Re-naming a drink

I know I haven't been blogging much recently. I'd like to say it is due to my busy schedule (which is busy, but not THAT busy). I think rather that it is because I have not had much to blog about. After being told by Louise that my last blog entry was "lame", I decided I should put something up before I loose all four of my readers.

On Christmas Eve I attended a dinner with the Vice-Mayor of Laishan. At that dinner I met a young guy named Gaerath (sorry if I spelled that wrong) who has been living in China for seven years. His Chinese level was amazing and put us all to shame.

After dinner a group of us headed downtown to go and say hello to my friend Adriano who has been working at the Baby Face Club. First we had to pay a 60 元 cover charge because it was X-mas Eve. Upon entering the club, we placed our orders and waited. And waited. And waited.

I've been in this club once or twice before, and my friends and I had had trouble getting served then too. At first we thought it was shoddy service, but Adriano explained it to me. I couldn't believe my ears.

When someone places and order for a drink:

• The bartender writes it down
• Gives the paper to the bar manager who copies the order onto a form with carbon paper
• The bar manager gives the forms to the floor manager
• The floor manager signs the form and gives it to a messenger who runs upstairs to the office.
• In the office, one form has to be signed by the accountant and one by the club manager
• Both forms are then stamped with the Chinese red chop stamps that are needed for absolutely anything in China
• One copy of the form is then sent by messenger back to the bar
• The floor mananger checks the form, gives it to the bar manager.
• Once the bar manager has checked the form, he/she gives permission to the bartender to pour the drink.

And you want to know what the real kicker is?

They have to do this for EACH INGREDIENT IN THE COCKTAIL, NOT THE WHOLE COCKTAIL ITSELF!!!

If I order a Long Island Iced Tea, they must take SEVEN forms up to the offices (vodka, gin, run, tequila, triple sec, sour mix, and Coke)!!!!

I hereby propose that we replace the Coca-Cola in a Long Island Iced Tea with grenadine, and call the drink "Bureaucratic Red Tape".