May 30, 2017
Hello end-of-May-ers (hopefully different from end-of-day-ers). As you end your month, you may be thinking – hmm, I think I might have missed some of A.J.’s recent posts on Seattle magazine? And just in case you’re right in your thinking, well, I’ve rounded up a few choice tidbits that fall into the category you were thinking about below. At least I think.
• Three Impressions of the Nook
• Celebrate Spring with New Releases From Local Distilleries
• Three Impressions of Little Tin
• Wake up Right with Better Brunch Drinks
• Local and Inventive Shot-and-a-Beer Pairings
May 23, 2017
Welcome to the final entry strolling through Paris drinks had in this particular Maigret story (be sure to read Part I and Part II so as not to miss anything, and for that matter, don’t miss all the Maigret Cocktail Talks, and if you want to know even more about his drinking, check out this study of Maigret drinks). This takes place near the end of the case, and finally Maigret himself is getting a drink (well, he may have had a few more – I couldn’t write out the whole book here!), with one of his police compadres.
“Did you find her?” asked the waiter.
“Yes.”
“Nice, isn’t she? What will you have?”
“A hot grog for me.”
“The same for me.”
“Two grogs, two!”
“This afternoon, when you’ve had some sleep, you’ll be writing your report.”
— George Simenon, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar
May 16, 2017
If you missed our first bout of May Maigret Cocktail Talking, and want to learn more about the burglaring, then by all means, please go read Part I. I’ll wait.
Back? Awesome! Let’s get into our second quote, which is taking place in a small bistro, with Maigret questioning the publican (or, here, I suppose, bisto-lican), who relates a story of said lazy burglar and his desire for . . . well, just read it, why dontcha.
“I was busy with the coffee percolator. I didn’t hear any footsteps. And when I turned round, there he was, leaning on the bar. It gave me quite a turn.”
“That’s why you remembered it?”
“And for another reason, because he asked me if I had any real Kirsch, not the fancy stuff. . . We don’t get too many orders for that. I took a bottle from the back row – that one there, with the German words on the label – and he seemed pleased. He said:
“‘That’s the real thing.’”
“He took the time to warm the glass in his hand, and drank slowly, looking at the clock. I realized he was wondering whether to ask for another, and when I held out the bottle he didn’t say no.”
— George Simenon, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar
April 4, 2017
Did you miss any of my Seattle magazine boozy beauties (I say with humility of course) last month, said month being marching March naturally? If so, I understand – it’s a hectic month. But I’m here for you, hearing your need, and so have rounded up said beauties from Seattle magazine for you below.
• Drinks News: Rob Roy, 190 Sunset and Spirits in the South Sound
• Three Impressions of Bruciato
• Musical Beers, Basil Mint Cider, The Dark Door Bourbon and More Spirited News
• Three Impressions of Bar Charlie
March 7, 2017
I recently had the pleasure of checking out Seattle stellar new-ish (last summer I believe) cocktail bar
Foreign National. It’s an amazing place. You must go there. You must! While there, I had the Osaka No. 1. It’s an amazing drink. You must have it. You must! Then I wrote about the whole bundle of must-ness and joy for in a
Foreign National Seattle magazine article. You must read it. You must!
February 28, 2017
Hello cocktail lovers, spirt lovers, drink lovers, bar lovers, Seattle lovers, and those of you who like me combine all of the above. If you’ve missed any of my recent pieces for the swell Seattle magazine, well, I feel for you. So much so that I’m linking to some of them here, so you can catch up on your reading and sipping:
• Sip on This: Valentine’s Day Cocktail Ideas
• Three Impressions of Thackeray
• Three Impressions of Westland Distillery’s Cantilever Room
• Three Impressions of Sovereign
February 21, 2017
I recently re-read (for the, oh, let’s say, fourth time) Graham Greene’s classic short post-WW-II Vienna thriller The Third Man. It was written specifically to be made into the (possibly) more classic movie of the same name, and is entirely worthwhile. And a quick read, too, as it both keeps you on the edge of your reading chair or couch – as you, along with the amazingly-named Rollo Martins, unravel the mystery of Harry Lime – and because as mentioned, it’s short. It also has a couple of neat bar scenes. I especially like the description below.
After he left me, Martins went straight off to drink himself silly. He chose the Oriental to do it in, the dreary smoky little night club that stands behind a sham Eastern façade. The same semi-nude photographs on the stairs, the same half-drunk Americans at the bar, the same bad wine and extraordinary gins – he might have been in any third-rate night haunt in any other shabby capital of a shabby Europe.
– Graham Greene, The Third Man
January 20, 2017
Not too long ago, I was able to track my way into the animal-tastic (and still sorta new)
Corvus and Co. in Seattle, to chat with the neato staff, nibble on the Mediterranean delights, and most of all sample the cocktails, chief of which was the Antivenom. Then, I got to
write about it for Seattle magazine. And now you can read all about the
Antivenom and Corvus. Do it!
