The bar strainer easily removes ice and pulp from your cocktails, and the double jigger measures both the standard 1-1/4-ounce shot and a 5/8-ounce half shot. To add some extra flair to wine service, the wing corkscrew has a brushed matte finish. With an eye on efficiency, the bar spoon has a cut-out center that assists in the mixing, and the double-sided blade of the bar knife helps slice a wedge and peel a twist. Necessary for both the kitchen and the bar, this bottle opener offers a comfortable and weighty steel and plastic handle, as well as an 18/8 steel opener at the top--ready to apply pressure to the container and not your hand. --Madeleine Miller ... Read more

Asin: B00004RHND
Subjects:  1. Bar Sets    2. Barware    3. (Bar Ware)    4. Bartending    5. Tabletop    6. Bar Accessories    7. Gifts    8. Entertainment    9. Birthday    10. Wedding    11. Home    12. Seasonal Decor   

Oggi 1-Liter "Dial-A-Drink" Cocktail Shaker, Stainless Steel
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $39.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

With the intense admiration most people have for martinis and other classic cocktails, you shouldn't be without a cocktail shaker if you really want to entertain--and this shaker is really cool. Running around the edge of the stainless steel cup are the names of 15 cocktails, ranging from a perfectly respectable Whisky Sour to a, ahem, Between the Sheets (brandy, curaçao, dry gin, lemon juice, and ice). Not your style? Turn the outer cup and peruse the ingredients for Gin Rickey, an Orange Blossom, or an Old-Fashioned. Whatever drink is called for, pour all the ingredients (including the fruit) into the shaker. After a few good shakes, remove the top knob to reveal a built-in strainer. Pour the drink into a chilled glass and enjoy. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Features

• Stainless-steel construction
• Comes with 15 cocktail recipes
• Holds 1 liter of liquid
• Lid has built-in strainer
• A must-have for the serious bartender

Reviews (8)

QUESTION.PLEASE ANSWER
Ok...so this isnt a review,but a question I have on this product. Where is the instruction manual to this thing? What do the lines above the alcohol names mean. There are two, three, even four lines above some of the alcohol names. Does it mean the amount of alcohol that is supposed to be put into that particular drink. Please answer...for it has left many of us flustered. thank you very much

I've given up
Despite this being a wedding gift from my brother, I've given up on it.It has become nearly impossible to open!Several people have spilled drinks trying to pry it open.I like it, but it simply doesn't work, and it makes you look like a fool when guests are waiting for their drinks.

Things fall apart
I hate to be the voice of disappointment, because I had high hopes for this critter. But I'm a little disappointed.

Out of the box, it was a little clumsy. The sheath with the holes cut in it fits pretty loosely, and is secured only near the base. That meant it wobbled a little in my hands when I was holding it, which was kinda annoying -- not criminally unpleasant, but irritating, and if I'd been using it all night, it might have led to spillage if you know what I mean.

But then I used this thing twice, maybe three times, before the metal sheath with the holes cut in it pulled free of the shaker body. That was irritating -- it looks kinda goofy like that, and it's difficult to make any use of the recipes at this point.

The capacity is great -- it's perfect for a bunch of guests. And the look is pretty good, even without the sheath, if you're not close enough to notice the writing. I continue to use it, but it doesn't sit on my countertop longer than it takes to get washed, and it's now a "behind the bar" toy.

At 4.5 stars, I expected much better. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SZ8M
Subjects:  1. Spirits    2. Martinis    3. Cocktail Shakers    4. Barware    5. (Bar Ware)    6. Bartending    7. Kitchen    8. Dining    9. Barware Accessories    10. Clearance    11. Bar Tools    12. Wedding Gifts   

Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPower 40-Ounce 7-Speed Electronic Bar Blender, Chrome
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $90.00 -- our price: $59.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Blend tropical delights, purée fruit, grate hard cheese, grind spices, whip cream, and crush ice with Cuisinart's Smart Power bar blender. It has seven speeds--stir, chop, mix, purée, liquefy, and an ice crush--as well as a pulse button that can be used at every level. Attached to a heavy-duty motor base with rubberized no-skid feet, the glass jar holds up to 40 ounces. The tightly fitting cover includes a 2-ounce measured pour lid, which is great for taste testing and can be removed for ventilation when blending hot items. The blade should be soaked in warm water and then hand washed; the glass jar is dishwasher-safe. --Madeleine Miller ... Read more

Features

• Measures 13-1/4 by 7-1/3 by 9-7/8 inches; 3-year limited warranty
• 7 speeds--stir, chop, mix, puree, liquefy, and ice crush
• Pulse button can be used at every level; touch-pad controls
• Dishwasher-safe glass jar holds up to 40 ounces
• Heavy-duty motor base with rubberized, no-skid feet for stability

Reviews (26)

Major Disappointment
This blender arrived on Friday the 11th, and is being returned on Monday, the 14th.

My first suspicion came as I unpacked the blender and I noticed the base was not chrome, but in fact, plastic.(which was not disclosed on the technical information).The cord was thin, and only had two prongs at the end, in comparison with my old Waring blender with a very thick black cord and3 prongs at the end for heavy duty performance.

My enthusiam dampened, I put an inch of freshly peeled and thinly sliced ginger in the blender, went first to
puree, then to liquify, then with no decent results went through all of thedifferent selections and barely got useable results.I then put in a half of bunch of parsely, (unchopped)read the instruction booklet, tried the selections for different speeds, and end up with chopped parsley flakes everywhere.Unwilling to give up in spite of failed attempts, I added my berries, and applesauce. Berries, sweet, soft berries, and soft applesauce. I pureed, I liquidfied, I went through all the speeds, and ended up with bits of berries, ginger, and tons of parsely flakes everywhere and produced the worst unblended drink in my blending career.Perhaps most people don't blend fresh ginger and parsely (so-o good for you and tasty too), but my old waring blender has been making this drink for me for years, giving me smooth pureed results each time.

Hindsight being better than foresight, I realized I allowed myself to be seduced with the very nice new shape of the blender jar, thinking it would work much better than the old shape, and the new "touch pads" .Wrong on both counts.The wide shortened new shape looks great, but somehow doesn't work as well as the narrow original shape of the blending jars.The touch pads are a pain to use, and you have to be in the right light to see if you've turned the machine on or if it's off.I was very disappointed in the blender, but more in Cusinart, a brand I have trusted for years who makes the best food processor imaginable.So much for trusted brands. I'm refurbishing my Waring blender with new parts, at least I know it works well.

A Beautiful Underperformer
This blender has features to recommend it IF did not have a documented history of breaking.The clutch unit that engages the blade is plastic and breaks . . . frequently.

The digital control pad is easy to clean, no more using a cotton swab to clean between buttons.Except for the previously mentioned clutch unit, the blender is very well made.It seemed to labor when blending milkshakes or smoothies.

Overall, the blender worked in an acceptable manner before it broke.It was only used about 15 times before the clutch disintergrated.

I am replacing the Cuisinart with an Oster Beehive, which has an all metal drive unit.

Good Blender
I have an old Osterizer (beehive) that I finally decided I needed to replaced.I looked at several different blenders and finally ended up with the Cuisinart.It is performing well for me.Most of the items I am making require crushing ice cubes, and this blender has done a wonderful job.I am getting nice smooth drinks with not chuncks.

As another reviewer mentioned, the based is a chrome plastic convering.But unlike many other blenders, this does not feel too flimsy.

The base is sturdy and the controls repsond well (I had tried a Kitchen-Aid and could not get the off button to work).Clean-up was a breeze, although I do wonder if the pastic based on the jar will hold up over time.I am so use to the metal one from the Osterizer, that the platic does not seem as durable.

My only real complaint is that this unit is a bit noisy.The Kitchen-Aid was very quite by comparison (but pulling the cord to turn a blender off did not seem like such a good thing), so I guess I had expected a quiter unit (the Oster is at least 25 years old -- probably older -- it was my other comparison point for noise).

Longevity will be the key to this unit, but for now it seems likeone of the btter choices available. ... Read more

Asin: B00000JGRR
Subjects:  1. Barware    2. (Bar Ware)    3. Bartending    4. Small Appliances    5. Electrics    6. Blenders    7. (Osterizers)   

Spiegelau Vino Grande Highball Glasses, Set of 6
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $75.00 -- our price: $37.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Spiegelau's Vino Grande series of glasses is part of a connoisseur line designed with the characteristics of each beverage in mind. This tall, narrow glass is fit for serving everything from gin and tonics to cherry colas. Tap the glass gently with your fingernail and you'll hear the distinctive ping of fine crystal. This glass measures 5-3/4 inches high, with an elegantly tapered top. The glasses are billed as dishwasher-safe and are sturdy enough for everyday use, as proven by their use in restaurants. --Irene Svete ... Read more

Features

• Made in Germany
• Set of six glasses, designed for mixed cocktails but also great for soft drinks
• Each glass has an 11-ounce capacity and stands 5-3/4 inches high
• Glasses are 7% lead crystal
• Machine-blown glass

Reviews (4)

Elegant Highball Glasses
It looks very elegant with 4/5 full of iced beverage in the sunny afternoon kitchen. It feels so good while holding the glass and chatting with friends. The distinguish quality has captured every guest in the house. The size is just right for such occasions.

"GRANDE" = NOT-SO-GRANDE
The glasses arrived today in a large box, which I opened and was shocked to see another smaller box inside..... The glasses are disappointingly small. The quality appears to be good, and the design is appealing. If these glasses were just a little bigger (say 13-16 ounces) I'd rate them at 5 stars. I'm only keeping them because of the other glasses I ordered as a package deal that got me a GREAT price........

a whole can of soda fits in one of these!
I have to disagree with the last person, the glasses are not too small. They are just not over-sized.I just poured a whole can of soda into one of them.I've had them for a while (at least two year), and really love them.Unfortunately, i noticed that one of them has chipped - but that's after extensive use. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SUI4
Subjects:  1. Spirits    2. Cocktails    3. Spiegelau Vino Grande Highball Glasses, Set of 6    4. Bar Glasses    5. Casual Glasses    6. Glassware    7. (Glass Ware)    8. Barware    9. (Bar Ware)    10. Bartending    11. Drinkware    12. (Drink Ware)   

Pedrini Stainless Steel Double Jigger
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $4.99 -- our price: $4.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Pedrini's attractive Italian-made double jigger is made of commercial weight, 18/8 stainless steel with a brushed finish--as pretty as it is functional. It's sized at 3/4 ounce on the small end and 1-1/4 ounces on the large end. The measurements are printed on each side, so you'll be confident of mixing the perfect Tom Collins or screwdriver at your next cocktail party: when the party's over, just throw it in the dishwasher. --Doree Armstrong ... Read more

Features

• Dishwasher safe
• 18/8 commercial weight stainless steel with a brushed finish
• 3/4 ounce on the small end and 1-1/4 ounces on the large end
• Measurements printed on each side
• Made in italy

Reviews (10)

everyone needs one
If you're making drinks, you need one of these whether it's this one or another one.It's cool looking and solid, and it will last forever.It also goes perfectly with the Pedrini Stainless Steel Shaker

A must have
Sensible, yet affordable.The functionality of a double jigger and the bragging rights "Oh this, it's Italian."

exelent product
that is an exelent product i use it to enjoy whit my friend's ocasionally ... Read more

Asin: B00004RDBU
Subjects:  1. Spirits    2. Cocktails    3. Bar Tools    4. Bar Accessories    5. Barware    6. (Bar Ware)    7. Bartending   

Shaken Not Stirred : A Celebration of the Martini
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (04 June, 1997)
list price: $10.00 -- our price: $8.00
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (11)

Really fun read...
This is a great little book.It has great martini recipes as well as martini-stories from the authors and others... martini lore, history.Totally fun if your into the martini thing.

The recipes were fun and interesting..some a bit too esoteric for me...but I liked reading them anyway.And like that they are interspersed with the text instead of in a separate recipe section.There are some fun martini quotes too..

The only drawback, I think, and its minor..is that I just hate the feel of the paper.The cover is fine but the pages feel cheap and grainy to me. Harsh, even...It may be a pleasure to read but it isnt really one to hold.Seems to me a smoother paper would be better, altho probably alot more expensive.

That said...its a fun fun book.Easy to read, in a fiction way, as opposed to a non-fiction way.It has flow sometimes lacking in non-fiction.

Shake shake shake, shake shake shake...
...shake your 'tini?

I was pleased to receive this book recently as a gift and couldn't wait to peel back the front cover and begin seeing what it had in stock for me.The book was a perfect companion as I'd just gotten a set of 4 martini glasses and a shaker/strainer and was eager to put them to good use.But since my nose was too buried in this concise little text, I didn't have any need for the hardware yet.Since "Shaken Not Stirred" also offered conventional and more modern drink recipies - in an effective layout - I was perfectly willing to go back to it to look up a couple of drink recipes once I'd read up on my background info on the drink.I feel like I am now a true martini aficianado and much better informed!

The book was put together by the authors of a website by the same name, who launched their site on Halloween of '95.Soon, they had gotten many suggestions to put the book together - and it turned out to be an unqualified hit.There are many reasons to like this book, it's easy to read and the words flow, plus its something I'd want to read more than once.But perhaps my favorite part about this original idea for a book (it purports to be the first bar book expressly dedicated to the martini, and backs it up by research done by the publisher) is that it's not just a recipe book or just a list of bars.In other words, all you probably ever need to know in a tight little package.It was also neat finding out I'd already visited some of their best "martini lounges" in my city within the pages, but was eager to try the places I hadn't heard of.I'd recommend this volume to anyone interested in mixing their own drinks, or even wanting to learn a little bit more behind the whole martini or "Swingers" culture.

Now then, care for a cocktail?;)

Dean Martin would be proud!!!!!
I don't consider myself to be a big drinker, but the Martini is so cool and this book represents it in every aspect. It's just a really cool book to leave around the apartment so people can spy it when they drop by. I'm going to find one of those Martini lounges! ... Read more

Isbn: 0062734881
Sales Rank: 44155
Subjects:  1. Alcoholic beverages    2. Bartending    3. Beverages - Bartending    4. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    5. Martinis    6. Cooking / Wine    7. Martinis    8. Cooking / Wine & Spirits    9. Cocktails    10. Liquors   

The Complete Book of Beer Drinking Games, Revised Edition
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (25 September, 1999)
list price: $8.95 -- our price: $8.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (10)

It tastes so good when it hits your lips!
Yale must be more fun than I thought...

Are You Ready to RUMBLE.....
I remember the excitement of opening my high school graduation gift from Aunt Beatrice.It was this book.My Aunt B assured me that this book was the key to a fulfilling and successful college career.As I begin my junior year, I reflect on my college times thus far and realize that Aunt B was right.

This book definitely helped make the transition from high school to college a smooth one.I was able to participate in all the fun games on campus with working knowledge of the correct rules.In a few cases, I was able to introduce upperclassmen to new games and intervene/referee during controversial moments in play.

In just a few months, my little brother will be graduating from high school and embarking on his college experience.I will be purchasing this vital reference volume for him.How proud he will be to put this book alongside his dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia set.This book is an excellent gift for a new grad, a college kid, or a middle-aged guy needing to brush up on his favorite games.Bottoms Up!!

5 stars ain't enough!
This is the greatest book ever written!!! ... Read more

Isbn: 0914457977
Sales Rank: 251366
Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Beer    3. Beverages - Beer    4. College students    5. Drinking games    6. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    7. General    8. Humor    9. Indoor Games    10. United States    11. Humor / General   

The World's Best Bartender's Guide: Professional Bartenders from the World's Greatest Bars Teach You How to Mix the Perfect Drink
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1998)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (11)

Not the worlds best by far....
As a professional bartender I have to say this book does not deserve its title. It has some good anecdotes and stories along with the authors opinion of good bars in various cities. It has a smattering of drinks and some history. An okay book if you just want to set up a home bar but if you want to work as a bartender its just too lightweight. I would only recommend buying this if you were going to buy a book such as Seagrams Bartending Guide as well. In fact, buy the Seagrams book first and if you still want more maybe then you should try this book. I'll be sending my copy back for sure.

great book!
This book is great. Very informative and entertaining as well. I love the stories that the different bartenders tell throughout the book. There is a lot of great trivia and little known facts. I would have given it 5 stars except I didn't completely agree with some of the choices for the top bars in various cities, but that it being really picky. If I could, I would have given it 4 and 3/4 stars. Otherwise, I thought it was perfect. Great for someone just setting up a bar at home or even if you already have one you will learn a lot either way. Buy it for yourself or give it as a gift. It will be very appreciated.

Fantastic history and mixing instructions for a few drinks
This guide takes the sensible approach of instructing aspiring house bartenders in a variety of ways of mixing the most common drinks in America.In addition to lengthy and entertaining histories of each drink, celebrity favorites, anecdotes from experienced bartenders, and, of course, multiple recipes for each drink, this guide imparts a sense of respect for liquor and for the art of making delicious beverages.

All the bartenders in this book, as well as the editors, forcefully condemn drinking to get drunk, instead treating alcohol as an incomparable treat to be used sparingly and only in the most delicious recipes possible.Thus, Long Island Iced Teas are denigrated for being immensely alcoholic with no particularly interesting flavor of their own.

My complaint regarding this work is personal:that the editors only treat snazzy, modern drinks is sensible from the perspective that such drinks are what the public is interested in learning about, but it leaves people with more exotic tastes or an interest in the popular drinks of bygone days left without much information.Still, I have found this guide otherwise brilliant. ... Read more

Isbn: 1557882967
Sales Rank: 128849
Subjects:  1. Bars    2. Bars (Drinking establishments)    3. Bartending    4. Beverages - Bartending    5. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    6. Cocktails    7. Cooking    8. Cooking / Wine   

Barfly
by Mickey Rourke Faye Dunaway
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (03 September, 2002)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $14.20
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The script for this movie was written by outrageous poet-author-alcoholic Charles Bukowski. But director Barbet Schroeder makes it into an oddly amusing story of a pugnacious drunk writer (Mickey Rourke) based on Bukowski himself. Rourke spends almost all of his time at the bar, struggling with sobriety (he's against it) and, occasionally, having fistfights with the bartender (Frank Stallone). He meets another souse, a formerly attractive woman (Faye Dunaway), and gets involved with her, which means they drink copious amounts of liquor and try to have sex. Not much happens beyond that, yet this film is strangely entertaining, for all of its bottom-of-the-barrel humanity. Maybe that's the secret: "Oh, the humanity...." --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• HiFi Sound
• NTSC

Reviews (59)

How Come This Drunk Can ALWAYS Afford Cigarettes And Scotch?
Watching this movie calls for an immense "Suspension Of Disbelief " on te part of the viewer which I could not quite accomplish. It concerns astreet drunk named Henry who spends most of his time drinking at the seedy Golden Horn Bar in Los Angeles. He gets to have sex with another drunk named Wanda (played by Faye Dunaway) and he doesn't even remember the sexual encounter the next day!!! Is this unbelievable or what? I am pretty sure if I had sex with a woman like Wanda I would remember the encounter. Then he gets to have sex with Tully Sorensen played by Alice Krige. For some obscure reason which is never explained Henry has no visible means of support or income yet he never runs out of cigarettes and always seems to have money for another Scotch and water. He also never has a hangover or loses his lunch and doesn't even get close to having a case of the D.T.'s in this movie.Henry spends a lot of time having contempt for people with money (who he secretly envies) and yet when he is offered a place to live in a Upper Class part of Los Angeles he declines the offer. I do feel very sad that this movie may have inspired a whole generation of young men to pick up the bottle in the sadly mistaken belief that they will get to have sex with beautiful women too. I give this movie 5 stars nbecause I do like Faye Dunaway .

WHY??
Mickey Rourke plays a Los Angeles bum who also writes poetry (it's about the real life Charles Bukowski, whose short story this is based on). He hangs out in a gin mill and gets beat up a lot. A rich publisher tries to get him onto the "right" track, even falls for him a little, but he won't have any of it. The movie is pretty downbeat and unenjoyable, though Rourke and his skidrow moll Faye Dunaway act it out fairly well. It's just by the end - who cares?

12 Steps is one step too Many. Pour me another...
Gonzo poet, writer, rebel, wild man and veteran Barfly without peer Charles Bukowski cranked out the script and guerilla filmmaker Barbet Schroeder wielded the camera for this pungent, wicked, hysterical tale of Hell itself: it is nothing other than the Damned with Drinks and the Dive Bar as steaming Hellpit. It's also huge tanker truckloads of fun. Drink up, the rounds are on me!

Mickey Rourke, then at the height of his powers, plays Bukowski stand-in and poet-genius-drunkard Henry Chinaski, who would love to write fantastic world-famous poetry and become wildly wealthy and idle his days away listening to Handel and chumming on caviar---but you know, a man's gotta have a First Love, and Henry does: Lady Booze, and boy is Henry faithful. What they hey! It's much easier to head down to the local watering hole, you know, and have just one shot. Just one shot.

Just one, c'mon Man, you know?

Consequently Henry is witty, sharp, caustic, totally disgusting, lives in a rat & cockroach infested flophouse, has meandering chatter sessions and fumbled sleepwalker sex with fellow drunkard Wanda Wilcox (Faye Dunaway who looks all bleary-eyed and tilts that bottle back like a champ! You go, girl!), and passes out in his own urine.

Publisher Tully Sorenson (Alice Krige, at the height of her powers and still eleven years away from her role as Borg Queen) discovers Henry: she's shocked by his nastiness and, simultaneously, by his genius. She wants to publish his poems. She wants to throw a life preserver down to Henry, with which he can escape the big old wine-dark sea of Old Grand-Dad in which he swims.

Guess what happens? Yeah, that's right, have another drink.

Anyway, underrated genius Barbet Schroeder and Charles Bukowski make a kind of diabolic duo in turning out this rummy-headed little epic of mind-boggling personal destruction. I don't know about Barbet (though the guy must have been fortifying himself with whiskey when he shot the amazing documentary "General Idi Amin Dada", which if you haven't seen, you should---hell, make it a double feature with "Barfly"), but Bukowski, who drank his way around the world---from Nazi Germany to seedy back alley L.A. dive bars---over the course of his 74 years on the planet---knows himself and knows his Enemy. His expertise shows.

The dialogue is funny and rings true. And cinematographer Robert Muller is just too cool for school here: you can practically feel the grime and smell the stale sweet rank stench of sour whiskey and sweat. And hey!---Buk himself puts in an appearance as a bar patron. Hey there, is that glass empty?

The acting is all first-rate: Mickey Rourke completely owns this movie. Completely. He actually pulls it off: he makes the life of a half-crazed almost totally out of his mind teeth-grinding wild-man look glamorous. I bought it. Faye Dunaway carries off the role of her career. Krige looks like a sturdy, stoic tugboat hitched to the stern of a swiftly sinking Titanic. Frank Stallone shows up as the angry barman! Jack Nance (of "Twin Peaks" fame and loyal David Lynch stable actor) puts in an appearance as the tricky detective. The script is crisp and crackles and rocks and rolls: frankly, I think this one gives David Mamet a run for his money; see if you don't agree.

In the end, we get to laugh it up and share a round or two or three---um, or four---with people who are disintegrating before our eyes, albeit in the funniest, most completely honest way possible. Henry is totally right: "Anyone can be a non-drunk: it takes a special talent to be a drunk---it takes endurance." That much is true: Henry and Wanda's "life" is chewing them up. Why this is Hell, nor am I out of it. Drink up! ... Read more

Asin: 6301008901
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

Trees Lounge
by Steve Buscemi
Director: Steve Buscemi
Average Customer Review:
DVD (09 February, 1999)
list price: $24.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Steve Buscemi, an icon of the independent film world for years, took the opportunity to write, direct, and star in this wistful low-budget gem. He plays Tommy, a Long Island loser who gets tossed from his job as a mechanic for questionable financial antics. He spends his days at a local bar, drinking his life away even as he denies that he's doing any such thing. And when he finally works up the gumption to get a job, he winds up driving an ice-cream truck in his old neighborhood--and getting involved in an inappropriate relationship with his teeny-bopper assistant (Chloe Sevigny), earning the violent enmity of her father (Daniel Baldwin). Low-key in its approach, the film has a sad humor that is both knowing and forgiving, as well as offering one of Buscemi's best performances. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen

Reviews (29)

..but was it filmed widescreen ?
This is a great film, proving that Buscemi needs to have more direction opportunities. It is a must for Bukowski (and Chloe Sevigne) fans. But is this (or the Uk DVD) in the correct aspect ration ? Was it shot in 4:3 (1.33:1) or was it shot wider ?
Will someone post a review of the DVd that tells us this and whetehr the DVD is in the correct aspect ration (this is the kind of thing you should be doing, Amazon).
As I said, superb movie.

"The ice cubes are too heavy."
Steve Buscemi wrote, directed and stars in "Trees Lounge" He plays Tommy, an unemployed mechanic who lives above a bar, and in fact he spends most of his waking life in the bar, hanging out with the other regulars. Tommy is a lost soul, but he doesn't seem to grasp that fact. He's about to face the middle-age existence of a total loser, and he doesn't know how he got to that point or how he can get himself out of it. He yearns for his past romance to former girlfriend, Theresa (Elizabeth Bracco) who's now married to Tommy's ex-boss (Anthony LaPaglia.) Tommy doesn't really want Theresa back--it's more that he wants that period of his life back. Tommy's lack of direction put the nail in the coffin for his relationship with Theresa, but now that he's facing his 40s, he really looks pathetic. It's no wonder that only a naive 17-year-old girl falls for his tarnished charm.

The cast is loaded by supporting talent--Carol Kane is the long-suffering bartender at Trees Lounge, and there's Uncle Al (Seymour Cassel). Uncle Al is a great character, and Uncle Al is exactly what Tommy will become--somewhat shady but always guaranteed to be viewed as the amusing family scallywag at all gatherings. When Al dies, Tommy uses Uncle Al's ice cream van and takes his place at the wheel. But even this relatively harmless employment leads Tommy into more trouble. Buscemi is right at home in the role of Tommy. We all know people like Tommy, and Buscemi's wonderful script and superb acting breathes life into a character who could all too easily be played as a stereotype--displacedhuman

Where Everybody Knows Your Name
A BIG little film by writer/director/star Steve Buscemi helped by a healthy cast and witty script, TREES LOUNGE is the indie version of CHEERS to a certain degree.A good character study with Buscemi as Tommy, an umemployed car mechanic dealing with his mistakes( past and present) and drowning his sorrows at a local hole-in-the-wall bar.Buscemi's performance is low key yet full of life as the well-meaning lovable misfit who loses his job, girlfriend, an Uncle and gets involved (innocently platonical) with his 17 year old niece, Debbie (Chloë Sevigny). He puts his life together somewhat as he takes over his dead Uncle's Ice Cream Truck business but trouble abounds as he takes on Debbie as an "assistant". There is an intertwined sideplot with fellow barfly Mike (Mark Boone, Jr.)who has just moved out from the city into the Long Island suburbs with his family.He is a bored furniture moving contractor who has ended up "running his business" from the bar much to the dismay of his wife. Some excellent support roles especially Carol Kane as barmaid Connie and some short but weighty cameos from Mimi Rogers, and Samuel Jackson, Debi Mezar, Anthony LaPaglia,Daniel Baldwin, and Seymore Cassel and some great Long Island location shots makes TREES LOUNGE a fun and interesting movie to watch for its characters as the movie doesn't resolve and sugercoat problems, but somehow gives a good portrait of well meaning but empty lives of an existing population in anywhere U.S.A. ... Read more

Asin: 6305261490
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Best of Irish Pub Songs: 20 Great Favorites
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 September, 1994)
list price: $7.98 -- our price: $7.98
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (15)

A very decent intro for the price
First:The correct samples for "All the Best Irish Drinking Songs" (which has a jacket photo of a man & woman drinking in a dim pub) are found under the listing for "The Best of Irish Pub Songs: 20 Great Favorites", which has a jacket illustration of a drawing of a pink pub front called "Dan's Pub"; seems there's some information confusion between the two listings.Where the samples are for the "pink pub" recording are I have no idea.)

I first bought "All the Best Irish Drinking Songs" in cassette years ago to simply learn some pub songs before an Irish vacation.I wasn't looking for classic renditions or sublime technical achievement, just something to teach me the tunes.

For the price, I was very pleasantly surprised. The songs are great, and this assortment is hard to find in one recording.Whether the "pub atmosphere" in the background is contrived or authentic was irrelevant to me; I did feel that it enhanced the listening experience, however, so I think it's a nice touch. If inauthenticity in that kind of thing gets your cockles up, then look to the Clancy Brothers or any other Irish folk legends for "live" concert recordings, or Matt Molloy for an honest-to-gosh pub recording, but you won't find these tunes in one product for any price anywhere else.The only downsides I found with this economic recording were no lyric sheet, and tempos that might vary from "studio" versions of the same songs, but all in all, it's a very enjoyable little tape for a small investment.

Worst Irish CD EVER
This is the worst drinking song CD I have ever bought. For the record this is not the Jolly Beggermen in any way. Don't by this if you have a choice. The preformer kills the songs. I agree with the person who says that an Irish Drinking song recording should be done in an Irish Bar or Pub, recorded live.

Not the Same CD as Advertised
I bought this cd thinking it was recorded live(as some other reviewers stated) but it wasn't it.I was extremly dissapointed and returned it to Amazon.I would like to know the cd that everyoneis talking about...soiunds like it would be fun to listen to. ... Read more

Asin: B000000K5X
Sales Rank: 9498
Subjects:  1. Celtic/Irish    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Pop   

Hamilton Beach 49291 Aroma Express 12-Cup Coffeemaker, White
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $49.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Imagine Mr. Coffee in a white tuxedo. That's what the glossy white Hamilton Beach programmable coffeemaker will look like on your countertop. With a 6-by-10-inch footprint and a height of just over 12 inches, this unit will fit right in. The reservoir is removable and dishwasher-safe, and its generous opening prevents spills, while the removable filter holder takes the mess out of dumping coffee grounds. Simply program the clock before you go to bed and wake up in the morning to the aroma of coffee, instead of just the idea of coffee. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Features

• 12-cup programmable coffeemaker
• Dishwasher-safe removable reservoir
• Removable filter for easy clean-up
• Stylish design looks great in the kitchen
• Measures 6 by 10 by 12 inches

Reviews (5)

Something was overlooked!
Before making my purchase I read other customer reviews and decided thiswas a good choice.Was I the only one that did not appreciate the factthat my 12 cup coffee maker water reservoir only had the capacity to hold 9cups?Does this make any sense? Not to me.When I ordered a 12 cup coffeemaker I expect to be able to brew 12 cups. Unhappy to say the least.

Hamilton Beach 49291
Makes a full 12 cups of hot coffee when not using the removable watertray.With the water tray it made only 8 cups.Water filter is not inlinebut floats in the water tank.Makes a great 12 cups of coffee and thetimer/clock is easy to set with a 2-hour auto shutoff.Broke glass coffeecarafe the 1st week and found replacements at Target.

Works just as well as [a higher priced coffeemaker]
I always dread cleaning coffeemakers.This one comes with a removable water reservoir - easy to clean ! Has the same features as more expensive models, but works just as well. ... Read more

Asin: B00004RDAV
Subjects:  1. Automatic    2. Drip Coffee Machines    3. Coffee Makers    4. (Coffeemakers)   

The Hangover Handbook, Revised Edition : 101 Cures for Humanity's Oldest Malady
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (25 October, 1997)
list price: $8.95 -- our price: $8.95
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (1)

funny -- good, cheap gift
A funny little book, with some wild "cures". I'm giving a copy for New Year's to all my drinking buddies -- should come in handy the next day (if we can read!). ... Read more

Isbn: 091445790X
Sales Rank: 377428
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Beer    2. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    3. General    4. Hangover cures    5. Humor    6. Recovery    7. Humor / General   

What Were You Thinking?
Average Customer Review:
Toy

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Don't stand out from the crowd. That's the object of this party game for any size group upwardsof four. The more you think like everyone else, the better you score, even if it's the wrong answer. Playersdraw from packs of question cards, read the questions, and then the group answers them on paper.Generalinterest questions--from science to film, geography to food--are broad enough for kids to play along, butdiverse enough for adults. Some of the questions relate directly to the group, such as "Who here is mostlikely to compete in a marathon?" You have to come up with all your answers (sometimes up to five)before the timer runs out. Think like a lemming and you're sure to win. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Lots of fun.
A friend of mine in college had this game and we would get together groups of people on weekends and decide to play What Were You Thinking.This game is a lot of fun and everyone was always wanting to play this game. Very enjoyable for groups of people. Don't have a party without it!

Great Game!
This is a great game. I have played it with several different groups of people. This works particularly well with different ages and generations.It works well with large groups.

Boring...
Everyone just wanted the game to be over with as fast as possible..dumb questions...thought we would like it because we enjoy word games and family games (like Scattergories and Pictionary), but this is not that quality at all. ... Read more

Asin: B00000IV49
Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games    3. Brain Games    4. Cards    5. Grownup