Countdown 'til Tales

New England’s recent sweltering heat wave (complete with humidity that this desert gal is not quite experienced in dealing with) was certainly great preparation for my upcoming descent upon New Orleans, the unofficially official birthplace of the cocktail. The occasion is Tales of the Cocktail, the spirits industry's premier event for bartenders, bloggers, liquor reps, and brand ambassadors, and enthusiasts, among others to gather and celebrate the culture of the cocktail community.

There is still much more to learn upon my arrival from those veterans who have attended Tales before and – more importantly – survived. I’m slightly afraid for the safety of my liver, but as they say: When in NOLA, do as the N’awlins do or, rather, drink as the N'awlins drink. Selena of The Dizzy Fizz did a great write-up of tips from the pros that have conquered this event before, so give it a read. If you have more tips and suggestions, please get in touch!

Anyways, since I can’t imagine any of you would be interested here in tracking my every move at Tales (plus, that’s what Twitter is around for. No stalkers, please.), here’s what I’m most looking forward to during my NOLA adventures. In no particular order:

• The Beefeater Welcome Reception for a truly exciting Tales kickoff filled with Beefeater gin cocktails! It’s Wednesday evening at the Contemporary Arts Center , which looks to be a beautiful facility. I’ll be taking off from the CAC to the Elms Mansion for A Promenade of Jubilation, presented by William Grant & Sons

• Breakfast at THE breakfast establishment, Brennan’s. Oh Banana’s Foster, here I come!

• Celebrating the spirit of Le Paris at a Spirited Luncheon at Antoine’s. I’ll be there to celebrate French food and, of course, cocktails. I’m excited to for the delicious Mandarine Sour cocktail, featuring Mandarine Napoleon, brandy, lemon juice, Angostura, & eggwhite.
  

• And then there’s the Tales Spirited Dinner series. We’re off to Le Meritage to enjoy a great meal with cocktails prepared by Jeffery and Jonathan Pogash.

• You’ll probably catch me bright and early most mornings grabbing a complimentary cup (or two) of Joe at the Kahlúa Coffee Bar, along with a Kahlúa-inspired cocktail from Kaiser Penguin called “Black Paloma”.

• Beignets and Po’boys

• Spending time at the Mixoloseum Bar

• Catching some live music. The Tales After Dark series at Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse has me intrigued, particularly the Brazilian-influenced Chegado.

• Oh, and then there are ALL the seminars! I think I have a good mix of learning opportunities ahead of me surrounding social media (Social Media: Creating Cocktail Legends, Keeping Ahead in an Online World), bartending technique (Rolling out the Red Carpet for Rookies), and just plain ol’ fun (Hollywood Cocktails: Louisiana Style), among others.

• Wednesday is also Steve Raye’s birthday so I’m sure we’ll be hoisting a few glasses to his youth. ;) Join up and celebrate with us!

See you in NOLA!
SJ