The Bar 2015 Edition

[MyDearFriend]

Good morning.



Waiting to hear from the 'trackathoners.

[lucky420]

Good mornig MDF!

One thing the Amtrakathon does is make me realize just how very much I miss you all.

Even the ones I don't think I like very much

[MyDearFriend]

I miss you too!!!

*returns rather dejectedly to work*

[^Rhino!]

Most definitely missing all of you, too. Blessings to you both, Lucky and MDF.....

Whimsy evening last night. I could have gotten in trouble and didn't. It all started when I drove down to Jefferson City, Missouri's capital, to take in a restaurant I hadn't been at forever. Called "Das Steinhaus", it's the real deal. The proprietor is a man named Helmut, and he serves the best German cuisine in the capital city. I thought to myself on at least one occasion, 'This is where I take Cryptofishey if she ever makes it to Missouri.'

They had beef rouladen on the menu, along with fresh vienerschnitzel, but I stuck with the 'sampler plate of pork roast, beef roast, and sauerbraten. Sides of German potatoes and rotkraut (red sauerkraut). Served with iced tea, and I thought that was a great meal. Then, Helmut came out to the table bringing samples of peach schnapps. Free. SWEET. I then asked him if he perchance had any slivowicz. HE DID! I ordered a shot.

This Yugoslavian treat is a plum liqueur made with hot peppers, and is served along the coast of Yugoslavia. I'd always wanted to try it, and I was not disappointed. Scratch one more item from the 'to do' list!

Dinner - $30. Parking -FREE The experience and the ambiance - PRICELESS!

I could've stayed and gotten quite tipsy, but left after coffee. Good thing I did, too.....in the parking lot outside were 2 Jefferson City PD cruisers. I suppose they were looking for those who DID get tipsy.
Not this Rhino. I went home to Columbia and had a happy sleep in fresh sheets.

[burner von braun]

That sounds like quite a meal ^Rhino!

Speaking of Slivowisc seems to remind me of Misa, and how she would stop by early and 'make' breakfast for the Bar every morning here. Always a nice way to start the day. I assume she is well, and likely more active on FB or some other site.

((Misa))

[Thecatman]

catman (that picture is awesome), Thanks!

Glad you liked it

[^Rhino!]

That sounds like quite a meal ^Rhino!

Speaking of Slivowisc seems to remind me of Misa, and how she would stop by early and 'make' breakfast for the Bar every morning here. Always a nice way to start the day. I assume she is well, and likely more active on FB or some other site.

((Misa))

It WAS good, burner von braun......

I first learned about slivowisc from the Frederick Forsyth novel, 'The Dogs of War'. In it, the mercenaries have gone to Ploce to pick up a Yugoslav mortar and are working with the customs official there, who takes them to a local café where they consume bowls of olives and almonds with slivowisc.

There's a bit of a language problem, but the mercenary leader asks if the official is a committed Communist.

The official looks at him, shakes his head up and down in assent, and says, "GUTER COMMUNISTA!" and rolls his eyes. He laughs and downs a shot. Cat Shannon, the leader of the mercenaries, decides then that the official is all right....the kind of man he can deal with. And the deal is sealed.

I recommend the book..and now I recommend the liqueur.

[Thecatman]

Rhino! That sounds like a cool place. Hope I get out to Missouri again. I'll be sure to try the place. Glad you used good judgment.
Last time I went through Missouri was 2003.

[lucky420]

Morning bar!


Oooooh what I would give to be able to sleep in....

[Joeln]

Good judgement ha!
Went on a tour of New Belgium yesterday and they plied us with no less than 6 samples of their beers.
Nobody finished that tour legal to drive.
I have to spend a little more time with their new "sour" beer. Very different, acquired taste but good I think.
Next time I sign up for a bit later than 1:30PM.

And yeah Lucky - sleeping in was awesome the last 2 days too bad it's Monday.

[ygmir]

*wanders in*
HI Gang!!
wow, what a trip! big fun, and great to see folks! Catman even showed up!!
took a nice drive out to the playa yesterday, hopefully someone who took photos can post a couple.
feels now like I'm getting a sniffle........dang it.

[^Rhino!]

Rhino! That sounds like a cool place. Hope I get out to Missouri again. I'll be sure to try the place. Glad you used good judgment.
Last time I went through Missouri was 2003.

Believe me, I'm glad I used good judgement, too!

You drink and drive in this state, you lose your license if you've got a blood alcohol content greater than or equal to 0.08%. What nobody ever tells you is that IF you 'drive impaired' and are in an accident with a blood alcohol content less than 0.08%, they still can charge you with driving while intoxicated. I see no reason whatsoever to enrich the legal system with funds that are mine now.

I got pulled over a couple of months ago in the City of Columbia in a sobriety checkpoint. The officer saw a 'to go' cup in the cup holder on my side of the cab, and asked what was in it.

"Coffee", I said.
"You're joking, right?"
"nope"
"how many alcoholic beverages have you consumed tonight?"
"None."
"You're free to go. Thank you for your cooperation."

Easy stop, and I got a 'thank you"! I'd rather they pull over and neutralize the drivers that aren't sober, endangering ME and MY valuable self, than not do it at all. And they get a few now and again with their unannounced sobriety checkpoints throughout the county.

If you're drinking, don't drive. Have a designated driver. In Columbia, that means FREE soft drinks at participating clubs. It has a lot to do with being a college town, but you pick up habits that can help you the rest of your life.

yggy, I'm jealous. You met thecatman. He sounds like a good fellow.

[ygmir]

yeah Rhino, Catman is a prince.
good company indeed, to be near him or you.........well, I can say that about all my friends here. we were discussing, just what a wonderful group we have here, even if we don't all get to meet in person. Gives one hope for huge manitees......

[lucky420]

^^

[AntiM]

Nothing to see here, move along.

[trilobyte]

Good morning, bar! Woohoo for the amtrakathoners, sounds like another fun weekend adventure. We had a fun yet low key weekend, working on playa art projects, hanging out with some friends, meeting with a couple campmates to talk about plans for 2015, and connecting with some awesome folks from my old camp who were in town for the weekend. It was really nice to get to catch up, as we'd managed to miss running into each other on the playa.

Another busy week ahead, good luck to all those in that big storm's path!

[Elliot]

Columbia Missouri.... Back in the early 1980s, I was driving "team" cross country. "Team" in this context means there were two drivers in the truck, taking turns driving so the truck never sat still except when refueling -- hauling freight that was in a great hurry. So... my co-driver had a girlfriend in Columbia, Missouri. And she knew another girl who was fat and ugly.

No.... No, I'm trying to forget that.

[FIGJAM]

Where's all the snow????????????

[ygmir]

Where's all the snow????????????

exactly the query posed in that moment on the photo........wet, tire ruts held water......but warm and no snow.

[^Rhino!]

Who are those people? The usual suspects? lol......Round 'em up and bring 'em to BRC in August.

[trilobyte]

Woohoo for playa pic, but boo for lack of water or snow. I sure hope that region gets a chance to catch back up a little bit...

[^Rhino!]

Columbia Missouri.... Back in the early 1980s, I was driving "team" cross country. "Team" in this context means there were two drivers in the truck, taking turns driving so the truck never sat still except when refueling -- hauling freight that was in a great hurry. So... my co-driver had a girlfriend in Columbia, Missouri. And she knew another girl who was fat and ugly.

No.... No, I'm trying to forget that.

Things have improved since the '80s.

Believe me, I know. As of today, Columbia is in the top 10 mid-size cities (#7 on this list: http://wallethub.com/edu/fastest-growing-cities/7010/) in the US for growth. With the influx of population came the usual problems, but we've overcome a lot. And, the city is progressive. It's all those leftist liberals over at the University of Missouri. Being in the SEC has helped, too! In football, The Missouri Tigers have been the SEC western Division champs two years running.

We have activities that are FUN, too. The True/False film festival is held here annually, and the Roots, Blues, and BBQ festival brings in national blues acts. The food can be interesting, we have 3 microbreweries, and let alone the number of wineries in the Missouri Valley. It ain't Austin, Texas, or the west coast, but we have got a lot.

And I've got TWO regionals that are an easy drive, and four more just a day away.I'm not only a Gateway Burner (St. Louis), but I'm a Midwest Burner (K.C/Lawrence,KS area). The heartland may rise in the next few years to become something even better.
I'm filled with hope.

[MyDearFriend]

I have fond memories of Missouri, Rhino, visiting cousins in Branson.

The big storm battering the North East has left us with just a thin layer of ice, and a house-guest who can't get home for a couple more days. We're having fun here but I am really not looking forward to tomorrow's trip to work.

You guys out west could really use this moisture, I know; I will bend my thoughts to sending it your way.

[FIGJAM]

I ordered 2 feet of snow for the playa, but terrorists rerouted it!!!!!!!

[Canoe]

Got a new toy. A 4k tv to use as a monitor (let's me get rid of the four 28" monitors it replaces), with a 28" 1920x1200 control/tool monitor on the side.

Pretty sure I know what my new desktop is going to be...

screenshot 28-1920x1200, 55-4k 2015-01-26 -small.jpg

[lucky420]

You so fancy ^^

[magicmarty]

Good morning peeps Snowstorm back east must have everyone hunkering down under the covers.

Dives into the NEB hoping for some company

Cheers

(((LF)))

[VultureChow]

It was a big bust in NJ. Long Island got it worse though.

I'm at work. I was counting on wearing my monster pajamas all day and drinking Baileys and hot chocolate.

[trilobyte]

From the news reports, it sounds like the predictions were off by a foot or more. Boston and Nantucket are still getting it pretty good, hopefully everyone there's all bundled up and power doesn't go out despite the high winds.

Fancy setup, Canoe, congrats on the new gear! At some point I'd like to do a nice big 31-32 inch 4K screen for my primary machine, in the meantime I'm making do with a pair of 28 inch 1440p displays. Great background imagery, too!

[FIGJAM]

32" is easy on the eyes.