Name: Courtney Ter-Velde.
Age: 29.
Bar: Lux Lounge.
Where do you live? South Wedge, but I was raised in Los Angeles.
Did you go to college? I am currently at RIT, studying commercial interior design, and I have an associate's degree from MCC in the same field.
How did you get into bartending? I was working at an Italian restaurant in L.A. called Mi Piace, learning how to be a barback, and one day the bartender didn't show up. I was the only one who knew where anything was and had some wine and cocktail knowledge from previous serving experience. They threw me on, and I ended up being a head bartender there for almost two years.
How long have you been at your bar? Almost two years.
Assuming you frequent your bar, where would you go for drinks if the place shut down? If Lux shut down, I'd cry, then go to Tap & Mallet, The Owl House or Lovin' Cup to drown my sorrows.
What's your least favorite drink to pour? Mojitos! You ever hear of tennis elbow? It can happen from making drinks, too.
What drink do you pour the most? Our house special is a Pabst Smear. It's a PBR and a shot of any well liquor for $3. I sell a ton of those. As far as mixed drinks go, I make of lot of standard drinks like rum and Coke or whiskey ginger, but lately I have gotten people hooked on my "Snapple" drink: a sweet-tea vodka, peach and lemonade-based drink. It tastes like Peach Snapple, and it's delicious!
Is there a song on the jukebox or radio that you hate? "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads! I hear it at least three times a shift. It's unfortunate, too, because I am a huge Talking Heads fan.
What's the quickest way to get a bartender to hate me? Yell my name or snap at me. "Yo, yo, yo" or "Gimme a..." are a close second.
What's the quickest way to get great service? Be patient, and say "please" and "thank you." You'd be surprised how many people have deleted those words from their vocabulary.
What's the worst pickup line or thing you've overheard at the bar? The worst things I have heard at the bar are racial slurs or (homophobic terms). People throw those words around without ever thinking about how offensive they actually are. We have a very diverse staff — gay, Indian, African-American — and it bothers me when people are so unaware. As far as bad pickup lines, I once had a man tell me he'd divorce his wife for me. I thought that was pretty sleazy.
Can you share any hangover cures? Coconut water or Pedialyte — the popsicles are the best.
