I hate New York but I love the Manhattan

Real men drink brown liquor. The Manhattan is my go-to drink because you can make one with the ingredients in most airport lounges. Airport lounges tend to sell a lot of white wine, beer, and the occasional vodka tonic; but you can't get anything complicated. Don't order a cocktail that requires fresh citrus or muddling. The bartender might be game and give it a shot, but it will be disappointing and you won't be able to hide it. So don't make yourself and the bartender unhappy; stick to what they can do.

So if it's not a serious cocktail bar, I order a Manhattan. It's so simple that a kid can make it. Put some ice in a shaker, 2-3 parts bourbon (rye if I'm in Canada), 1 part sweet vermouth, dash of bitters. Shake and pour. If I'm lazy I'll just put the ice and booze in a glass and stir it with my finger. Some days that's exactly the Manhattan you want.

Then after a hard day, you take the first sip. After that first sip, I like to say what I always say after the first sip after a hard day: That's more f*cking like it.