“There is but one Paris and however hard living may be here, and if it became worse and harder even—the French air clears up the brain and does good—a world of good.” – Vincent van Gogh Upon returning from my week-long trip to Paris, I felt silly telling friends how wonderful it was. The last… Read More Paris je t’aime
This week I’m reviewing Richard Elliott Friedman’s new history of the Exodus. While the mention of the Old Testament usually evokes strict moral codes and sober living, the document itself is choc-ful of booze-fueled fun/sin. For those too busy to read all 24 books, Wikipedia provides a great run down of alcohol’s role in scripture. So,… Read More Old Testament Cocktails
DC’s favorite laboratory for the cocktailian sciences, Barmini is the epitome of innovation, style, and taste. Ambiance: ***** Decor: ***** Cocktails: ***** Service: ***** Overall: 5 My failure to visit Barmini is a bit of a scarlet letter. I mean, I’ve visited hundreds of other bars including dozens in the DC area – but not one… Read More The Sweet Science – Barmini
As of resident of the greater DC area for 13 years, I have to admit the shine of living in and around capitol tends to wear off. The traffic, the legions of self-important apparatchiks, lawyers, the traffic….these factors take the bloom off the rose pretty quickly. And that’s a damn shame: this city is a… Read More Capitol Cool at the Occidental
A laid back and sightly neighborhood joint, the Good Silver provides a friendly setting and some nice booze. Ambiance: ***1/2 Decor: **** Cocktails: ***1/2 Service: **** Overall: 3.75 It was one of those classic October days in DC: leaves changing color, pumpkin spice lattes in hand, and 100% humidity. Yuck, seriously – I swore we were… Read More Neighborhood Hang – The Good Silver
“The gods of the valley are not the gods of the hills, and you shall understand it.” – Ethan Allen While considering possible locations for a short summer vacation, it dawned on me that it had been eight years since I had last set foot in the forested paradise of Vermont. Summer is certainly a… Read More A Boozy Guide to Vermont
So there was big news in the DC cocktail world recently – our very own Columbia Room, sort of DC’s de-facto flagship, won Best American Cocktail Bar at the Spirits Award last month! With DC’s sports teams failing in often spectacular fashion to bring home a title for over two decades, this is a welcome… Read More A Trip Down Daiquiri Lane at the Columbia Room
A beautiful new gem of a seafood restaurant in southeast DC, Salt Line offers a relaxed riverfront setting and a surprisingly strong battery of cocktails. Ambiance: **** Decor: ****1/2 Cocktails: ****1/2 Service: **** Overall: 4.25 Perhaps it was the bright summer sun, perhaps it was the good company, perhaps it was the river breeze, but memories… Read More Cocktails Along the Anacostia – The Salt Line
If you visit as many cocktail bars as I do, you’ll often find yourself studying the bartender’s process and wondering – could I do that? Like, could I make dozens of fairly complex drinks, bring boozy joy to everyone around me, and not have anyone wretch or go into shock? The idea germinates like a… Read More How to Throw a Cocktail Party in 137 Easy Steps
This week I’m reviewing Spain in Our Hearts, Adam Hochschild’s history of foreign volunteers in the Spanish Civil War. Hochschild’s description of the idyllic Spanish countryside, along with DC’s customary stifling heat, got me thinking about simple cocktails that both refresh and evoke visions of olive groves and green foothills. First up was the “Marianito” a simple three-part… Read More Spanish Anarchism and Cocktails
Hello Cocktails! 