5:00 Fridays

The Olympics start tonight. I've always been a big fan, perhaps so I can live vicariously, seeing that I have no athletic prowess. I toyed with taking up curling so I could make headlines as the only Indian curler. Plus I figured that sport took the least athletic prowess (no offense curlers, but how hard can a sport requiring a broom be? the exception being quidditch). One of my early dates with Mac Daddy was watching the opening ceremonies together. We oohed and aahed at the athletes, laughed at some of the outfits, ranked the countries we most wanted to visit, and tried to guess the capitals of each country. Yeah, we're dorks.

When I was a kid I wrote a letter to Jimmy Carter when he boycotted the Moscow games in 1980. As I recall, I wrote in support of his decision but told him I felt sorry for the athletes. He, rather a grunt cornered somewhere in the basement bowels of the White House, wrote back to me. Autographed picture to boot. Just like what I got when I wrote to Lucille Ball (not about the Olympics, just as an admirer).

Tonight we're going to let Bird and Deal stay up past their bed time to watch some of the Olympic opening ceremonies. I'll regale them with stories about how their uncle, my older, therefore old brother, was even in the Atlanta opening ceremony. You see, he was in the right place at the right time. Also why he has a cool networky job, worked as an online producer on Rockstar Supernova, and was on Jeopardy once. My big brother was the official country sign carrier for Palestine, historically marking the first time Palestinian athletes competed in the Games under their own country's flag. Politics and world affairs aside, it was historic.

In honor of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, I present to you a gold medal cocktail.

Lychee Marteenee (Oh, such a kick to say!)

Grab a martini glass. Swirl some ice around in it to chill. Dip the rim into edible gold powder (or go for silver or bronze if you're feeling more like Avis and less like Hertz). You can find the stuff at any bakery supply or even craft store. High end grocery stores and places like Sur La Table will carry it too.

Now get your shaker and fill it with ice. If you have a plastic shaker, use it as a vase; it's worthless as a proper cocktail shaker. Note to cross off the numskull who gifted it to you from your holiday card list. A stainless steel one will serve you better. Better yet, ask Santa for a sterling silver one. Now we're talkin'!

Into the shaker add 2 ounces of Grey Goose vodka
Pour in 1 teaspoon of lime juice (freshly squeezed only, not that junk in the plastic lime)
Add 2 ounces of lychee drink (found in the Asian section of most grocery stores these days) -OR- Add 2 ounces of pureed canned lychees with a dash of the syrup.
Add a dash (or maybe three) of Cointreau or Grenadine. I prefer Cointreau but rarely have it on hand. Looks I should grab a bottle if this 5:00 Fridays post is going to continue.

Play some Ric Ocasek and Shake It Up! Now all you've got! Woo-oo!

Garnish with a couple chunks of fresh pineapple. Prepare to be transported to Beijing, minus the crowds, price gouging, noise, and pollution. Inhale the Olympic spirit from the comfort of your own couch.