Bar Hack: Uruk-Hai
Saruman’s fighting Uruk-Hai. Berserkers. A larger, stronger, more intelligent species of hybrid ork with no weakness, for they could exist the sunlight unlike their brethren who shied away from the day. In the Peter Jackson movie they’re magical and spawned in these weird, slimy mud cocoons. Their true origin, however, in the Lord of the…
Recent photos
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New Cocktail: Peachy Keen 2024
Yeah yeah. The most used name of all time for a peach cocktail. Whatever. We’ve been doing this annually and each year bring the smoke with a different variation. I did try to think of something else, a different name but…Why? Cocktail names are annoying enough to come up with and people order this one…
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New Cocktail: Apro Quaffer
We all love an apricot, right? They work well in drinks but they’re the red headed step child of the stone fruits. In my youth I ate them dried and my sister and I would pretend they were the ears of our vanquished enemies. Hey, there wasn’t a whole lot to do in Vermont with…
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Through the Looking Glass
An entire lifetime ago I drew up a pretty goddam great version of the Jabberwock in black and white ink, framed it, and gave it to a girl I loved as a birthday present. It was a cool time in life. Her dad was a famous Italian chef from Naples who owned this big place…
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New Cocktail: Lionheart
I’m still on paternity leave. Massive sleep dep and being at the whim of not one, but two children now if you don’t count the dog. One small and sweet with a need to be fed every two hours or so and the other, a three year old toddler who just wants to play with…
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Restaurant Review: Trejo’s Tacos
If you don’t know who this guy is you’ve probably never seen a Robert Rodriguez movie, or Heat, the greatest cops and robbers flick of all time. Here in the heart of L.A. you can throw a rock and hit a Trejo’s Tacos or one of his other culinary endeavors such as Trejo’s Donuts or…
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New Cocktail: Sitting Duck
Another entry from the great and powerful Angel Martinez. This one comes off the heels of the quickly waning citrus season and the reappearance of the ever volatile, mercurial passionfruit which crops up whenever it chooses to…Sort of like an alcoholic ex lover whatever who calls you on the phone to pull on your heart…
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New Cocktail: Ballpark Hero
I’m on leave for six weeks and in my absence, the young squire of the Rustic Bar Program, Angel, has taken over. To be honest, I find it amazing he’s so good at what he does at his age, my first bartending gig was at the age of 31 and I didn’t know shit from…
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New Cocktail: Stella Maris
Stella Maris, latin for “Star of the sea,” is a religious reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus. I’ll stop you right here for a second. Don’t worry, I haven’t gone over to that side. I just like the name. I’m not religious by any means, nor am I an atheist. I’m more of a…
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Movie Review: Road House (2024)
If I had to define “camp” it would be something so bad, its good…But in a bad, eh, no, terrible sort of groaning way where you’re happy but annoyed at yourself for enjoying something so low brow with such horrendous…Well, everything…I hope that makes some sense to you as its one of those holy things…
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New Cocktail: Weapon X
We came up with this one last year but it never made it to the menu due to an egg white being in it. Yeah, I’m old and my excuse is it’s a bit hokey at this point and no bartender actually wants to do all that shaking…Its pretty annoying…But the punters really love an…
The Aging Bartender 