Friday Night.
John gets to town and we hit up the wood fired pizza place. It’s busy and the people watching is prime. I think my pie should have spent another minute in the oven – the dough was a little iffy. The three of us split a bottle of white wine.
We cross the street to Anoche and drink frozen margaritas and sample a selection of Mezcal. Everything has that wooded, leathery taste to it. I don’t hate it, but I’m also not in the right mind to discern one taste from another.
At the house we sit around the kitchen table, and I finally crack into the Singleton Whisky that was sitting on the shelf since we returned from Scotland. It is delicious. Highland malt, strong fruit flavor. A light color, no peat, a totally enjoyable scotch. To finish off we have a splash of the Elements of Islay. Peaty, smoked, but we’re too tired to really get around to all that.
Saturday is a day in the sun and water with a bit of a hangover. That pizza dough could have used another minute, things are hell. Naps are in order. Dinner at Bull and Beggar. Wines and cocktails, quail, cod, and hangar steak. Because why the fuck not? It’s my birthday.
Sunday we’re in the basement of the Orange Peel at a hidden gem of a bourbon bar. It’s something of a secret and not a secret but I booked some time to get at their selection. The owner puts together a flight for the party. It goes:
- Olde Raleigh Bourbon Society
- Jefferson’s Twin Oak Very Old Very Rare Custom Barrel
- Pinhook 7yr Bourbon War Bronze
- Kings County Straight Bourbon – This was the winner of a contest I didn’t know we were having. Naturally, it hails from three states away.
- Lock Stock & Barrel 13yr Rye
The flight goes quick and then we spend the next two hours tearing through the 400 some odd bottles behind the bar. Cocktails, tastes, neat. I’m never comfortable. That damn pizza.
Sunday night and we’re at Double Crown right before the rush. There is music on later. Let’s have a Jameson and ginger to finish out the weekend. I have to be up in the morning to feed a dog. I will be 39