How well do you know your local bartender? Probably not as well as you think. City Paper features Mai Jeans from Alla Famiglia for this week's On The Rocks.
Do you carry a phone charger with you or do you just live dangerously?
I totally don't carry one with me. I carry enough baggage as it is.
Have you ever met a celebrity? If so, was it a positive or negative experience?
I met Axl Rose while I was working at The Commoner. A server came to me and said someone at a table had a question about beer. I looked over and was like, “Holy shit! Do you have any idea who you’re waiting on right now?” And, of course, the server was young and was, like, “Lol, I don’t know ...” It was a great experience! He was super chill. He got a Great Lakes Eliot Ness. Drank, like, five of them.
What's your go-to pizza?
Hawaiian. All damn day. With a bottle of Gragnano of course!
What's something you've learned from a previous job that has continued to be useful or significant in some way?
It’s probably to stop drinking so damn much and be more responsible. In this industry, it’s really hard not to follow the party and learn how to say no. Discipline is very hard. Trying to understand and learn how to have a healthy lifestyle while doing this for a living is an ongoing lesson.
Name one piece of technology you wish didn't exist.
Social media. It's seriously (a) poison for the mind, yet we rely on it so much.
Is there anything you absolutely refuse to drink?
I’ll try anything three times.
If you could be a classic monster (vampire, werewolf, Godzilla, etc.), which would you be?
Godzilla (Or shall I say Gojira?). Being a vampire would be my second pick.
What's your favorite place in Pittsburgh?
On the couch, in my living room, with my cat Murphy, where we talk about how old we are and what have we done with our lives.
Sauerkraut or coleslaw?
Coleslaw. With some raisins. People underestimate raisins.
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Follow featured contributor Craig Mrusek on Twitter @DoctorBamboo
