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Wow, we have a love of scotch in common! Do you also have many leather-bound books, and does your apartment smell of rich mahogany? I also picked it up when my ship pulled into Scotland. I spent 4 hours in a bar housed inside a 13th century church in Glasgow learning the different varieties.

I'm also constantly thinking of things to do before I'm boring and old. I think that's how I wound up paying a guy to lock me in a room with several complete strangers (and a friend) so that I could try to escape. It sounds way sketchier than it is - apparently its a fun thing to do in Japan.

Anyway, you seem like my type - into laughing, and travelling, and generally being fun. Feel free to say hello if you think the same about me.

Dan
Sent Jun 20, 2013

Hey there Dan,

I love scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly... Anchorman 2 is coming out in December!! yay. Funny enough my scotch loving came about in a bar sitting for a few hours also - similar to your experience. I was in Denmark last year and a girl friend and I did a bunch of taste tasting in like the middle of the day on a Friday or something. We had tried to go to taste at the Braunstein Distillery about an hour by train out of Copenhagen but it was closed for tasting so we just found a divey place nearby and made the most of our day :).

Challenge: Did you really pay a guy to lock you in a room to try to escape? Now, are we talking Alcatraz or like an open air room in the Caribbean kinda thing? I think I need to hear this story!

The navy, eh? Sounds like you still love sailing - get out much these days in the bay? I absolutely love being out on the water but don't get out as much as I'd like onto the bay. I did just go sailing though the other day (work offsite). One of these days I want to do a kayak trip too locally. I find I always seek these things out while traveling and sometimes forget to take advantage locally too. doh!

Ok, so by the way - your profile was hilarious. I laughed out loud at the spicy food part...and the fact that you thought that much about Family Feud haha.

Cheers,
Monica
Sent Jun 24, 2013

Awesome! We'll have to compare notes on the scotch. Where's your favorite place to get a dram? And yeah I did pay a guy to lock me in a room with some strangers. Its just in a regular building, and its like a mystery that you're in the middle of. You do need to hear the story, though, it's good. Or better yet, try it.

So I actually used to sail varsity for the Naval Academy. Now I can take out boats through Berkeley, which I do when it's a warm day (it can get wet). Really I want to find somewhere to rent a keelboat, those are what I used to race.

And yeah I do overthink Family Feud, but my family has declared it is the only game they like playing with me because I'm so bad at it.

I think it is really easy to overlook all that there is to do at home, there are so many fun trips and things locally. I have friends visiting me from San Diego this weekend so I am bringing up all my ideas about SF for their visit. But its all the opposite of touristy stuff. The bar has been set high for me ever since last year when I arranged a "taco tour" of San Diego: 15 taquerias in 8 hrs (we were stuffed after 6). Each taco was completely different, Thai tacos, Greek tacos, Korean tacos, fish tacos, tacos al pastor...you get the point.

For this weekend, I already came up with a name: Chopstix Crawl 2013!

How about you, how do your weekends usually go?
Sent from the OkCupid app Jun 25, 2013

So, I actually do have a pretty sweet scotch collection in my apartment, so I may have a dram at home when I want the good stuff. :) My favorites are the two I brought back from Scotland: 1 - a pretty awesome peated Bowmore that was finished in sherry caks (Maltmen's) and 2 - the peatiest scotch in the world (Octomore)! But otherwise I've found a lot of places don't have the peaty scotches. One good place with a good selection near where I live is 15 Romolo. They do really interesting cocktails with whiskeys/whiskys too! How about you? What are your fave scotches and places to sip?

My weekends really vary a lot. Lately I've been having a chill Friday night in, trying to go hiking a bit more up in Marin on Saturday or Sunday and then spending a day hanging out with friends at an outdoor festival, bday celebration, etc. North Beach Festival in SF and "Dancing on the Avenue" in Willow Glen were the last two festivals I went to -- both were really fun. I've also been traveling a fair bit the last few months for work (finally about to slow down - yay) so many Friday nights or Sundays have been spent on planes lately back & forth from NYC.

Oh wow, 15 taquerias is uber ambitious!! That sounds really fun though as an idea. I love theme activities...I tend to go all out as a true theater nerd would. Have you ever been to SantaCon? I go each year and dress as "Santa Monica" (he he). Enjoy Chopstix Crawl 2013! Can't wait to hear how it turns out.

Cheers,
Monica
Sent Jun 26, 2013

Ah, so you like the peaty ones huh. It figures there aren't a lot of places that stock them - it's an acquired taste :) I can do those every once in a while, but my palate prefers something a little cleaner. My go-tos are Auchentoshan, Laphroaig, and Talisker. The older the better. I befriended the bartender at The Aero Club in San Diego (right by the airport, looks like a dark hole where pilots on layovers drink, but actually the best selection of whiskey in San Diego) and he gave me some delicious, delicious 30-year Talisker. I was in heaven. For my thirtieth birthday I am going to demand that people give me scotch as old as I am. There's got to be some kind of perk that comes with a 30th birthday, right?

I have not yet found an appropriate place in SF to drink scotch, primarily because my friends up here do not share my appreciation. However, I have been wanting to try House of Shields and I liked the selection at Rickhouse ok. I also really like Bourbon and Branch. A lot. I haven't been to 15 Romolo, but after googling it I see you're around North Beach - that's a cool part of town. I'm actually there a lot for work as I am working on making the 30-Stockton and the 8X run faster. I've been to a few places around there and have really enjoyed it. Definitely wouldn't mind stopping by 15 Romolo to see what it's about.

Your weekends sound amazing and exactly like what I like to do with my free time as well. We should get together sometime, maybe a drink after work next week? Then I can tell you all about Chopstix Crawl (oh, we're changing it to Rainbow Chopstix Crawl in honor of Pride and DOMA being overturned - we're going to wear as many colors as possible). We've also decided there will be games at each stop.

I was at SantaCon briefly and I also joined that really huge pillow fight on the Embarcadero on Valentine's Day. Your costume was a great idea - did you dress like the city? It'd be amazing to make little foam buildings and palm trees to wear. I like dressing up too - I went to the Edwardian Ball last January and had a blast making up steampunk/Victorian things to wear...now I have a full costume for when the time comes. Which you can probably appreciate because you're a theater nerd, right? Elaborate on this, I'm interested.

Hope you enjoy your Friday/weekend if I don't hear from you before then!

Dan
Sent Jun 27, 2013

Heya Dan,

Yeah Bourbon & Branch is cool. They're a little snobby but I do like the feel of being somewhere secret hehe. If you're also a beer lover there's some awesome spots in this area too: Church Key, Rogue & La Trappe have some great stuff. I love living in North Beach -- I live close enough that it's super easy to grab some awesome food or drinks nearby but far enough away from the shenanigans that it's quiet and peaceful and I can sleep at night!

Thirty year scotch eh? A mighty tall order! When's the big b-day?

So for SantaCon I have a Santa dress (a proper one...not like a how-slutty-can-I-look-today one). It's complete with fur trim, etc. and I just got my hat customized with lettering that says "Santa Monica". Normally people don't get it until I introduce myself and then there's this aha moment that's usually visible where they're like ooooh I get it! I'm not like wearing a Beach Blanket Babylon style hat. lol

Theatre nerd indeed. I've been doing musical theater since I was about ten and even got my BA in Musical Theatre (in addition to a sturdy business degree of course). Since college I slowed down a bit on shows since a full time job kinda makes it a bit more difficult...but I still perform here and there in either full scale musicals, cabaret nights, etc. Do you ever go to see live shows (concerts, theater, comedy, etc.)?

I'm so excited about hearing about rainbow-themed Chopstix Crawl! I'd love to hang out. Are you around this week? Perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday?

Cheers,
Monica
Sent Jun 29, 2013

My birthday is in October. I have big plans - I'm going to rent out a cable car and turn it into a mobile party. Gotta go big when you're 30!

Haha, you should totally do a Beach Blanket Babylon hat with the city of Santa Monica on it. Though that might not work at SantaCon, too hectic.

Wow, that's super cool that you've been doing musical theater, does that mean you have a great voice? We should try out some duets...

Do I ever see live shows? Yes, yes, and yes. Concerts, I've been to about 7 this year, and counting. My favorite was the Killers, I actually flew to Vegas to see them before I figured out they were playing here, then saw them again at Civic Auditorium. I love them. Also, I have a friend who plays the violin and is awesome. She does gigs from orchestra to rock and its amazing. I'm actually on my way to Stern Grove Festival with some friends to see her play.

Theater, yeah this year so far, I saw The Book of Mormon when it came to town and a show produced by Steve Martin called The Underpants. Both were really fun. I've seen a lot of other shows, but my favorites would have to be Phantom of the Opera and Avenue Q, which I got to see in London and NY, respectively.

Comedy, I went to a few SF SketchFest things earlier in the year, which were a good time. I liked some of the improv things they did and got the audience to participate. Plus I've been to a few good stand up shows in the past, like David Sedaris and Larry David. So yeah, I'd say I like to go out for live shows. What are some of your favorites?

Rainbow Chopstix Crawl was amazing! We walked all over the city and stuffed ourselves with Asian food (mostly dumplings). Then we wound up in the middle of Pride. It was so much fun!

How about Wednesday? That gives us a chance to let the BART strike business sort itself out. But if it is still going by then, I'll still be able to make a date after work. I'll get to work on the bus, and then it will be better for me to leave the city late (less crowded!). Perhaps a happy hour drink at one of your awesome North Beach places?

Hope your weekend is proving to be as fun as mine!

Dan
Sent Jun 30, 2013

Hey Dan!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. :) I realized that I put it in my calendar but forgot to confirm back with you. doh!

Good thinking ahead with the bart strike by the way...hope it hasn't impacted you toooo badly.

Anyway, I hope tomorrow still works for you. My # is ###-###-####. Just let me know whatever time works for you and I'm open to meeting up post-work.

Cheers,
Monica
Sent Jul 2, 2013
See 8 older messages
• 
  Hey Monica!
  
  No worries about tomorrow, although I did agree to go to dinner with my co-workers / friends right after work because I wasn't sure what was going on and they were badgering me. Have you been to Rickhouse yet? Perhaps we could meet there later, around 9? Might as well treat Wednesday like a Friday!
  
  Dan
  ###-###-####

  Sent Jul 2, 2013
• 
  lol, yay. Ok sounds good. I've not been to Rickhouse actually but driven past it many times... Shall we plan for 9 or would you rather play timing by ear?
  
  Cheers,
  Monica

  Sent Jul 2, 2013
• 
  Let's plan for 9 but I will definitely text you if it becomes clear I am running earlier or later than that. I don't like keeping people waiting so I'll be on top of things :) I think I'll be right on time at 9 since we are doing dinner right after work - it couldn't go more than 3 hrs with travel time, surely.

  Sent Jul 2, 2013
• 
  Sounds good!

  Sent Jul 2, 2013

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