Kurt Vonnegut was right, be careful who you pretend to be
They seemed awkward from the start. It was as if they didn’t know how to act, where to stand or even what to say. They seemed…
People may change, but the human situations doesn’t
It was another new face. They come and go all the time. Bars are peculiar animals. The names and the faces change, but the behaviors don’t.…
Barfly Podcast S05 E08
guest: Scott Jampol, founder Sausalito Liquor Company Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/169913/13790168
There is no better metaphor for Italian cocktails, than the fate of the Negroni origin bar
Right before I left for Italy, a reader sent me a note: “Please teach them how to make a Negroni.” I thought it was a joke,…
The Spritz isn’t new, but it’s a phenomenon
If you make it to Italy this year, be sure to take a look around for the Aperol Spritz. It will certainly be easy to find.…
When in Italy, do as the Italians do
“We miss the Americans” said the middle-aged Italian shop keeper in Portofino, shaking her head disapprovingly. It took me a minute to understand that she had…
Tending bar is more than making drinks
The business class lounge at SFO wasn’t exactly buzzing with activity. But having flown budget airlines, red eyes and commuter flights my whole life, this was…
How Backstage Wines, founded by a Marin native, came to be
Angelo Pera graduated from business school in 1993. His family went out to dinner in San Francisco to celebrate. As a special memento of that evening,…
Margaritaville might not have happened without Mill Valley
I heard the news going into work on Labor Day weekend — Jimmy Buffett had died. I’ve never purchased any of his work, yet despite that,…
If everyone else is problematic, perhaps they are not the problem
It was 7 p.m. on a Friday. The regular crowd had already arrived. Restaurants are the bell curve personified, from nothing to everything and then back,…