www.martini-dan.com/momarch1

1/2 oz Cointreau orange liqueur

1 oz vodka (Absolute Mandarin or Citron)

Dash of lime juice

Splash cranberry juice

Pour all ingredients in shaker half filled with ice, shake and strain into chilled martini glass.

Cosmo Stories

My first story is not so much as interesting as soothing for me. When I was first venturing into the world of martinis the Cosmo was hot. I don’t know if was those girls on Sex and the City or what... but the cosmo was the martini of the time. It just so happened to be hot when I took my one and only trip to San Francisco. I went with 3 wonderful friends (my best friends and a woman named Jeanie we are all good friends with).

There was so much we all wanted to do and see. We planned a night out in the Castro district. Each bar we went to was another cosmo for me. At the last bar, a cool dance club Jeanie and I were dancing to Enrique and just having a blast. We took a break and sat down with our other friends. One of them turns to me as he was amazed at the number of those queer pink martinis the bartender was making that night. That was what he noticed. I just had such a great time there and I love my friends so Comos always bring back that happy time for me.

The next story is funny to me. At the one job as a project manager a group of us went out every Friday for “Happy Hour”. Happy Hour usually turned in to late night craziness that at times ended with skinning dipping at the beach.

Anyway, we went to this one cute place a couple weeks in a row. It was 2 for 1 all night including my Comos. I guess I was on about my 10th Martini when we decided to go across the street for a quick bite and then come back. So I told the bartender this and she told me I would not be back. Well, I was not hungry so I had a Coke. Then we went back and the bartender was both surprised and impressed. She did not think I would make it back. However I have 4 more cosmos. Now I only know that I had 14 martinis in one night due to the receipts in my pocket the next morning.

I lived in a cute little apartment complex (looked like Melrose Place without the pool) a few blocks from the beach and close to all the bars so I walked home when we closed the bar. I know I was partly undressed and wanted to swim as I walked down the middle of the street. I finished undressing down to my underwear (boxer briefs) and pushed my way through the hedge of the condo just built on the lot next to our apartments. I then lost the boxer briefs, took a dip in their pool, and then went home and to bed. I was up at 7 the next morning for work at the zoo and somehow no hangover. I don’t think I could drink 14 martinis again to save my life!