TALK DRINKS

Pranna - The Big Apple

If you have been wondering where we've been, well now I can let you in on the secret. Willy, Aisha and I have been busy opening up a new restaurant here in New York. Pranna is owned and operated by Rajiv and Payal Sharma, who have been working in the restaurant industry for over 50 years. They have teamed up with the very talented and interesting Chef Chai Trivedi, who has created a unique menu that infuses the cuisines of Southeast Asia with an Indian twist. (he is also a puck rocker) Willy, Aisha and I helped set up their delicious, one-of-a-kind cocktail menu. Our cocktails are made with only fresh fruit, Asian spices and premium spirits. We hosted a grand opening party last week and over 850 of New York's culinary elite attended. The signature cocktails served that evening were the Thai-Gave (Partida Blanco and cilantro), the Silk Road (Yamazaki Single Malt and Thai basil), Harvest Moon (Maker's Mark and pomegranate) and the Dragon Fly (Level Vodka and Thai bird chilies) all of which are on our cocktail list and pair perfectly with the exceptional dishes. Stop by and I will make you one of our specialty cocktails that will blow your mind. Cheers - Elba

 

Belle of the Ball - Mile High Adventures

Happy November!!! Hope everyone had a great Halloween. The Halloween season here in Denver kicked off the 9th Annual Fetish Victorian Ball at the Wish Nightclub Diamond Cabaret. More than 1,000 attendees enjoyed a night of great music, risque shows, and great libations. Denver's party crowd came out in an array of costumes to celebrate Kevin Larson's party of the year. You should have seen the characters who attended. We had white rabbits, Alice the Cheshire Cat, naughty schoolgirls, Indiana Jones, rock stars, pimps, pirates, ballerinas, nurses and vampires. Even Satan and Sarah Palin made an appearance at the party. I love this time of year. Cheers - Scott, Bartender, Cigar Bar

Tequila Immersion Day - San Francisco

Two weeks ago, it was my honor to help organize and participate in the 2nd Annual Tequila Immersion Day which was held at One Market here in San Francisco. 40 of the country's top bartenders and mixologists attended a 1-day intensive seminar about the history and heritage of Tequila. We tasted over 16 different brands ranging from moderate to ultra-premium, and tried numerous cocktail recipes and food pairings. This annual seminar is taught by the legendary spirit and cocktail experts of B.A.R. (Beverage Alcohol Resource); Paul Pacult, Steve Olson, Dave Wondrich, Andy Seymour and Dale DeGroff. B.A.R. is the nation's leading educational institution for spirits and cocktails. The Beverage Alcohol Resource Five-Day Intermediate Certificate Program is the spirits and mixology equivalent of a Masters of Wine or Master Sommelier. Here at the TALKDRINKS.COM, Willy Shine, Aisha Sharpe, Anthony Alba and I have all taken the B.A.R. course. A big congratulations to Damian Windsor and Elba Giron who have just completed their Five-Day Certificate Program. I can't wait till next year's Tequila Immersion Day. Cheers - Jacques
 

Cocktails at the Loft - Hotlanta Times

loftlife is a hot new magazine that features the art of interior spaces in the Atlanta area. To celebrate its 2nd quarter, loftlife Magazine and Partida Tequila hosted a fantastic event at Space Modern and Aqua Midtown earlier this month. 300 of Atlanta's young and fashionable (including yours truly) were invited to attend the celebration. The 4 specialty cocktails for the evening were the Partida Margarita, Tequila High Noon, Paloma and my personal creation, the Tequila Honeysuckle w/ Cucumber. The favorite of the night was the Partida Margarita followed closely by the Tequila Honeysuckle. The bar was setup on the outside pool area with a stunning view that overlooked Atlanta. You couldn't have asked for a more elegant and sophisticated evening. Cheers - Navarro Carr, Mixologist, Trois

Tequila Pairing Dinner - Windy City Post

The other night I had the privilege of hosting a tequila dinner at the Adobo Grill in Wicker Park. This dinner had a family style atmosphere to it; the room was warm and inviting with Mexican colors and music. Guests were greeted by the manager Juan and myself. They gathered around the bar for a few appetizers and had a chance to sample the cocktails created by Bozzos their lead bartender. He made three cocktails throughout the night; the Partida Margarita, Sunrise con Partida (Reposado, Alize Passion, cranberry/mango juice), and Melodia de Sabor (Anejo, Chambord, Licor 43, passion/pineapple juice).

We began our evening with an introduction into the authentic and traditional Mexican culture from Chef Freddy. He spoke about the history and passion Mexicans have for their food, while explaining the special dinner he prepared. I then took the floor to introduce them to premium tequila. The room was a nice mix of people, some that have attended tequila pairing dinners before and other who were experiencing it for the first time. This gave me the chance to really breakdown the tequila phenomenon that’s been occurring for the last decade. Because of tequilas’ natural acidity, fruitiness, and sweetness, it pairs beautifully in cocktails and with Mexican cuisine. We did a Tequila 101 session where I explain the history, heritage and process of making premium Tequila. As I was finished the distillation process we were presented with a “Pato en Dos Pipianes”, which is grilled duck in a peanut thickened pipian fojo served with duck leg tamale in green pumpkin seed pipian verde and roasted beet salad.

To cap off the perfect evening, I took everyone through a flight of Partida Tequila. The response was very positive and every guest walked away with a greater appreciation for fine Mexican cuisine and Mexico’s national spirit. Salud - Alex

Fall Outta Bloom Fashion Show - Rocky Mountain Times

Last week, I attended Image Magazine's "Fall Outta Bloom" fashion show at the Beta Nightclub in the LODO district of Denver. Beta is owned by Brad Roullier, the founder of Beatport - the internet's most popluar DJ music site. The club is the preeminent nightspot for DJs between Denver and Chicago. More than 500 people attended the event that featured clothing from Cool Waves, The Blue Jeans Bar, and HooDoo Nation. Image Magazine events attract the A-list of Denver's nightclub scene and this event was no different (I was there right? :-D). Partida sponsored a table in the trendy and glitzy VIP area overlooking the runway. DJ performances from DVDJ Funk and Manufactured Superstars rounded out the music for the night and had people dancing right up till the lights came on. The Druid Cult meets Back to School fashion show was racy and exciting with 7 foot tall tree men and scantily clad dancers and models. Cheers - Scott

There’s A New Roadhouse in Town - Windy City Post

The other night I was invited to attend the grand opening of Roadhouse 66. This Wrigleyville bar, owned by Troy Hedlt and Kyle Bagley, is a take-off of the famous Tequila Roadhouse (where I also bartended). It has a country, wooden, rustic, road signs décor and just a few blocks from the home of the playoff bound Chicago Cubs, giving patrons a down home feel. The bartenders (Troy and Kyle) keep the atmosphere fun and inviting. They wear bowling shirts, cowboy hats, jean, and whatever is non-trendy. These two have been mixing cocktails for the last two decades and have a passion for classic cocktails. They are completely hands on and always happy to serve their customers. The key to their success is that true hospitality presence. Everyone is treated with respect, prompt service, great cocktails, knowledge of the bar, and always service and personality with a smile. While at the Roadhouse 66 you can play some pool, throw darts, punch the punch machine, and pick your own music selections from the jukebox. It's a throwback to the good days of the neighborhood bar where everyone knows your name. For a great time, take a road trip to the Roadhouse 66. Cheers - Alex

Ways to tell the DNC is in your town - Rocky Mountain Times

As the insanity of the week begins to recede into the distance, I’ll take a moment to reflect upon the week for anyone’s future reference.

The first way that you notice the DNC is coming to town are the helicopters. Black military helicopters flying low among the buildings of downtown. I mean in between them and looking in windows, at night with people dangling out of them ..... and months before the event begins. It’s an unmistakable sound and immediately makes one wonder what it would take to grow accustomed to living with something like that. I mean, it’s fun to sit and watch the vibrations on the top of your beer, but only for so long.

The first you notice that the DNC has arrived is traffic, LOTS of traffic!!! On main thoroughfares, side streets, alleys, everywhere. Blocks and blocks of cars sitting still, which leads to the second way you know that the DNC has arrived – lane closures (only you have to sit in traffic for an hour to discover it). Three lanes going down to one, side streets closed, enitre sections of Interstate closed to traffic. Getting to your favorite bar downtown is more likely to dry a guy out than Betty Ford.

Futuristic Aerobar - Welcome to Miami

Even the rain or the threat of a hurricane won't stop the party on South Beach. DJ Irie and I kicked off the weekend in style at South Beach’s newest hotspot Aerobar. This “Alice in Wonderland meets the Jetsons” sleekly designed venue is the brainchild of Tony Guerra and Philip Boyd. The funky grooves and futuristic atmosphere transport you to a galaxy far far away. DJ Irie invited his closest friends to join him and sip on his favorite Tequila, Partida. The bartenders were serving Partida Margaritas to the hip and trendy crowd as we danced the night away. I highly recommend you check out this latest addition to South Beach. They have definitely upped the ante of the club/lounge scene. Salud - Marita

The Big Easy Fundraiser - Windy City Post

Since Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans is going on as we speak, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to blog about the Post Katrina work we in Chicago have been involved in. The other night I had the pleasure of attending a fundraiser sponsored by the USBG (US Bartender's Guild). Peter Vestinomos, a mixologist from Sepia (Chicago), has been working on a post Katrina based project with the service industry from New Orleans. The downtown business area was one of the hardest hit sectors and they are working to develop a Bartender’s Guild chapter in N.O. to organize and strengthen professional bartenders. Ann, the developer of Tales of the Cocktail, was present along with a few key bartenders from The Big Easy. The event was held at Weeds Tavern which is a historic corner bar from the 60’s here in Chicago. The bar members helped to repair the patio area of Weeds in their agreed sister city bar make-over plan. They painted, nailed and did a little bit of everything, all in order to raise awareness and money to fund the New Orleans BG. Later this year the Chicago bar team will be headed down to the Big Easy to help repair a historic “Nawlins” bar. Weeds looked great with its new face lift and we had a great evening tipping them back. Cheers to everyone for the hard work and dedication to this project and this industry. - Alex