Mojo31

We’ve been on Old Fashiondes for the better part of the last five years. Had friends over for dinner last night, and the drinks were made with Whistle Pig rye (their favorite). I also enjoy a good aged dark rum. Can’t really drink much beer anymore as it makes me feel too bloated.

in the summer, I like a Pain Killer in a big insulated glass for those days of floating in the pool.

LesterOfPuppets

Ales have been doing that to me on occasion this year. My last two trips to the store I opted for a semi-local pilsner:

WhyFi

I was going to say that substance abuse is rampant among the back of house, but then I thought about it and realized that the front of house has always been pretty bad in my experience, too. The worst was when I was bartending at a restaurant in Brooklyn, though - I was caught between an owner and an imbibing Head Chef. The owner wanted to keep him happy, but not too happy. "Yeah, yeah - give him what he wants." Later the same night, "no more - cut him off!" A little later, the Head Chef is poking his head out, seeing if the owner is in sight, and then motioning to me for more booze. Ugh.

Sounds like a good excuse to stay away!

Yellow will probably be my next splurge, unless I stumble across one of a couple of bottles of Nikka that I've been wanting to try.

datlas 

With all the snow on the ground, combined with daytime temps above freezing and overnight well below freezing, the risk of icy spots on back-roads remains high for the foreseeable future. That means prospects of getting in real miles is not good. Phooey!

datlas 

I have had several chefs as patients over the years. I would estimate 80% have a problem with alcohol. I don’t know if the work attracts that phenotype or unmasks it, probably a bit of both.

big john

I have no idea about most of the booze talk since I haven't had a drop in 30+ years. Mrs John has a drink a few time per year but she has a collection of wines, champagne, and liquors as well as some hard stuff stored in the small kitchen. I think she should get rid of it, maybe give it to someone who will drink it, but it's still here. Most of it was given to her.

WhyFi

I like an Old Fashioned, but I don't like to make them. Or rather, I often can't be bothered to have the ingredients on hand.

High rye content gives me a headache for some reason and now the smell just turns me off. The worst is when I buy a bottle and then I find out that there's a lot of rye, but not enough for distillery to label it as a rye. Ugh. So yeah, I'm cautious about American whiskeys and will check out mash bills before buying.

WhyFi

Long shifts, fast pace, high pressure. Spend some time in and around a busy kitchen and you'll understand. That or read an Anthony Bourdain book.

genejockey 

It's a very stressful occupation. I worked with a guy who had been Executive Chef at a restaurant in SF, but left that to become an Executive Assistant to an impossible boss, which he said was less stressful.

LAJ

Restaurant and bar life is a different lifestyle. The hours aren't normal, and there's like an underground deal where you know every place that will keep the drinks coming, even after closing.

It's easy to get caught up in that life.

Mojo31

Scotch is my bane.

LesterOfPuppets

Apparently Mom hadn't gotten a newspaper delivered a couple days this week so she called to complain about it. They apologized, gave her $10 off her bill, and said it'll never happen again.

Then this morning she did get a paper. About 8am I noticed the paper on her driveway, picked it up, brought it in and asked her if she was going to read her Sunday paper or what. She tells me she already grabbed the paper. Then I asked her what time. 0500 hours.

Some paper carrier surely got an earful from their supervisor this morning after missing Mom's house AGAIN!

LAJ

210 TSS ride today. Man, I was ready to call Mrs. LAJ about 3 hours in, but made it home. Nasty nasty wind today.

Velo Vol 

Is that a quote?

rjones28 

My little brother's been in kitchens since he was 16. His first boss gave everyone a big bottle of Jack as a Christmas bonus. Even the 16 year old.

LesterOfPuppets

Nope. It took about 10 minutes of interrogation and helping her retrace her steps to pin down an approximate time

big john

I sometimes ride with a guy who worked in high end restaurants. He said the money was fantastic but he hated the stress and long hours and wanted to ride more. He got a job at UCLA running some kitchen deal and is much happier even though it's a lot less money.

Velo Vol 

I'm guessing she didn't respond in 24-hour time, either.

phrantic09

Most liquor I’m good, but a single porter or stout and I have a raging headache.

big john

By yourself? What does it take to reach 210? Are you hammering into the wind or climbing, or both?

LesterOfPuppets

Here's my procrastinators guide to the Festive 500 - Even distribution of miles across the remaining days of the event if you ride 0 miles per day from the beginning of the event: (riding every day of the event results in 38.875 mile days)

44.42857143
51.83333333
62.2
77.75
103.6666667
155.5
311

MoAlpha

The upper level offerings from all of the Irish distillers are pretty good in my experience.

LesterOfPuppets

Oh Dark Thirty is probably more accurate

MoAlpha

I think a lot of it is constant, manic, pressure and terrible hours, combined with access to and appreciation for the good stuff.

WhyFi

This is basically what I talked to my wife about - told her that I'd need to ride ~40 miles per day. "Oh, that's not too bad," she said.

"Yeah, until you miss a day."

I think that I'll go for it, if it looks like we're not going to get any precip; I'd break out the studs on the last day if I had do, but I'd throw in the towel otherwise, I think.