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Hello Cocktails!

Books and booze. I live in Philadelphia, but I get around.

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You Should Drink Here – Grace and Proper

You Should Drink Here (#YSDH) is where I write about cocktail bars that you should, you know, drink at. It means I’ve visited the bar 3 or 4 times and sampled most if not all the drinks, so you can be pretty confident it’s legit. Grace and Proper, a beautiful new-ish Eurobar tucked away in Philly… Read More You Should Drink Here – Grace and Proper

May 4, 2023 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Diving Into Philly – Part 3

We’re at the six-month mark of this Philly jawnt, and I still find myself intrigued and energized. The city’s distinct and diverse neighborhoods offer varied sights and experiences from block to block. For a completionist like yours truly, the sundry little worlds of Philadelphia motivate me to run through as much of the town as… Read More Diving Into Philly – Part 3

April 15, 2023 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

One Night in Manhattan

“New York gets god-awful cold in the winter but there’s a feeling of wacky comradeship somewhere in some streets.“ – Jack Kerouac New York City is crime-ridden, no fun, dead. Since the pandemic, doomsayers have hammered this narrative over and over again, jumping at any chance to pour dirt on the Big Apple’s grave. No… Read More One Night in Manhattan

February 3, 2023 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Diving Into Philly – Part 2

Happy New Year! The beginning of 2023 also marks my first two months living in Philadelphia, and truthfully I’ve loved every minute of it (except the parking, that sucks). One of my New Year’s resolutions is to immerse myself in the city and get to know it, aggressively. As I’ve said over and over again… Read More Diving Into Philly – Part 2

January 13, 2023March 14, 2023 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Diving Into South Philly

After roughly 18 years living in and around the nation’s capital, I decided to pack my bag and dog and take the party to the distant exotic land of Philadelphia PA. There were a ton of real-world reasons for the move, but I’d be lying if the city’s rich culinary culture wasn’t a big factor.… Read More Diving Into South Philly

November 21, 2022December 21, 2022 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Paris je t’aime

“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

January 1, 2018January 21, 2018 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Capitol Cool at the Occidental

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

October 17, 2017 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Neighborhood Hang – The Good Silver

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

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

How to Throw a Cocktail Party in 137 Easy Steps

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

July 12, 2017October 24, 2017 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

Neighborhood Power – Truxton Inn

Lending some more class and power to Bloomingdale, Truxton Inn is a great spot to socialize and skim through some classic cocktails and paperbacks. Ambiance: ****1/2 Decor: ****1/2 Cocktails: **** Service: **** Overall: 4.25 As a fan of McLellan’s Retreat in Dupont, I was excited to hear that the folks behind that darkened haunt were starting a new spot in… Read More Neighborhood Power – Truxton Inn

May 26, 2017 HelloCocktailsLeave a comment

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"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." Excited to kick off my first summer as a Philly resident at the beautiful @bok_bar. This is the "Dirty Dio" with Delta Dirt Vodka, grapefruit, pineapple, lime, salt, and club soda. "When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees. Maimed, stark and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious." So sad to leave Ireland. I'll depart with a long list of wonderful experiences and memories including a magic night at Dublin's @vintagecocktailclub. There, I watched Steve and Laura work a room of 15 people and just kill it. Amazing drinks and service, you must go. This is the "Zombie 1935" with Havana Club rum, Wray and Nephew overproof rum, pineapple juice and bits. "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." If I ever give up on the world, I'll be moving to the Irish countryside - nothing but fresh dairy, thick wool, and green grass. Got a wonderful glimpse of the country life at the @mountjulietestate - just south of Kilkenny, the estate is the perfect ode to Irish hospitality. This is "The Lady Helen" with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon, grapefruit, bitters, and soda. "Out of Ireland have we come. Great hatred, little room, maimed us at the start. I carry from my mother's womb a fanatic heart." Can't say enough about Dublin - nonstop fun, fascinating history on every block, and classic luxury @merrionhotel including in the stately 23 Bar. This is the "Amour de Mure" with vodka, blackberry liqueur, lemon, and honey ayrup. "Ingen ko pa isen - there's no cow on the ice." Dreaming of Sweden at Andra Hem, the new cocktail lounge in Rittenhouse. This is the "Pears for Heirs" with gin, apricot, pear, and sparkling wine. "We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred." Made a wonderful discovery in South Philadelphia this weekend - @irwinsupstairs is a super fun restaurant built atop the Bok school, a mastepiece of New Deal-Art Deco architecture. The aesthetic, the views, the service, and the food were all on point. Can't wait to return in the warm weather for some rooftop drinking. This is the "Fig-Getaboutit" with Dark and Overproof rum, fig, allspice, dram, and lime. "Hour by hour the caissons reach down to the rock of the earth and hold the building to a turning planet." No better view of my new city than from  @jgskyhigh - luxurious, fun, and I saw Ja Morant in the lobby. This is the "Pomegranate Storm" with Bacardi white rum, pomegranate, ginger, and lime. “Night was come, and her planets were risen: a safe, still night: too serene for the companionship of fear.” It was a wonderful Valentine's night in the low light of the legendary @theransteadroom with special guest and DC guy @deke_dc from @allegory_dc. The drinks were spectacular, including the "Down the Rabbit Hole" with @absolutelyx, chocolate biscotti, clarified milk, and coffee. "With people you can never tell, will they have changed when next we meet? But here in my dear old home at least, the plums still smell as sweet." Was blown away by @royal_izakaya - amazing food and a beautiful bar to boot! This gem is the "Panda Creamsicle" with pandan-infused white rum, calpico, and orange liqueur.

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  • You Should Drink Here – Grace and Proper
  • Diving Into Philly – Part 3
  • You Should Drink Here – Southwark
  • One Night in Manhattan
  • Diving Into Philly – Part 2

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