Tip the Bartender: My Bartending Journey

By Anthony Vano

My name is Anthony Vano and I recently retired as a bartender. 'Tip the Bartender' is a collection of anecdotes, stories and conversations collected during my twenty years of slinging drinks from behind a bar.

My favorite part of bartending is that it offers countless opportunities for amazing conversations with guests and fellow bartenders alike. Everybody has a story to tell or a confession to make. An exciting achievement. A haunting regret. A record to set straight. A powerful "aha" moment or lesson learned--wisdom that simply must be shared.

Some of the most real, vulnerable and life-changing conversations I've participated in or witnessed have taken place while I was behind the bar.

There's something special about the guest-bartender relationship-- it's perhaps akin to "doctor-patient confidentially" or "attorney-client privilege". Night after night, guests from all walks of life inevitably bare their souls, confiding their deepest secrets and innermost feelings to the man or woman serving drinks behind the bar.

I'm honored to have had so many confide in me over the years, and allow me to speak into their lives. My years as a bartender were truly unforgettable.

Here's a tip:

As you approach this book, think of yourself as the bartender, and me as your guest. I've just slipped onto the barstool and ordered my first drink. And now I'm about to open my heart and share with you some of my favorite memories.

Relax and enjoy; the next few rounds are on me.

Cheers!

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Mar 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781456632861

Book preview

Tip the Bartender

My Bartending Journey

by

Anthony Vano

Copyright 2019 Anthony Vano,

All rights reserved.

Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com

http://www.eBookIt.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-3286-1

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

What They Tell the Bartender—By Anthony Vano

Introduction: Deep conversations with the right people are priceless. – Anonymous This quote sums up how I felt being a bartender. The first time I saw the movie Cocktail with Tom Cruise, I knew I wanted to become a bartender. Shortly after that, I went to bartending school. The year was 1996. That is when my journey began, and now I have put twenty years into the bar game.

It’s been a cool experience. I have been a bartender in nightclubs, restaurant bars, and catering halls. My most favorite thing about bartending was when I would have deep, life-changing conversations with guests and other bartenders. I never forgot these epic moments. The conversation dynamic between the bartender and the guest is magical. I always looked at it as though I was the quarterback, throwing passes to guests so that they could score a touchdown at that moment in their lives.

As a bartender, I tried to enhance guests’ self-worth and confidence. Whether it’s one-to-one talk or group conversation, it’s their time to shine. Whenever guests tell me a story about themselves or their lives, I always act interested. The greatest gift I can give is my attention. When they feel good, they tip well.

I learned so much from bartending that I decided to write this book and share it with the world. It’s a collection of different real and raw conversations I had while behind the bar. Some stories are long, and others are short. However, each story is unique and has some meaning to it. I’m very proud and honored that I was fortunate enough to hear these stories and to witness the magic of conversation. When people open up their souls and speak from their hearts. They show pure honesty and trust that you will not judge or mock their vulnerability. I’m very proud to have called myself a bartender.

I retired as a bartender in 2016. I am proud that I stuck with it—completing twenty years of slinging drinks. When I look back at these memories, I’m overcome with strong emotions of gratitude and happiness. They put a smile on my face. This book is my bartending journal, containing stories, conversations, and observations.

Contents

Chapter 1: The First Time I Ever Bartended (Fresh out of Bartending School)

Chapter 2: Crystal The Dancer

Chapter 3: Broken Glass in Ice

Chapter 4: Flaming Dead Head (Shot)

Chapter 5: The Mob Guy

Chapter 6: The Opera Singer

Chapter 7: Stump the Bartender

Chapter 8: Dancing Queen

Chapter 9: Free Lunch (The Stone Man)

Chapter 10: The Ninja

Chapter 11: Wall Street Wolf Meets Wolf Bartender

Chapter 12: Last Dance

Chapter 13: Bridal Expo

Chapter 14: Lemon Twist

Chapter 15: Heart of the Matter

Chapter 16: Who Would You Save?

Chapter 17: Kings Talk to Kings

Chapter 18: Rich Dad

Chapter 19: Combat Pay

Chapter 20: I Don’t Trust a Man Who Doesn’t Drink

Chapter 21: Stripper Wedding

Chapter 22: Relapse

Chapter 23: Bartenders Don’t Tell Bartenders They’re Bartenders

Chapter 24: Paulie

Chapter 25: Vincent

Chapter 26: Barry

Chapter 27: My Last Gig

Chapter 28: Wild Turkey, Neat

Chapter 29: Last call

Chapter 1: The First Time I Ever Bartended (Fresh out of Bartending School)

My first night as a bartender, I was god-awful, just horrible. I knew how to make drinks, having committed more than fifty drinks to memory—plus I had all the insight I had gained from talking to random bartenders; however, I didn’t factor in what it took to work a large crowd as a solo bartender. It was extremely overwhelming. The crowd was evil. It felt like it was me against the world.

I remember I dropped my shaker, and when I bent down to get it, I didn’t want to get back up to face the crowd. I thought the bartending game was not for me. Nevertheless, I got back up and faced the music, and I took my lumps. I was soon in the weeds, and finally, the owners sent a bartender to bail me out. At the end of the night, I felt ashamed and defeated. I wanted nothing to do with this bartending hustle. I went up to the owner to give him my tip money. I didn’t want it. I