Busy evening in the bar. Only pic I got was of my Boulevardier. Have a great weekend, everyone.

The Mystery Pillar rises again.

Holiday gift to myself. Because I deserve it. At least I’m pretty sure I do.

As much as I would prefer to politicize this ratings crash, let’s face it. Last year they honored the Dead. That’s it. That’s the story.

Cheers and happy holidays, friends.

I believe I may be measuring my life now in days until Pluribus season two.

Treachery? First, Canadians sabotage the bourbon industry. And now this. Neighbors to north out of control smh.

Incredible photo. And, indeed, look at the full-resolution image. You'll get lost in it.

This is true. The plane managed to land at an abandoned air force base - repurposed as a drag strip - in Gimli, Manitoba, about 50 mi north of Winnipeg. This happened as Canada was completing its conversion to the metric system, an abomination blamed for the near-catastrophe by the likes of my dad.

If the sky’s clear where you are, Jupiter is blazing bright.

I remember as a kid watching Walter Cronkite deliver the news to the nation every evening. There was no one in the country more deeply trusted than that man. Which makes what's happening to CBS dispiriting beyond words.

On my trips to Canada this year, it was impressive how actively they were shunning bourbon and other US-made products. At multiple bars, the Old Fashioned had been renamed New Fashioned and now featured Canadian rye whisky rather than bourbon. If you'd like to try, may I recommend Lot 40 Rye.

Whipped up a fresh batch of vanilla syrup, so it's Darling Nikki Vesper time - thanks to the good folks at Brick & Mortar in Central Sq for sharing their recipe.

How bad has 2025 been? We broke time.

Couple of quick cocktails from last night. This first one is my attempt to recreate a drink I had this week at a local restaurant. It's basically a Vieux Carre but with Green Chartreuse in place of Benedictine. Quite amazing how a change in less than 10% of the mix shakes this drink up.

Good to know.

Maybe I'm just thick. Or too busy - yeah, that's it. But I have no idea what our beef is with Venezuela. Did they somehow come over here in the dead of night, pump out a bunch of our oil and skedaddle away without anyone noticing?

Arrakis holiday party playlist now regaling us with Winterlong by Neil Young & Crazy Horse. That is a deep deep cut. Came out well before any of these people were born. Universe sometimes throws you fun curveballs.

This is great.

Yep, lizards selling health insurance on TV. That's the answer.

Don't even know what to say about the level of psychosis in the White House.

Truly incredible.

I would really like to hear from the two biotech CEOs who clicked "approve" here.

Doing the important work.

Joan was my first corporate boss 30+ years ago. She is one of the most influential and impactful scientists in cancer biology. Wholly, deeply, and uncompromisingly committed to cracking the code on cancer. That this chaos has reached her is so disheartening and shows how deep the rot has gone.

I'd say this seems like the least likely outcome.

From last night - and just perfect on a chilly December day - a Vieux Carré.

Hey, we apparently issued a press release update on our DM1 program yesterday. I just found out about it in a google alert. That's A+ CEO-ing right there. Anyhow, we are super excited about this program - amazing molecules.

FFS

I'd like to state for the record that I don't sleep during my staff meeting. On the other hand, no one praises me there, so I have to keep my wits about me.

What's a preventative MRI? Asking for a friend.

Experimented with Wednesday’s recipes to good effect. Here’s a lovely pair of French 75s. Dialed back the gin and lemon just a bit. “Champagne” is from California, apologies.

And here it is. With thanks to my granddaughter for the decoration.

Respectfully?

Reagents assembled.

I just learned that Bluey is a girl. My whole life is a lie.

Today’s protocol within.

A few pre-Thanksgiving cocktails for your consideration. All new to Bar Gilman. This Pear Martini requested by #1 daughter, who braved the local liquor store this afternoon to procure Grey Goose La Poire. Other reagents are St Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup.

Planning my holiday weekend around watching Ep 5 of Pluribus. (Which, I know, dropped at 9 PM ET last night. What can I say? Events intervened.)

I don't know who this guy is (just a disclaimer, I guess), but this is a compelling and arithmetically straightforward explanation of the many predicaments the US finds itself in. Why upward mobility in America is a myth and class warfare is on the rise. Read it over your morning coffee.

lol sign worked

We live in an idiocracy.

Busy night last night at Bar Gilman, forgot to post. Only a little quieter this evening, as the grandkids are sleeping over. But I have fortified myself with this Lion’s Tail, augmented with egg white. For the protein, of course.

From the Deep Cuts department, I'm learning Medicated Goo by Traffic on guitar. Fun song to play. But, more importantly, it has caused me to rediscover this live album, whose grooves I burned through for many years. It's short but captures a particularly incandescent version of this band.

Pluribus. Wow.

Also from the office today: My OK Boomer moment trying to explain to some young scientists who Tipper Gore was.

Spotted today at Arrakis Global HQ.

Happy 16th anniversary, little guy. Long may you run.

What the everloving f*ck is wrong with these people?

I think maybe our friends at Bluesky lost the thread on this. You can criticize Johnny Cash for the (fictional) line from Folsom Prison Blues, "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die." But to suspend someone for referencing this line to defend Johnny Cash from being called uncool in the WSJ?