No. 001

Birthdays - I am still at an age where I kind of like them, well my own at least. And Mandy's, which is a great reason to go out and have a martini! So we do. We decide to make a big deal out of this so instead of launching ourselves into the first bar we find on the way out of the office, we actually plan something. Thursday night, 8:00, we'll meet at her place. Of course we will. It's downtown and completely more accessible to anything we want to do than my little haven in the university area. So I get home from work, after an hour in traffic (what the f@%# is wrong with Charlotte drivers?) and get all dolled up. Jeans, sequins, and shoebooties (eye roll), lipstick, hair - OK now I can get back in the car.



Once downtown we drive to the last free parking deck in the city that's too big for it's britches. Seriously, it's Thursday, in CHARLOTTE - are we going to run out of parking if we don't charge for it?



Meandering down sidewalks, passing a street musician and some people just leaving their offices (I am not the only one who works way too late) we very shortly arrive at Blue. I forgot for a moment that I have actually been here before. The bar is full. Please do not relegate us to the nonsmoking section. It is time for me to come clean. I am a part time smoker - there. I said it. So may no one who wants to lecture me about my health read this...Fortunately we are saved by a whole additional section of the bar which is completely empty. So we saunter over to the rhythm of the jazz band and take our stools.



And Katie is the bartender (high school - I know right, this could never happen in Paris) and the manager Brett, is an old friend of my sister! We explain our new mission (finding the perfect martini remember?) and Katie happily obliges. So far so good. Until they cannot tell which martini is the Gin and which is the Vodka. Pretty funny really. So a few cool points lost for skill, but they were redeemed by humanity later.



Sadly enough, despite the great outfits and the great cause for celebration (Mandy's birthday) we are too tired to really party. I barely finish my martini in an hour and a half and it's warm...



But the cocktails were gratis thanks to friends from the past and birthdays. Official martini experience No. 001 - gets a solid 5. And no, there aren't actually any criteria for the ratings, it's all based on my mood.