Beer Garden

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Beer Garden

“There! Quick, grab it!”

Frank maneuvers through the crowd and quickly sits at a table of a recently departed group of Asian guys.

“Good grab.” Ann says, sliding into the table across from Frank. “I hate when we have to stand here, makes it hard to have more than one pitcher of beer at a time.”

“We haven’t been to the beer garden in ages. This place is great!”

“It is nice to drink in the fresh air once in a while, instead of those dank, dirty bars. Guess it’s one of the few nice things about Queens.”

Sara coughs as a cloud of cigarette smoke drifts by. “Well, semi-fresh air anyway.”

“Where’d Billy go?”

“Presumably to get us our first pitcher of beer.”

“Nope. Food.” Ann points out Billy on line outside the food tent.

“Fine, I guess I’ll get the first pitcher. I shall return.”

“I’m going to join Billy, I want some food in me so I don’t get too drunk.”

“Anyone want anything?” Tabitha asks as she gets up.

“Nah, I ate already.” Sara says, as Ann and Scott shake their heads.

“Did we remember to bring cards or a game or something?”

“I’ve got a deck of cards. We should’ve brought Killer Bunnies!”

“Bunnies? You know someone would just spill something on it and ruin the cards. Ann can be such a clutz.”

“Thanks. We could’ve brought UNO or something. That’s simple and mindless.”

“We’ve got cards, I think we can manage.”

“We could make like that table over there, and play Jenga!”

“Drinking Jenga? I wonder how that’d work?”

“I don’t think it would. After a little while I can’t imagine any game lasting long.”

Tabitha and Billy return carrying plates of food. Tabitha has a veggie burger and fries, and Billy has two foot long bratwursts and fries.

“Didn’t pour me a beer yet? You’re slacking Frank!”

“I’m still trying to decide what kind of joke to make about you eating those gigantic brats.”

The usual shenanigans continued from there. Before we knew it, the sun had set and we were on our 5^th pitcher of beer. 7^th pitcher of beer? Before we knew it, we’d lost count of how many pitchers of beer we’d drank, and how many French fries we’d thrown at each other. Somehow we’d ended up playing Rummi 500 of all games.

“I’m still waiting for a third three. I can’t believe we haven’t come across it yet.”

“I think we lost a handful of cards to the spilt beer pitcher of game two.”

“Did we only lose threes? This is insane!” Tabitha exclaims, as she draws a card from the deck.”

“Well, the odds of two of the seven cards we lost being threes would..”

“No math! This isn’t poker and we’re drinking, not mathing!”

“At least we don’t have a silly ‘asshole hat’ made out of napkins like that table of college kids that stumbled out of here 40 minutes ago.”

“Aww, I thought the hat was cool!”

“I really thought there weren’t supposed to be drinking games here.”

“I think they just mean take over the tables and play huge games of beer pong.”

“Better this way anyway, I rock at beer pong and you would’ve been embarrassed.”

“Don’t be so sure!”

“Aren’t we a little old for beer pong?”

“You’re never too old for beer pong!”

“You and Scott will be playing beer pong in your retirement homes I’m sure. One more round? Or should we stumble out of here?”

“Should we stop at that diner before getting on the train?”

“Are you really hungry after those two giant bratwurst?”

“That was..hours ago! The diner’s supposed to be good.”

“Can you taste anything anymore? We’ve eaten there before..I just don’t remember if it was good.”

“I don’t remember being disgusted with it.”

“I don’t think I remember it at all.”

“All the more reason to try it again.”

“Why not? We know better than to get between you and food anyway.”

We got up and made our way down (or was it up?) the street to the diner. I remember someone ordered pancakes, but not much else. Billy’s insisting that it’s the best diner he’s ever eaten at in the City, but I think he’s ashamed to admit he doesn’t remember much either.

(Has anyone noticed the blog acting weird? It seems like it’s combining posts so that text doesn’t match the titles and screwing up in IE (and chrome Sara tells me).)

100 years of Chocolaty goodness

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: America's Original Creme-filled Sandwich Cookie

“Hey! Look what I found! America's Original creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie!”

“Oreos? Eh..”

“No! Hyrdox!”

“I always thought Hydrox were just a generic knock-off of Oreos.”

“Well you'd be wrong!”

“Oreos, Hydrox..all a little sweet for me.”

“I can't remember the last time I had a Hyrdox actually. I do know that the name comes from combining the 'pure' ingredients hyrdogen and oxygen.”

“For a cookie? That's kind of lame.”

“I don't really care what they call them, as long as they taste good.”

“It says '100 year anniversary' on the bag. I think they were actually off the market and the company being bought/taken over the last couple of years.”

“Weren't there something called 'Droxies' out there?”

“Sounds familiar.”

“Isn't that that candy brand they sell at Target?”

“That's Choxie.”

“So what? Oreo's are too sweet for you but you know the candy brand Target sells?”

“I don't care for Oreo's okay?”

“We're talking about Hyrdox anyway!”

“Oreo, Hyrdox.. Whatever! Give 'em here.” Scott tears into the bag and takes a cookie. “Yummy.”

“They still going with that crappy hard to seal up bags? Haven't you noticed what a wonderful job Oreos did with creating that nice peel/seal type top?”

“I don't pay much attention to bag details Tab..besides, I've never had a bag of cookies around long enough to go stale.”

“Then I guess we should give this bag of Hydrox the same treatment. Who's with me?” Scott asks, and hands out cookies.

Taco Wars

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Frank returns from Buffalo

Frank is leafing through a pile of receipts in the kitchen and cursing under his breath.

“Hey Frank! How was your trip to Buffalo?”

Frank mutters softly under his breath. “When did gas get so expensive? Hell, when did snacks at the rest stop get so expensive?”

“Where have you been man? Gas has been expensive for a while.”

“I don't think I've filled up my taken more than once a month at most in a year. I guess I never noticed how ridiculous it gets when you drive a lot. Yikes.”

“Didn't you go up there with him Sara? Didn't you pay for half the gas?”

“Yeah. He's only looking at his half of the receipts.”

“Oh.”

“Those cookies and bread you brought back were yummy though.”

“Yeah, they were. So Frank, how was seeing the old campus? Bring back memories?”

“Oh, tons. Of a cheaper time..” Frank stares off into space...then snaps out of it. “Did you know they changed the Krispy Kreme store into a Vitamin Shop!?”

“Really? That's gotta be a sin or something.”

“The Hooters is gone too.”

“Wow. Buffalo has really gone downhill since you left. At least they still have wings right?”

“Of course. The day Buffalo has no more wings is the day Canada annexes Western New York.”

“We'd probably let them have it too.”

“They can take their Tim Hortons and shove it!”

“Glorified Dunkin Donuts.”

“I would say the same about Mighty Taco. Seemed much the same as Taco Bell.”

“You should try Del Taco out in the Vegas area. Excellent! Blows both of 'em away.”

“Going to Vegas? I'm in..”

“I was thinking about going to Vegas in November actually. It's a friend of mine's birthday.”

“Should totally do it. I hear they have some awesome strip clubs out there.”

“Scott can stalk strippers..the rest of us can drink ourselves silly and lose wads of cash.”

“Except Frank..who will win mounds of moola despite being completely smashed... and then buy us dinner.”

“Anything for a free meal huh?”

“You said it.”

Exciting Plans

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: The endless opportunities

“We should have some fun this Saturday!”

“Why specifically this Saturday? Win a big pot and have some money to burn?”

“If that's the case, let's have you treat us all to an expensive steak house.”

“Maybe I'm just tired of sitting in front of my computer and want to get out and have fun?”

“You? No way.”

“That'd be like Billy saying, 'No thanks, I'm full'.”

“That reminds me, I have a sandwich in the fridge to eat.” Billy pulls out a foot long sized package wrapped in Deli paper from the fridge.

“Nice Billy! We could drink at Catalina's.”

“We always do that.”

“Movie?”

“We always do that too.”

“Isn't it possible we always do these things because they're fun?”

“Can't we try something different once in a while?”

“Like..?”

“I don't know...I talked to Sue yesterday, she's moving to Fair Lawn, NJ in September and would love some help packing up her stuff.”

“Fat chance!”

“Doesn't she have a new husband to help with that? I distinctly remember a wedding to some guy a couple of weeks ago. And weren't there big burly brothers?”

“I'm surprised you 'distinctly' remember anything from that night. I wasn't sure they were going to be able to afford to move out after they got your bar tab.”

That's my secret weapon. Remembering!”

“Frank, you haven't fully remembered a night of drinking in years.”

“Oh come on! I'm not that bad! What about that night two weeks ago when we went to the bar after Dark Knight? I remember all of that!”

“That's because we mostly sat in silence watching the baseball games. Not much to remember.”

“Fine then. Next time I'll just forget whose turn it is to pay.”

“So business as usual?”

“As long as you don't whip out four aces and exclaim 'I win! You pay!' we'll be alright.”

“And no more calling me fish..man, that doesn't make any sense!”

“How did this conversation go from thinking of a plan for Saturday to making fun of me?”

“I'm good with anything. As long as it's not sipping wine coolers and playing Go Fish.”

“I'm with the no 'Go Fish' rule.”

“I suppose we'll just end up drinking, regardless. We could watch the Olympics and drink to that..”

“One drink every time someone says 'Michael Phelps'.”

“Or not..we'd be drunk pretty fast at that rate.”

“Guess we'll come up with something last minute...as always.”

“We could go to the Ren Faire..”

“Yeah! Except I think Tab's busy this Saturday afternoon. Another time.”

“Olympics and drinking...we lead such exciting lives.”

The Cure for What Ails You

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy

Subject: Achoo!

Ann comes out of her bedroom, carrying a plastic bag for of tissues and dumps it in the garbage.

“How are you feeling?”

“Weak, sleepy and stir-crazy. At least I’m not really sneezing anymore.”

“That’s better than last week, when you looked half-dead and were sneezing more regularly than Mount Rushmore.”

“Does Mount Rushmore sneeze? That’d be a sight to see.”

“I think he means Old Faithful, at least I hope so.”

“Doh! That’s right, Old Faithful. Although I can see it now..Sniffling presidents on the side of a mountain being the spokespeople for Kleenex.”

“I’m surprised the advertisers haven’t done it already.”

Ann, who had returned to her room, now comes out with an armful of sheets and blankets.

“So you’re weak and tired and your first thought is ‘laundry!’?”

“I’m trying to clean my room of all the germs.”

“You’re probably immune to all the germs you already had though.”

“We’re not however, so dragging your disease-infested blankets through the kitchen will probably just get the rest of us sick.”

“If you haven’t caught it already, you probably won’t.”

“Or you’re just exposing us to the reinforcements and they’ll finally break through our immune systems.”

“Scott was sniffling when he left for work this morning actually.”

“Ooops. He can just have some of those silly Vivanno smoothies at Starbucks..keep him strong. Yeah..So I suppose that means none of you want to wash these for me?” Ann offers the blankets to Frank.

“Not a chance. I’ll warm you up some chicken soup, but that’s as helpful as I’m going to be.”

“Ugh. I’m sick of chicken soup. No thanks.”

“Hot Toddy?”

“That sounds like a billion times better.”

“I’m on it.” Billy says, headed for the liquor cabinet and the whiskey.

Franks Tests M & Ms

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Frank, Billy and Scott.

Subject: Melts in your mouth, and in your hand

Frank tests the M & Ms premiums "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand" quality.

M & Ms and Chocolate Ice Cream

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha

Subject: The Girls Eat More Chocolate

“Hey Ladies, Look what I found!” Sara says, to Tabitha and Ann who are hanging out in the living room.

“M & M premiums? Mint Chocolate sounds interesting. Are they like the Indiana Jones ones?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t tried them yet.”

“Well, what are we waiting for!”

“I've got some new ice cream in the freezer too as long as we're taste testing things.”

“Can't hurt.” Sara says, opening up the M & Ms.

They all grab a couple and look at them.

“They look like rocks.”

“They do a little bit. And they don't have their signature crispy shell.”

“Does that mean they disprove the whole 'melts in your mouth, not in your hand.' theory?”

“Probably. They're kind of chewy. But good.”

“What's the description say?”

“Ann picks up the box. It's white chocolate mint wrapped in dark chocolate.”

“I don't think I care for them. The chewiness is throwing me off. I think they're a little too sweet.”

“They are a little sweet, but I really like them. They don't feel like I'm eating M & Ms though. It lacks that satisfying crunch when you bite into them.”

“I could live without the candy shell I guess. I do like these though.” Sara says, reaching for another handful.

“Someone should pick up some of the other types and try 'em out.”

“I'd like to try the mocha.”

“Coffee flavored? Of course you would.”

“Okay, break out the ice cream. What flavor?”

.“Costa Rica Rainforest Vanilla and Chocolate. It's made by Choctal. Actually, I looked up their website, and it turns out they're environmentally friendly and eating ice cream supports the rain forest and all that.”

“All well and good...but does it taste yummy?”

“Let's find out shall we?” Ann grabs three spoons and the pint of ice cream out of the freezer.

“Oooh. It's all swirly.” Sara takes the first spoonful. “Mmm...It is very good.”

The others dig in.

“Excellent ice cream. Rich and creamy. They make other flavors?”

“Yeah, I love the flavor, and I like the vanilla and chocolate mixed too. Much better than your average vanilla/chocolate supermarket brand.”

“They have just chocolates and vanillas. They have single origin chocolate or vanilla though.”

“Single-origin? I guess this one is Costa Rica. They've been doing that single origin thing with chocolate more lately.”

“It does make sense. Cacao beans, vanilla beans, coffee beans...What's the difference?”

“Very true. Wow..I guess we're just going to finish the pint?” Sara asks, looking at the rapidly disappearing ice cream.

“Might as well. You know Billy or Scott would finish it off on us anyway if we left it.”

“In that case, dig in!”

All-Star Aftermath

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Billy and Scott.

Subject: How we fared

Wasn’t going to bother with an aftermath post, (Alright, I’m just lazy), but Brave Astronaut asked in a comment: “So the game went on longer than many expected. Anyone up yet there on the sixth floor? Did anyone make it to the end? I fell asleep in the 13th. No drinking was involved, unfortunately. I'm just old.” So since I/we don’t get many commenter requests I figured I’d acquiesce (Never used that word before, it’s a bugger to spell), and rather than a comment reply which chances are he’d never check back to see, I’d just post.

Ann: I’m not that into baseball, and I was going to read while we watched, but Sara made me put down my book and Scott forced beer into my hands and made me pay attention. I cheated a little and didn’t always drink when I was supposed to. (See? I can too cheat when I want to Scott!) When the game (both drinking and All-Star) deteriorated, I stopped drinking and was pretty much fine.

Sara: Sara was doing fine, until Billy Wagner blew the save. Sara points out that had he not let up runs last year, the NL would’ve won that one too. While she continued playing after that, She was also doing plenty of side-drinking too. She stumbled out of here this morning to go to work not looking pleasant, and she had _two_ travel mugs of coffee with her.

Tabitha: Tabitha likes baseball the least of any of us, but that led her to really pay attention to the drinking cues rather than any of the actual game. She switched between beer and weak kamikazis, so she was pretty much okay by morning.

Billy: Billy really took to the game, and since he was off Wednesday he didn’t even have to worry about work. Even though we did stay up for the end of the game, Billy had to ask Sara the score the next morning, because he didn't even remember that we stopped paying attention to the drinking game sometime in extra innings.

Scott: Scott's really developing a crazy tolerance. We joke that no longer can we buy a six pack and split it evenly, he has to get his own. Tonight Scott may have gone overboard, finding excuses to take shots all night long. There is a disturbingly empty looking bottle of gin in the sink (and cracked) and I'm hoping that most of it leaked out through that crack and not into Scott. Scott was all ready to start up a game of asshole after the game ended, and even got as far as bringing out the cards before we groaned at him. After the game ended he decided it was a good idea to make pancakes, which made some of us nauseous and the others hungry. This became funnier in the morning when Tab, not really hungover but very groggy, sat down at the table and ended up sitting in a half cooked left over pancake. Apparently Scott was experimenting with his pancake flipping abilities..drunk and lost one. I wish I'd gotten a picture.

All-Star Game Drinking Fun

Welcome to the 6^th floor.

Today's contributors are: Ann, Sara, Tabitha, Billy

Subject: All-Star Drinking Game

“Help me with these.” Billy asks, as he comes through the door with a ton of boxes.

“What have you got there?” Ann asks, getting off the couch to help.

“I got some beer for the drinking game for the All-Star Game.”

“We're doing that again? Where's the game this year?”

“Umm..it's right here in New York. At Yankee Stadium. Where have you been?”

“Guess I tune out anything baseball.”

“I've devised a Yankee Stadium version of the game. I'm sure it'll be favorable to getting drunk via the Yankee Stadium lovefest I'm sure the game will be.”

“We're well stocked if it is.” Billy says, as he loads 6-packs into the fridge. Maybe we should drink for the Home Run Derby too.”

“Probably not enough action than that. Don't they usually hit like 40 home runs?”

“Usually a little less than that. But we could make it simple, just each pick a player, and take a shot for each home run they hit. We'd have to switch it up to keep us from dying though, so if you're player advances, you win and don't drink anymore, and a loser takes up your player.”

“We could try that. If we get too plastered too fast, we'll just stop drinking to the derby, and just drink.”

“Seems fair enough to me. I'm going to need plenty of alcohol to get through two nights of baseball.”

“As long as we're still on to go to New Roc City to see Dark Prince next weekend.”

“Of course, providing we can all get up there.”

“Back to baseball though. I figure I'll need to drink for it too, I'm going to be sick of Yankees talk about 5 minutes in.”

“Sure Frank will love it though.”

“I'll just grill him about the Mets being better if he does.”

“The Mets are doing better now? When did that happen? Weren't they playing like crap?”

“Actually, they're on fire. They've won nine in a row. Only one win behind the Phillies.”

“Well, that's pretty good. I'd think they'd have to at least give them props for that during the game right?”

“Maybe they'll mention it when David Wright is up, but otherwise I doubt it.”

“Really down on the Fox broadcasters huh?”

“It's one of the reasons I try to get out to Shea on Saturdays. It means I don't have to listen to those guys when they do a game.”

“That's a good idea. Hey, we should all go to a game together this year. I haven't been out to Shea and I guess I should see it one more time right?”

“Sure, it'll be like a 6^th Floor does Shea experience.”

“And it'll give me something to blog about!”

“Well, we know where your priorities are Ann.”