Tini Time - The Martini Mike Guide to Martinis

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Thirstday

Oh my... Thursday is not so bad!
I did not make it to the burning of Zozobra in Santa Fe.
I was home alone and already dressed.
So out the door I went.
And well, in the immortal words of George Thorogood... I drink alone.
OK, well not exactly. Matter of fact I rarely drink alone!
Strange days have found us. Oh crap, there's another song lyric (The Doors).
Since everyone seems to know me wherever I go in this small town of 800,000 people it is impossible to be melancholy or alone in your dark corner of a cafe or bar. But hey, I'm a writer and photographer. So, I feed on this manna whether I intended to or not. I just want to say hello and thank you to all the interesting characters I have run across lately.
You are some truly inspiring and colorful people.
It is a pleasure to know or have known you.
Have a great weekend!

The Night Begins - Sunset Strip

And the night begins! Sunset strip... Hollywood, CA. Just like back in the day.
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Martini Mike's St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza!

OK, so anyone who knows me knows I love St. Patty's Day. Because my middle name is Patrick? Maybe. Because I'm Irish? No. Because I'm not even a little Irish! Although they say everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Well grab your shillelagh and come oooon down. There may be some pinching going on. But not because you forgot to wear green!

With the death of the annual St. Pat's Day Parade here... so goes my annual post parade private party. Much like my Xmas party... we are bumping up to a bar so there's more room and I don't have to shake the drinks! This may be the hottest  event I have promoted yet. I have acquired sponsorship from Jameson Irish Whiskey and Guinness. Needless to say there will be great drink specials! There, I said it anyway. Killian's, Guinness, Jameson at the very least will be on special. Now I can't promise a "special" but I am sending some big goons over to speak with a fella named Wes about ordering some Harp and/or Smithwick's from the Guinness rep too (same company). Ahem. OK, I was just going to ask him politely to be honest. I just laughed out loud but refuse to say "lol" in a blog. Damn.

FREE entertainment! Everybody likes something FREE right? And everybody wants to see some bagpipes or something on St. Patty's right? I have the hottest pipers in town in my pocket. Stop. Don't touch that. I need that roll of quarters for laundry. Mac-Tire of Skye Pipes and Drums will be making appearances throughout the afternoon and evening. This is the only place you will likely see them in Nob Hill other than an unnamed venue way at the east end because it was a package deal with their uptown location.

The finest Irish Balladeer west of the Mississippi, Gerry Muisener,  will be playing at 5:30. Garage Rock Gods "Sleestaks" will be playing a raucous set of drinking songs at 8 PM. They will be followed by other local favorites of a slightly different flavor... Vertigo Venus (Sponsored by Guinness) at 9. In between all this madness and revelry I will be your DJ. You will be subjected to your favorite Irish and/or Rock tunes from the 80's to the present. That's right, you heard me. No "House", "Techno", or other late night DJ type stuff until 10 PM. At 10 PM we will usher in the late night with DJ Flo-Fader. Some time between 9 and 11 the "Jameson Girls" will be around with shwag and booze. Guinness will also be around some time handing out the shwag and such.

              (Me & Sally Supermodel are big fans)

Non musical guests will include The Irish Freedom Committee. Support the families of Irish Republican Political Prisoners! Hmmm... and anyone else cheated out of a parade this year may very well be here! Give us your tired, your green, your thirsty! No marching required.

"Where is this magical event?" you might be asking yourself. A place called imbibe is the epicenter for this extravaganza. Conveniently located in the historic Nob Hill district. On Route 66/Central Ave. just a stone's throw from UNM. There's smoking allowed, legally. And there is a fine ventilation system for you people who are whining right now. Maybe, hopefully, it will be nice enough to have their garage doors open too. And let's not forget their beautiful rooftop patio. Do some people watching from the railing! Make fun of the guy I wouldn't let in.

Can you handle a good time? Forget the pub with no view. Forget the other worn out old pipers. This is the place to be! More details to come as they unfold... or maybe I'll just surprise you! Take the afternoon off and come enjoy the Irish spring. Follow the sounds of laughter and the scent of a shot of whiskey.

Mac-Tire of Skye Pipes and Drums 3:00ish/4:30ish/7:30ish/??

Irish Balladeer-Gerry Muisener 5:30-6:00

Sleestaks (the rock band) 8:00

Vertigo Venus 9:00
(Sponsored by Guinness)

Jameson Girls 9-11

DJ Flo-Fader from 10 PM on

Drink Specials

Shwag of course! (FREE Stuff)

And MORE!

RSVP at MySpace

OR

Duke City Fix

OR

Martini World! Facebook Group

 

ALL PHOTOS © Michael P. D'Arco

What's hot/ what’s not!

I already know what you're thinking... and yes. At the risk of shameless self promotion I just have to, of course, plug Martini World! Mondays at imbibe. But, I'll come back to that later.

I have just been so busy lately that I don't even know where to begin. I guess I'll just stick with the recent past. It's a bit of a blur but I know I've had a good time. A real good time. Most of the time anyway. Some of you have been there with me too.Road trips up north, Art Galleries, Parades, Parties, Club events, Networking events, Sushi. I need a rest already! OK, so maybe I should just get to what's hot and what's not. I'm sure every magazine in town does this.. but I don't care!

Let's start with "not".

Not. The Cooperage. Unless of course you are looking for a $9 martini in the smallest glass available by law... during HAPPY HOUR! Oh, with a bunch of blue hairs anxious to get their "Nawlens" on.

Not. Two Fools Tavern. Still can't get a "shot"! You can get a "glass" of whiskey but don't shoot it or you're out on your ass.

Not. NM Rail Runner on a Friday night. If you hop on right after work (downtown Abq 5:21 pm) you will have just enough time for a drink or two in Santa Fe before catching the last train back at 9:30! Without reservations you will have a 2-3 hour wait in the popular restaurants... unless you're me.

Not. Albuquerque Cab. If you want to wait an hour on your way out or your way home go for it. I had the rudest driver for a "safe ride" & when I called to complain all they did was defend him. I had only had 2 drinks & food, so it wasn't me. I have swapped out my speed dial to Yellow Cab 505-247-8888.

Aaaaannnnd HOT! What's hot lately? More than the "not" luckily. So many hots, so little time.

HOT. Mac-Tire of Skye Pipes and Drums. Voted “Best Upcoming Scottish Musical Group” in Albuquerque the Magazine’s 2008 Best of the City issue. Featured in an online exclusive at Alibi.com, "Not just pipe dreams" a few weeks ago. Starring in my backyard for the "Post St. Patty's Day Parade Party" recently. I love you guys.

HOT. NM Rail Runner on a Saturday. Crowded? Perhaps. Do you want to stand for 1.5 hours from Santa Fe? Perhaps not. But it does run later than Friday! You have all day to get there and the last train home leaves at 10 PM.

HOT. Cake Fetish. Cupcakes that are delicious works of art! And they have delivery too! “Cake Fetish is Albuquerque's first gourmet cupcake bakery.Each cupcake is made from scratch in small batches by our highly creativebakers using the freshest ingredients.” Uptown, downtown, and the west side.

HOT. Giovanni's Pizza. They recently delivered pies all the way to Central and Girard! And it is still the best authentic NY Style Pizza around.

HOT. Yellow Cab. Fast, friendly, no grief. NOT owned by the same company as Albuquerque Cab contrary to popular belief! 505-247-8888

HOT. Local IQ Magazine. For the "25 and over" crowd who appreciate the finer things in life. Read the column called "Fabü" by my long time friend Lisa Van Dyke!

HOT. Shogun. Still. I love to start the "boat note" and communicate with strangers on the other side of the sushi bar. The sushi is top notch. The people are friendly and the beer's cold. What else do you want? I swear these are the best Spider Rolls on earth! And try a Crispy Dragon Roll.

And last but not least HOT. Monday nights at imbibe. I saw that. Don't wince. I heard that! Just read on, and no, I am not an owner or investor. There are people of all ages here at all times it appears. And what the hell else is there to do on a Monday in Albuquerque?!
MartiniWorld.com Presents Martini World! Mondays...


So who wants to party like a rock star?
Weekends are for amateurs anyway!
Chicken?
Tired?
Too hip for you?


Wait. What about a relaxing happy hour? 4-7 I dare you to find a normal size premium martini for $5 in this town! There are pints of premium imports for $2 too! And I personally put together this ever changing playlist for 4-8 PM. Everything from Dean Martin to songs you recognize from every popular mob movie, even the newer ones.


Still not hooked? How about the cool movie I show at 6? Last week was the original Scarface (1932). This week will be On the Waterfront (1954), with Marlon Brando.



Come watch a movie after work.
NCAA Final Four?
Have a drink.
Have a cigar.

This is Albuquerque's only legal smoking bar.
Don't like smoke?
There is a state of the art filtration system.
They open the garage doors for the warm weather too.
Next Monday 4/06/09 alleged to be 69 degrees, sunny, no wind.

There is also a rooftop patio with great views of Route 66.
And I have the handsome, talented, and single DJ Ryan (the Friday night DJ) at 8 on Mondays.

Hmmm... what else? It's cool. All your friends are doing it.
There'll be models, some promotion every week.
Did I mention surprises too? Like FREE stuff?

Recently featured in abqonthecheap.com!
Check out my promo video too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-7T-syurS8
Hope to see you there. Ciao

Children of the Night

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." - Ernest Hemingway

Well we had a meeting of the minds a few nights ago. True, perhaps spongey and blurred minds at that time. Always looking for ways to make life simpler, while spreading our names across the land, we often meet for long Gin soaked (not literally "Gin", just a figure of speech) discussions on such. Well, and how to make money at the same time! There might be reading of some prose involved as well. Maybe some jamming. This night was no different. Rudolfo Serna, writer, was crying "Anarchy!" at some point. World Champion Bagpiper Nate Lorenz, AKA "Nitro Nate", cigar in hand and near the end of the Whisky Trail joined right in.

Rudolfo is about to publish his first novel. He is a loose member of a loose cooperative known by several names, a few of which escape me now. "Children of Satan"... I remember that one for sure. "Traumatized Root"? Damn. Something with the word "root" in it. I do know they even bought a domain name this week. Well, anyway, from the northern communities of New Mexico they are the only tough, hard drinking, fistacuffing men I know around here that are poets and painters and artists of various mediums. A few weeks ago they had a show in Espanola, NM. Next thing you know I am helping them plan some shows in the big city, there is a name & a website! I was inspired. This all came about after such a discussion last weekend I believe.

My main issue is that I post blogs in two or more places. Having had another strange experience over on my local blog that night I swore I would find a new space. I have a "local" blog which they A. only permit to relate specifically to Albuquerque on that site. Then I also have my "international" blog on MySpace for everything outside of New Mexico basically. What about the in between? And the local blog, popular as it is, is a pain to format everything to their exact specs. That is just one reason that even a popular writer may not end up on the front page. And there goes hours and hours of work... with no one to read it. Sad. I have been accused of feeling "persecuted" but I understand their "tough love" stance and know it's not personal. Ahem.

Days later my buddy Nitro Nate inadvertently brought to my attention the fact that I had an existing account here at blogger.com ! Woohoo! You can change the name or address at any time. You can post a blog from your cell phone for God's sake. You can post a blog from an email. It auto saves regularly. No popup to agree to before adding a hyperlink. No resizing of pictures. No rules other than avoiding nudity. Aside from that-I think I've found my new home.

I have just spent countless hours for the last two days building, tweaking, and testing this space. Let me know what you think. Easy to use? Easy to comment without signing in? Easy to subscribe? Like the little checkboxes? Thanks fellas for the continued brainstorming. Now if Rudy and I could just finish writing our books we can hire Nate as our financial advisor/accountant! Meantime... need a bagpiper or 9? Visit Nate and his other gang at the Mac-Tire of Skye Pipes and Drums site. Rudy hates technology but teaches creative writing at UNM. You can visit the rest of Rudy's Espanola gang soon at their new web space or the show I am trying to organize. Stay Tuned.

Subscribe to this new space because you have nothing to lose. I wish I had the time and energy to write every day but I don't. But I will likely write more frequently now without the aggravation of requirements and guidelines and keeping it about here or there! Thank you all for your continued support. Cheers!