Ladies Sing Tom Waits

Come hear me sing my longing for love, peace and New Orleans tonight in Red Hook at Sunny's Bar. This may be my penultimate show with the ladies before I move down to NOLA, so don't miss it!

Ladies Behind the Bar

My favorite battle of the sexes

My dear friend Francine wrote a great piece about what it is like to be a lady in this male dominated field and I am even quoted.  It won't stay that way for long, I think.  I just hope eventually we all get the same respect, pay, shift and job opportunities as the boys do.  But as it is culturally in every field, its an uphill climb.

"You Can't Grow a Mustache*"

[Shakestir.com]

Tattoo You

Oh what is an inked up bartender gal to do?!  

To celebrate Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins and his 101st birthday, Sailor Jerry Rum is doing free tattoos tomorrow at various locations around the country.  Well my artist is in New Orleans, but I am still here in NYC!  Oh well...I do not really have a NYC tattoo yet, so maybe its time.  Besides, I am drawn to the the classic Mom and Dad heart banner.  There is no irony there..my folks are the two most important people in the world and my mom did give me the idea for my last work.  What do you think, Mom and Dad?

Here are some participating locations if you want to channel you own inner sailor:

• New York , NY--Fineline Tattoo from 12 pm-10 pm 
• Chicago, IL--The Chicago Tattooing Company from 12 pm-12 am
•  New Orleans, LA-- Uptown Tattoos from 12 pm-12 am 
• Huntington Beach, CA—HB Tattoo from 2 pm-10 pm

Sunday Brunch

Its fine and dandy to treat yourself to beinets in New Orleans.  Its quite another to bring a box of the mix home and hook up the electric fryer. Ok I don't even have a fryer and never put more than a spash of oil in a pot since the great popcorn fire of 1985.  So when our j'adorable waiter said they make good pancakes, a light went on.

Throw in an egg, some butter milk and I made Cafe Du Monde buttermilk pancakes with fresh blackberries and yogurt. Perfect pairing with a Brandy Milk Maple punch.

Brandy Milk Maple Punch

1 1/2 VSOP Brandy
3/4 Maple Syrup
4 oz Milk
Dash of natural vanilla extract

PS...good with Bourbon too!

Best Cocktail Bar in NYC

Boy, am I proud!

Christmas Eve Eve

Early to bed tonight as I am covering a brunch shift tomorrow at Fort Defiance. So I made a nice brandy milk punch in a coup, well...my size and some cookies I just made.  Settling in with an Advil PM and A Christmas Carol starring Patrick Stewart.  The Christmas past part always makes me cry. That Fezziwig is a pip!

Brandy Milk Punch
2 oz Brandy (I used Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1/2 oz Maple syrup
Dash of vanilla
5 oz milk
Garnish: Fresh grated nutmeg

Shake with ice and garnish with nutmeg

Pocono Love Potion

<p>&lt;p&gt;It can get a little lonely coming home at 4am to an empty house, empty bed and empty cuppard. I don't usually drink when I get home, but with a day off (finally) and a cold looming, I thought a knightcap was needed. A knight was too difficult to find at this hour.

I have not been to the store in days so a fresh citrus drink is out of the question. I doubt I have fresh vermouth, so no Martinis Manhattans, negronis, etc... An Old Fashioned is the perfect cocktail for the bare bones bar.  Bitters, sugar, spirit, water.  I have a beautiful new cognac from Pierre Ferrand based on an original 1840 bottle that is suitable for Jerry Thomas to mix up. I threw in some Creole and Jerry Thomas (speak of the devil) bitters and a touch a maple syrup. Add a kicky glass and suddenly I feel better. Raise your spirits when you raise your glass!

Movember in San Diego

Saltbox Serves Sweet Movember Cocktails - DiscoverSD.com

Cherokee Rose

Chef Julian says I am speaking his language with this one. I was fooling around with a Bartender's Choice for a dear regular, Matt and was inspired to make this twist on a La Rosita. Matt and Julian, and most people I know actually, are partial to a nice Rye. So I subbed out the tequila, added a touch of Benedictine and orange bitters in addition to the Jerry Thomas old fashioned bitters. The name came from last nights episode of The Walking Dead, a conversation started for myself and Matt tonight. Man, I love talking smart tv with smart tv people who like rye.

Cherokee Rose
1 1/2 Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 sweet vermouth
1/2 dry vermouth
1/4 Benedictine
1/4 Campari
Dash Bitter Truth Orange Bitters
Dash Jerry Thomas Bitters

Stir all ingredients over ice and serve in a rocks glass with fresh ice.

Garnish Lemon twist