order an old-fashioned at the Alembic. (Haight)
WHERE does Dede live now?! Mary Ann Singleton does WHAT?!
You know that really annoying person that walks down the street with their nose in their book, not paying any attention to where they are going and usually ends up running into someone or, on a more hilarious day, a trash can, a pole, or a parking meter? Yeah… that person.
Well, I am the epitome of that description. Its quite a curse actually- I get so involved in my book that I throw social responsibility to the wind and take my chances, usually endangering small dogs, small children, or anything else below my line of book-binding sight.
But you see… with that said… I have quite an affinity for Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City. It was the first book I read after my move up here. Upon starting my job, my boss leant me more books than I could get through in the next year and while this might seem promising (a suggestion that I won’t be fired in the next year…), it was daunting. They were in a Starbucks bag and the group consisted of many classics but one book jumped out at me: Tales of The City. Before I knew it, I was tripping over small children and their small pets while running into mailboxes as I walked with my novel inches away from my face.
This, of course, was months ago. I have long since ended my affairs with Brian Hawkins, Beauchamp Day, and Mary Ann Singleton… or so I thought…
When I walked into my office this morning, a novel sat next to my keyboard: Further Tales of The City. It was like Christmas. Watch out, short dogs, I have a book that requires my full attention again.
Anyway, I wanted to do my task today by myself for a few reasons so, after work today, I got a seat on the N bus and rode down to the Haight.
I missed my bus stop because Mary Ann and Brian Hawkins were……… I won’t give it away but it’s GOOD.
I walked into the Albemic and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartender started to hand me a menu and I waved a “no thanks” to him and said “the old-fashioned, please”. I then watched intensely as he whisked ingredients together so quickly and with such ease, peeling lemons and melting ice, that it made the process look like an art.
It smelled amazing. It tasted like lemonade on fire.
I nursed my drink as the world’s most annoying customers obnoxiously discussed their lives next to me. Seriously. It takes a LOT to annoy me, especially at a bar because you have to expect slight annoyances like that… but this was a little too much for even me.
As I got through my old-fashioned, it worked to gradually subdue my irritated state of mind. I shifted my focus to the bartender who mixed drinks together calmly and meticulously. I was thoroughly impressed. On my way out, I asked what was in my drink: sugar, bourbon, lemon, and bitters.
I was glad to leave and steal a seat on the bus home where I could escape 2012 San Francisco and go spend some time with 1980’s San Francisco in Further Tales of the City.
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