This Time Piece Took A Licking And Kept On Ticking. Welcome to June 19th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate timeless timepieces and spinning tunes. For hundreds of years after their invention in the 1500s, watches were carried in pockets or worn on chains around one’s neck. Wristwatches didn’t become popular with men until the early 1900s, and then only out of necessity. During World War I, soldiers wore timepieces on their wrists in order to keep both hands free to load and fire weapons. Soldiers grew so accustomed to wearing them that watches became all the rage after the Great War even for civilians. Not only were they functional, they were also viewed as quite masculine because of the connection to the military. On National Watch Day, celebrate the timepiece that keeps on ticking. Marlo, you have a watch that also keeps track of your steps, eh? When the James Bond movies debuted in the late 1960s, the popularity of martinis went up. Today, there are endless variations including chocolate and apple pie, but back in the day there were only three classic choices, the Gibson, the Dirty martini and the Vesper. The last one is James Bond’s favorite made with gin, vodka and Kina Lillet, a bitter wine aperitif. According to Ian Fleming, the writer who created Bond’s character, the Vesper is “strong, cold and very well made,” much like the world’s most famous spy. And like Bond, the drink has an air of mystery to it. Kina Lillet no longer exists, so mixologists have to improvise to emulate the Vesper’s original taste. On World Martini Day, raise a glass to one of the classiest cocktails and be sure to enjoy it shaken, not stirred. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.
