Debbie S
07-18-2003, 12:18 PM
Last night, I got to attend a happy hour where Dorothy Hamill was the guest bartender. It took place at a club (the eating/social/networking type) to which my father belongs. I convinced my father to take me (you have to be a member or a guest of one to get in), although he pronounced to me when we got there that he was probably the oldest person in the room. I pointed out that there were others with gray hair, but he seemed to think they were younger than they looked - LOL!
The bar is kind of long, so Dorothy was at one end and two regular bartenders were at other points, all taking orders. I squeezed in to wait in the "Dorothy" line, but before I knew it, a regular bartender came up to us and asked for our drink orders - rats! But after I got my drink, I moved down along the bar and was able to say a few words to Dorothy as she was getting someone's drink. I told her I was a big fan of hers, that I was glad to see her in COI, and joked that maybe she could convince Tom Collins to come back to Baltimore (she lives here). I told her that I had tickets for next year's show at MCI Center. She just smiled and told me it was nice to meet me, and maybe she'd see me next year in D.C. I don't know if that means she's doing COI, or only selected stops, or what. I'm not sure if she still has a multi-year contract, or if she's year to year. She wasn't in COI last year, and I didn't expect her this year, so seeing her was a treat.
At the happy hour, Dorothy was wearing black - a sleeveless top - and a black apron that said Guest Bartender. She was doing a good job of making everyone's drinks - she had a club employee standing next to her but the employee was only handling administrative stuff - writing down orders and having people fill out the order forms with their name and member #, etc. She was rather buff - I guess all that Vioxx is working.:) I've heard she works out for 2 hrs a day. She also was wearing her hair a bit differently - her bangs were sort of feathered back to each side. I don't know if this is a new style or just for summer, or for bartending. :)
I already have her autograph, so I didn't bring anything to sign. One woman did have 2 books that she wanted Dorothy to sign, but I heard Dorothy ask if she could do that "later." I didn't stay long enough, so I don't know if Dorothy actually did sit down to sign for people, or what. I was kind of bummed b/c I could have brought my COI coffee-table book, but I figured it was just as well not to have lug around that book. plus I knew my father didn't want to stay for that long. I briefly pondered asking Dorothy to sign my cocktail napkin, but as I said, I already have an autograph. It was just great to be so close to her and get to talk to her.
I'm not sure of the circumstances surrounding Dorothy's "work." It's possible she's a member of the club. The club's been having these once a month happy hours for the past few months, and I guess using a celebrity bartender is a way to bring in more people - who might want to bring their friends, who then might decide to become members, etc. Last month, the guest bartender was the much admired former mayor of Baltimore, governor of MD, and current state comptroller. He's also quite eccentric, and he's got a large fan base.
The bar is kind of long, so Dorothy was at one end and two regular bartenders were at other points, all taking orders. I squeezed in to wait in the "Dorothy" line, but before I knew it, a regular bartender came up to us and asked for our drink orders - rats! But after I got my drink, I moved down along the bar and was able to say a few words to Dorothy as she was getting someone's drink. I told her I was a big fan of hers, that I was glad to see her in COI, and joked that maybe she could convince Tom Collins to come back to Baltimore (she lives here). I told her that I had tickets for next year's show at MCI Center. She just smiled and told me it was nice to meet me, and maybe she'd see me next year in D.C. I don't know if that means she's doing COI, or only selected stops, or what. I'm not sure if she still has a multi-year contract, or if she's year to year. She wasn't in COI last year, and I didn't expect her this year, so seeing her was a treat.
At the happy hour, Dorothy was wearing black - a sleeveless top - and a black apron that said Guest Bartender. She was doing a good job of making everyone's drinks - she had a club employee standing next to her but the employee was only handling administrative stuff - writing down orders and having people fill out the order forms with their name and member #, etc. She was rather buff - I guess all that Vioxx is working.:) I've heard she works out for 2 hrs a day. She also was wearing her hair a bit differently - her bangs were sort of feathered back to each side. I don't know if this is a new style or just for summer, or for bartending. :)
I already have her autograph, so I didn't bring anything to sign. One woman did have 2 books that she wanted Dorothy to sign, but I heard Dorothy ask if she could do that "later." I didn't stay long enough, so I don't know if Dorothy actually did sit down to sign for people, or what. I was kind of bummed b/c I could have brought my COI coffee-table book, but I figured it was just as well not to have lug around that book. plus I knew my father didn't want to stay for that long. I briefly pondered asking Dorothy to sign my cocktail napkin, but as I said, I already have an autograph. It was just great to be so close to her and get to talk to her.
I'm not sure of the circumstances surrounding Dorothy's "work." It's possible she's a member of the club. The club's been having these once a month happy hours for the past few months, and I guess using a celebrity bartender is a way to bring in more people - who might want to bring their friends, who then might decide to become members, etc. Last month, the guest bartender was the much admired former mayor of Baltimore, governor of MD, and current state comptroller. He's also quite eccentric, and he's got a large fan base.