I love Tuesdays... I miss Tuesdays...

A friend of mine had on her bucket list to become a regular at a bar. (I think I may have succeeded twice so far in my life) In Harrisonburg we quickly made that happen after the second time I met her and took her to my equivalent of a local known as the Boston Beanery.  If you are one of Beanery crew you have a load of names for it because Boston Beanery is just too long to say, here's a few examples: The Bean, Beanery, Beans, BB, going to see _______ (usually Mike Davis,  Mark or Elaine), etc. Everyone has a regular table, or at least as close as you can to it. Mine was the corner table in the bar section, the 4 top. I sat there almost every Tuesday for a year and change. I loved it there. Nothing was ever quite the same if I missed a Tuesday. It threw off my week. Tuesday's quickly became my favorite day of the week for multiple reasons: I didn't have lab's on Tuesdays, I had CARE meetings on Tuesdays, and I could go the Beanery afterwards for a nice $2.00 drink that depending on who made would either put me under the table in one, or maybe same result 3 drinks later. If you were there before 9, you fit in as many drinks as you could! You were allowed 2 in front of you at a time, and Amy and I would always grab Rachel's attention while chugging one to get us another before it's too late. The big clock was on the wall next to the countdown to St. Patty's day over the little walkway to the bathrooms. And I loved every little bit of that place. It is lit by Christmas lights no matter the time of year!

Wow, I was there late! It's almost midnight!

I really knew that I made it as a regular when I didn't even have to sit down to have the bartenders make my drink while I did a round around the bar to say hi to everyone. Walk in and know that my table if it wasn't open, would be soon, and that Rachel was off getting either a Bourbon and Ginger or a Vodka Cran depending on my mood and would be at the table by the time I finally got away from Mike Davis's table because I got my way and convinced him to play whatever song I really wanted that time. There are people who I can never forget because of Tuesdays. Waiting for someone to creeper hug me from behind, ok honestly every time but one it was AJ (sorry Mike for mistaking you that one time) maybe with a little kiss on the cheek. It was always good times. The waiters and waitresses who's names I remember, even though they probably don't remember me: Chris, Dan the Man, Ted, Ian, Rachel... Thank you for making me spend money, and I hope I tipped you well enough, and every once in a while putting a drink on special when it really really wasn't.

Then there were the bartenders... oh man, the bartenders. Mark, who never remembered my name but always remembered my face. And I will never forget the one time telling him how bad a friends day was and I was getting her a vodka cran and we were telling him about it while he filled the glass with vodka.... only to add a splash of cran at the end. It had a color similar to pink lemonade. I remember helping her drink that and every time we got maybe a half inch into the drink we'd ask him to put some more cran in it. Now that is a good man, someone who understands that you had a bad day and helps you out with it as best he can. Now Mark was a staple for Tuesdays, right up there with Elaine. Sadly Elaine hasn't been there the last few times I've been back down to Harrisonburg. But she always smiled and stopped to talk if it wasn't packed. She was lovely, and pretty good for the boys to come and watch make their drinks. Now if you couldn't make it on a Tuesday, you better make it for Thursday for Long Island day. $2.00 for Long Islands? None of that mixer shit, it was that good. This guy below was always entertaining, and I have to say that because of him and Mark, they made my life my official last Tuesday before I came Cardiff:

Thank you boys, and for not grabbing my ass while you were at it :)

You know what, I haven't even touched on my favorite part of Tuesday... Mike Davis. AJ is going to be happy because when I asked him what to write about, he said "Mike Davis." Before I forget: thanks Mike, for letting Amy and I pick songs that one night, for always putting up with the shenanigans, for bothering to become a friend, for friending people on facebook while you play songs only 10 feet from me, and for your musical abilities. I loved getting the occasional shout out, although my favorite was Man Eater... Think about it, he had a following. People would go to the places he played throughout the week just to see him. The bars figured it out, and their business increased. He was a god amongst us, and even though I never did get the chance to sing with him (to my knowledge)... maybe someday... :) There is nothing like Mike yelling at the bar because it was jell-o shot time and I didn't have one. He got Elaine to throw one at me even though I'd already closed out my tab because he was making a toast and I needed to have one. I mean who else can come up with such amazing songs? Or have an entire bar sing along with a song called Beer Factory??? Even now I'm singing the words in my head about working a 12 hour shift and a 30 pack for free....

And in part, that pretty much sums up my Beanery life. Cheap drinks, good tunes, and great friends. I know I focused mainly on staff people, but everyone else who I saw there on the regular... You know who you are, and if it counts for anything, I miss you. I miss it a ton, but luckily for me... I have a decent substitute here: Blackweir...

Now, the thing about going to Pubs in the UK... it doesn't matter the time of day, the week, the months, the year, as long as you are over 18, you are expected to get a drink. You go for watching the match that day, you go to meet with friends, you go to get breakfast, lunch, dinner, a Sunday roast, to entertain the bartenders, as a stoping point on your way into town. You just do it. Now luckily for me, within my first 3 days here, I got to be at least decent friends with a few of the barmen... yes Rhys and Jon, you don't have a choice, you're now my friends. Maybe that was because they realized that I was friends with the "super-fit" girl, and they were just being nice. Or maybe it's because of my American accent (which they recently admitted to liking)... But we're going with because I'm that cool. Now, I dont know when Glen gave them my number, but ever since, I have a responsibility to fulfill to their every whim, but I'm not complaining. The cheaper than normal drinks, the making me drinks they legally aren't allowed to because it's a pub not a club, and  the atmosphere. I really do love it there. The couches, the board games, my friends who love it there too. The getting to play pool if I get the chance depending on who else is on the tables. It's just so lovely. It's also nice to say I have a local, and that I have somewhere that I can go all the time and know that I have a 5/8 chance of knowing the person behind the bar. It makes me feel like I'm starting to become part of this culture as well as my own from back in Virginia. It's even better because I actually get to go out with them after they close because they close early and the clubs don't close until 4! Maybe the drinks are a bit pricey, but it makes up for it in other ways... Mostly the amazing barmen who are just so nice, even Rhys if you give him the chance. I promise they aren't scary for those that think they are. Yes I know that Rob looks a bit scary, but I promise he is a very sweet pirate and gives you tarter sauce in a shot glass for your fish and chips. And they are nice enough to let me tag along with them, or maybe they follow me... not sure yet. I'll observe this week and get back to you on that :)

Horrible picture, on all parts, I'm sorry but it's true. Thanks Rhys for having the color popped :)

They also make one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had, and I don't like chocolate! I'm sure its from frozen and the such, but damn is it good! My flatmates and I tend to take a trip at least once a week to get some if we can! For only 2, its a good thing to do if we can in a flat in girls! We need as much chocolate as we can and that is cheap enough and it is just anywhere from 2-15 minutes of heaven. And we can even stay for a drink if we want! And there are Wednesdays! I love Wednesdays, the Hockey Social... It is just so much fun to sit there and judge them. I love it. And now other people do too! So I don't feel bad for judging anymore. The hockey boys and girls make me feel better about myself and my drinking every week. And they bring in some great CD's to be played while they are there. Seriously, how do I get a copy of that 90's one? It has N'Sync, BSB, SClub7, Britney, and that "doot-doot" song that I love so much! I know the staff hate it, but just to sit and watch the wreck they become. It's like a car crash that you know is coming, and you dont want to look away, you just want to laugh at the carnage that is about to happen because you have a secret knowledge that no one will get hurt. Well that makes me sound a bit morbid, but I'm sure someone out there will understand...

Now eventually I'll have to pick one to say that it is mine. But for right now, I'm going to stick with one in each country. There are stories that I will tell about both places, and have stories told about me I'm sure. Yes, other regulars, I am recalling that last Tuesday in Harrisonburg... I think that goes up with another story that Amy has about me from Freshman year... Yes, My Chocolate Muffin, I am now shaking my head in shame as I recall it. I feel I may have talked about alcohol enough, but really... if you read between the lines, you can find most of my crazy, fun, amazing times that I've had over the past two years. The things that when my kids and my younger siblings go to college, what I'll be telling them I did, and to not make my mistakes unless you can handle the responsibility that goes with it. And my one piece of advice: get to know the person pouring your drinks. Because when it matters, they will help you out. Either by cutting you off, getting you home, or making that one drink a bit stronger because you can't afford a second one. Some people make fun of me for it, but I feel it's important in places you frequent. I wouldn't change any of it for the world. But maybe my bank account would :)