April 15, 2011
When visiting Chicago for the first time last year, I of course had Intelligenstia Coffee as a must-go destination. Sure, they’ve got a super spiffy space in Venice (LA) now, but Intelligentsia originally hails from Chi-town, so I wanted to make sure to stop by. This is when I discovered artist Timothy Breen. I saw […]
April 6, 2011
The Prohibition Era figures prominently in the collective imagination of the cocktail world. The aura and mystique surrounding that era still wields great influence on popular culture. The popularity of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire is a perfect example of our still not fully reconciled fascination with that period, as is the proliferation of modern “speakeasies” in […]
March 30, 2011
“Floreant Agni†(May the Lambs Flourish) – Motto of the original Lambs theatre club The month of March is supposed to end like a Lamb but Mother Nature is not playing nice–it is still 30ËšF outside! Nevertheless, this week’s cocktail captures winter’s last stand and book ends the month quite nicely! The Lambs Club Cocktail […]
March 23, 2011
There is nothing like an expertly crafted Old Fashioned-style cocktail to help you navigate the rapidly changing weather of late March. Since, it is not quite Gin Rickey weather and too warm for a Hot Toddy, a solid whiskey cocktail is just what the Doctor ordered. Now let’s take it to the next level in […]
March 16, 2011
When selecting a mid-March cocktail for this article, I was tempted to go the easy route with a St. Patrick’s Day whiskey drink. Then this weekend, I had the fortune to dine at Magasin Wells (aka M.Wells), the critically acclaimed Québécois-American diner in Long Island City, Queens. M.Wells’ haute comfort food menu and greasy spoon […]
A bar is a playground for grown-ups. A place where you can meet new playmates, taste the sweet nectar of intoxicating juices, take time off to enjoy life with your closest of pals, and on occasion enjoy the chance of entangling your reproduction organs in other people’s warm orififi and bodily fluids. The playground swings […]
March 10, 2011
One of my most vivid alcohol-related memories is going to Kyoto in the summer of 2003 and trying my first oolong-hai. My dad’s third wife turned me on to the oolong-hai the moment she casually ordered me a tall glass as we sat in an izakaya overlooking the Kamo river after a long day of […]
February 25, 2011
If you are getting tired of using beer kits or following other peoples recipes and are ready to start creating your own beers, this post is for you. When I first moved out to San Francisco I started putting Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in my keggerator on a regular basis. I was impressed by how […]
February 16, 2011
“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?” “Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea. “Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter. Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he […]
I regretfully report that Anders, aka Skankynavia and Packaging Whore columnist, is on sabbatical for the next few weeks, and will be returning in mid-March. Sorry, Martians! I know you all adore his posts, but our resident SkankMaster will be hibernating for the rest of the winter. It’s chilly up there in SkankyLand. I’ll be […]