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Monday, March 30, 2009

Economy / Drunk It's Martini O'Clock

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 4:00 PM

Starting right this minute, Tini Bigs is celebrating its 4,500th consecutive day in business with $4.50 martinis (which are large, mixed right, very cold). (Various appetizers: $4.50, too.) Famed bartender Jamie Boudreau (formerly of Vessel, prior to that from Vancouver's vaunted Lumiere) will be on hand.

Some statistics, according to the calculations of the management, from Tini Bigs' 4,000th consecutive day in operation in 2007:

• Tini Bigs sold 739,088 martinis during its first 4,000 days.

• Glasses shattered in the process: 49,020, or 6.6 percent.

• Fifteen of "the 'bling-bling' of martinis"—made with Grand Marnier 150, Hennessy Paradis cognac, and Ultimat vodka—had been purchased at $200 each.

Updated statistics for day 4,500 coming soon! More on Tini Bigs—including WTO bigwigs drinking martinis while watching protesters get tear-gassed—here.

UPDATE! I know you were holding your breath, so: In 4,500 days, Tini Bigs has served 832,500 martinis (though their idea of a martini includes (sigh) diverse cocktails appended with the suffix "-tini"—more on that here), broken 55,147 glasses, and skewered 367,650 olives. The number of "bling-blings" sold has crept up to 18.

Comments (25) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Large martinis? Bethany Jean Clement says they should be small, and she's right.

Posted by elenchos on March 30, 2009 at 4:16 PM

I don't know, I kind of like the ones at Dragonfish.

As I recall, those are fairly big.

Posted by Will in Seattle on March 30, 2009 at 4:23 PM

Number of douche bags? All

Posted by dacoach on March 30, 2009 at 4:32 PM

@1: True, but I'd take a martini of whatever size right about now.

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 30, 2009 at 4:37 PM

Big martinis go warm before you can finish them.

Posted by Fnarf on March 30, 2009 at 4:45 PM

@5: True, but I'd take a martini of whatever size right about now.

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 30, 2009 at 4:48 PM

Even if money weren't an object, I'd never utter the words "bling-bling martini" to a bartender, or anyone else. It's the same reason I'd never order a Moons Over My Hammy, no matter how bad I wanted diarrhea.

Posted by Dougsf on March 30, 2009 at 4:49 PM

@4, @6: this is why you keep a bottle of gin handy. Pour a couple of fingers over ice and the martini drinkers can go stuff themselves.

Posted by Fnarf on March 30, 2009 at 4:52 PM

@7 Ordering "Hash Browns" is the dignified way to contract the shits when dining at Dennys.

Posted by RL on March 30, 2009 at 4:52 PM

"Whilst," not "when"

Posted by RL on March 30, 2009 at 4:53 PM

I'm confused by this story. Isn't that picture of the corner bar the Romper Room?

Posted by StC on March 30, 2009 at 5:06 PM

No, the Romper Room is down that same block, off to the left in the picture.

Posted by Fnarf on March 30, 2009 at 5:17 PM

@11: I know this is going to be a shock, but you've been in a coma. Many years have passed. It hasn't all been pretty—for instance, the demise of the popular bar the Romper Room. (Tini Bigs opened in 1996.) On the other hand, we have a black president.

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 30, 2009 at 5:17 PM

@12: Next door is Hula Hula. The Romper Room really has been gone for a long, long time.

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 30, 2009 at 5:21 PM

@13 - we do?

I thought he was mixed race like most of us ...

Posted by Will in Seattle on March 30, 2009 at 5:21 PM

I'm sorry, mixing Hennessy Paradis with Grand Marnier -- or anything, in fact -- is abject philistinism. It's like getting a chance to sleep on satin sheets with Julie Christie and inviting Kim Kardashian along for the ride.

Posted by Tim Appelo on March 30, 2009 at 5:34 PM

Good lord. I HAVE been in a coma. And I've even been in Hula Hula within the past year. I blame their drinks at Hula Hula; they're really strong.

Posted by Fnarf on March 30, 2009 at 5:55 PM

Well, at least we still have Ernie Steele's, and that weird concrete dungeon of a cocktail bar in the Kingdome.

Posted by Fnarf on March 30, 2009 at 5:57 PM

Where can I get a good martini in the U-District or Wallingford that is wheelchair friendly? I might endulge in a Dirty Martini as way of celebrating my new independence.

Posted by elswinger on March 30, 2009 at 5:58 PM

@19: Try the District Lounge in the Hotel Deca, or maybe the Seamonster on 45th? Call to confirm accessibility, though.

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 30, 2009 at 6:10 PM

Walked by and the place was packed. Apparently, Seattle has a bunch of people who like Martinis on Monday afternoon. Given this and the last issue sell out of the P-I, I expect a new barrage of special occasion scarcity marketing.

Posted by Zander on March 30, 2009 at 6:26 PM

@19: Last month when I was in Seamonster, it appeared that someone had stolen the flooring and wall coverings. I'd wheel on over to Luau to celebrate. There's also the joint next door to the Latona Pub, too.

Posted by ZPG on March 30, 2009 at 10:04 PM

And @19: Congrats! You might also consider drinks and snacks or dinner at Cantinetta—they have a full bar. Accessible, to my recollection, and noisy but delicious. And very popular, so go early or late (or bring five friends—reservations, irritatingly, for parties of six or more only).

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on March 31, 2009 at 9:01 AM

Tini Bigs has been around for 12+ years? God I feel old now....

Posted by genevieve on March 31, 2009 at 9:54 AM

If you're getting a dirty martini, don't order the good gin (or vodka, grumble grumble).

Posted by Greg on March 31, 2009 at 9:58 AM