All in all, it went great. No one threw up, passed out or got arrested. All-in-all we were a little subdued, but I think that we were a lot drunker than we thought. I came home and looked at my shoes. My tan colored Pumas are now black. booboo. My shoulder hurts and I don't know why. We made it to my house last night and Jill promptly threw-up. The pizza may have been a bad idea.
I got up this morning and took a shower and got dressed, dried my hair and did my make-up. I took Jill home and then came home and took a nap. Good thing that I bothered. Ehh.

I thought, being cool as I am, I would try and combine everyone's posts about last night and throw in some pictures that I took. I didn't take many, my camera doesn't have a flash...

kit_444 's Voice Posts.. 1-10 
bohemiangrrl 's  Vodkathon Minutes and her voice post from this  morning.



My voice post after #6 Abbracci
My voice post after #10, Surly Girl/Belvedere

Stuff to Note...

• I was able to say  "I am not a pheasant plucker, I am a pheasant plucker's mate, I am only plucking pheasant's cause the pheasant's plucker's late. The first try after hearing it once at Char-Bar.
• I came home with $26
• I didn't make any drunken text messages or phone calls! 
• I smoked four cigarettes.
• mudcat01 left after Surly Girl to go home... and get more drunk.
• I don't recall any brilliant drunken ideas.
• We finished bottles at the Rossi, Abbracci, Mac's and maybe the Press Grill. That's quite an acomplishment
• Andy got his truck towed by those mother-fuckers at Shamrock Towing.
  
  
  
  ( pictures...  )

Since Vodkathon® is a mere two weeks away. I have given myself the noble task of learning about vodka online, while I am work.  I have started reading reviews and information and marketing and all that stuff. I tend to become more interested in anything once I am involved with it, I think.  Like buying a CD and then going home and reading reviews of it. I guess that I want to know what I am getting into after I have gotten myself into it. There is a really good artice at Forbes.com if anyone is so inclined.  

Here are some snippets of information that may make you think on 09/30/06 a little bit before you throw up that vodka you just drank. 

• Vodka is not classified by what it is made of;  it's all about the distillation and filtering processes. Chopin is made of potatoes, Belvedere is made of rye and Ketel One is made of wheat.
• Vokda makes up 25% of the spirits consumed in the USA and the 'super-premium' market (the stuff that we will be drinking) is growing at about 30% a year.

wooz_usm and I spent a good chunk of yesterday afternoon going up and down High Street scouting bars. Most of the bartenders that we talked to seemed very interested in our little vodka challenge. We found some new vodkas for the list and sampled a couple, too, of course. I think that I am most excited about Skyy 90 (90 proof vodka, most vodkas are 80 proof) and Chopin (it's just flipping awesome). So without more babbling here are the bars and vodkas:

1. St James.....Absolut
2. The Rossi.....Skyy 90
3. Press Grill.....Thor's Hammer
4. Mac's....Grey Goose
5. Abbracci....Chopin
6. Barley's.....Ketel1
7. Char Bar....Well
8. Betty's..... Blavod
9. Bodega......Effen
10. Surly Girl....Belvedere
    
    

Last night at the James ( while I was sober I might add), more details and more teams(!) were figured out for the First Annual Vodka Challenge/Exhibition.   It was decided that we won't start or finish at the Lab, they're not really enough bars/restaurants with in walking distance. 

When: 09/30/06, 4:30-11:30, pm
Who: There are 6 Teams now! 
1. Kit/Azelvan
2. Woosley/Awesome
3. Team Shady ( David and Sarah)
4. Lane and Andy
5. Hometown Sluts ( Vicki and Nikki)
6. Ric and John   

Where: We are going to start at Vicki's and make a big walking circle to bars in the area ( That way no one drives and if needed, a cab ride wouldn't be too far).  Possible bars: St James, Betty's, Surly Girl, Short North Tavern, Bodega, Little Brother's, Skully's, Barley's and Mac's.
How: Start at the James and have the first drink of Absolut, and then head down to High St, drink some vodka, eat some dinner, drink some vodka, drink some water, drink more vodka, etc.   No one has to drink at all 10 places ( it's encouraged, but I don't want to deal with any sort of upchuck situation).

There is a reconnaissance mission in the next week and we will figure the order of the bars/vodka types.  More info to come...

This was thought of in a bit of a drunken haze, but I still like the idea. Thanks to ersatzpixie for bringing the vodka book that started the whole damn idea.

When: 09/30/06, time to TBA
Where:  Starts off at MadLab and then 10 bars in the area. 
Who: Anyone in teams of two people and some willing D.D.'s.
How: Initially this was going to be a race where, each team was required to go to 10 different bars and drink 10 different kinds of premium vodka and the first team back to the Lab would win. But more than likely there would be some cheating by some teams, so at this point everyone will go together. So, I guess the point ( at least at this point) would be to get completely snookered. 

What: The Vodkas:

1. Belvedere
2. Ketel1
3. Gray Goose
4. Vox
5. Effen
6. Chopin
7. Finlandia
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. well vodka