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Today marks Queen Elizabeth II’s 63rd year as the Queen of England, that nation’s longest reigning monarch. After all these years and despite not much to do, the Brits sure seem to love her. I thought it might be fun to look back at a few of England’s prior rulers who history does not treat so kindly:

Queen Mary I – they called her “Bloody Mary”. You figure it out.

Edward VIII – fell in love with an American, abdicated the throne, turned Nazi and moved to France. No good.

And, of course Henry, VIII. In case you missed all of the PBS specials and cable shows, here is a quick run through his wives:

1. Catherine – Too old. Too ugly. Henry sent her away. He later created a new church to grant an annulment when the Catholic Church wouldn’t. Why? Because he was smitten with…
2. Anne Boleyn – She was neither old nor ugly. Got her head chopped off.
3. Jane Seymour – Henry seemed to love her. In what might have been a bit of luck, she died soon after giving birth.
4. Anne of Cleves – Henry was convinced to marry her when he saw her portrait. Much like those a match.com and tinder photos, the portrait was, well, not accurate. The painter was beheaded, Henry’s marriage to Anne annulled.
5. Catherine Howard –First cousin of Anne Boleyn. Suffered the same unfortunate fate. Chop, chop.
6. Catherine Parr – the last of the six. She outlived Henry by a year. Lucky girl.

So, New Jersey is not getting sports books.  No legal gambling on sports events in The Garden State. The Atlantic City casinos, what’s left of them, are going to have to find some other way to avoid getting boarded up. My guess is that its going to take one long meeting with New Jersey’s Governor and floundering Presidential candidate, Chris Christie, for the Jersey power brokers to figure out that city’s problems. And, if they are going to do a sit down, there is no better place than the historic and iconic Tony’s Baltimore Grill.  Have the “guv’ spring for pies, plates of fried shrimp,a couple dozen meatballs and and all the cold Bud those characters can drink.  They’ll figure it out. Trust me.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of CARD GAME and sit down at Tony’s with JB, Tom and all the boys.

In the last ten years, I have spent a lot of time, far too much some would say, sipping, mixing and talking about what has become my favorite spirit, American Bourbon. While there are a lot of bourbons out there, I like to think that there are more that I have tasted than those I have not.  Everyone needs a claim to fame, after all.

On a trip to Asbury Park, New Jersey earlier this summer, I fell in love.  No, not the Ashley Madison kind of love. Something different, deeper, more meaningful.  A relationship I know will last a lifetime.  My new girl, a woman for the ages, the Widow Jane. Dark and smooth, with a husky, Lauren Bacall way about her, the 8 year aged Widow Jane is the perfect bourbon to lean on late at night. A little chill in the air, nothing to hear but the crickets chirping. Spin a little Springsteen – I would go back maybe to the Wild and the Innocent record to get it all just right –  and sit back with couple fingers worth in a short glass. Don’t drink her fast, let the Widow linger a in your mouth a bit.  Trust me. You too will fall in love with the Widow.

DB and Julie took CARD GAME to the beach last week where we were hosted by the terrific folks at Bethany Beach Books in Bethany Beach and Browseabout Books in Rehoboth. Several friends dropped by to say hello and many more, new to CARD GAME, came in to talk and pick up their copy. With the summer tour at an end, DB will begin making appearances at local book clubs this fall.  Tap him at db@davidbulitt.com if your club is interested in having him come by and talk CARD GAME with your club!

It was a big night last Thursday at The Burger Bar in Palm Beach Gardens.  Close to a hundred people showed up to grab a book and take a spot at the CARD GAME table.  Thanks to the supremely talented Cheryl Baldwin of Sweet Boo Designs and Jenn Schnipper of Marketing Divaz for putting the night together.  In the category of “what are parents for?”, a big thank you also to mine, Bob and Marci Bulitt, for bringing many of their friends by to say hello.