Playboy: So on Friday night in Latham, New York, this is the place to be.
Mariel: Yep, welcome to college night at the Landing Zone. We pack the house with college students. I suppose you had to squeeze by a few student bodies.
Playboy: Indeed, but you're the queen.
Mariel: There is some power in being the bartender. When I was a freshman I didn't really have any friends, and then the week after I worked my first shift at the Landing Zone people were coming up and saying hi to me at the school cafeteria's pancake line.
Playboy: The music is pretty random.
Mariel:Yeah, we play everything from Kesha to Billy Joel, and everybody goes crazy for the music. Hold on. [gets up on bar to dance]
Playboy: Looks like you're having fun.
Mariel: Always when I'm here. Sorry, that was my song. Where were we?
Playboy: We'd like a drink. What do you recommend?
Mariel: Normally it's bottled beer around here, but I have something sweet for you: the cheesecake. Consider it dessert in liquid form.
THE CHEESECAKE
1 part vodka
1 part vanilla vodka
1 part cranberry juice
1 part pineapple juice
Pour over ice in a rocks glass and stir. If you like it extra sweet, drop in a maraschino cherry.
