Oh my god, cocktails are so damn expensive in Melbourne. 😱
Drinks in general and even beer, which I don't drink at all, and ofcourse wine too.
I can't justify paying so much for a drink when I know that the ingredients don't actually cost that much. I understand that each bar has a range of overheads that they have to cover, but still, what they're charging for drinks is highway robbery and I'm sure that they've all jacked up the prices- as most business have, to compensate for the losses that they took during the 2 years of Covid lockdowns- like the dramatic increase in my rent every year, but still...
And how do I know all this you may ask- which is completely fair question ofcourse, and I am happy to tell you I know all this because I was a career based hospitality worker and not just around Australia, but I also worked around the USA for a few years and the UK too.
And with thanks to @duskobgd for encouraging me....😆🤣😂😅
So I spent a LOT of time during that 35 years as a cocktail bartender, Bar Manager, Food & Beverage Supervisor in a range of venues from restaurants and nightclubs, to pubs, cafe and sports clubs, on islands, in cities and isolated outback towns and the Daintree rainforest, even having an ex BF that used to fly me to work in his Cessna at a restaurant on a very isolated sheep station in Western Australia that doubled as a tourist resort..... so I have served every type of person imaginable, poured hundreds of thousands of drinks, trained hundreds of staff, mixed tens of 1000's of cocktails, made 10's of thousands of coffees of every size and flavour possible and created my own long list of cocktails too.
And drank hundreds of thousands of cocktails and shooters...So I knew a bit about cocktails...just a bit...😆🤣😂😅
CHOCOLATESCORPI ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER THE INCREDIBLE MELISSA ETHERIDGE CONCERT
ME AND DEB D IN NEW ORLEANS (RIP MY FRIEND DEB D)- 1997
ME AND CHEZ IN ASPEN- 1998
ME IN SAN FRANSISCO- 1999
I remember when I was a F&B Supervisor and cocktail bartender even on Hamilton Island I think the most we charge for our top shelf cocktail $13 and then I remember when I moved to Melbourne in 2005 and discovered that they went down here the minimum is $15 and I was shocked enough then.
But to charge a minimum $13 for just a drink and $22 for a cocktail...
So thanks to @duskobgd the other night as he made a comment on one of my posts that he was disappointed that I hadn’t posted any recipes of cocktails on here, he planted a seed and I went to bed wanting to drink a cocktail or 2.
Luckily, it just so happened that my best friend Cathy and I were headed out to a Melissa Etheridge concert here https://peakd.com/hive-193816/@chocolatescorpi/mxycgvby the next night, so an opportune time to have a splurge (and spend my rent money...🙄..)
And even though I might live in the middle of the Melbourne CBD, I never go out and never actually have any idea of what’s happening beyond my front door really, because I LOVE my little Thai style sanctuary in the middle of the concrete jungle and these days I prefer to be doing something progressive and positive, like spending time on Hive! (plus all of my other creative and business projects...)
So to go out for the first time in at least six months in Melbourne to find that a normal drink is $14 and a cocktail started off for $22, actually shocked and disgusted me to the core and apparently one of the bartenders that served me at a bar pre-concert said that she wasn't too impressed with the ridiculous prices too..
However, my friend Cathy who traveled four hours to get down here and who I very rarely see, convinced me to have a couple of cocktails because it’s was a special occasion and a very rare opportunity.
So starting off with the first cocktail was one of my original creations from about 25yrs ago when I was a Bar Manager at Going Bananas in Port Douglas, which is 30 mils of Frangelico; 30 mils of Grand Marnier/Cointreu/TripleSec/Mango Liqueur- (whatever you can get) 30 mils of cream and 30 mils of orange juice, shaken and poured into a martini glass, preferably rimmed with chocolate sauce.
This one taste like a Jaffa, for those non-Australians that don't know what a Jaffa is or tastes like, they are divine and great to throw at your friends when you're kids at the movies. Oh and they taste like Chocolate Orange- Jaffa's. https://allenslollies.com.au/products/allens-jafas
Kathy had a traditional Tequila Margarita, salted rim with freshly squeeze lemon and lime for this round at one of my favourite bars in Melbourne, Ponyfish Island which sit under one of the bridge legs on the Yarra River. https://www.ponyfishisland.com.au/
But all too soon, when the first glasses were empty.... we realised that drinking these delicious cocktails in tiny martini glasses went down way too quickly quickly so we needed something that would last us a little bit longer....
We had a great young bartender by the name of Max who was more than willing to please us by making our custom cocktails.
So ofcourse, being the ChocolateScorpi, my next cocktail was another chocolate based, original creation of mine and was 30mils of Chambord, which is a French Berry Liqueur, 30mls of Frangelico built on ice and topped up with Coke.
This one tastes a bit like a Cherry Ripe, but better! Soooo much better...😆🤣😂😅 And again, for those who don't know what a Cherry Ripe is, you really need to come to Australia to find out! https://www.cadbury.com.au/brand/cadbury-cherry-ripe
I also created one for Cathy, which both she and Max loved, and it was 30mils Spiced Rum, 30mils Pineapple Liqueur, 15mils Malibu, built on ice, topped up with soda water with a splash or red Grenadine.
However, as much as she loved hers, she liked mine better...But she had NO chance of taking my chocolate off me...🤣 NO chance...😆🤣😂😅
By this time, I had forgotten about taking photos...🤣 Sorry...
And all too soon, the bar was closing (about midnight...) so we wandered home, walking past the crown Casino, realising that it was still open (ofcourse it was, I don't think it ever closes...), so we went in there for a look and had one last drink while we wandered around the gaming tables, watching people throw money down the drain gambling, so much faster than ours went down the drain....🤣
And that was it for the night.
After all who could afford to spend any more money than that?
Soon we were home, Cathy went to bed and I fell into mine and stumbled in the #HHH Hive Hump Day hosted by the gorgeous @ph1102 here https://peakd.com/@ph1102/lqzdmrmyaj and had a chat with everyone for a couple of hours, my throat sore from screaming and singing so loudly with everyone at the magnificent Melissa Etheridge concert here https://peakd.com/hive-193816/@chocolatescorpi/mxycgvby
So @duskobgd I hope that you enjoyed our night out and look forward to hearing your opinions on these cocktails when you have a chance to mix them yourself.
And also @palomap3 if I remember correctly you were also licking your lips at the promise of cocktails at Split in Croatia for the next #hivefest here .https://hivefe.st/ in September weren't you...😆🤣😂😅..
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Thank you so much for reading my post, I really hope that you enjoyed it and look forward to your comments and thoughts.
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And unless otherwise stated- ALL photographs, all media, material and writings, are all my originals taken by me sometime in the past few decades or so somewhere in my travels and as such, ofcourse they are subject to all international IP and copyright laws and I may have already used them for my own commercial purposes here https://www.redbubble.com/people/CHOCOLATESCORPI/shop And here https://fineartamerica.com/art/chocolatescorpi, So please ask first if you want to use any of them as we wouldn't want you getting into trouble. Thank you 😊
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ChocolateScorpi is so incredibly grateful to the the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, the traditional custodians of this beautiful land that I call home and I thank you for caring for it for so long.
I pay our respects to elders, past, present and emerging and offer our hand to all first nations hands in order to help heal all of our relationships to the earth on this truly magical and extraordinary island nation that we now all call home.
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$22 for a cocktail is crazy. Does it come with truffles?
Haaa yeah... you would think gold and diamond infused liqueur wouldn't you at those prices!
What about yours over there?
I think around an average of 11 euros, last time I checked.
Is that in both Suriname and Amsterdam?
This is for Amsterdam. In Suriname it should be no more than the equivalent of 5 USD, or else you're probably getting scammed.
Good to know so one day when I come to visit you guys I will know how much $ to give them! 🤣
Sure! We will be ready as tourguides! :D
22 Dollars for cocktail... I'm just thinking how much that would cost in low currency countries.. the value would be insane
Yes and I hear you, and that make me think too because one of my Hive friends in Nigeria wrote about buying an icecream, which worked out to be about 2 Aud I think...I must find our conversation and check....but essentially the difference was insane.
A lower economy but a much lower priced icecream to match
We can't get one here from a shop for less than $8 aud.
I look forward to your findings.
I hope this get better for the economy because this is almost getting out of hand.... I keep reading a lot about the Dept America is in and what the effect would be to the rest of the world if prices get out of hand
Yes and Australia has been known as little America for a long time now...so whatever they do, ofcourse we will follow..
So it's crazy to think of the richest countries in the world having the largest occurrence of poverty, but then that's what the rich want, they want the rest of the people to be poor so they will crumple in their depression and not challenge the status quo.
Don't educate the people, then they will ask too many questions....
And I agree, the disparity between the rich and the poor- in every country, even now in the what we westerners consider the developing countries, is just ludicrous.
Absolutely concur with you... I home more people get educated and not schooled 👌
So tell me, am I correct in thinking that you are into startups and business entrepreneurship?
You got me Choco..😁😁😁 I'm trying my very best to build lots and lots of businesses
Hahahahaa... Thanks for the laughs, I had a couple of reading your post!😂 Well, If you were drinking those cocktails on that boat/boat-a-like bar, it's not surprising that the prices were that crazy... As my son is in "late-teenage" years he is into cocktails and if I remember well, he said that prices are going from 7 EUR (7.6 USD) and up, which is still almost exactly half of what you said...
Btw. I didn't know that you are a cocktail expert, so I will stand in the queue behind Paloma to try some in Split, Croatia! 😃
Thanks for the mention and thanks for coming to the #HHHLive after a night out! I doubt that I would be capable of doing it in those circumstances... 😂
Excelletn!
So glad that you had a few chuckles cause that's what I aim to do in my life as much as possible- make people laugh, without actually being a paid comedian!
You should see me IRL when I'm on the cocktails...😆🤣😂😅...classic class clown 🤡
Ok so 7.6 USd is still only about $11-ish AUD...still cheaper than here!
Ok so it looks like Paloma and I might play Margarita poker there...😆🤣😂😅 so ofcourse you are more than welcome to join in the fun...(no one wins though...) 🤣
And coming to the #HHH after a night out is actually the best time to come- I was still up and obviously in a VERY good mood...so the #HHH was the perfect nightcap!
Better than this nightcap...
Who's that in the photo? 😂 🤣
The other night cap that we don't wan to have....🤣
You and Kathy had a wonderful evening, when you look at these two posts in a row, from the concert and from the cocktail bar, it was worth it for her to drive 4 hours, and for you to come out of your oasis of peace.
$22 for a cocktail, insane price. A bottle of booze doesn't cost that much...
Now I'll definitely be drinking some of that in the bars in my town, because it's cheap, knowing how much it costs in Melbourne...
Cocktails here in Serbia cost €5, €6, €7.
Thanks for the recipes of your creations, but I don't think I'll be mixing them myself, I'll find a cocktail bar with a bartender like your Max was, to mix them for me.
Oh yes we certainly did!
The concert was just fantastic- infact I got goosebumps more than a few times at the concert with Melissa!
And yes, now I'll will go back into hermiting/hibernation again...until...until hopefully I can get to Croatia for Hivefest in September!
Then I will see you there and we all mix cocktails together on the dancefloor!
There better be a dance floor @ph1102 ....But then it doesn't really matter, I can start a dance floor anywhere! 🤣
$22 for a cocktail, insane price. A bottle of booze doesn't cost that much... EXACTLY, o think about it- a 700mls bottle of booze- lets say Vodka bought for about $60, divided into 30mls a nip in a drink is 23 shots @ $13 a shot = $299 per bottle of booze and as well all know, the mixers cost nothing, so thats a profit of $240 on the one bottle..and yes, ofcourse, the overheads of running a bar, but then that's only 1 bottle out of 50 or so on the shelf...however not all of them would be emptied by the end of the night, except for the vodkas, the bourbons, rum, gins and scotches and when I was bartending, on the big nights, we would easily empty 6 bottles of vodka and bourbon a night- if not more, then the scotch would be next or and then the rum, then ofcourse, then there's the tequila...
Anyhoo...
I'm available to bartend for you! 🤣
Happy to be paid in Hive crypto or an airfare to Croatia! Or anywhere in Europe for that matter! 🤣
Who is the organizer of Hive Fest in Split? @ph1102 Is it known?
Maybe pay for the trip from/to Australia to @Chocolatescorpi and get a professional bartender for two or three days for that expense? I think it would be fair 🙂
For two or three days, she makes cocktails for the Hive-ans, so that the income from the sale of cocktails covers the cost of purchasing drinks and her ticket (remaining income for humanitarian purposes)... And after that, she enjoys the Hive fest for two or three days...
Haaa yes !
LOVE IT!
I'm IN!
Headlines- bartender for sale
Actually I could teach there! OMG! 😱
Do a whole HIVE school of bartending!
I am already creating some 'Hivetails' in my mind now! 🤣
What do you think @ph1102 !
Though in all honesty I have a much MUCH better idea for Hive onboarding to pitch at the Hive fest...if not before...just need to...stop procrastinating/find the courage..time..etc..
What the heck is happening here? 😂 Why am I mentioned so many times without a particular reason? 🤣
So, the answer for @duskobgd, as I know, is the main organizer is @ roelandp and as this year it is in Split, the local guy is @ lordbutterfly... Not sure that they are searching for an Australian bartender, but who knows... maybe they do... 🤣
While my phone was going crazy with these notifications, I was walking in the town where I was for the first time and I saw this store...
A glitch in the Matrix! 😂
OMG!!! 😱
It is meant to BE!
Serendipity! 😂
(btw- the inside of the shop look pretty boring...it looks like women's (😴😴😴😴) 'fashions" and I say that word very lightly...
So which pill you you take? the red or the blue? 🤣
The orange (Bitcoin) pill, definitely! 😃
Did you call me? Of course it was me! And you just name my favourite cocktail, but it's not your creation, but the one chosen by your friend Kathy. I'm a fan of margaritas, I love its salty touch. 🤩
I'm going to have to prepare a section in my notes app to collect your cocktail recipes, hehe. Although now I am like you, comfortable in the sanctuary of my home and I hardly go out to bars or restaurants.
It was great to meet you in HHH Live, I hope we can share many more times together. 🤗
Haaa yes I certainly did call 'hark @palomap3 come hither ye for cocktails.."! 😆🤣😂😅
And we could play Margarita poker!
I could see you a traditional margarita and raise you a frozen Pineapple Margarita! 🤣
I have many more recipes when you're ready!
You must be getting old like me! Though I'm still young- very very young...😜
I look forward to seeing you in the #hhh again and maybe in Split for the Hive fest OMGoodddd I so want to come sooooooo badllyyyyy !!!!
I've already got extreme FOMO and it hasn't even happened yet..
But I have already missed on on 3 Hivefests since 2020 and how many buzzparties now...?😭
Margarita poker? I never heard about it! But it looks a good plan if you give me a pineapple Margarita, yes!! 🙌
How did you guess it? 🤣🤣 Youth is in the spirit, that one does not age. We are so young? Or like children? 😁
I just made it up! 😆🤣😂😅 But it works!
Or atleast it will when we're there playing! (drinking...)
And yes, I will always be the young one left in the crowd...!
(just with my body felt that way though...)😥..
If you're going to enjoy yourself, don't think about what you're going to spend because otherwise you won't enjoy yourself. But it sounds like you had a good time with your friend. Those cocktails of your creation must be very good. Very nice pictures. Cheers.🥰
Haaa yes, you're so right, but then you still need to have a reality check- especially when you're actually spending your rent money because you don't want to spend too much rent money...so you've got the find that balance...
But you're right we did have a blast because I restrained myself and I found the balance....When I was younger, there was no balance and no rent money left...😱