In January 2009, I was invited to a conference in Mérida, Mexico.  It was dedicated to drinks.  My talk was titled, "Vivir para beberla."  The subtitle: "What we talk about when we talk about drinking."  Interspersed throughout the discussion on alcoholic narratives in border works, were autobiographical vignettes.  Though this wasn't one of them, it could've been.

A brief list of names of bars/cantinas that I’ve seen, been in, or heard of:

1. •Luke Soy tu Padre ("Luke, I'm Your Father").  My favorite bar in Madrid.  In Chueca.  Now closed.  The last time I was in there, in 2006, after about a four month absence from Madrid, the bartender/owner looked at me and said: Hey, a friend of yours was in here last week.
   

2. •The Foxhead.  Bar in Iowa City. Favorite of Kurt Vonnegut when he used to teach at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop.
   

3. •BBOBT. Heard the name of this one from Rolando Hinojosa. Somewhere in northern México.
   

4. •Susan. Ed’s favorite in Madrid. Chueca.
   

5. •La Recta Final ("The Finish Line"). A cantina in Tepic, near a cemetery.
   

6. •Aquí Te Espero ("I"ll Wait For You Here"). A  cantina in southern México. 
   

7. •Aquí Se Está Mejor Que Enfrente ("It's Better Here Than Over There").  A cantina in Tijuana across from a cemetery.
   

8. •Cock. Good for martinis past midnight in Madrid.  Chueca.
   

9. •The Continental. A bar/lounge in Philadelphia.  Look for the giant martini olive.
   

10. •Zacazonapan. Tijuana.  A cantina with the best jukebox in the world.