Lush [luhsh] -noun: a person who drinks copious amounts of alcohol, but can never be an alcoholic because of his or her innate fabuloucity. [origin: from the Latin "lushicus"].
-source: The Fenny Dictionary, 2010 Abridged
Distinguishing between an alcoholic and a lush is quite simple - it's like being able to define the difference between a chimp and modern man. While there are many genetic similarities, to confuse the two is ludicrous. You've seen alcoholics. You probably had one as a roommate in college. Alcoholics are those who drink (and drink heavily) with no socially redeeming value when they drink. They are sloppy, tends to be angry (or worse...cry!), and will drink whatever is available without any class or dignity. Most often, they are found with the ubiquitous red plastic cup in hand. Some famous alcoholics include: Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears, and Betty Ford.
A lush on the other hand, is the totally fabulous, albeit tipsy, person at the bar. He or she will have amusing stories, only order top rail (or at least, have so much panache that whatever they are drinking will always seem like top rail), and tends to be the life of the party. They are the people that you want to hang around with, their stories outlandish yet witty, and their very presence makes everyone else sparkle a little bit brighter.
Another key difference between alcoholics and lushes, is the barware of choice. As previously mentioned, alcoholics tend to drink straight out of the bottle, keg or from a cheap plastic red cup. A lush will only be seen with deliciously quirky martini glasses, unique highballs, or marvelously vintage (real vintage, not faux hipster vintage) rocks glasses.
And if you are a lush (or a lush-wannabe), The Hour is where you want to go to start, add to, or complete your collection (heh, is a barware collection *ever* complete?). This delightful two story store is filled with one of a kind finds that will make you gasp in wonder and make your eyes sparkle with lust. After a brief chat with one of the sales staff, it seems that the owner, a notable lush - duh, has been collecting vintage and unique barware for a billion years, and decided to share her magnificent tastes by opening this store. And it's not just glassware. There are all the paraphanilia that one needs to have a beatifically outfitted bar, as well as drool-worthy vintage bars! There is one in particular that I'm contemplating selling my kidney for. I have two kidneys...but there is only one original 1964 Lucite bar in mint condition!
Yes, I will not deny that the prices are steep, however, considering that the last time I saw a Lucite bar of this radiance, and in such great condition, I was in Vegas...and to ship it back with me would have easily doubled the cost of the bar (not to mention the constant worry that it would get damaged during transport), view the price tag as inclusive of shipping. The Hour's fabulous owner is going through the trouble of travelling and hunting down all these wonderful pieces - you just need to carry them as far as your car! It's a bargain if you really think about it. Heh. read more