Aside from the dog/car wash, Devil's Point is hosting a series of events. Come for the car wash, stay for the.. um... entertainment.

DAY TIME EVENTS SCHEDULE:
Bikini Car Wash: 2pm-7pm
Dog Wash: 2pm-7pm
Car Cruise-In: 2pm-7pm
Island Style Bento BBQ: 2pm-7pm

NIGHT TIME EVENTS SCHEDULE:
Exotic Dancers: 9pm-Close
Fire Dancers: 9pm-Close
Live Music by BAND OF DIOS
(featuring members of Western Aerial and Tri-Polar) - 10pm-11pm

C'mon. It's for a good cause. Are you going to tell this poor puppy you don't like exotic dancers enough to help him? Hmmm? Of course not.

Don't be sad. We had a good run. All summer romances must end. Besides, every time I smell a mojito, I will think of you and the blog love we created together. So, wipe that tear from your eye. We still have one more weekend.

This being the last hurrah of summer, I've decided to gather the best of the Summer Boozy Goodness drink recipes.

These should keep you going for awhile. And look for Autumn Boozy Goodness arriving on Blogtown soon.

Tips to Videogum!

Washington native, Robert Hess, is a founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans, as well as a rabid home mixologist. He is the brains behind the essential cocktail website, drinkboy.com, and a veritable font of information on all things boozy.

I cornered Hess last Sunday at the Great American Distillers Festival to talk about the Cocktail Museum, home mixology, and how to set up your own home bar.

PAC: Tell me about the Museum of the American Cocktail. How did that come about?

Robert Hess: The Museum of the American Cocktail is located in New Orleans, we just got through re-opening it. We started in 2004. It was concept that was already going through the mind of Dale DeGroff [a.k.a. King of Cocktail, of the Rainbow Room] and Jill DeGroff [saloonartist.com] and Audrey Saunders [legendary mixologist, Pegu Club, Manhattan]. We started talking about this and a lot us had stuff in our collections, whether it was books or paraphernalia or information, and we said, "Hey, we could open a museum, because we need something out there that illustrates the history of the cocktail."

Once you understand the history of the cocktail you can appreciate better the product sitting in that glass. So, it's no longer an alcohol delivery vehicle, but it's now something interesting—something that has a story behind it.

Yesterday, I went to brunch at the Rogue Pub and Distillery at 14th and Flanders in NW Portland. Apparently, every Sunday, they offer a build-your-own-bloody bar. Shamefully, I'd never been to a build-your-own-bloody brunch, but I found the experience both uplifting and wonderfully intoxicating.

So, the bartender pours the shot, the customer adds all the crap (I requested an additional shot of stout), the bartender shakes it up, and you're on your way with a custom-made beverage. Ingenious. Yes, I realize my "Gee Whiz" reaction to this novelty is a bit outmoded, considering its been around for awhile, but it was my first time. And who wasn't all starry eyed about their first?

With that in mind, Blogtownies, I have some questions:

1. Where are the best places to build your own?
2. What the hell do you tip, considering you're doing, like, half of the work?*

Your guidance is always appreciated.

*note: I tipped a dollar for mine.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

And even better, it's got one of those carabiner thingies attached, so I can easily wear it around the office dispensing hand sanitizer to any employee who may need some germ fighting protection. Weirdly enough, only one employee thus far has allowed me to squirt a load into her hands.... but hey! The day is still young!

Imagine seeing THIS in your cubicle!
Wm. Steven Humphrey and the cast of High School Musical: WE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!

Day one of the Great American Distillers Festival, here at Portland Center Stage, and I seem to have come across a bit of controversy. It seems some of the out of town distillers are a bit dismayed that Portland's craft distilleries seem to be relying on the same base spirit instead of distilling creating their own.

Ben Gersh from Old New Orleans Rum in New Orleans had some particularly biting criticism. "How can you call yourself a craft distillery when your working from the same base spirit?" he mused, "You just don't have enough control over your product."

That might be true for many Portland area distilleries, but the newest, Artisan Spirits, is making their vodka from scratch, base spirit and all. I'll be asking more local distillers about the base spirit debate as the festival continues. We'll see how it works out.

Right now, I'm just surprised that I even have the capacity to post this blog, having tasted roughly half of the offerings from the 24 distillers who are on site. But, I'm fading fast. And my photographer is hungry. So, it's time to bail for now. I'll be back later with more coverage.

Just so you know, the festival will be running until 9 pm tonight and starts again tomorrow at 1pm. Sunday will feature several seminars and the finals of the mixologist contest. If you like booze (and I know you do) this is definitely the place to be.

Admission is $10/day and includes three tasting tickets. Hope to see you here...

I'm am incredibly excited about the 4th Annual Great American Distillers Festival, this weekend at Portland Center Stage's Gerding Theater.

Why? Well, Because:

a. I love booze
b. I love local booze
c. I love talking to people who make booze
d. I love learning about booze

Based on what I've seen from the festival's website, the weekend should requite these loves quite sufficiently. I'm certainly looking forward to a couple of the seminars. The History of the Cocktail at 1 pm on Sunday should be interesting—but I think when talking about cocktails, history should be put in quotes, considering the bleary eyes through which that "history" was documented.

Aside from the seminars and a mixologist showdown, there will be 24 participating distilleries on site offering sips of their wares. The cost is $10/day to get in and $16 for a two day pass. Admission includes 3 taster tickets.

I'll try to do some live blogging from the event, so check back here during the weekend for possible drunken ass-millinery.

Bottoms Up!

When I first watched The Blue Lagoon as a young man, I was entranced by the beautiful Brooke Shields frolicking topless across a golden beach. I saw the film again recently and I mostly felt... well... dirty. Good thing I was in a bar and I could drink away the feelings of guilt and lechery. Also, it was censored for television, which helped.

Tonight the bar at Elephant's Delicatessen, on NW 22nd, will be screening The Blue Lagoon as part of their regular Wednesday Tiki Drink/Tropical Movie Night. They offer a selection of classic Tiki cocktails straight out of Trader Vic's (et al.) so you can taste the tropics while being transported via celluloid to a sunnier clime.

Personally, I think Tiki drinks and a movie is a fantastic idea. But this might be a bit uncomfortable. I mean, just look at the plot keywords from imdb.com

Personally, I think I'll wait for next weeks film: Rescue From Gilligan's Island.

Yesterday, news was released that 115 campus administrators from around the country (including the presidents of Lewis & Clark and Willamette Universities) wanted to take a look at the national drinking age. These administrators released a statement, called the Amethyst Initiative, in hopes that it would spark a discussion on underage drinking. It has certainly done that.

But it's strange to me that reporting on the the issue suggests that the amethyst initiative supporters are asking for the drinking age be rolled back to 18. It ain't necessarily so. What they do ask is that we have:

...an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age.

Plain and simple. Though, the statement does point out a double standard: while people under twenty-one are allowed to vote, serve on a jury, and kill America's enemies, they're not allowed the sweet satisfaction of a cold beer when said duties are done. Of course, all of those responsibilities are given at age 18. So, I could see why one might jump straight to the whole age rollback thing.

Never-the-less, I think the initiative needs to be seriously considered. If anyone knows the scourge of underage binge drinking, it's campus administrators. I'm sure all it takes is one 18 year old frat boy dying of alcohol poisoning to get your attention. If they're telling me the current drinking age isn't working, then I'm inclined to believe them.

Bonus: We'll be playing bingo during the speech. For prizes.

This event is going to be so cool, it's even listed on Obama's very own website!

The speech starts at 7, but we'll be at Roots Organic Brewing Company (1520 SE 7th) at 6 pm (or even earlier, to catch happy hour), tossing back a pint or two, and watching the beginning of the last throes of the Bush Administration.

The Place: Dot's, 2521 SE Clinton St.

What Prompted the Visit: Drinking the heat away, mostly nude, in a dark, air conditioned living room with lovely wife, Kitty. Yes, that image would be much more troubling if you had any idea what I look like mostly nude. Also, I spent most of the weekend watching the first season of Mad Men and they drink a lot in that series. So, I entered the week with something like a hangover by proxy.

The Room: God, I love Dot's. I love Dot's even more when I'm hungover. The dark interior is a fine refuge from the light of day and when you combine their fine bloody with a rueben, there is just about nothing that could go wrong for at least two hours. Dot's has a fine kitsch vibe and the staff is easy on the ol' peepers. Really, aside from the odd, constant antiseptic smell that seems to pervade the place, there is very little not to like. Though, I wish to god they would start taking cards. After a few of their bloody mary's it gets far too hard to concentrate on the ATM.

The Bloody: The secret to Dot's bloody is the shot of Black Butte Porter that they slosh into the mix. This continues to be one of the best cures in town. It has a good tang, and a whole bunch of dark, bottom-end savor with a bit of effervescence from the porter. It's also perfectly spicy. I really like that it's simply garnished with a pepperacini and a couple of olives. I mean, who really wants that fucking huge celery stalk all up in your grill? And again, as I mentioned before, paired with Dot's rueben this bloody becomes a part of a balanced, nutritious hangover "breakfast."

Effect: Strangely, I felt a bit like Don Drapper, manning up after a night of boozing—ready to tantalize the masses with some catchy advertising phrase. Which reminds me, I better get to work on that Pet Barack ad campain before the convention starts

Summer Boozy Goodness couldn't make it to the blog today. It's too busy trying to fight off the heat with nakedness, ice water and many, many mojito's.

In its place, please enjoy the following sneak peek recipe, from next weeks Lush Life column on Sub Rosa Spirits:

Tarragon Mojito Julep
1 1/2 oz Sub Rosa Tarragon Vodka
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh tarragon leaves/sprig
Squirt brand soft drink
Lemon twist and mint sprig garnish

In a rocks glass, muddle a pinch of torn up, fresh mint leaves, and a dozen fresh tarragon leaves with the lemon juice and simple syrup. Fill the glass with lightly crushed ice. Add Tarragon vodka, top off with Squirt and stir. Garnish with a lemon peel twist.

Hey! Who put put my mojito in their julep!? Yum. I'm curious, what's your favorite cocktail to cool down a hot summer?

I know y'all are melting out there, babies, but here's something to look forward to in the near future: The Great American Distillers Festival, Aug. 23rd and 24th at Portland Center Stage. More details to follow.

Have a good weekend and keep cool.

A recent study in the UK has proven that drinkers find people more attractive after booze consumption. From FOX News:

Scientists in England gave 84 heterosexual college students chilled lime-flavored drinks that were either non-alcoholic or given a dose of vodka equivalent in alcohol to a large glass of wine or a pint-and-a-half of beer.

After 15 minutes, the volunteers were shown photos of 40 other college students from both sexes.

Both men and women who drank booze found these faces more attractive, "a roughly 10 percent increase in ratings of attractiveness," said researcher Marcus Munafo, an experimental psychologist at the University of Bristol in England.

But what is the take-home message here? I suppose that this is good news for those who are, say, 10% less attractive than your average person—I consider myself part of that group. But unfortunately, this is a double edged study. If you're a single drinker looking for a hook-up, you need to keep in mind that your standards are decreased by 10% after a couple of cocktails. Add that 10% on top of the 30% you've already lowered your standards, due to desperation, and you're looking at the strong possibility of a 40% increase in morning-after regret. That's a whole bunch of regret.

Here's more:

By repeating the experiment with video clips shot at bars, the scientists hope to recreate those social cues and see what happens.

"The main question is whether these effects are specific to faces, or whether we would rate anything as more attractive after a drink," Munafo said.

Hmm. Anything? I can see it now:

"I don't know what happened... One minute is was cleaning the house and... Okay, yeah, so I had a couple drink in me, but the Hoover was just looking so fine, you know? Those curves. That plastic sheen." *shiver* "I couldn't help myself."

More:

"It's also surprising to see this effect is happening at lower doses than you might think," Munafo said. "We're trying to build up a more complete picture of what happens when people go out for a drink, and we're interested in certain behaviors that are more common after drinking, such as unsafe sex, or violence.

"If this effect is happening at lower doses than expected, it might be helpful for people who are predisposed to such behaviors to anticipate those situations and prevent them."

Let this be a lesson to you, Blogtownies. When you wake up next to the vacuum, don't say I didn't warn you.

For rules, videos and the audition form, head over to the Pizzazz micro-site!

And for those who haven't witnessed the unbelievable awesomeness of Ice-Skating Chimps, please watch the following film. I'M SERIOUS... these monkeys make the opening ceremony of the Olympics look like a tub of crap!

Note to commenters: Though you may certainly try to make me feel guilty for loving this, rest assured your efforts will not only be disregarded, but I will also be praying that you get cancer and die.

The Place: Huber's, 411 SW 3rd Avenue

What Prompted the Visit: Well, there's nothing better than drinking a bloody mary after your company's softball team dominates its rival. Besides, I needed something to cool my heckle ravaged throat. Also, I'd just been to the Bite of Oregon and I needed something to calm me after the mayhem of the event. And another thing... I had a serious Olympic hangover and needed a break from the TV schmaltz. Oh, and I live in the 13th booziest city in the US (only 13th?), as reported by Amy Ruiz in Good Morning News, and who needs a damn excuse to drink at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon, anyway?

The Room: Huber's flung open its doors in 1879 as the Bureau Saloon. The name was changed to Huber's by longtime bartender Frank Huber who became sole proprietor in 1887. After two moves, the great flood of 1894 and the stirring of countless cocktails, Huber's moved to its current location, where it withstood the pressures of prohibition and the steady passage of time. Huber's is a sanctuary, a cathedral to drinking. Its arched, stained glass windows (original fixtures from 1911) add lift and lightness to the room and its dark Philippine mahogany paneling. Huber's is an institution. There is a quietness, weight and comfort to this bar that works well for the sensitive hung-over soul.

The Bloody: Huber's bloody is your basic, straight ahead cobweb clearer. There aren't any gimmicks to this pint sized beauty. It is simple, strong and mixed with efficiency and grace. But there is something to a Huber's bloody mary that can't be found elsewhere. It has the flavor of integrity... But what would you expect. With nearly one hundred years of mixed drinks being passed across the same bar over and over again, there's a whole bunch more than vodka going into that drink.

Effect: Walked into a Sunday afternoon with a wider historical perspective and a slightly weaving gait. Did I mention that Huber's bloody is bloody strong?

Earlier this week, on the Monday Bloody Monday post, Blogtownies weighed in regarding their ultimate bloody mary.

Before I go further. I must first offer a "mea culpa." In the post, I thoughtlessly gave away the secret ingredient to my wife, Kitty's, bloody mary. She was none too pleased. But she should take heart. Several Blogtown readers were kind enough to give up their own secret ingredients. I've looked at these ingredients and have combined them to create the Ultimate Blogtown Bloody.

Ultimate Blogtown Bloody

3 oz Pepper Vodka
1 tsp Juice from Hot Pickled Peppers
1 tblsp sushi vinegar
4 dashes Worcestershire
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Horseradish
V-8 Juice
pinch Lawry's seasoned salt
pinch Ground black pepper
I slice crispy bacon

Combine all ingredients except V-8, sushi vinegar and bacon in a shaker. Fill shaker with ice and top off with V-8 juice. Shake vigorously (not yourself, the shaker). Once chilled, strain into a pre-chilled, ice filled pint glass. Float sushi vinegar on top and garnish with crispy bacon slice, lemon wedge and hot pickled pepper. Enjoy.

When you Blogtownies get together, you can sure come up with some great ideas. So, I'd like to remind you to enter the "Create the Oregon Bounty" cocktail contest, sponsored by Travel Oregon. The idea is to create a cocktail that exemplifies a particular region of Oregon. I'm quite interested in what a Portland Metro cocktail would look like. Dash of Willamette River water, anyone? What do you think?

I'll tell you what I think. You all are a group of creative, resourceful drunkards who could easily take this contest. Get to it!

Enjoy the weekend! And remember: It's not the bloody mary, it's the journey to it.

Did you know that people from South Carolina put a mustard sauce on their BBQ? All together now—Ewwwwwwwww... yum.