Happy Hour: The 1st...

...Of many, I hope.

I suppose it's appropriate that I attended my first Happy Hour in 4+ years on the First of June.

On a whim I asked our Gen. Mgr (the wee Irish lass) if she would accompany an elder sage to the venue of her choice for his first experience with a bit of cash in the pocket. To my surprise, she said she'd be delighted to, and "when do we leave"?  My kind of gal, that.

She suggested a restaurant less than a block away, called The Pig & Fish**, which just so happens to be the place where an old friend recently became the Gen. Mgr. as well.  I asked if she knew him (he had been bar mgr. at the Purple Parrot for a decade) and a barman before that.  She didn't. I was thrilled she chose the place.

We didn't tell anyone what we were up to, which was the right thing to do. Her shift was over before mine, so she bolted out the door as if the place was on fire. Finished my own shift, passed along the reservation info for the evening to Sasha, thanked my day staff, and headed out the door.  No shift drink, I was heading to a new experience; meeting new people and old neighbors, too.

Linda was already at the bar when I arrived, and friend Will, came to the door to welcome me with a hug. We had only seen one another as he passed Dos Locos on his way to the Parrot, barely having time to chat, so this was a real joy.  He was beaming with pride, his staff seemed to love him as much as his customers and myself. I then introduced Will to Linda and they talked shop briefly before I broke it up. I am sure there will be many opportunities to chat about work, but AFTER the season, please!

It's Friday, a week after Memorial Day and the bar was fairly empty, but for a few faces recognized from around town. Parking myself next to Linda at the bar, I ordered a rum & coke while perusing the Happy Hour food menu. Great munchies to choose from: steamed mussels in a Tuscan sauce with prosciutto and dried tomatoes, fried green tomatoes topped with blue crab and a romoulade, bruschetta with lump crab, red onions, and mozzarella, to name a few.  We shared these three.  No need for supper tonight.

One of the bartenders is a classic film geek and a joy to talk with, Linda & I chatted about the Titanic museum in her hometown of Belfast (she plans to visit on her trip home this Fall), another guy at the bar and I shared our excitement with the Kindle and the conversations eventually went out in all directions from there.  It was delightful.  Everyone having a good time, enjoying good food & drink.

Both Linda and I have early work schedules tomorrow, so we tried to be good;  had only 2 drinks - and all that food - and promised to do this again sometime in the not-too-distant-future.  Like after that last payment to the Dentist in June. Wait! OMG, that's this month!  It's here! Final payment is due on June 8, 2012.

As the song goes, "it's not where you start, but where you finish!"

And so it goes.
*

**Their logo: Eat Like a Pig & Drink Like a Fish.