Magic & Martinis Thursday
is based on the philosophy that you can always make it through Friday.
It all began in the mid-1980’s
when I was the house magician for Julio’s Restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska. Pat
Hazell was the hard working magician around town but was just moving to Los
Angeles (where he worked as a writer on the Seinfeld TV show) at the time I was
moving into town and he passed on this prime opportunity to me. I performed
there every Thursday night until 10:00 for the nearly 18 months that I lived in
Omaha.
Each evening when I was
finished performing, I always ordered a plate of their famous nachos “to go”. As
an aside, I believe it was the flour tortilla chips rather than corn chips that
made them still the best nachos I have ever eaten. I brought these home where
my wife and I enjoyed the late night snack as we stayed up to watch the Tonight
Show with Johnny Carson.
We moved to Houston, Texas
around 1987 where I became one of the house magicians at the Magic Island for
many years. Although I was one of the close-up magicians in the “stable”, I
also regularly performed on stage often filling in for some on dates when they
had other “one or two day” commitments in New York, Chicago, television
tapings, corporate obligations, etc. Plus I often worked the usual two to four week stints.
Anyway, I moved to Dallas in
1994 where I became a house magician at a local Asian restaurant. There again I
worked on Thursdays and would often bring home something for a late night meal
as we watched TV.
I moved back to Houston in
2000 and picked up where I left off as one of the house magicians at the Magic
Island. But I supplemented that with a long term engagement as one of the magicians
at a local Asian restaurant (Tokyohana Sushi Bar & Grill). There are a couple other magicians who alternate
with me as we work on Thursday and Saturday evenings, but my preference is to
work on Thursday nights which leaves open my weekends for more lucrative work.
In this age of DVR (Digital
Video Recorders), we now record the shows we want to watch and save our
favorite shows for Thursday night when I arrive home. My wife usually prepares
something special though usually consisting of a variety of cheeses (i.e. Emmental,
Cave Aged Gruyere, Jarlsberg Swiss, Parmesan Reggiano, Wensleydale, Five County Cheddar,
etc.) and of course an assortment of crackers. This is usually supplemented with
smoked oysters or perhaps sardines and pickles.
Very often we change it up a
little and I might pick up some chili dogs on the way home from the restaurant,
or my wife will prepare another appetizer such as baked mushrooms, tamales,
miniature calzones, etc. Occasionally I find a recipe for some light snack or
appetizer that I prepare during the day before I go to work at the restaurant.
But of course the feature of
the evening is always the martinis. Our recent brand has been Three Olives
which come in a variety of flavors. We have found the cherry to be the best…not
too syrupy but just right. Other cherry vodkas don’t measure up. Just shake
with ice and use an atomizer to spritz on a film of dry vermouth. When not
drinking a flavored vodka, I prefer Belvedere, Gray Goose, or Kettle One
straight up with only a mist of dry vermouth. Gin does not agree with my head
the next day so it’s vodka for me.
I have posted pictures of
Magic & Martinis Thursday each week since August 2012 on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter (HINT: follow me). It is a way to reach out and have a “virtual
drink” with all of my magic friends from around the world every Thursday night. Many respond with messages of “cheers” and
postings of what they are drinking. While I am away from my home base, it does
not stop me from seeking out alternatives and other friends who enjoy the good
life on Thursdays. You can see some of the pictures in my Facebook and Instagram photo archives
with magicians at conventions who have joined me at the bar or in the hotel
room. I plan to re-post those pictures here on Fridays so as to give some "regular" content to this blog.
If you are not performing on a Thursday night, then grab a deck of cards, click on the TV, queue up the
DVR, shake up the martinis and pour and practice you Diagonal Palm Shift. This is a great way to unwind, relax and
enjoy life. I highly recommend it.
So join us if you can. If you
are under age or a teetotaler, then pour your favorite beverage be it soda,
water or ginger ale and raise a glass to Magic & Martinis Thursdays!
