Magnificent Bastard

Friday, January 23, 2026



Ask the MB -- Scooters

Ask the MB -- Scooters
Q: With gas prices where they are the idea of commuting on a scooter is looking more attractive. The problem is I don't want to look like a toolbag. Is there anyway to avoid this? By the way I am not a 20 year-old, 100 pound, Starbucks barista.
--Ben


A: Making a scooter work definitely has a high DD (Degree of Difficulty) but can be very MB (Magnificent Bastardly), primarily due to scootering's importance in the British "mod" scene of the '60s and '70s. Sting is riding one with aplomb in the poster for the 1979 film Quadrophenia (top). So they meet the MB principle of Anglophilia straight away.

Also, Certified Magnificent Bastard William F. Buckley is riding one on the cover of his 1968 book "The Jeweler's Eye" (bottom). Take note of these examples -- check out Buckley's dress, hair, and facial expression -- and ride with confidence.

POURCAST

BETA

Polar Vortex

  • 3 oz American rye whiskey
  • 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica)
  • 1/8 ounce Fernet Branca
  • 2 dashes Regans' Orange Bitters
  • 1/8 ounce yellow Chartreuse

Shake the whiskey, vermouth, Fernet Branca, and orange bitters. Swirl the yellow Chartreuse in a chilled martini glass and slowly pour in the arctic cold cocktail. Finish with an orange peel.


In-Depth Polar Vortex Coverage:

MB Pourcast: Polar Vortex Cocktails for Everyone

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