today and tomorrow

This morning's not-so-hungover-hangover was brought to you by: Shiner Bock, New Orleans Amber Rum, and the letter W.

Tomorrow's? Champane Happy Hour at Savvy Gourmet

My co-worker told me our love affair had to end, as I am killing her slowly with alcohol and cigarettes.

wtf

Some guy has taken (and since released) two hostages in HRC's campaign office in New Hampshire. What the fuck. Two hostages freed at Clinton campaign office.

Wonkette speculates on who this psychopath is.

It's amazing how when you're actually working and doing your job, you're in your own little world and oblivious to the bigger things going around you.

Here come the Chinese

I like tequila. I'm a little snobby about it. So, of course this caught my eye - 'Chinese' tequila worries Mexico.

The title is a bit more sensational than the actual issue. It appears that parts of China have a similar climate to certain areas of Mexico. Thus, the plants indigenous to Mexico are able to flourish as they would in their natural habitat. The plants in question are maguey and to a lesser extent nopal. While maguey is a form of agave, it is not the blue agave in which true tequila is made from. In fact, it is used to make mezcal, which is a product similar to tequila. In addition to being from another plant, mezcal generally comes from a region other than Tequila - Oaxaca. Mezcal is also of the "tequila worm" fame.

So I guess what it boils down to is that the Chinese are wanting to produce maguey to make mezcal, which the general public (and the media, it appears) generally doesn't differentiate from tequila. Because tequila has grown in popularity the last 10-15 years, China can make some bank in the tequila market.

What Mexico wants is denomination of origin so that tequila (and I guess mezcal) can only go by such a name if it comes from Mexico. This Chinese stuff would have to have another name. You know, like Syrah is from France and Shiraz is from Australia.

See also:
The Grande Enchilada
The Incontiguous Brick

[h/t: Beegs]

ALTL's tequila advice to you: Quit drinking Cuervo Gold, 1800, and Sauza. The 2006 Tequila Trade Agreement allows for tequilas such as these to be bottled outside of the country. They are only required to be 51% blue agave, while the real stuff is, well, 100%. Read the fine print at the Cuervo website: Imported and/or bottled in the United States by Heublein, Norwalk, CT. Get yourself to Dos Jefes or Yo Mama's and order yourself a Herradura Reposado. Neat. No training wheels. Sip it. Give tequila a real chance.

A day in the life...

Last night my co-worker and I had a date with that attractive bottle to the right. The date went so well that we almost finished the entire bottle. Needless to say today was a little rough, but never dull in our office environment.

Today's early morning buzz was someone all up in arms about the racist trash debacle, already claiming that the mayor is going to be on the outs and discussing the line of succession if the mayor resigns. He was all excited as the prospect of Jackie Clarkson becoming the Acting Mayor, as she will be president of the Council soon. Unfortunately someone said to him "Well, if the mayor is indicted he won't resign, history has shown us that." I was sort of interested, so I dug up the City Charter and it appears that the City Council appoints one of the two council members-at-large, the prez isn't simply a shoe-in. Sorry buddy, Jackie's not in Ray Ray's office yet.

A series of posts on Wonkette had me near tears while not doing my work and pumping myself dull of fluids. This one was the highlight: Georgia man tries to use fake $1 million dollar bill, Fails. I mean, seriously? And then he got mad about it? The human race never ceases to amaze.

To top it all off, right as I was starting to feel normal again, I find out that Tales of the Toddy is sold out (of course my ass failed to buy tickets in advance despite knowing for a month). It doesn't help that the people that work for Tales of the Cocktail are impossible to get in touch with, despite plastering their phone number(s) everywhere.

So instead I am continuing my recent-war-related movie marathon by watching Blood Diamond. In the last week this list has included Lord of War and Lions for Lambs.

This is very verbose, I must still be a bit intoxicated. If only ALTR would blog from time to time. Maybe she's taking notes on the YouTube GOP debate.

oh baby

Look how sexy Trashanova looks as he corner peeks with those brooding eyes and carefully tousled hair.



What is that bling on his finger? It's certainly not a wedding ring and he dropped out of LSU after a year to become BFFs with Lenny Kravitz.

On another note, doesn't Veronica White look frighteningly like Whitney Houston with that 'do?

stupid corporate America

I was reading this article and it just infuriated me: Mambo tangles with Anheuser-Busch over michelada beer.

Mambo Seafood is a chain of restaurants in Houston (maybe throughout Texas). Apparently they submitted a trademark application for their Mambo Michelada. Anheuser-Busch is all up in arms because they think - get this - it sounds like Michelob.

I guarantee you this is not because Mambo sounds like Michelob. It's the michelada part that somehow sounds as if it could be confused with michelada. News flash, A-B, the michelada is an old school drink found in Mexico! The Mambo owner explains...

The words michelada and chelada come from the Mexican slang for beer, or chela, said one beer analyst in Mexico City, who follows Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, which is half owned by Anheuser-Busch.

Some say chelada. Some call it michelada. Some add tabasco sauce or other ingredients, depending on the part of Mexico where the drink is made, the beer analyst said.

"It depends on the region. We call anything that has beer and lime a michelada," said the analyst, who did not want to be identified.

Yeah, buddy. I learned to make a michelada by real live Mexicans back during my booze slinging days during a World Cup match. Throw some hot sauce and lime juice (drop or two or Worcestershire if you like) in the bottom of a salt-rimmed glass and top it off with a nice dark Mexican beer, preferably a Negra Modelo. This is not some new invention. Is it simply because someone thought to trademark it?

I gotta agree with the article, Anheuser-Busch is just trying to edge out the little guy, while trying to make more room for their own awful canned michelada the Budweiser Chelada. You just can't can things like that! It's like that stupid canned/bottled mojito from Bacardi. Barf.

mmm mmm good

Last Wednesday:

This Wednesday:
Tales of the Toddy

Now that the election is over, what shall we do?!

I know some people that could benefit from this...



via beegs.com

Ms. Mae's, hooray!

With the news that Ms. Mae's is back up and running, I had to go see for myself what closure for almost two months had done to The Club. It's definitely a lot cleaner and has a new coat of paint. Things have been moved around, some things are gone. There are even new support polls to make sure the ceiling doesn't fall down! Can't say I miss the claw machine, but at least the cigarette machine will return soon.

Most disappointing, though, was the lack of Mardi Gras tiles in the women's bathroom. Despite assurances from the Wall of Shame that most of the tiles would return, the bathrooms were tile free. :(



Currently:


I miss them!

It was almost as if nothing changed, the lady herself was there cleaning off tables. The typical crowd which always encompasses those from all walks of life. The intense pool games and the same bartenders.

Glad she's back up and running.

The Club is back!!!

Celebrate the grand re-opening at Ms. Mae's Friday morning at 9 AM!

I never knew how much I missed you until you were gone...