Thursday, Dec. 08, 2011

The Top 10

Turning up the heat on Hottest Hot Pour Contest

 

•  2011 Hot Pour Finalist Gallery
  

The people have spoken - or clicked their mouse - and the results are in.

Here are the Top 10 finalists, as determined by readers via www.weeklsurge.com, for the 2011 Weekly Surge Hottest Hot Pour Contest.

The contestants were drawn from our weekly Hot Pour feature which shines the spotlight on local bartenders up and down the 60-mile stretch of Carolina shoreline we like to call the Grand Strand.

Check out their mini-bios here condensed from each barkeep’s original Hot Pour Q-and-A, then click on the contest tab located on our home page to vote on Round 2, which starts today and runs through midnight on Dec. 19.

From that round of voting, the contestants will be narrowed down to two female and two male top vote-getters to square off in the third and final round, which will take place Dec. 22 through Jan. 2.

And to ramp up the drama, the contestants don’t know their fates either, until they read it here.

Game on!

Originally published Feb. 17, 2011

THE GUYS

Originally published Feb. 17, 2011

BARTENDER |

Chris Larson

WHERE | Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

Larson, who has a fondness for his employer’s on-site brewed Marzen, apparently has an aversion to all things Harry Potter and Twilight. And Gilbert Gottfried.

QUESTION | How many drinks does it take for you to get out to the dance floor?

ANSWER | My sick dance moves come out after the first drink.

What cocktail can you not drink anymore and why?

Vodka and OJ. Orange juice tastes better going down than coming up.

What’s your recommendation for people on their 21st birthday?It’s all about pacing yourself and eating a big meal before going out. Don’t forget to call Sober Scoot!

CHRIS’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Root Beer Float (Bailey’s Irish Cream and Jagermeister dropped into our homemade root beer)

Originally published Oct. 28, 2010

BARTENDER |

Josh Baranowski

WHERE | TGI Fridays, Murrells Inlet

This bartender hopes he doesn’t have to serve Michael Myers, the slashing psychopathic killer of “Halloween” fame, not the dude who invented Austin Powers.

QUESTION | Would you rather be buried alive or trapped in a building with Michael Myers?

ANSWER | Buried alive. That’s easy. Are you crazy?

So even though you’re scared of Michael Myers, do you still watch all the “Halloween” reruns on TV?

All the time...can’t help it.

Have you ever been to a costume party and taken someone home without seeing their face?

I haven’t, actually, but I would. I thought that’s what light switches are for.

Have you had any encounters with ghosts?

Yes. I think the house we lived in when I was a kid was haunted. They liked to open and close doors.

JOSH’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Margarita (tequila, triple sec, fresh sour mix, squeeze of lime, salt rim)

Originally published March 24, 2011

BARTENDER |

Anthony Elkins

WHERE | Pomodoro’s Trattoria & Bar

Everybody deserves second chances, according to Elkins, even Charlie Sheen. Elkins is a self-described gear-head and can be found under the hood when he’s not behind the bar.

QUESTION | What do you think about Sheen getting fired (from “Two-and-A-Half Men”)?

ANSWER | I wouldn’t say it was fair because his contract wasn’t finished. People make mistakes. They deserve a second chance.

Why do you think you were nominated for Hot Pour?

I try to do my best at what I do and go out of my way to make people happy and feel welcome.

What do you do when you’re not working?

I buy and sell cars on the side.

What kind of cars?

Used cars - ones at auctions that are repossessed.

So are you a gearhead?

I try. And if I can’t fix it, I have someone that will.

How’d you get into cars?

My dad was a mechanic and I grew up with cars. My main thing is restaurants, and secondary is cars.

ANTHONY’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Pomegranate Martini (pomegranate liqueur, Ketel One vodka, splash of cranberry, splash of sour mix)

Originally published July 21, 2011

BARTENDER | Charles Singleton

WHERE | Sandpipers Tiki Hut, Island Vista Oceanfront Resort

Irony bit Singleton, or rather a shark did, while he was surfing in, of all places, Singleton Swash near the Dunes Club.

But fear of sharks hasn’t kept him off of his board, or from his oceanfront job at Sandpipers.

QUESTION | How long did it take after your shark bite for you to go surfing?

ANSWER | The day they told me I could go back, which was about three weeks.

Are you scared of being bitten again?

Yes. I still surf, but yes.

What’s the biggest thing couples fight about?

Money.

Would you rather have love or money?Love.

How are you always so nice to everyone?

I enjoy people. Life is a bowl of cherries if you make it.

CHARLES’ SIGNATURE DRINK

Margarita on the rocks tequila, Gran Marnier, orange juice, sour mix, lime

Originally published Feb. 10, 2011

BARTENDER |

Thomas Marzano

WHERE | House of Blues (music hall)

With a catbird seat for some of the area’s best rock ‘n’ roll shows, this bartender gives credit to his coworkers for success in getting thirsty patients their drinks in a timely manner, and he describes himself as “one cog in a perfectly oiled machine.”

QUESTION | If you could be king of anything, what would it be?

ANSWER | I would be the King of the Quarter Tip. Unfortunately, this will never happen because I ain’t Canadian.

What’s less sanitary, someone who picks their nose or someone who doesn’t wash their hands after using the restroom?I apologize, but I am offended by the absurd nature of this question and refuse to answer such nonsense.

Finish this sentence: Using my superpowers, I can take two bobby pins, an apple and static cling spray to...

Hope and change?

Who do people think you look like?

In certain light, it has been said that I have a slight resemblance to a possible offspring between one Elliott Gould and Mr. Ed Asner.

THOMAS’ SIGNATURE DRINK

The Charlie McCarthy (Three Olives Grape Vodka, Absolut Vanilla Vodka, splash of cranberry juice, splash of Sprite)

THE DOLLS

Originally published Dec. 9, 2010

BARTENDER |

Nancy Edwards

WHERE | Crocodile Rocks, Broadway at the Beach

This ageless wonder still believes in Santa, has no regrets, and enjoys reading and tending to her garden - when she’s not tending bar at one of the beach’s busiest night spots.

QUESTION | How many times have you ended up in your birthday suit on your birthday?

ANSWER | Every single one!

What’s the best birthday present you’ve ever received?My birthday is always a great shopping day - every piece of German furniture I have, I found for a good price on my birthday.

Do you think Santa would give your gifts to someone else if you left him sour milk?My Santa would find something to make with that sour milk and leave me the gifts along with the recipe.

What if Santa is a diabetic, and we’ve been giving him milk and cookies all these years?If we found out he was a diabetic, we could leave him fat free milk and sugar-free cookies.

Would you rather live it up when you’re young and work the rest of your life or save your cash and enjoy once you retire?I’d like to find a happy medium. I think all of life should be enjoyed.

NANCY’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Apple Pear Delight (Absolut vodka, Absolut Pear vodka, Sour Apple, pineapple juice, Triple Sec, splash of sour mix, 7 Up, a few drops Blue Curacao)

Originally published April 07, 2011

BARTENDER |

Courtnay Klee

WHERE | Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

This Myrtle Beach native knows it’s going to be a good day if she finds lose change on the floor when she comes into work.

But when we caught up with her, she didn’t quite know if she was coming or going while balancing work with grad school classes in Columbia.

QUESTION | What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

ANSWER | Three whole days. And then I started to see a little girl in the back seat of my car, so I pulled over into a McDonald’s parking lot and took a nap.

What kept you up for three days?

A combination of too much schoolwork, too much Red Bull and too much vodka.

What makes you more out-of-it - lack of sleep or excessive alcohol?I would say lack of sleep, but at least hallucinations are more fun than spinning around in a drunken tizzy.

If you had to choose the means of your demise, would you rather die by chocolate, have a coronary artery attack from eating foods you love, or be eaten by a massive animal while on a safari in an exotic land?

I’m definitely a fat kid at heart, so choking on some food would probably be the way to go.

COURTNAY’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Dragon Berry Mojito (Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum, mint, limes, strawberry puree, simple syrup, ice)

Originally published May 5, 2011

BARTENDER |

Crystal LaBoe

WHERE | Hooters, Myrtle Beach Mall

First things, first, yes, they are real.

She’s also got one of the best names for a signature drink in the history of Hot Pour.

But there’s more...

QUESTION | Do ladies really need to worry if their man frequents Hooters?

ANSWER | No, not at all. I’m just there to take their man’s money. Winning!

Would you rather have your hair done every morning or a foot massage every night?

Foot massage. I can do my own hair.

If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do today?

Go surfing. I’ve always wanted to, but I’m afraid of sharks. So, if the world was going to end that next day, I wouldn’t be so scared of one eating me.

Do your shorts cut off your circulation?

The shorts look tiny, but they’re pretty comfortable for the most part.

How hard do you have to work at keeping your body in great shape?

I wouldn’t say “hard,” but I eat healthy and work out frequently.

CRYSTAL’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Tongue in My Panties (Bacardi rum, Malibu rum, Peach Schnapps, Southern Comfort, orange juice, cranberry juice, splash of Sprite)

Originally published June 16, 2011

BARTENDER |

Amy Cox-Burger

WHERE | House of Blues

She’s seen countless concerts while slinging drinks behind the bar at the House of Blues, but employs a secret weapon for the crappy shows - ear plugs.

She’s a Deadhead at heart - and has an affinity for the Big Easy.

QUESTION | What has been your favorite show at House of Blues so far?

ANSWER | That’s hard because I’ve been here since they opened, but I’d have to say Chris Cornell (of Soundgarden and Audioslave) because there were 500 people in the room - all locals - and it was like he was playing in your living room.

Would you rather listen to a song that has a 20-minute accordion solo or listen to Justin Bieber?

Would I have to? Justin Bieber.

If you could choose from any musician or band, alive or dead, who would you like to see perform at HOB?Jerry Garcia.

Have you ever text messaged, tweeted or e-mailed a discreet photo of yourself to someone?

Surprisingly, no.

What would you do if you found out your significant other was tweeting photos of himself to college girls?

Laugh my ass off and then leave him.

AMY’S SIGNATURE DRINK

Amy Addiction (Bacardi Arctic Grape and a whole lot of "nunya" - as in nunya business...you have to come try one to find out.)

Originally published Sept. 16, 2010

BARTENDER |

Deborah Tyner

WHERE | Murphy’s Law South, Garden City Beach

This Southside bartendress actually helped inspire a Surge cover story. Her Hot Pour Q-and-A revealed that she was a big fan of fantasy author George R.R. Martin and had been waiting five years on the next installment of his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, so we had to investigate, resulting in our July 7 cover story.

She also has an awesome collection of football jerseys.

QUESTION | What do you wear to work?

ANSWER | Football jerseys. Most women buy shoes - I buy football jerseys. I have three pair of shoes... more than 50 football jerseys (including a lot of throwback jerseys).

Would you rather be miserable with an easy life or happy with frequent Murphy’s Law mishaps?

Being happy is what life’s about. That’s why I’m a bartender.

What do you like best about your job?

You can let your hair down, have fun, and be able to live life.

What makes you smile when you go home?

My cat, Stanley. He’s an avid reader, answers the phone, likes his beer (can you tell I don’t have children?) Stanley really does like going to the beach - on his leash, though.

What words do you live by?If people treat people the way they want to be treated, the world would be a better place. It’s just common decency.

DEBORAH’S SIGNATURE DRINK

I make the best Bloody Mary on the beach - it’s my own secret mix.