The Miracle of Absinthe

[Caity Lynn]

This thread has been incredibly informative! Thank you all!
While I am still underage, I intend to get my hands on a bottle of Absinthe for my Twenty First Birthday. (Simply because I know of several friends and myself who are interested in tasting it.) The drinking will be responsible don't worry, I'll make sure it's watered and sugared down appropriately

 

[Subvet642]

Add lemonade to your absinthe! Thanks for the excellent suggestion, SubVet -- I tried a "Hemingway," i.e. absinthe and lemonade, last night -- and it made for an excellent birthday drink.

My pleasure, I'm here to help! I've read that Hemingway used to drink it that way, but who can say for sure? Oh, and Happy Birthday! :cheers1:

 

[scotrace]

I had Absinthe for the first time at the Cicada Club, thanks to the gracious Marc Chevalier. It was every bit as fun, and more delicious, than I expected.

 

[DapperCat77]

I've been drinking absinthe for a while now, it's only recently become legal again in the u.s. but we had a bottle given to us before then. I say if you're going to drink it do it classic style with cold water I would never make a mixed drink with it, But that's just me, I'm a purist.

 

[ortega76]

Anyone know where I can buy Absinthe spoons and glasses in Chicago? I'd prefer to check them put myself as opposed to ordering online.

 

[randooch]

New York Times Online Article

Fairly interesting take on absynthe:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/fashion/04absinthe.html?_r=1

 

[celtic]

Fairly interesting take on absynthe:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/fashion/04absinthe.html?_r=1

just grate.

:eusa_doh:

 

[John in Covina]

NYT- "true" sophistication over enjoyment- rules.

Ah yes the New York Times, the reporting formula is to do a little bit of skin deep research, act as an authority and then put it all down as last year's fashions.

Is there anything sophisticated enough for the Times? Apparently not.
Hip enough? No.
NYT- "true" sophistication over enjoyment- rules.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

A nice reply to the laughable NYT absinthe article.

http://boozynyc.com/2009/01/the-times-takes-down-absinthe.html

 

[MrBern]

Ah yes the New York Times, the reporting formula is to do a little bit of skin deep research, act as an authority and then put it all down as last year's fashions.

Is there anything sophisticated enough for the Times? Apparently not.
Hip enough? No.
NYT- "true" sophistication over enjoyment- rules.

Sophisticated?
So you dont think that the article seems fairly turned off by pretentious bars serving flaming shots of absinthe to hipsters seeking an 19th century high?

 

[John in Covina]

Sophisticated?
So you dont think that the article seems fairly turned off by pretentious bars serving flaming shots of absinthe to hipsters seeking an 19th century high?

************
Are you simply being a stick in the mud?

 

[John in Covina]

When people go out to have a good time such as to a high end bar or dining at a fine restaurant there is a sense of PRESENTATION. If some sembelance of showmanship is being provided with the presentation it adds to the enjoyment of the drink or meal and helps create a memorable moment for those that are partaking in the moment and even for those around them. When the chef comes out to do a flambe at the table of if the bartender does some high octane fun at the bar, it's part of the ceremony that makes for some involvement and personalized service.

From the waiter doing the pepper grinding or making the Caesar salad at the table it all adds to the moment unless you're totally jaded.

 

[MrBern]

************
Are you simply being a stick in the mud? Is your idea of fun deflating the enjoyment of others? Please go and write for the NY Times and dispense to all of us plebian peons you most righteous knowledge master.

John, I think we can disagree on a news article without getting petty.

The author clearly had a crappy time & refers to the experience as:

third-hand piffle masquerading as transgressive pop culture.

So he doesnt like licorice flavored drinks.

You complain that its skin deep research but clearly the reporter went to more than one bar serving absinthe & interviewed & qouted bartenders, owners, absinthe enthusiasts on more than one distiller of the beverage.

And I still dont see how flaming shots capture 19th century atmosphere.

 

[John in Covina]

I think I'd rather have fun.

I hate clowns and disdain circuses but I don't tell people not to go simply because I don't like it, they might enjoy it.

Pretentious: 1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing) <the pretentious fraud who assumes a love of culture that is alien to him — Richard Watts> b: expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature <pretentious language> <pretentious houses>
2: making demands on one's skill, ability, or means : ambitious <the pretentious daring of the Green Mountain Boys in crossing the lake — American Guide Series: Vermont>

Now I will admit going to two bars in NYC is a miraculous accomplishment especially at the prices they charge but I hardly feel it is that daring reporting that captures the Pulizer.

I find it annoying when people put on airs to poo-poo other peoples' enjoyment. It's interesting and fun unless you just not into it.

 

[MrBern]

paper chasing the green fairy

Believe it or not, even in NYC there arent tons of bars serving Absinthe.
Seems like he's done a pretty good job of describing the lack of crowd & what the concoction tasted like.
I dont understand why youre mocking a lifestyle article for not making Pulitzer attempts? Are you serious , or do you jsut like to bash NYC?
If you really feel this article is unfair, can you make some recommendations?

Now it is legal, and so we are in the midst of what appears to be an absinthe mini-craze. But to follow the arc of this craze, like others that have come before (remember cigar bars?) is to see just how quickly something that was once illicit — and acquired notoriety because of that very illicitness — can lose its sheen of mystery and become, well, rather uncool. Once the naughty aura of the forbidden fruit is removed, all that remains is a grasp at unearned sophistication.

 

[Feraud]

I find it annoying when people put on airs to poo-poo other peoples' enjoyment. It's interesting and fun unless you just not into it.

To be fair we do that a lot around here with very little complaint.

We knock fedoras that do not fit our vintage or reproduction pedigree, modern suits and the people who wear them, the economy, modern manners and ethics, those who do not appreciate the vintage lifestyle, etc. etc.

So a writer from the NYTimes describes the current Absinthe craze as trendy and lacking in all the romance and atmosphere some Lounge members want to embrace. This is an issue? :eusa_doh:

 

[John in Covina]

Reccomendations?

The reccomendation is that people, unless this is an expose of car repair ripoffs, people prefer POSITIVE experiences that lead to having fun times not grumpy reviews. If this was about a poor play being staged and he wants people to stay a way from it i can see what he has done, but the fact that he doesn't like licorice doesn't mean everyone else doesn't. By presenting it as some short lasting trend that is a collection of inuendo is to shoot the dog and pony before the show begins.

Variety is the spice of life and all of those takes on variety gives us choices -the Oxygen bar, the vodka bar, the tequila bar, the brew pub. All are ideas by entrepenuers who usually discover something really cool and want to take it to the public to educate and enjoy. Negativity is contageous and articles by killjoys are deleterious to their ideas and business.

It seems that a lot of people do not understand until their Ox is gored.

 

[celtic]

imagine this:

the article is about Fedoras.

The 'journalist' went to a baseball hat shop in the mall, and a Burlington Coat Factory.

he then begins to preach that fedoras are a joke because only hipster xxxxxxxx and slow people too late for the recent Justin Timberlake trend wear them.

he didn't like the fedoras that were sold there (which in actuality weren't the BEST, but were the only ones available in the two non-expert shops CLAIMING to be hat experts...)

and even though he talked to 2 very intelligent people 'in the know' about the ACTUAL vintage fedora 'movement',

this 'journalist' doesn't have a CLUE what an actual fedora is or why ACTUAL devotees to fedoras wear them.

he/she forms a silly misinformed position, ignores those who are trying to make him actually grok the true history of ACTUAL fedoras, and then plasters his ignorant opinion in a newspaper.

THAT'S what some of us here saw as a problem with the absinthe piece.

 

[John in Covina]

Often in this situation the writer has actually formed an opinion before going to an event and then works to that end inspite of what they've seen, heard or read doing research.

Also, there is often an approach in which the writers own likes and dislikes are foisted on everyone as to what everyone's opinion should be, in sort of a "well this is obviously crap, you'd have to see that unless you're an idiot" style of writing. Sort of this way : "Of course everyone hates Yellow mustard, it's so ubiquitously non-descript, now Dijion that's mustard!"

 

[Feraud]

Regarding pre-formed opinions.
I totally agree. Being subjectively for or against a given topic is a bane to a fairly written piece.
I've rarely read such items whether it be from professional or aspiring opinion makers.