Cocktails

Getting up for Day 2 was a bit difficult.  Not because of too much imbibing but rather the short amount of hours sleeping after a long day.  But, we managed to get up and out by 9:30am. 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM - Breakfast: Fernet Branca Style with Count Niccolo Branca Fernet Branca is every bartenders favorite eye opener so it was the perfect spirit to start the day. Hosted by Count Niccoló Branca, we enjoyed 3 truly delicous cocktails made with Fernet: Eva Peron (Carpani Antica Formula, Fernet Branca, Domaine de Canton, Premium Ginger Beer and Lime) Charlotte's Web (a Fernet Milkshake made with Hendricks Gin, Brancamenta, Cafe Sambuca, Monin Vanilla Syrup, Half & Half, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, garnished with Cafe Borghetti Handwhipped Cream) Death's Wish (Death's Door Gin, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Pun E Mes Aperitivo, Fresh Lemon Juice, Egg White, Sparking Asti)  
28 July, 2012
After arriving in New Orleans around midnight Wednesday night, we checked in and headed out for a drink. We are in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail after all.  We spent a few hours seeing friends and enjoying a couple of drinks but headed to bed around 3am in order to get ready for the first full day at Tales. 10:00 AM - Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Tasting Event First stop of the day - a fun Irish Breakfast with entertainment, tasty food and of course tastings of Kilbeggan. An Irish Coffee and an Irish Breakfast Shot later we kissed the blarney stone and headed out.

10:30 AM - Checked in and picked up my Media badge and event tickets and visited the swag room for some samples (40 pounds worth).

27 July, 2012
Ticket booked - yes! Hotel confirmed - yes! Bags packed - almost! Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Advil? yes! Water - will buy upon arrival. It's time to head out for the Annual Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.  Yes, July in New Orleans is extremely hot and humid and the week is intense as it is filled with back to back to back seminars, tastings, dinners and parties to celebrate cocktails. But, this is an annual voyage for my cocktail pal and me and 2012 marks our 4th sojourn to this amazing event, as well as the 10th Anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail.
25 July, 2012
A brand new Mexican restaurant opened a few months ago on 4th St. and the Santa Monica dining scene is heating up.  Named Mercado in homage to the fresh ingredients regularly ordered from the Farmer’s Market, the food and drinks are fresh takes on authentic Mexican cuisine. Owner Jesse Gomez grew up in the restaurant business. Almost 50 years ago his grandparents opened El Arco Iris Mexican restaurant in Highland Park in 1964. Jesse began working in the family restaurant and was responsible for modernizing El Arco Iris  and reintroducing the restaurant to the neighborhood. In 2009 he opened his own restaurant Yxta Cocina Mexicana in downtown LA.  Now Mercado is his third venture with partner Chef Jose Acevedo.
23 July, 2012

The 2011 hottest new restaurant in LA still holds the title one year from the date of opening.  Picca, which means “to nibble,” is home to Chef Ricardo Zarate's modern Peruvian cuisine with a Japanese flair.  Picca is about the food and the flavors; it is traditional Peruvian street food elevated to fine dining.  With the menu written on the walls, the restaurant is modern, vibrant and casual.  From the chefs working at the ceviche bar to the bartenders mixing fresh cocktails at the bar to the full room of diners, the energy is electric and a great dining experience.

               

Let's start with the cocktails, created by award winning mixologist Julian Cox who oversees the bar programs at Picca, Sotto, Playa and Rivera.  The bar is filled only with spirits from South and Latin Americas, such as Rum, Tequila and Pisco (the national spirit of Peru).  The cocktail menu includes a description of the ingredients in each cocktail so that you know how they are made.
25 June, 2012
Above Scarpetta at the Montage Beverly Hills sits an intimate, private, reservation-only bar called £10 (Ten Pound).  Inspired by General Manager Hermann Elger, £10, which opened in June 2011, is a luxury artisan bar specializing in the Scotches of Macallan, as well as a full cocktail bar with handcrafted cocktails done table-side. Why is the bar called £10?  Did you know that the Scottish £10 note has a rendering of the Macallan distillery on it?  As this bar features Macallan Scotch, it was a natural fit.
31 May, 2012
Auckland may only have a little more than a million residents but the number and quality of cocktail bars will rival some of the best in other bigger cities around the world.  During a recent visit to New Zealand, a night in Auckland was spent on a bar crawl with some local friends who took me out to some of the best cocktail spots! First Stop: Racket Bar
18 May, 2012
Sangrita, which means “little blood”, is a non-alcoholic complement to a shot of straight tequila blanco.  Traditionally, a sangrita is made with tomato juice and spices which are meant to enhance the tequila.  But, Sangrita is more than that, as proven during the LA Regional finals of the Tequila Ocho Viva Sangrita! Competition, hosted by the Bon Vivants. Winners from the regional contests, which took place in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Boston, will be sent to compete in the finals at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans in July.  The National winner will win a trip to Mexico, to the highlands of Jalisco, to visit the home of Tequila Ocho.
26 April, 2012

Each year, the Nightclub and Bar Show brings together hundreds of brands and buyers from around the country to introduce and promote new products from...

20 March, 2012
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