MySideOfTheBar

Yes indeed it is that time of year again, the annual counting of the corks! To refresh your memory, this is the time of year that Central Patti and I count all the corks from the many bottles of Wine we have consumed in the last 12 months. We collect all the corks from the only the Wine we have put away at La Petite Maison Dans Westwood only. To refresh your memory 2008 - 2009 - 166 2009 - 2010 - 157 2010 - 2011 Drum Roll 137! I know it is a little lower, but I should have counted our Vodka, Scotch and Bourbon bottles! Cheers The Professor

I was sitting out in the Bar “Formally Known as the KC Ice Bar” last weekend and what was going on around me to quote Eddie Chiles made me mad as hell. So what was it that made me so mad? It was the noise population going on around me. Neighbor’s mowing lawns, the pounding of new root being put on, the neighbor whose fence is next to mine replacing part of his fence and the electric drill making it’s whirring tat, tat, tat sound as it drives in the wood screws. Which by the way are as irritating as a dentist drill. Now I realize I choose to move into the big city and many of you would say that I just have to live with this noise. While I do agree to some extent I also believe that there should be specific hours on the weekends and evenings when you can make noise whether working in your yard or putting on a new roof or siding. One More Example Another example was on Sunday morning, Mothers Day the same neighbor who was putting up the new roof on Saturday was back at it on Sunda...

Here are a few random facts on Cinco De Mayo: Did you know that Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates Mexico's victory in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, is more widely celebrated in the United States than in its native country? The original Margarita was a 1948 recipe created by Margarita Sames at a party in her Acapulco villa. She had the idea to mix fresh lime juice and her two favorite drinks: Cointreau and Tequila. Her cocktail kept the party going for two weeks. NOTE: To the Usual Suspects, I only want to drink till the sun comes up. Did you know that Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates Mexico's victory in the 1862 Battle of Puebla, is more widely celebrated in the United States than in its native country? History of Cinco de Mayo: Battle of Puebla In 1861 the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez (1806-1872) became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces ...

Yes, what I really meant was a chamber pot; however at one in the morning staging down the long dim hallway with the creaky wooden floors and facing the long stairway down to the bathroom spittoon was all I could think of. The evening started innocent enough as we were traversing the interstate from K.C. MO to NW Iowa for a visit. I did not have a drink until after 5:00 and I was not driving, but as usually I never went anywhere without my trusty ten shot flask. That day it was loaded with Buffalo Trace Bourbon. By the way it had been awhile since I had imbibed in Buffalo Trace and I had forgotten how good it was. We arrived at the farm and continued happy hour. As the night progressed I opened the new bottle of Four Roses (the official Bourbon of MySideOfTheBar) that Central Patti had purchased as part of a case and kept drinking throughout the night. As the night progressed and the bottle emptied we headed up the afore mentioned stairs and to bed. I woke a couple of hours later a...

Last weekend Central Patti and I were out on the town and it was hard to miss that it was prom season. All the young adults were out in all their full dress glory riding around in the Limos and eating at some of the finer establishments in Kansas City I could not help but comment that for one, when I was that age I could not have afforded to rent a Limo or to eat in any of the establishments that we watched the kids go in and out of. I seem to remember that working part time in high school I made something like a dollar and a quarter an hour. Secondly, while I did not have a lot of spending money the one difference between me at that age and these kids was I could drink in bars! I know most of you are saying what the hell? But that is how different the times were when I was a senor in high school I turned 18 in October of my senior year and I could legally enter and drink in bars in the state of Iowa. I know you may not believe this as do most of the younger bar flies and collea...

With one of the life changing events taking place in the last couple of weeks I had some time to reflect and ponder the reason to drink. As with all reasons there are good reasons and bad reasons. For example, reasons to exercise. Weight loss and overall health benefits to name two, would be considered good reasons. Reasons not to drink, being lazy or bad weather or too busy could be considered bad reasons. In the following I will leave it to you to determine if these are good or bad reasons or even excuses to drink. Reasons to Drink Well I just plain enjoy drinking! I like the taste of Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, Tennessee, and Irish Whiskeys. I like red, white, dry, sweet and sparkling Wine. I like Vodka, Gin, Tequila and the tastes of many other varieties of alcohols. I enjoy any cocktail made from any of the above alcohols. I like the way drinking makes me feel. For example when drinking a classic cocktail such as a Manhattan or Martini I sit and feel as if I am back in the 60’s...

I have had many request from the Usual Suspects to do a video series on making cocktails and here is my first attempt.  Here is the Reciepe 3 Shots of Whiskey 1 Shot of Sweet Vermouth Several dashes Angostrua Bitters Stir and pour into a rocks glass or straight into a chilled Martini glass Garnish with a cherry Cheers The Professor