1208bloodymary.jpgToday New York City celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Bloody Mary, the brunch-staple that originated in Manhattan as a concoction by French bartender Ferdinand Petiot in 1933. To celebrate New York State and local officials have proclaimed today Bloody Mary Day and will honor Petiot's granddaughter with a citation and a Bloody Mary toast at 11:30 a.m. in Times Square (1552 Broadway). The festivities continue throughout the year with Bloody-themed events, but today you can apparently drink in public as Georgi Vodka and Murphy’s Famous Bloody Mary Mix "will be handing out Bloody Marys throughout the tri-state area all day." Wait, it gets better! TGI Friday's will roll back drink prices to 1933 levels (99 cents). A little history: "The cocktail was originally called the 'Red Snapper' because the term bloody was considered harsh for a drink in the 1930s. When Tabasco sauce was added to the drink the name 'Bloody Mary' became a household word. In the 1960s it became popular to serve the cocktail with celery due to a guest at the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago."