Kaitie Hughes
Fish Market & Anchor Bar
105 & 107 King Street
Old Town Alexandria
703-836-5676
fishmarketva.com

How did you get started bartending?
I’ve always been a super energetic person who can talk your ear off so when I realized I make a mean cocktail it all made sense. Plus both of my older brothers are bartenders so I figured I’d prove my point that I’m better than them at everything.

What is your bartender pet peeve?
Where to start… I can’t stand when people ask for water and they don’t drink it. In 15-20 years they are going to wish they were hydrated because we will be fighting wars over water. Along with those who don’t say please and thank you, there’s no reason you can’t be polite.

What’s the best line somebody has used to get a free drink?
I had a guy say “ gimmie a shot of something” so I went with the oh so complicated lemon drop. When he got his check he disputed the charges for the lemon drop, claiming that what he meant by “gimmie” was a shot on the house. Silly me, I can’t believe I didn’t know that universal bar rule.

What’s the most memorable pickup line you’ve heard?
“My mom’s dying, will you go out with me sometime?” I wish I were kidding.

Can you tell me an interesting story?
I did some traveling in Central and South America and while in Ecuador I had the pleasure of meeting God, or so that crackpot thought. I was eating breakfast with a friend I met while traveling, when a fellow approached us asking if he could join us. He got snippy when we said we were almost done so we amused the crazy and let him sit with us for a minute. He started on this rant that he was Jesus’ boss and that if we helped him spread the word of Jesus he would split what he made with us 50/50. As tempting as it was (not at all) he lost us when he continued on about how he had diverted the United States from nuclear war not once but twice. But due to sending threatening letters to previous presidents he became the US’ #1 enemy and was kicked out of the country. By the end of his crazy talk he had accused my friend Todd of being an undercover spy for the FBI and informed me that women are the devil. All in all I have to say that was the most psychotic individual I’ve ever crossed paths with. Who knew I’d spend the rest of my time in Montanita Ecuador dodging God.

Who would you most like to sit down and have a drink with?
Rob Dyrdek and Christopher “Big Black” Boykin. I cry laughing when I watch “Rob and Big” or “Fantasy Factory”. Who knows what kind of shenanigans we could get in to.

Kaitie is behind the bar Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 4 pm-1 am.

Written by: Chester Simpson
If you would like to see your favorite mixologist featured here, send contact information to chester@chestersimpson.com.