February 16, 2016
I’ve had a number of Cocktail Talk posts here from Day Keene, from his novels and short stories. Most of the latter I’ve read in the series from Ramble House, which does a fairly fine job of reprinting all of his stories that appeared in pulp mags in the 40s – and there were a lot of them! He was ridiculously prolific, and kept the quality bar really high while doing it. I just picket up the third volume, called Death March of the Dancing Dolls, which has seven longish stories, including one called A Minor Matter of Murder, which is where this post’s quote comes from. It also contained one of my favorite non-boozy lines in a while: “to hell with that heifer dust!” Drop that in your next meeting.
I guided her on into the bar and one of the wall tables. “There’s been some trouble at the office. But if you faint, I’ll fire you.” I ordered two double ryes and waited until they were served to tell her than young Schermerhorn was dead.
–Day Keene, A Minor Matter of Murder
January 26, 2016
I don’t know much about pulp-y early-and-mid-1900s author Horace McCoy, best known probably for a book called They Shoot Horse, Don’t They?, and a few other hits. It’s always nice to delve into a new noir-y legend though – just opens up more lovely hours of reading. I started with his shorter book, I Should Have Stayed Home, which was maybe less noir-y then the title made me think, but a really good look at Hollywood from the less-bright-lights side in the 1930s-ish time frame. It made me excited for more McCoy’s, and the below made me thirsty.
She had coffee and brandy in the living room and she poured Cointreau for me. It was sweet and pleasant. She taught me how to drink this too. She was patient and quiet and very nice. I couldn’t believe this was the same woman who had been so wild that afternoon in Mona’s bungalow, that time with Lally.
–Horace McCoy, I Should Have Stayed Home
January 19, 2016
If you love the sound of my voice as much as I do (hahaha, I kid, I kid), and missed me on Seattle’s jolly Happy Hour radio right before the holidays, then you’re in luck! It’s still available for your listening pleasure – so tune in, metaphorically, to hear me on Happy Hour radio (you’ll also be able to hear about some swell local wine from the W-A), and the dulcet tones of host Christopher Chan.
December 22, 2015
If you live in WA State, you should be excited – for about 10,000 reasons, though here I’m talking about our explosion of interesting, tasty, and fun distilleries. Hopefully you’re already drinking drinks utilizing the bottles put out by our worthy distilleries. If not, then check out a piece I recently wrote for the stalwart Seattle magazine, 7 Must-Have Bottles for Stocking Your At-Home Bar. If you don’t live in the W-A, well, come visit, so you can also stock your home bar in a manner that’ll make you feel all sorts of happy.
December 15, 2015
It’s the time of year when everyone wants to borrow your punch bowl – heck, everyone wants to borrow my punch bowl, too, so I completely get where you’re coming from when you don’t want to let said punch bowl out of your sight. But, it’s also the season when we think most kindly, perhaps, of our friends and family. And those are the exact groups that want to borrow punch bowls! So, you probably have to lend it out. I’ll understand if you can’t exactly smile with the lending. But, I do have two ideas to help alleviate the potential pain. First, read the classic Oliver Wendell Holmes poem, “On Lending a Punch Bowl,” so you can know that others through history have gone the same route. Second, pick up the tipsy poetry collection In Their Cups, which features this very poem (and many other great ones). Actually, pick up two, and give one out when you loan the punch bowl. It seems the borrower should be reading it as well.
This ancient silver bowl of mine, it tells of good old times
Of joyous days, and jolly nights, and merry Christmas chimes
They were a free and jovial race, but honest, brave, and true
That dipped their ladle in the punch when this old bowl was new.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes, On Lending a Punch-Bowl
December 8, 2015
Hey Seattle and WA State residents, drink lovers, and awesome people! It’s the party season, and you’re throwing your parties in the wrong places. You are! You should be throwing them at a local distillery. Cause that’s where the fun is! Don’t believe me? Check out this recent article I wrote for the sweet Seattle magazine, called: Where to Host your Next Party: A Distillery. Then start printing up the invitations.
December 1, 2015
I was lucky enough recently to work on a big bar-and-cocktail-and-distillery issue of the mighty Seattle magazine, and in said issue (which if you missed, you’ll have to deal with the regret for the rest of your life. Sorry), we had some swell interviews with some of the top local shakers . . . wait, strike that. Top shakers anywhere! However, due to magazine restrictions, and such, the interviews had to be edited down somewhat, as interviews are. But they’re now available for reading in fuller fashion online! You are very lucky. So, don’t miss my recent interviews with these cocktail geniuses, including:
Amanda Reed
Bridget Maloney
Nik Virrey
Joshua Batway
Jesse Poole
Kathleen Manley
Bryn Lumsden
Jay Kuehner
*See all Seattle magazine pieces by me
Tags: Amanda Reed, Bars, bartenders, Bridget Maloney, Bryn Lumsden, Cocktail Talk, Interviews with Top Seattle Bartenders, Jay Kuehner, Jesse Poole, Joshua Batway, Kathleen Manley, Nik Virrey, Seattle Bars, Seattle Magazine
Posted in: Bars, Cocktail Talk, Seattle Magazine
November 17, 2015
Hey hey party people from the WA (and any one visiting right now). The November issue of the smashing Seattle magazine is the Bar, Cocktail, Spirit, and Tipsy Awesomeness issue! And I wrote a big chunk of this booze-y beaut, so you don’t want to miss it, do you? DO YOU? Get it now – it’s available at all better stores that carry magazines, and all better magazines stands – and drink up!
