Get ready for a wild ride as we toast our way across the cityscapes of New Orleans at the 8th annual Tales of the Cocktail event. Before we begin our Tales Trail, let me say that what Ann Tuennerman has done with Tales of the Cocktail is pure genius…with a heavy slant towards miraculous. Imagine throwing a party in middle of the summer heat in New Orleans…egads.
But what if you threw this kick-ass party celebrating the cocktail? Throw in the frivolity, cocktails, food, air conditioning, and invite sponsors from all over the world. Oh Yeah!!! Just listening to the accents and talking with people across the globe is top on my list.
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Using the New Orleans “Partee” rating scale…TOC comes in a close second behind Mardi Gras. Come see for yourself. Drop by the Monteleone Hotel on Royal Street, walk the lobby, go upstairs and take a stroll through the tasting rooms. Promise you’ll be baaaaack!
I roll down Poydras Street and just minutes from turning into Harrah’s Hotel, Kim Pappas, PR Extraordinaire, shoots me a call with an invite to the Sundance Iconoclast filming “Beyond the Bar.” I check into the hotel, and I’ve got to say I just luvvvvvvv Harrah’s Hotel. Talk about Southern Hospitality, makes me proud to be a Southern gal. Huge room on the 22nd floor, OMG…the view…blue skies, monster ships gliding down the river, tugboats pushing barges, and the vintage ferry carting both cars and pedestrians from New Orleans to Algiers. I didn’t want to leave the room. It was a show by itself. Take a look at the view from my room.
Back to the filming at W Hotel…upstairs inside the second level bar Joaquin Simo was surrounded by a Sundance film crew. Translucent panels soften the light and a wall of Grey Goose bottles fade into the background. Joaquin shares his story on how to engage the personal connection between bartender and customer.
Two cameras stay focused as he demonstrates his change in body language from a rigid shoulder height shake to chest level, slightly rotating the shaker.
“I bring the shaker down to a smoother shake,” says Joaquin lowering his arms to chest level away from the center of his body. “It draws more conversation, includes the customer in the experience.”
Stay tuned as the Sundance Channel and the Untied States Bartenders’ Guild introduce “Beyond the Bar” beginning October 2nd at 9 pm ET/PT. Twelve one-minute documentary shorts will celebrate the voices of bartenders from across North America. The series is presented by Grey Goose. Each piece profiles a bartender with exceptional skills and highlights one of the many roles he or she plays “Beyond the Bar.”
I wandered over to the Monteleone Hotel, official Tales of the Cocktail hotel and homebase for many of the Tales of Cocktail events. Just a walk into the lobby will raise the old energy level. Be sure to stop in and pay tribute to one of the most historic bars in the country, Monteleone's Carousel Bar. Went to the second level and visited my all time favorite bartender, Daniel Victory, was manning the Martini & Rossi cocktail stage, along with two other bartenders. Daniel has some exciting news coming up in the near future. Stay tuned to future blogs.
Wednesday: Harrah’s Hotel and Sundance filming
Back to Harrah’s Hotel for cocktails and appetizers in the 528 bar adjacent to Ruth’s Chris Steak House located off the lobby of the Hotel. “All crab no filler” should be the menu title of their crab cakes with tons of crabmeat and the obligatory spices. Get them in the bar or as an appetizer in the restaurant. And don’t leave without sampling their calamari. Okay I did more than sample, but who could resist the lightly battered jewels with a hint of pepper jelly, goes down so good with their Pinot and Merlot.
Thanks for the wonderful food and conversation with Tara Theriot, and Alex McConduit, both terrific hosts and Alex has convinced me to join the world of twittering. Stay tuned for that!
Wednesday Night: Parties, parties, and more parties
A kick off party at the Contemporary Arts Center started the night off with a circus of characters. I walk in and someone is doing acrobats from long pieces of cloth hanging from wall to wall. Several stations of cocktails and food kept the spirits flowing until our bus ride to the Elms Mansion on St. Charles Avenue.
Probably one of the most iconic New Orleans scenes, a mansion cradled by towering oaks and manicured gardens. As the bus pulled up you could hear a collective “whoa,” although some were a bit more R rated…if you get my drift. A wrought iron fence, garden gazebo, and oak branches glisten against the black night wrapped with tiny clear lights. It was a magic evening, reminiscent of the old south with fireflies dancing across the warm summer night.
The dining room offered a nice selection of cheese and finger foods, while each room featured a bar and mixologists. From scotch and rum to a root beer liquor, Ann did a terrific job in highlighting the New Orleans Garden District.
For a romantic, inexpensive, and safe ride back to your hotel, pass up the cabs and save a couple of bucks and take the streetcar. It rides up and down St. Charles Avenue and at $1.25 a ride, you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving, have a front row seat to one of the most exquisite Avenues in the country, and meet some incredible people along the way.
