While 1900 green Jay Imp and Eric sleep I'm going to post my recollections of evening. This gives me the advantage of being the first to deny any accusations.

What a hell of a time we had last night.

I got to the party about an hour and a half late due to poor planning and even worse traffic.

When I got there Jay and Eric were in the company of a couple of Eric's friends.

The setting for our party was this beautifully restored old Austin house. The place had a very pleasant feel, very classy yet completely comfortable.
One of the greatest features of the home, was the table we sat around. Besides being a great sturdy table, it was loaded with HG samples from around the country..

Walking into the room it was hard not to gasp at the beauty of that table.

Now you'll have to excuse the fact that I tend to screw up names, but there was MoonJuice, Swizzle, Pigeon Feet, Waterloo Surrender, Elliot Tomball , and some stuff I squeezed from my bar sponge. Besides that amazing selection of drinkable goodies, there was Vintage Herbsaint and Vintage Teragona, and a couple of bottles of old absenta. (Please forgive me any omissions, I'll remember and slap my forehead later)

Also on that great beautiful table was an assortment of antiques. Pontarlier glasses, spoons, more glasses, and more spoons. In the kitchen there was a fountain at the ready.

We made our greetings, and sat down to talk.
My first drink was the Waterloo creation. It is an early effort from what I expect will be an amazing Texas absintheur. This stuff was nothing but WOW. Very aromatic, excellently created and very, very drinkable. Not counting the vintage stuff, this was at the top of my list of favorites.

By the time I'd poured my drink, my cousin and his wife showed up and we had us a nice little gathering. The conversation was lively and interesting, and of course it quickly turned to a discussion about the people on the forum. This geeked out the non forum people which made it all the more delightful.

----- There's more, much more, but I'm running short of time so I'll continue this later ----

Pictures are on the way.

Here's Jay and Eric with the vintage Taragona

Jay louching some vintage Herbsaint

That waterloo surrender is a beautifull product isn't it? I have some samples of it that are very exciting. And to think that stuff is still young. Wish I could have been there! I drank a glass of surrender #3 last night and I was thinking of you all.

Notice Jay's shirt.

The colors are so loud and the pattern so obnoxious that the human brain protects itself by interpreting the color as black.

Here Jay is geeking out at the computer. (Much like what I'm doing right now)

So what did that vintage Herbsaint taste like ?

Oh Damn thats all my pictures. It's hard to drink and shoot, so I chose to drink.

I sure hope someone got a picture of that wonderful table.


More to come...

Kirk,

The herbsaint was very nice. It had a flavor about it that I'm unfortunately unable to describe since I don't have anything with which to compare it. All I can say is it was very nice.

I'm so damn late.. More to come I promise.

I noticed YOU were missing from all of the pics.

Which leads me to believe one of two things.

1. You're not real
2. Uh .... um ...... I forgot what number two was.

DG

Looks like y'all did okay. We just might let you stay in the club.

DG,

There are no pictures of me, mostly because I was the one pushing the button on the camera.

Jay's got some pics and I'm sure he'll post em when he gets back home.

Just so you know I exist and to dispel any idea that you might get from a drunk picture of me looking retarded.

Here's me and my niece out fishing on my boat last summer.

"Niece"...I can't help but remember two forum members were tested as "Lolita" in another thread, right?

[Cheap shot -- Marc Dutroux's "trial of the century" coming up in Belgium. Couldn't resist. Plus you were wearing sunglasses, so you must've had something to hide. ]

Well, you don't look like a sponge.

However, the pork rinds behind you were a dead giveaway.

DG

OK,

So to finish the story of the TXLF:

Anyway, we happily tasted all of the HG samples (more than once). I became jealous of Eric for having such cool friends. They knew a lot about absinthe and were delightful to talk with. I think one of the things I liked best about them was that they seemed to enjoy the sponge squeezins that I brought, and never once compared it to Jagermeister.

One thing that was a real treat for me was checking out Jay and Eric's collection of antiques. I've always been too intimidated to buy any of the cool stuff on ebay because I'd be an easy mark to rip off.

We talked incessantly about all of you guys, speculated about your looks, sexual health and orientation. We decided we still like all of you guys, it's just that we're a little cooler than you. I expect the same will happen at the LCLF so anyone who doesn't want to be seen as less cool, or be speculated about should probably attend. Did I mention I'm going to be at the LCLF? Well let me say it now. I'm Fuckin' A going!

I have to thank Felix for sending such generous samples to our gathering. They were a huge hit. We all kept coming back to the Pigeon and Swizzel. The ET was also extremely good. I've only tasted an early sample before and this was much, much better, thanks for sending that ET.
As for me I got hooked on the Waterloo, that stuff has enormous potential. It was about a week old when we drank it, and already it was fantastic. When I louched my first sample the aroma filled the kitchen in a way I've never experienced with an absinthe before, this was exactly the way I've imagined that Jade- the only REAL Burnt™ absinthe does, though I've never been lucky enough to try Jade- the only REAL Burnt™ absinthe.

The vintage Taragona of course was out of this world. Eric broke out his stash of the magical stuff and was extremely generous to share it with us. It was a lot like I'd imagined it might be, only it was better. Very nice aroma and louche. The flavor of anise was stronger than I'd expected, and the herbal balance of the drink sublime.

Jay was also very generous with his vintage Herbsaint. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I'd heard good things about vintage Herbsaint, but I've also tried the modern version. The sample I tried had a very robust flavor, the color was dead leaf brown while the louche turned it almost green again.

Spending the evening with Eric and Jay is like going to absinthe college. Their knowledge of the various vintage brands, spoons, glasses and everything else absinthe is incredible. I thank you guys for a very educational evening. Hell I never knew what a pontil was before last night, if you'd have asked me what it was I'd have told you it's a place to put the Pope.

Of course there was the whole music thing going on at the same time. Jay is an expert in all things Hendrix. I never knew there was so much to know about the guy, I've spent all my life just being happy knowing he was black, and played a mean ass guitar. However since I was drunk while were were taking about Hendrix, that is still about the extent of my knowledge of the subject. Still its always fun to listen to someone tell you about something they are passionate about.

We listened to Eric's music. What can I say the guy is a lot more humble than I would be in his place. Hell if I fart and it makes a pretty sound I talk about it for days. Again I was drunk so I don't remember the names of either of the CD's but I seriously recommend that you ask Eric and about it and get them.

I'll probably think of more things to add, but for now that's about it.

I'm going to go take a nap.

SB

I'm glad you didn't see the pickled pigs feet.

Pignon (actually, "Pignon et l'Épée").

PIGNON (2:416)

PIGNON. s. m. La partie supérieure d'un mur qui se termine en pointe, et dont le sommet porte le bout du faîtage d'un comble à deux égouts. Dans les anciennes maisons, le pignon était sur la face principale. Mur de pignon: voyez Mur.

[Translation: upper part of the wall, usually the front wall of a house, that ends in a point or spike and carries two gutters]

Prov., Avoir pignon sur rue, Avoir une maison à soi. Il signifie aussi, Avoir des biens immeubles, des héritages en propre. C'est une bonne caution, il a pignon sur rue.

PIGNON (2:416)

PIGNON. s. m. Amande de la pomme de pin.

[Translation: seed of the pine tree]

PIGNON (2:416)

PIGNON. s. m. T. de Mécan. Petite roue dentée, dont les ailes ou dents engrènent dans celles d'une plus grande roue.

[Translation: cog, sprocket]

Unlike what I said to greeneyes during our meeting, I'd rather vote for the last more "mechanical"/"industrial" meaning these days - especially if you give the label a look.

"The cog and the sword".

Also, "Swizzlé", if I remember correctly, which is the french *adjective* derived from the English "Swizzle".

You're a more than a mere mod. Feel free to exercise your totalitarian powers to "shape up" my post.

I'm still mad at you for missing out on our little CA gathering last month. Even though I'm not Hoser.

Plus I'm mad at the word filter. It morphed my perfectly fine adjective into a noun and f*ked up the grammar.

You must have really loved sentence diagramming in school.

I don’t shape up posts, unless someone makes a really stupid mistake and I’m not talking about grammar.

I am sorry about missing you. Maybe next time or when I’m in EuroFuckyLand.

Is that some kind of Bible verse?

And God said unto Félix...

I hear the Sponge Squeezins could give the Waterloo Surrender a run for it's money. I think with an altitude change and a little tweeking though...

Sounds like a damn good time.

I spent my week in Mexico (Cancun) discovering and falling in love with a tequila a couple locals introduced me to.

Brought back 4 litre's, and a box of Cohiba Robusto's. No one at customs said a damn thing. Heaven!

I can't drink tequila, it does me bad.

Eric hooked me up with some Ksarak yesterday. Arak has quickly become my second favorite drink after absinthe.

The table.

The three Tx Loungers, and the poor guests that had to put up with us.

The innocent guests hiding from the Lounge Crew.

An example of photo'ing while drinking.

Goddam cookers.
Mayor's Share.
One gets the concept.
And nice it is.

'Bout time you shits got some flingage up
and on.

I will post some ramblings about the happenings, people, and booze related thoughts, during the daylight hours.

More after I spring the Imp from the kennel at lunchtime,....off to take allergy drugs, and prepare for real life at 7:00am.

Bunch a wusses.

"When I feel better."
"When I rest."
"Work."
"Church."

What about the Lounge's needs?
Huh?

Close. It's a marker from the "Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française".

Not that I can do anything with it -- I only have a "Petit Robert" at home.

I do not presume to speak for the maker, but that is indeed the intended name.

In this case though, Swizzle' is more of a twist on Twizzlers than based on any specific word.

Looks and sounds like a great time! I wouldn't mind trying that Waterloo.

Ha , they look like they are thinking ; " will they please stop talking about that chat room", and " where's my keys." My freinds get like that too, when I talk about you guys.

Down boy. You are on the top of the list, right after dink. Wouldn't want to rush things though.

Funny how all you absinteurs look alike , almost like they are all related. Is that a miniature absinthe spoon bracelet Erics wearing? Cool.

happy happy joy joy
happy happy joy joy

See? Now you have looked each other in the eye.....

That was pretty blatant fishing, but hell I guess you got a right to be proud of your work.

Eric showed me that bracelet, very nice. It makes me wish I had talent.

From what I 've heard , you are very talented. Want one? There are three in existence now, I'm only waiting for a reason to make another one.

Hello? Over here! I'd like one, and dammit, I'd even pay money for it!

DG

Oh hell yes I want one.

Thank you that is an extremely nice thing to do.

Thanks man.

(I'll pay money for you not to give DG one before the LCLF, that way I can torture him with mine.)

Just like your sex life.

Oh please, like I'd ever give myself money!

DG

Right, you know what you're worth.

I do .... I just can't make change for a penny.

DG

I will trade .

Any objections to me carrying a gun? I like you guys, yeh thats right.
I will carry it with only humility and no smugness.

The only avatar I can come up with is that or this:

Carry what you want. Just don't flash it. I'll smack you upside the head if you pull out a gun!

Nice new avitar... you're welcome