Underhill-Lounge

I’ve actually talked already about the Daiquiri in the post “Daiquiris, a Cautionary Tale,” but for that post, (back when I wasn’t too lazy to make movies,) I didn’t actually make a regular Daiquiri. So here we go!

Daiquiri Cocktail
The Juice of 1/4 Lemon or 1/2 Lime. (1/2 Lime)
1 Teaspoonful Powdered Sugar. (1 teaspoon caster [...]

Making drinks in a bar is like, “doing it,” with a beautiful woman?
Making drinks at home is “onanism”?
Have I gone crazy? Is this my mid-life crisis? Could I use a bigger cliché?
After reading that last post certain persons in the house were about ready to call the exorcist, fearing I had been possessed [...]

I had a good time with the guys at Flower on Friday, but I went into the weekend with a bit of a heavy feeling in my heart.
Two more times and that’s it.
All of E.’s arguments against me working at Flower made sense. Plus, it’s in Oakland, making the late night commute back to [...]

After Enrique the barback spontaneously hit me with the kudos, we had to explain the whole situation.
Tell him I actually have a job and a wife that probably wouldn’t be thrilled if I worked more than a couple nights at a bar. I was just checking it out. I think he thought I [...]

The big difference between the first Friday and the second Friday at Flower was that Mrs. Underhill had been out of town the first week. The second week I was giving up a night at home with my wife.
When we sat down, E. asked, “So what’s next?” I’ll paraphrase E.: I’ve been [...]

The next Friday, I’d planned with E. to again work at Flora.
I have to admit I was far more nervous this time than the first. Afraid I’d get over confident, and really muff it this time. Actually had a little of a hard time sleeping the night before, due to worry. Very [...]

I got home at about 1:00 on Saturday morning.
It might have been late, but I’d been serving drinks to people all night. I was hot, sweaty, and thirsty.
Quite some time ago, I had tried Firestone Walker’s Double Barrel Ale and not really cared for it. To me it tasted kind of like unmalted [...]

The night at Flower started in earnest around 8. We had quite a rush and it stayed busy for an hour or so. By 9:30 things started to taper off, and I took my break and had some much needed dinner. Next time I plan to pack a snack for the BART [...]

The only remaining detail I haven’t covered was the dress code. White shirt, black pants, black socks, black shoes.  I really didn’t have was black shoes that I could imagine standing in all evening. Quick trip to the shoe store and I had a pair of kind of ugly black new balance walking [...]

Well, you know, I suppose not all bartenders are cool, but I just have to pause and mention how great and supportive the men and women who work behind the bar in San Francisco (and elsewhere) have been regarding my little obsession with the Savoy Cocktail Book.
I mean, really, I’m just another cocktail nerd with [...]