do contemporary versions of dishes like bangers and mash, shepherd's pie and ploughman's lunch (we plan to do our own charcuterie -- curing our own meats, terrines, pates, etc).  We will not limit ourselves to English/Irish/Scottish fare, though, as we will have some contemporary American dishes featuring local products as often as possible.  We will have a small, concise set menu (definitely with a GREAT burger...perhaps with lamb) with several features daily.

Are there going to be nightly specials?  Are you planning any special events- We will have special events on the British Isle holidays, St Patty's of course, but also other holidays like St George's Day, the English National Day or St David's day, the Welsh equivalent.  We will have live music (we inherited a very nice sound system), especially with nice weather coming.  Special events will be posted on Facebook, etc, but we will have them as often as possible when we get on our feet.

Hemmingway's had a very intimate environmental feel to it, how much remodeling will be done- The feel of the place has already changed with the removal of the beaded curtain and some booth curtains.  The booths remain but the place is definitely more open and convivial.  Other than that, we don't plan to remodel much, just change the decor and feel of the place.  No white tablecloths, for example. 

I heard part of the pub atmosphere will be darts.  Please tell me it will be steel tip- Yes, the dartboards will be properly real, no plastic in 44 Stone Public House.  No English pub worth a quid would use plastic darts.

With the purchase of the restaurant, does that include the cigar shop next door? If so, what are the plans for it- The cigar shop is gone, sorry.  The old retail will be storage, at least for now.

You mention "Unique Beer", does this mean we will be seeing some unusual (for MO) British Beers (my vote is London Pride) and Ciders-Our beers will be a combination of imported, local and interesting domestic beers.  London Pride for sure, maybe Tenents, definitely a quality pear/hard apple cider.  We are in the process of tasting and deciding in the next few weeks.  <Editor’s Note- If you need some help….I’m always available >

As a whisky/whiskey guy, what are your core scotches and bourbons on the bar- Our passion is Irish Whiskeys but we love Single Malt too.  Once again, other than Jameson and Lagavulin, we don't know for sure yet.  Trust us though, it will be a unique selection for Columbia.  As for bourbon, I'm a Maker's Mark man, but we will have other Bourbons/Ryes/Tennessee whiskies of course as well. <Editor’s Note- I would like to suggest Connemara Irish Whiskey.  It’s a unique peaty Irish Whiskey that could almost be mistaken for a scotch.  It used to be carried by Glazers (as Taz) and is a great buy.>

The website isn't up yet (is there an ETA), where else can a person go to make reservations and/or find out more information- Facebook should be the main source for info at the moment.  Our website (44stonepub.com) is up but under construction. 

Finally, What is the target date for opening- We hope to be open by early February.  The only foreseeable delay would be city permits, but since this was a working restaurant 3 months ago, we hope they will work with us.  We hope.

The Worlds most interesting (wo)Man

We’ve all seen the Dos Equis “World’s Most interesting man commercials…..but I think I have found the Worlds most interesting Woman.

Amazing life: Fleeing Bolsheviks, fortunes won and lost, Tommy guns in Thailand and Shanghai romance

She was still a toddler when her father, Col. Pyotr Reksting, roused the family in the middle of the Siberian night. "The Bolsheviks are at the next town. They've shot everyone. You have five minutes to pack."

And so began a journey that ended in Victoria last week when Nathalia Buchan died at 100 years of age.

One of her earliest memories was of crossing frozen Lake Baikal by train. They switched to horse and carriage to cross the Chinese border, coming to rest in Harbin, Manchuria.

In 1929, with Japan muscling up to Manchuria, 19-year-old Nathalia fled again, this time alone, to Shanghai. Nathalia was educated by now, spoke seven languages, had attended the University of Peking. She became manager at DD's, a famed Shanghai nightclub that remains popular today.

One day a young Scot walked into the club. Having run away from school to fly biplanes in the First World War, Bill Buchan had landed in China after Lady Nancy Astor hooked him up with a telephone company undertaking a Far Eastern construction project. He entered DD's in a foul mood, was rude to the staff. "My mother, in the most polite way, put him in his place," says their son, David Buchan.

Bill liked that. Still, it was two years before he contacted Nathalia, sending her two huge opera baskets of flowers, piled taller than a man, when she was sick. It wasn't until Remembrance Day 1941 that they married, reasoning that she would be better with a British passport when the Japanese invaded Shanghai's international settlement, which they did less than a month later, the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked. "I will never let you down," he promised her.

Being Russian-born, Nathalia was given the option of freedom, but chose to follow her husband into the Lunghua concentration camp -- the one depicted in the movie Empire Of The Sun. "I will not be parted from the man I love," she said.

They remained in Lunghua until 1946, after the war, their survival due in no small part to the repeated kindness of the camp commandant, Capt. Tomohiko Hayashi. (David Buchan, who remains in contact with Hayashi's son -- a former Japanese cabinet minister -- says the commandant was unfairly portrayed in the film.) On one occasion, Hayashi sent an ailing Nathalia to hospital in Shanghai in his car, giving her enough money for medicine, lunch for herself and her guards, and a cake to bring back to Bill.

Still, she was in rough shape, weighing just 78 pounds, when liberated by American troops at the end of the war.

With Shanghai in chaos and China locked in a communist-nationalist struggle, the Buchans alit in Bangkok. Bill sold newsprint from B.C. before building up a tobacco business.

One day in 1946 they got a knock on the door. There, the story goes, stood two Vietnamese leaders -- Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap -- looking to buy arms with which to fight French occupation. "The Russians said you could help us," they told Bill.

Bill left for Czechoslovakia to broker the deal, but not before stopping at the British embassy to pick up a pistol for Nathalia; he

didn't want to leave her defenceless in lawless Bangkok. The man at the embassy -- described as looking like Peter Lorre -- gave him a Thompson submachine-gun instead. Every evening, Nathalia, still half-blind and emaciated from wartime malnutrition, would hobble onto the veranda on her crutches, place a pillow between the Tommy gun and her shoulder, and rip off a couple of bursts to keep the bandits at bay.

The Buchans built up the tobacco business, but lost everything when it was nationalized by the Thai government. So they started anew, grew another prosperous trading company after moving to Hong Kong in 1952. It was there that David was born -- and that his father died in 1958. Nathalia ran the business alone -- a European speaking Chinese dialect in a man's world -- until she sold it in 1962 after falling ill.

They had tickets to England, but someone convinced her Canada would be a better place to raise her son. They sailed -- David, Nathalia, her mother -- on the P&O liner Arcadia, a

31/2-week voyage. Vancouver was cold and rainy, but the clouds parted when they visited Victoria. "A sign from God. We will settle here," Nathalia said.

And so they did. David is still in Victoria, a manager in the provincial government. Nathalia never remarried. "I loved your father so much that I could never bear the thought of marrying anyone else," she told her son.

Canada gave Nathalia a quiet life, or at least quieter than the one in Asia. (There isn't space to get into the story of how she helped raise the actor Yul Brynner after he befriended her cousin in Shanghai. "He was literally living on the streets and stealing motorcyles, stuff like that," David says.) In Victoria, she was part of a small community of Europeans who drifted here from Asia after the war (Princess Peggy Abkhazi, of Abkhazi Gardens fame, was Nathalia's across-the-road neighbour in the Lunghua internment camp).

Nathalia lived in Glengarry hospital the past couple of years, had dementia at the end. But perhaps you saw her before that when she was still in her mid-nineties, poking down Oak Bay Avenue with her walker. Perhaps you looked right through her, not knowing she was this courageous, pious, compassionate, fiercely intelligent woman inching toward the end of a 100-year journey.

Nathalia Buchan, born in Russia on Aug. 29, 1910, died in Victoria on Dec. 27, 2010. She was to be buried at Ross Bay Cemetery after a service at Saint Sophia Russian Orthodox Church in Fairfield on Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Amazing+life+Fleeing+Bolsheviks+fortunes+lost+Tommy+guns+Thailand+Shanghai+romance/4061620/story.html#ixzz1AC0KxF4V

And in case you missed the Dos Equis commercials -

A new restaurant in CoMO

 

 

Just yesterday I have commented in my yearly recap that Hemmingway’s had closed in 2010.  Here we are on Day 2 of 2011 and a replacement has been announced.

Jack’s used to be one of our favorites and I personally like Bleu quite a bit….so this could be a very good marriage of styles. 

I really liked the personal atmosphere of Hemmingway’s, so I am glad to here they are not remodeling much.  I hope they keep the “private” booths.  I’m intrigued by the British theme…I wonder what they will have on tap.  Time to start googling names to run these guys down for an interview.

You can check out 44 Stone Public House on FB, although it looks like their website is not up yet (44stonepub.com).

Columbia is way short of fine dining….so this is really good news (although at the cost of a cigar shop).  2011 is looking up already.

Chefs hope to renovate ex-Hemingway’s spot

Two local chefs have teamed up to open 44 Stone Public House, Columbia’s first “gastropub,” in the former Hemingway’s Wine and Bistro location.

David Faron, 31, is the executive chef at Jack’s Restaurant & Catering; Mark Sulltrop, 39, holds the same position at The Upper Crust. They met at Bleu Restaurant and Wine Bar in July 2008. “He hired me to be his sous chef,” Faron said.

The name is a self-deprecating poke at the two men’s girth. In Britain, a “stone” is 14 pounds; together they weigh 44 stone. “Do the math,” Faron said.

They hope to leave their current positions and have the new restaurant open by Feb. 15. They purchased the assets of the business Monday from former owner Van Allen, who closed Hemingway’s in October.

The place will be modeled after the convivial public houses popular throughout the British Isles. Faron — whose heritage is English — said that means the fare will be reasonably priced and the surroundings will be comfortable. Patrons are invited to play darts, watch a game and quaff some ale.

Faron and Sulltrop want to introduce common British dishes with a contemporary American aesthetic. The goal is to present a limited, changing menu of dishes. The two speak the vocabulary of fine dining but want to avoid the pretension of haute cuisine. “We want to avoid the Curse of the Special Occasion,” Sulltrop joked.

Commonly served dishes might include plowman’s lunch, an English-style antipasti of cheeses, bread, chutney and charcuterie, or bangers and mash — sausages and mashed potatoes in American parlance.

They are not planning extensive renovations to Hemingway’s plush interior. It took 18 months to find the right location, Faron said.

“It definitely exceeds our expectations,” he said.

Meet Ryan Simonson, another S&B Hero

This is something I would expect to see over at Randy’s Blog (MySideoftheBar), but I couldn’t resist adding it here as well.

Meet Ryan Simonson, a patron of Jim's Sports Club Bar and Grill in Chisholm Minnesota.

While he was there, (it is alleged that ) Jason Musburger,  a former Chisholm police officer, came into the bar with a gun to confront his ex-wife. 

Shots were fired and Ryan did what any man in a bar would do……he threw one barstool and began hitting Jason with another.

"I basically kept hitting him until he wasn't moving anymore," he said.

The mayor of the city is calling him a hero, saying his quick actions saved other lives. 

So, I raise my glass to you Ryan……great job.  I hope they give a free round soon.

Cheers

Cobra Commander….a Beer Review

Ok, the name of the beer isn’t Cobra Commander….it’s just plain Cobra, but I couldn’t resist.

Anyway, while on this last trip to London, I had a chance to have some Indian food near our hotel at Euston Station.  I was totally indifferent to which Indian restaurant we went to (it’s all the same right?), however Debi found out from the Hotel Bar (bars…is there anything they cannot do?) that there was a local place that was really good.

After a brisk walk and passing 5-6 other Indian restaurants, we soon found ourselves at the Shah Tandoori Restaurant .

The food there was great, and a huge thanks to Simon for guiding Debi and I through the menu (to bad they didn’t have any “Flall”).

I know, this site is about Smokes and Booze, and not to disappoint…I will review the beer they had in bottle there: Cobra Premium Lager.  Think about that for a minute……if you are male, doesn’t that sound cool to say?  Give me a Cobra please.  I almost wanted to put on some sunglasses, throw a match in my mouth and think about Brigitte Neilson. 

Uuugh, I digress….back to the story, Cobra Premium Lager comes in an large (660ml) embossed bottle (props to presentation) and is a blend of barley malt and yeast with hops and the unique addition of maize and rice thrown in.  An alcohol rating of  with 5% abv doesn’t hurt as well.

How did it taste?  I thought it paired excellently with the spicy Indian cuisine.  The beer had a distinctive and extra smooth taste. It was a balance of fullness and bitterness that offset well the various (and overwhelming) spicy foods .

I found the beer to be an outstanding lager, full and somewhat hoppy, with strong fruit hints (I got figs with mine) on both the nose and the finish.

I know, next time I go for Indian….I have high expectations from the bar, Cobra set them.

Now I just have to keep from yelling………Yoooooooooooo Joe!

Here is a commercial from Cobra to close us out.  What makes this commercial even funnier is the “Spy” Simon and I ran into at the hotel bar after this.  If you are in London, a stop at Shah (on Drummond Street) is highly recommended.  Order a Cobra for me :)

Bottoms Up.

Part of the London Trip

I really do enjoy London.  To walk the historic streets and imagining what it was like 100, 200 or even 300 years prior.

This time, my enjoyment was compounded by this being Debi’s first trip abroad.  So I got to be “Tour Guide”.

As part of our tour, I wanted to take her to St. Paul’s Cathedral.  What woman could resist seeing the place where Lady Di was married?  Although I did have ulterior motives.

You see, the area around St. Paul’s has some of my favorite pubs in London…and it makes for a great Masonic Walk as well.

Getting off the Tube at St Paul’s Station, instead of heading straight for the Cathedral, instead head down Patemoster Row, where you will find a most excellent store…The Whiskey Shop.

At The Whiskey Shop, you will find almost anything your heart desires…..and I brought home some samples that I will be reviewing later (Penderyn, Big Peat and Monkey Shoulder).  The shop is smaller than I expected, but then again…this is London, and I imagine real-estate is quite expensive. That being said, the staff seemed friendly and answered the few questions I had….so next time I swing through, it will call for another stop.  :)

From Pratemoster, you continue 50 or so meters to where the walkway T’s and you will turn left on Cathedral Steps….getting your first glimpse of St. Paul’s. 

As you approach, you are actually walking into the area which was formally known as St. Paul’s Churchyard…and the location of the Goose and Gridiron Pub, meeting place of the first Grand Lodge in 1717.  There is a Blue Plate to commemorate the spot just north of the large steps at the front of St. Paul’s.

Before I continue the tour, an interesting factiod about St. Paul’s.  The lightning rod for the cathedral was surveyed, designed and installed by none other than Benjamin Franklin….brother Freemason to Christopher Wren, the designer.

As you look West down Ludgate Hill into Fleet Street, you see some great architecture and landmarks-

Temple Bar

The Old Bailey

Old Bell Tavern (pub frequented by the masons who built St. Paul’s)

just to name a few.

Our next stop though is by far, one of my favorites…..Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

The Cheshire Cheese dates back to the 16th century and the board on display outside lists fifteen monarchs whose reigns it has survived. The interior is dark and wooden, and I have never made it past the small taproom on the right as soon as you come in.  Not due to lack of want, but instead because of how captivating the room is.  The small ground floor bar room is decorated with black timber, including the paneled ceiling. An open fire gives the room a special atmosphere. The portrait above the fireplace is that of a waiter who began to work at the Cheshire Cheese in 1829.  Regulars at this bar include; Voltaire, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  The pub is even mentioned in a Tale of Two Cities. 

I will also add….the beer of choice here is Samual Smith’s, of which I prefer the stout, who’s combination of burnt coffee and nuttyness rivals Guinness (yes I said it).

Heading back out to Fleet Street and again turning west, you head about three blocks and find an archway on the south side of the street, a shortcut to Temple Church.   I will add, Debi spotted this (I was going to go down to the Thames and come in from another direction), although I think it was due to her being tired of walking :P

Temple Church is the famous Round Church of the Knights Templar, made famous by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code.  Sadly, it is closed on Mondays….so I will have to take Debi back again sometime (it really is impressive).

With just this quick walk, you can see how quickly you can be immersed in history….and that is the way London is.  A fabulous city where small courtyards, archways and alleys lead to the unexpected.  I know Debi is excited (and wants to move there), and I can only eagerly await my next trip.

The Shining (Part 2), Christmas drink and the coolest bar I’ve seen

 

So, we were watching the Shining tonight.  It’s one of my favorite movies and has even made an appearance in this blog BEFORE.

My attention was called to the second scene in the bar (preceding the “Bathroom Scene"…I cant find a vid of bar one, but the liquor is mentioned there) where Jack meets Delbert Grady.  Grady runs into him and spills a tray of drinks.  He refers to it as Advocaat and the name piqued my interest.

Advocaat (or advokat) is a rich and creamy liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy. It has a smooth, custard-like flavor. In English-speaking countries it generally contains 15% alcohol (30 proof), but in Continental Europe the typical alcohol content differs from country to country and is generally somewhere between 14% and 20% ABV. Its contents may be a blend of egg yolks, aromatic spirits, sugar or honey, brandy, vanilla and sometimes cream (or evaporated milk).

Apparently it was once produced by Bols, but their website doesn't list it.  It can however be found here.

I also found a homemade recipe and I might try to make a batch for a kickoff drink at SantaCon 2009.

Recipe

• 5 egg yolks
• 100 gicing sugar, sieved
• ½ tspvanilla extract
• 300 g cream
• 250 ml whisky

Cream well the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Slowly mix in the cream. Then mix in the whisky.
Refrigerate for 12 hours. Shake well before use. The liqueur stays fresh in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Also, while tooling around the web, I came across an article on what I think is the coolest bar in the world.

Several years ago, Alby introduced me to H.R. Giger as an artist by his copy of the Necromicon. Later, we all learned to love him for his design of the set pieces and aliens for the Movie ALIEN (and the various sequels).  Actually, I think I knew the movie ALIEN first, but I never put it together until much later who did the design.

Anyway, he also designed the bar in his museum in Switzerland.  If you are a Sci-Fi or Horror fan…..it has to be seen to be believed.

Here’s the link……….Incredible.  Who’s up for a road trip?

 

50th Blog Post and a Contest

Well...I never thought I would get here. I figured I would get bored with blogging (you should see my work blog) and give it up.

Instead, I have had fun with writing about something I enjoy.

In chatting with Randy today, he gave me an idea.

To commemorate the occasion of the 50th Post, we will have a contest. Just go into the comments section and post the oddest name of a pub you have been to. Links are appreciated.

The prize is currently secret, but pretty cool.

Post away, and thanks for reading.

Paddy Malone's

Last night I surprised my wife and went to Paddy Malone's in Jefferson City with our Friends Jason & Jennifer.

I had never been there, but it had great reviews from other friends.....plus Jennifer had never been to an Irish Pub Environment (other than McNally's in Columbia), so it was looking to be an adventure.

The pub itself is really easy to find, and going to the front door gave a great view of the Capitol Building

Inside didn't disappoint either. The pub is a cross between an Authentic Irish Pub and an Americanized one....but with the flavor very tastefully done. My personal favorite was in the Pub Proper....where all the tabletops had a hand painted "logo" for an Irish City .


Paddy Malone claims to have the best Guinness in Missouri (with great attention to detail), so I decided to kick the night off with that. Debi also went with Guinnes, while Jenn was drinking Amaretto Sours and Jason was having Whiskey and Coke. We also ordered appetizers (Chips and Cheese with Guinness Cheese Sauce, Loaded Tator Tots and the Fried Portabella Mushrooms). We were originally going to work through those and then order real food....but the waitress advised that we wait until we got through the portion size.

The drinks arrived, and I was casually amused with the Shamrock in the foam. I know you are wondering, did the Guinness live up to the hype? I don't know of the best in MO, but I'm pretty sure it's right up there. Perfect temp and very creamy head. When I drank it, the glass striated very well and it arrived ready to go (no waiting for the beer to settle). Since Guinness is my favorite beer on tap.....I know it well, and I was inpressed. Debi said "Very Tasty".

Jenn and Jason liked their drinks (although I can't remember the whiskey in Jason's). Jenn thought the bartender was pretty liberal with booze in her, so that always brings high marks.

Before our food arrived, I followed the Guinness up with a Harp. Again, great temp and very crisp. Service (IMO) was very fast and the waitress was friendly and joked with the table.

When the appetizers arrived, I'm glad our server "scared us off" because there was a lot of food. We all sized an area, I started with the Mushrooms, and dug in. All I can say is Mmmmmm Mmmmmmmm Mmmmmmm (Barak Hussein Obama). Mine was great, the Cheese Sauce was VERY good (with the fries crispilly delicious)and the Tots were not bad. Debi made an astute observation that everyone's favorite was what they started with....so opinions might have been skewed. I tend to think that was the case.

Next round was a Smithwick's, one that I believe I've only had once before. Very good, with a nice Carmel finish. It was hoppier than I expected and that caught me off guard. I loves me some hops....so that was a definite two thumbs up.

After eating, Jason and I explored the patio for cigars. I went with a Gurkha Exotica De Oriente and he had a Crusado from my stock. The patio is the only smoking area of the Pub, but they went to great lengths to accommodate smokers. It is covered, heated and service didn't drop off. They even went out of their way to keep our drinks on our inside tab vs making us run two.

I reviewed their Scotch list, and it too was impressive. I instantly saw Laphroiag and knew what I was drinking for the remainder of the night. I will say, Laphroiag is not for the faint of heart...it is a Peat Bomb in a bottle, and if you are not prepared it can scare you off scotch for life. Jennifer was impressed that adding just a little bit of water smooths out the liquor and really activates the nose. I was in heaven.

Coming back in from Cigars, I went looking for the bathroom...only to find the other section of the bar, where a pickup Irish Music group were playing. Rounding up everyone, we migrated into there and settled in for a couple of sessions. The group was fun to watch and they covered the "Classics". Jenn was in awe, her only forlay into Irish Music had been what is experienced on St Patrick's Day and this was totally different. I did notice that they tended to cover the Chieftains quite a bit, but hey....that doesn't bother me any, and the lead singer tried to always give an explanation of the meaning of each song. Reels, a few hornpipes and some good singing really rounded out the night.


A quick note about the decor of the side room. It's VERY Irish, and is currently being painted with art inspired from the Celtic style, mostly derivatives of animals from the Book of Kells . It's a tight environment and I think this really inspired the guests to participate with the songs. When the room is done, it will be a really nice addition.

Overall, the night was a total success. Good Music, Drinks and Friends made for a great evening. The bill for all four of us was really reasonable (less than $150 with tip, and that is with me drinking a LOT of top shelf scotch) and I would go back again in a heartbeat. If I were to make one recommendation in Jeff City, it would defiantly be..........Paddy Malone's.