“the butcher’s dog always stands out from the pack.”

or so they say. i was prepared to be unimpressed with the butcher’s dog — another pub in my neighborhood; one which i hadn’t yet tried — as it’s loud, their draft selection is uninspired, and there’s neither a wireless ap nor any cell signal for me to dial in on (curse you, ATTWS), but the menu is respectable and the service is decent enough.

but, more importantly, they have on their martini list The Trixie — “Bacardi O fused with OJ and PJ, poured generously into someone else’s champagne glass.” and i have to love anyone who mocks the city’s less appealing denizens.

(especially since those denizens get way more action than i ever shall — but i digress.)

also, they have an “absolutely filthy” martini which can be ordered “slightly dirty” or “downright obscene,” which is — you know — where i’d be at. niqui is fond of her dirty vodka martinis. speaking of which, i wonder if it’s time for another strega nona outing? mmmm, baked brie, all melty and gooey.

…

but, mourn. i need wireless in my local hangouts. blackie’s has cell signal. kasey’s has cell signal. gourmand has wireless. probably even bar louie’s has cell signal, at least. ah! fuck! someone just propped the goddamn front door open! it’s twenty degrees out there! y’all are fucking insane. oh good, one of the other patrons closed it, and when questioned by the bartender who had opened it at the behest of the loud-ass group at the INSIDE, AWAY FROM THE TWENTY DEGREE DRAFT END OF THE BAR, said “i don’t care! it’s fucking freezing!”

i love a woman who says “it’s fucking freezing,” even if she is sixty and out for dinner with her husband.

also, fuck you, loud-ass trixies. if you’re too hot, go away.

update, Tue Dec 21 19:25:31 CST 2004: all sins are forgiven. the bartender just jokingly apologized to me for having to watch the sixty-year old and her husband engage in egregious pda. “every time they come here, they sit at the bar and make out! i don’t get it!” good humor counts for a lot — possibly it even makes up for playing a song i really liked but having the trixies too damn loud to identify the rapper enough for me to go buy the song.

update, Tue Dec 21 19:52:26 CST 2004: all sins are doubly forgiven, as the bartender then comped my third drink and allowed me to pick both (1) his next drink and (2) the next selection in the bar iTunes. i offered my laptop, but sadly he couldn’t connect it. so he suggested radiohead — perhaps a safe choice, given the stickers on my laptop — and of course i acceded to that. i mean, really, who (other than pirate dan!) would object to the bends?

oh, oh, mad props for having deee-lite remixes on the iTunes selection. this isn’t the album version, and i know because i own both that plus the remix album.

i think i like this place.

update, Tue Dec 21 20:34:17 CST 2004: oh dear. they’re playing jewel. i may have to reconsider.