Thirsty in Black Rock City – Part 2

The following is Part 2 of a travelogue about my first trip to Burning Man. For those of you who stop by Thirsty in LA for cocktail- and spirits-related info and the like, feel free to skip this recap and return to your regularly scheduled booze blog. Otherwise, read on dear friends and fasten your…

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Thirsty in Black Rock City – Part 1

Last month, after years of invites, missed opportunities and procrastination, I finally made my first trip to the annual arts and music festival known as Burning Man. Now that my synapses are firing normally again, I’ll try to share my experience, assuming I’ve deciphered the notes I hastily scribbled in moments of downtime during my…

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Stories from Behind the Bar: PDT

With a limit of just nine attendees, Stories from Behind the Bar: PDT was one of the first seminars to sell out almost immediately after online tickets went on sale. Since its opening in 2007, Please Don’t Tell (PDT) has garnered acclaim for its classically-inspired seasonal cocktails: at the Tales of the Cocktail 2009 Spirited Awards, PDT was named World’s Best Cocktail Bar and Managing Partner Jim Meehan was named American Bartender of the Year.

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The Three Hour Tour: Around the World in Five Cocktails

Of the dozens of events that took place during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, the Three Hour Tour was arguably the most eagerly anticipated. All 242 tickets for the booze cruise quickly sold out, and no matter how desperate your plea or generous your bribe, if you didn’t have a ticket, you were up the Hudson without a paddle.

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Stories from Behind the Bar: Clover Club

Third in a series recapping the 2010 Manhattan Cocktail Classic. After the overindulgence of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala on Friday night, it was time get a little more serious on Day Two of the MCC with…well, more drinking. Fortunately, the day’s seminars were toned down from the Gala’s massive scale; many of them were…

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An Epic Night at the 2010 Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala

On Friday, May 14, the center of the cocktail universe was at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, site of the 2010 Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala. From 9pm to 1am, 2500 sharply-dressed imbibers roamed the Beaux-Arts splendor of the New York Public Library, sampling cocktails from 150 mixologists and 137 liquor brands from around the world.

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Death and Pain on World Cocktail Day 2010

First in a series recapping the 2010 Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Fear not, dear reader. Despite the grim title of this post, I had a great night out with friends old and new on the eve of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. I had flown to New York a day early to celebrate World Cocktail Day as…

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Canadian Club Resurrects Hide A Case Global Treasure Hunt

NOTE: The following contest is only open to residents of the United States and Canada. California law prohibits contests and sweepstakes of this nature, so unfortunately California residents are not eligible. (kicks dirt) Last Monday, while I was in New York trying to locate my missing Saturday night, Canadian Club announced the return of Hide…

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There's an App for That: BlackBook for the iPhone

Now that Steve Jobs has finally unveiled the iPad (aka The Tablet That Launched a Million Tampon Jokes) and the world can collectively breathe again, it’s time to focus on more serious matters. No, I’m not talking about health care or the economy. I refer of course to the never-ending search to find the world’s…

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