Now that you’ve started planning the vino you’ll be popping open for the holidays, the last thing you want to do is go and spoil all the fun by drinking too much and making a fool out of yourself at your next social gathering (for example, getting drunk enough that you think using the neighbor’s cat as a shot-put sounds like a good idea, or – heaven forbid – becoming the ultimate douchebag and getting behind the wheel when you’ve had a few too many glasses of Port… or too many glasses of anything, for that matter).
Tracking your vino consumption and keeping tabs on when you’re getting too-close-to-socially-embarrassing-moments-for-comfort? Yeah, there’s an app for that.
It’s called Tipple and it’s the brain-child of my friend, developer Sugendran Ganess (who’s also a talented photographer – some of his pics have been featured on these very virtual pages). And we’re giving away a coupon code for a free copy of Tipple to three lucky winners (a $0.99 value – for the app, I mean, not for you winners – you’re priceless, okay?)!
I’ve taken Tipple for a test-spin (because I’ve finally been sucked into the iPhone whirlpool), and it’s intuitive and fun to use – and it makes estimating your alcohol intake during an evening a virtual breeze: you tell it what you’re drinking, and it calculates your booze intake compared to recommended limits. It can then warn you when you’re about to go over some of those limits (and into lampshade-wearing territory, which someone surely will capture on video and post to youtube before you even have a chance to go to the bathroom).
Please notice that I did NOT say this app will tell you when you’ve had so much to drink that it’s unsafe to drive – how about this one, lampshade man: if you’re drinking, give the keys to someone else. But it is a fun way to see what your booze intake really is during the holidays for those times when you’re not driving, and maybe in some small way to experience the true despair intended by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas when he said “An alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.” In other words, this is an app for entertainment purposes only.
Anyway… here’s how to get your chance at a free copy of Tipple so you can keep tabs on what’s going on your tab…
Leave a comment on this post describing one of the more embarrassing drunken moments you’ve witnessed (this could be your own drunken moment, or one you happened to see a friend or stranger perform – keep it PG, people; I ask only that you stop shy of incriminating yourself or anyone else legally, so when in doubt leave the names of those involved OUT!).
In one week, I will randomly select three winners from the commenters who will each receive via email one coupon code redeemable for a free copy of Tipple (here are instructions on how to redeem if you win). Please note that you’re getting a coupon code for the app, should you wine – you’re not getting an iPhone (you greedy S.O.B.), and you need to be over 21 to win (you are reading a wine blog here, after all). Also – pay attention! – you will only have about one week after winning to redeem before the coupon code goes **poof** into the ether, never to be redeemed again.
Got it? Good. Now, to kick things off, here’s my embarrassing drunken moment:
It happened in undergrad (why do I have a feeling those four words could be used to start most of the stories that would qualify under most-embarrassing drunken moment?) and I was sitting in on bass for the Pep Band during the kick-off of March Madness for our basketball team at St. Joe’s. Local news/TV personality Ukee Washington was on hand to play a friendly celebrity basketball match. Poor Ukee was relaxing in a court-side seat after his match while the St. Joe’s players took to the court, and he didn’t know that the Pep Band bassist had been drinking copious amounts of whiskey off-premises that night before the rally took place.
I say “poor Ukee” because in a fit of drunken enthusiasm I decided to run over and introduce myself to him, and he politely turned in his chair with a smile on his face, which quickly turned into a sort of puzzled and slightly-frightened semi-grimace as I began speaking to him in my own brand-new, drunken marbled-mouth language that only I would have been able to translate correctly (not that it would have made much sense if a translation was available). This amused a not-insubstantial number of the not-so-small attending crowd. The (blessedly) short-lived episode ended in me being unceremoniously and only semi-politely whisked away by a couple astute members of the St. Joe’s staff and Pep band before I could cause Ukee or myself too much further embarrassment, though I’m pretty sure the only way that could have happened is if the whole thing had ended up on the evening news with a close-up of my drunk-ass face.
Ukee – if you’re reading this, I am really, really sorry!
Now, let’s hear your story – if you’re brave enough to share it! :)
Cheers!
I know this person who accidentally got drunk at one of her first wine dinners. According to her companion, she tasted not only all of her wines, but her companion's wines, too. Apparently she thought that those little sips didn't add up, but alas, they did! After the dinner, she only remembers being at the bar briefly, but according to her companion, more drinks were ordered and she ended up having to be almost carried down the stairs to where the car was parked. As for my friend, she doesn't remember anything after heading to the bar. So the moral is: little sips can can lead to trips and slips!
Beth – thanks, someone breaks the silence! There is a secondary moral to your tale, I think, which is this: spitting is your friend! Cheers – and happy Turkey day!
Spitting and not drinking two samples of each wine presented! Stick with the one you have and spit, spit, spit!
I use to work at a hotel in Napa Valley. One afternoon a lady walks in with a reservation. She was in a great mood and tells me she's been wine tasting all day. I'm checking her into the hotel and she appears to start feeling a little queasy. I decide to pretend nothing is wrong so I hand her the room keys and she heads over to a chair in the lobby and sits down. Next thing I know she's leaning over the arm of the chair vomitting all over the floor. I headed to the back office to let housekeeping and my manager know what just happened. Housekeeping gets things cleaned up and my manager makes sure the lady is ok and gets her up to her room.
A few hours later she comes down to the lobby. I can't even look her in the eyes because I feel so bad for her and how embarassed she surely must be. "I don't remember how I got up to my room, but I wanted to thank whoever helped me." She obviously didn't remember what happened and I didn't want to tell her and make her feel horrible. She was a really nice lady who just had way too much to drink that afternoon.
BCD – I suppose many of us have been there, in some way, shape or form. Just not usually in the lobby… :)
Well, my embarrassing moment was on the night of my sister's 50th birthday I made the mistake of buying her the digitally remastered Led Zepplin box set. After very lovely evening celebrating her birthday catered at a local winery, a few of us went back to her place an I made the mistake of putting Led Zepplin I in the player. It was over at that moment. We were instantly transported back to the Bill Grahm 1970s. There was air guitar and more bottles of wine than I care to remember. We kept saying "what happens at ________'s birthday party stays at ________'s birthday party!" Unfortunately, my niece didn't get the memo and I woke up to a photo of me with purple teeth and three empty wine glasses stuffed down my shirt by my normally reserved, quiet sister in law plastered on Facebook for all to see! So, yeah…. I guess you only turn 50 once. (cough)
Chris – the only mistake I count in that tale is not insisting that all devices with photographic capabilities be checked at the door. :)
Note to self: check all photographically inclined technology at the door at MY 50th birthday party next summer.
:) Hell, I am gonna have that rule in effect for my 40th…
Man, I cringe to think of it, but if it causes a giggle…
I had just joined the industry as a specialist communicator and had kindly been invited to a garagiste blind wine tasting by a colleague. The wines were just too good to spit and I wasn't driving, and I figured I would just take it slowly. All went well until I had to visit the ladies' room. On my return I saw that the table was engaged in animated discussion, and figuring that I had missed the next wine, I grabbed the bottle and poured myself a wee glass. Since everyone else was talking I figured the wine had been revealed; so I pulled down the bag, took a good look, and placed it on the table. I realized my mistake when the conversation died and everyone stopped to look at me. Needless to say, the wine had not been poured. I wasn't invited back…
Aussie – a blind tasting made not so blind by almost drinking yourself blind? :)
Exciting! Happy Thanksgiving!
I had just turned 21 and was in Napa Valley. It was very exciting, for the first eight hours. Finally, as we were getting back to our hotel, I felt very very sick. I sprinted – straight into the mens bathroom in the lobby.
Carinne – if it makes you feel any better, I accidentally waltzed right into the ladies' room at a courthouse in Delaware, and I was stone cold sober at the time!
Thanks for sharing your story. The world of wine is a wonderful world of flavors, food pairing, vintages, grape varieties, growing regions and fun. It brings on laughter, camaraderie, sharing, good times, mellow times and friendship. I always enjoy these moments with my friends
And your story would be…? ;-)
Thanks for the post! I keep trying to post a comment, but they keep disappearing! Just wanted to say thank you for the valuable info!
This app may have proven useful last year when my friend fell over drunk in a Santa Ynez Valley winery. I guess it would be worse embarrassing yourself in front of family and friends during a holiday gathering but at the time, I think she just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide…I know I wanted to. :-)
Carol – perhaps, but then I suppose that the more one clicks the You Can't Stop Me button on that app, the less useful it will become that evening! :)
OK, folks – party's over and we have three winners who will be contacted by e-mail. Thanks (as always) for the comments and discussion, you all RAWK IT!!!