[Product] Floome
Hopefully this won’t come as a shock, but I enjoy a cocktail every now and again. Alice even fancies one. Beyond cocktails, we enjoy a nice glass of wine, beers and anything else worthy of trying. Having them at home and out? Both great. The trick is about knowing when enough is enough, especially if you’re out on the town. What if you don’t know? How can you tell? What can you do? What options do you have? That’s where Floome is going to help you.
Rosemary Screwdriver
Business casual is something that I still don’t fully understand. Yeah, I know, it’s a rather strange sentiment as someone who’s made a living making websites and found a modicum of success online, but a hoodie and jeans, to me, just isn’t swanky. I’m a big fan of the school of thought that when you dress better, you feel better and perform better. It’s the same thing with cocktails. There are every day cocktails that are great, but sometimes, they deserve an extra bit of polish, a little extra refinement. We did that with the Screwdriver by tweaking, adjusting and fiddling to come up with the Rosemary Screwdriver.
Peated Emerald
When it comes to the changing of season (even though it’s still sunny and warm here, the “curse” of California), I tend to start thinking of drinks that involve more brown boozes than ones with clear ones. Does that mean I’ll pass up a Margarita? Never. However, it does mean I start pondering the nuance of things like peat. Turns out peat doesn’t just come in Scotch form anymore, no sir. Now there’s gin finished in peated barrels. That means, why yes, I could have my brown liquor inspired cocktail, but with a clear booze! Enter the Peated Emerald.
[Destination] Babi’s Beer Emporium
We all have favorite traditions, places we like to visit, friends we like to hang out with, things we like to drink, etc. In fact, every Thursday night, I go out with friends (some I’ve known since grade school even — Sing Lum Lions FTW!) and we have some good, clean, gentlemanly fun. It often involves a cocktail or two (lately, it’s been Margaritas), but that’s not to say we don’t enjoy a good brew. However, while constancy is good — dare I say vital — it shouldn’t come at the expense of trying new things. A great place to try some new beers? Babi’s Beer Emporium in Los Alamos.
Lavender Pisco Sour
While visiting Peru, know what got me through my magical sickness (it wasn’t an altitude issue, I swear!)? Pisco Sours. This was 100% true every time. As you can never quite recreate that first perfect one, let’s hit it with a twist, here’s our Lavender Pisco Sour!
[Destination] Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.
When Alice and I visited Japan (a country where, as soon as I left, I was itching to return), I decided that Japanese people have this remarkable ability to focus on one thing and do it to the best of their ability. While most Americans are working hard to multitask themselves away into mediocrity, Japanese seem to hone in, focus and refine one thing with remarkable skill. You’d never confuse Buellton with Tokyo or the Santa Ynez Valley with the Kanto region, but the skills on display at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., those have definite Japanese tendencies.
[Destination] Firestone-Walker Barrelworks
When visiting an area, it’s good to try what they do best. Ideally, you eat and drink locally, favoring their specialties vs. going with something you already know and are comfortable having. That’s one of the great things about traveling; you’re getting to experience new things. Consequently, when Alice and I recently went to Buellton, in the Santa Ynez Valley, we were thinking beer. Beer? In wine country? You bet! Though, if I’m fair, when we’re talking about the Firestone-Walker Barrelworks, we’re not just talking about your every day run of the mill beers, no sir, we’re talking interesting, unique and independently bold.
[Destination] S.Y. Kitchen
Alice and I are big fans of traveling and exploring the world — you can’t always drink at home. It is good to go out and make new friends, try new drinks, eat amazing food and see what adventures the world holds. One of those new friends we made was Alberto, the Mixologist and Bar Manager at the S.Y. Kitchen and I tell you what, he knows his cocktails.
Beet-N Rye
Oh autumn, you’re my favorite time of year. With it being almost September, I need to keep telling myself this simple refrain, especially when there’s a heatwave hitting. Honestly, when the thermometer starts inching towards triple digits — basically in September — I need to remind myself I love the fall. However, with it being so freaking hot, but my autumnal instincts kicking in, I knew that I needed a transitional drink. What we need is something that both celebrates cooling off, while hinting at the joyous fall flavors to come. Allow me to introduce you to the Beet-N Rye!
Blueberry Ginger Refresher
Some days, you feel like a nut. Other days you don’t. Honestly, I don’t know what that has to do with anything, except blueberry! Did I mention that I’ve recently come back from backpacking in Yosemite? You can’t expect everything to make sense when you’re cut off from everything for a few days. The one thing that I can make sense of though is a great cocktail and the one, much maligned alcohol that I hold so dearly: gin. As I needed to cool off after the hike, but wanted something refreshing and a touch debonair, well, I knew what I needed. A blueberry gin cocktail. Ask and ye shall receive, introducing the Blueberry Ginger Refresher.