Ardent Spirits e-letter

Volume 10, Issue 11, May 22, 2008
by Gary Regan and Mardee Haidin Regan
© 2008 Reganomics, Inc.


In This Issue:


Cheap Date

Hendrick's First Annual USA Bartender Croquet Competition

 

'Twas ever so luverly so 'twas.  A spot of croquet, some delightful cucumber sandwiches, sans crusts, or course, and a few martinis and the like with which to wash them down the jolly old throat, don't you know.

 

A certain Mr. DeGroff went without his afternoon nap and crooned for us.  Delightful.  Simply delightful.  His voice doesn't seem any different than it was when he was entertaining the troops on the beaches at Normandy . . .

 

 

Gary and Lynette Marrero, bar manager at Elettaria, teamed up for the competition, but unfortunately some complete bastards beat them out early in the day (can you say Don Lee and John Deragon?)

Not to be deterred, though, Gary decided to caddy for Dale and his partner Charles.  Dale, after all, can't be expected to carry his own mallet after spending what, it must be about 87 years the lad's been behind the bar . . .

And yes, Dale and Charles took the day, winning a spectacular trip to London in June so they can compete in the UK Hendrick's Bartender Croquet Competition.  We don't know how well they'll do without a caddy, though . . .



The Trophy, of course, was Hendrick's Golden Cucumber
(No, it doesn't vibrate)

More Pictures Here

The Cocktailian

Moonlight on the Peach

First Published In:
SFChronicle

 

 . . . It brings to mind something that Shane MacGowan, the ex-lead singer of the Pogues, once said about drinkers spending lots of time in pubs developing "higher spiritual values" and exploring "the insides of their head." He made this observation while comparing said pub devotees to more ambitious types who "concentrate on their careers and ambitions" and concluded that "drunks are far more intelligent than non-drunks." I've tried to keep his words in mind. . .  

To read the whole story, click this Hot Link

 


Hot Links

LeNell's Cocktail of the Month

 

Hey, I'm an 80's bartender.  Back in those days, we didn't have cocktail competitions and fancy lemon grass syrups and Cold Draft ice machines.  I was tickled when a customer ordered a Long Island Iced Tea.  Now jackass bartenders sneer at the mere thought of this drink.  I'm here to start an argument . . .

For the full story, follow this Hot Link

 


Potent Quoteables

The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization

 

“I want my wines to tell a good story. I want them natural and most of all, like my dear friends, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue.”

 

So spake Alice Feiring, our very fave James Beard Award-Winning Wine Writer and Wine Blogger Extraordinaire.  Don't miss out on her blog, and whatever you do, don't miss out on her controversial new book.  Click on the cover below to buy it now.

 

 

 



World Wide Bartenders Database

If you haven't joined yet, you won't know about the gigs we're letting our members in on, will you?

You might want to join now so you don't miss the next issue of the Worldwide Bartender Bulletin.

Join the Worldwide Bartender Database

Wanna see where some of our members work?

 

Here's a look at joints where just a few of our members work

 

Boston: Eastern Standard, Excelsior, The Langham Hotel, The Savant Project.

 

Brooklyn: 12th St. Bar & Grill, 5 Front Restaurant, Applewood, Atlantic Chip Shop, Café Bar & Restaurant, Dressler and Larry Lawrence, Franny's, Jack the Horse Tavern, La Martini Lounge, Lillie's Bar, MiniBar, Sheraton, The Hideout, Zombie Hut.

 

Chicago: Cuatro, Custom House, Excalibur Nightclub, Green Zebra, Moxie, Nacional 27, Pier 37, Piranha Bros., Quartino, Sheraton Chicago, Smallbar, Spring, Drawing Room, The Gage, The Tasting Room.

Glen, New Hampshire:  White Mountain Cider Company.  Now leave me alone, Jeff.  Okay?

 

Las Vegas: Allegro Bar @ The Bellagio, Seahorse Lounge, Dino's Lounge, Envy Bar,  La Femme Bar, Luxor Hotel and Casino, MGM Grand, Studio Café, N9NE Steakhouse, Parasol Down @ Wynn, Petrossian Lounge, Picasso @ The Bellagio, Shibuya Restaurant, Silverton Casino, Teatro Bar, The Mirage, Trader Vic's, Tuscany, Wynn Hotel & Casino

 

Los Angeles: Luna Park, Minibar, Republic Restaurant, 7 Grand Whiskey Bar, Sona Restaurant, Water Grill.

 

New Orleans: B Street, Commander's Palace, Herbsaint, Jackson, The Library Lounge at the Ritz Carlton, The Swizzle Stick Bar.

 

New York: 107 West, 21 Club, 44 & X Hell's Kitchen, 5 Ninth, A.O.C., Agave, Aix, Alain Ducasse, Alfama, Aquavit, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Aureole Restaurant, Babbo Ristorante, Balthazar, Barmarche, Bemelmans Bar, Blue Smoke, Bobby Van's, Bolo, Bond 45, Brandy Library, Bridge Café, Bryant Park Grill, Buddha Bar, Café Boulud, Café des Artistes, Campbell Apartment, Chanterelle, Daniel, Death & Co., Devin Tavern, Dylan Prime, Elettaria, Eleven Madison Park, Flatiron Lounge, Freeman's, Gramercy Tavern, Jean Jorges, Le Zinc, Milk & Honey, Nice Matin, Oceana Restaurant, Passerby, Patroon, PDT, Peacock Alley, Pegu Club, Public, Soho/Tribeca Grand Hotels, Sortie,  SushiSamba 7, Taj, The World Bar, Typhoon, Vig Bar

 

Philadelphia: 1601 Café, Monkey Bar, Azure, Chick's Café & Wine Bar, Hotel Sofitel, Ristorante La Buca, Sheraton Hotel, Solaris Grille, Tangier

 

Portland, OR: Andina, , Meriwethers Restaurant, Mint/820, Paragon Restaurant and Bar, Teardrop Lounge,  Typhoon! on Broadway.

 

San Diego:  Addison, Arterra Restaurant,  Confidential Restaurant, JC Resorts, Modus Supper Club, Sheraton Harbor Marina.

 

San Francisco: Absinthe Brasserie, Alembic, Bacar, Balboa Cafe, Bix, Bong Su, Bourbon & Branch, Cantina, Capurro's, Cortez, Elixir, Frisson, Globe, Starlight Room, Jackson Fillmore, Jardinière, Lark Creek, Levende Lounge, Nopa, One Market Restaurant, Oola Restaurant, Palmetto, Perbacco, Ponzu Restaurant, Prana, Presidio Social Club, Range, Restaurant Gary Danko, Rye, Scoma's Restaurant, Solstice Lounge,  Swig, The Orbit Room, The Slanted Door, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, Tres Agaves.

 

Seattle: Cafe Presse, CHAC Lounge, Liberty, The BalMar, Union, Vessel.

 

Washington D.C.: Bourbon, Central Michel Richard, Corduroy, Kinkeads, Mie-N-Yu, Rock Creek Restaurant, Roof Terrace @ JFK Center for the Performing Arts, Source by Wolfgang Puck, Urbana Wine Bar.

 


Ardent Events Calendar

AttaGlance

 

May 25: Life Behind Bars

June 1 - 4: Sante Restaurant Symposium

June 22 - 23: New York Restaurant Show

July 16 - 20: Tales of the Cocktail

September 17 - 18: Sydney Bar Show

 

 

May 25: Life Behind Bars

Join Gary for a couple of Happy Hours at Astor Center where he'll talk about his “life behind bars,” tell tales about his first few years behind the stick in Manhattan during the 1970s, and talk about what it means to be a bartender.  (Will somebody shut him up, please . . .)

Details Here

 

 

 

 

June 1 - 4:  2008 Santé Restaurant Symposium

 

 

 

Join us for a four-day feast for the body, mind, and the bottom line!

 

The Santé Restaurant Symposium is the most comprehensive and compelling conference of its kind, designed specifically for fine-dining and upscale-casual hospitality professionals who want to increase profits, stay on top of trends, and learn from and network with the most successful restaurateurs in the industry.

 

Over 40 advanced food, wine, spirits, and management seminars, panel discussions, demonstrations, and tastings.

 

Keynote speakers Tim Zagat and Edna Morris.

 

Located at a four-diamond luxury resort and spa in beautiful and historic Manchester, Vermont.

 

Details Here

 

June 22 - 23: New York Bar Show

 

 

 

 

 

 

This show gets better every year.  Don't miss it in 2008!

 

Details Here

 

Register Here

 

July 16 - 20: Tales of the Cocktail

 

The biggest cocktail event in the country.

 

Gary talked his way into giving a whiskey workshop with LeNell Smothers.  Be Warned.

 

Don't miss this one.

 

Details Here

 

 

 

 

 

September 17 - 18: Sydney Bar Show

 

 

Gary talked his way into talking at this one, too.

 

Naren Young already sent out a warning . . . 

 

Details Here

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