12* Bars of Christmas 2009

The alternate title for this blog posting: UFC ((Ultimate Fighting Championship))  is the Grinch who stole three of the bars of Christmas.

So now that my liver is functioning again, it’s time to blog about the 12 Bars of Christmas ’09 ((yes, I do realize that it’s been more than a week since 12* Bars, but hey, I’ve been busy!))!  As always, I took pictures throughout the night to capture this epic event for posterity ((and not, as some might tell you, so that I can reconstruct what happened during the evening at a later date.  I don’t know where you would even get such an idea!!)).  In previous years, I’ve used the antiquated method of having partygoers indicate the bar number with their fingers, like so:

These two fellas are showing that we were at bar #12 (from last year).

But this year I’ve technologized ((is so a word)), so bar numbers are indicated on my beloved Bellatrix the iPhone!  Plus I checked in on Foursquare at all the bars along the way – which I figured would make me look a lot less lame than my usual check-ins at grocery stores and libraries.

Traditionally, Bar 1 has been Erika & Paul’s house, but they live in Seattle now and we figured that the walk from there to 4th Ave in Vancouver would be a bit much.  Fortunately, E & P’s friends Lian & Jon moved into E & P’s old place, so we didn’t have to change locations!

Bar #1 – Lian & Jon’s Place

Jon & Lian, hosts of Bar #1.

My Drink: hot chocolate & Bailey’s.

Bar #2 – Los Margarita’s

Casey & Linda (who is holding my drink for the photo) at Bar #2.

My Drink: strawberry margarita.

Bar #3 – Hell’s Kitchen

Iain, with whom I waited *forever* to pay our bills at the bar, shows off the number 3.

My Drink: Amaretto sour.  HK has the best Amaretto sour in town!

Bar #4 – Room Eighteen

Tanis, my hockey buddy, smiling at bar #4.

My Drink: Amaretto sour.

Bar #5 – Mandala Restaurant

Matt appears to be very happy to be at bar #5.

My Drink: Wine.

Manadala’s is the dinner stop.  I had spring rolls, gyoza and yam & avocado maki.  I also realized during dinner that I’d forgotten to stop at the credit union on the block before the restaurant (and credit cards are just too darned slow when you are on a tight schedule like this!), so I doubled back there after dinner and then met up with everyone at the next bar.  Also, on the way I stopped and bought a hat.

Bar #6 – Darby’s

A whole bunch o’ people, all of whose names escape me except for Zoey on the left, showing off that we are at the halfway point – bar #6.

My Drink: Amaretto sour.

Bar #7 – Nevermind

Me & Zoey, two shorties, at Nevermind, showing off the number 7.

My Drink: Diet Coke & Amaretto ((I was soured out at this point)).

After Nevermind, however, things went a little sideways.  We all went to the scheduled bar, Gargoyle’s, and I headed right to the bathroom.  When I came out, however, everyone was gone!  It turns out that they wouldn’t let us stay because the place was packed with people watching UFC and they aren’t allowed to have more people that seats.  So I figured that everyone went on to the next scheduled bar, The Shack, so I went there, but it was also packed with people watching UFC and the same thing happened at the following bar, Elwood’s.  At that point I tried calling a few of the people from the group to figure out where the heck everyone was, but no one was answering their phones!  And then, mercifully, I saw a few people that I knew coming up the street!  As it turned out, most people went to Swiss Chalet ((and then went somewhere else for a shot, although I came remember where they said they went)) when they couldn’t get into Gargoyle’s, but these few people decided to just get to the next bar.  I told them there would be no getting into The Shack or Elwood’s, so we decided to head to the following scheduled bar, Coppertank, where we’d just get a few drinks and wait for the others to catch up.  So, for me and a couple of other people at least:

Bar #8-11 – Coppertank

Dennis shows us that Coopertank represents the next four bars!

My drink: Wine.

As we spent a fair bit of time at this place, I got a few extra photos with alternative “elevens”:

Christine’s two straws = 11!

Linda’s two sticks of gum also = 11!

After everyone caught up, Erika came around and said that we’d just stay there as bar 12, so I took this photo:

Me at bar #12, but it’s not really 12 ‘cuz we ended up going to Regal Beagle after all!  ((Also, notice my awesome hat, that I bought to replace the exact same hat that I’ve lost TWICE!!))

And thus ended the 12* Bars of Christmas!

Also, for the record I unlocked the “Crunked” Badge on on FourSquare, for the illustrious accomplishment of checking in to four or more places in one night. Because I’m awesome like that.

But then the next day I received the “Bender” badge on FourSquare, for checking in to places four nights in a row!

Go party animal go!  Note that it was my checking into SAFEWAY – that’s right, Safeway the GROCERY STORE – that prompted this.  I am so awesome.

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