Month: June 2021 (Page 2 of 3)

Yardbird

June 15, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

There are moments that touch your heart. You never know when they are going to come, when something is going to slip through our carefully constructed armor to find home. I am often struck by poetry. The way you can read a few lines and be forever changed by their message. I remember having to memorize Longfellow’s “The Tide Rises and the Tide Falls” in school. How those few simple words on a page encapsulated the permanence of nature and our short journey through it. How wonderful to be so fleeting. A moment in time, never to exist again. I kind of love that. How our true beauty as individuals and a species lies in the fact that we are both ephemeral and eternal. Not only that, but we are acutely aware of how small our place in the grand scheme of things may be, how we strut and fret our poor hour upon the stage, knowing that we are only a moment in the larger story of humankind. Yet we strive to make things better, to take the music further, if just for a little while. So, with that in mind, won’t you please join me as we stand and make, the Yardbird.

Leche de Pantera

June 14, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Over the weekend, we passed a pleasant afternoon with friends reminiscing about great days of travel. It was a blast reliving moments on the road and hearing their stories of those amazing little bars or restaurants they stumbled across, the things they saw and, most importantly, the people they met. It seems like every adventure shared a common theme, whenever things got off track, when they left the prescribed schedule or plan, that is when the best stories occur. That has certainly been our experience. Every trip has its own special memories and the more we talked, the more nearly forgotten details came back to us. It was in the middle of an entirely different story that we remembered sampling a staple of the Barcelona drinking scene, a drink so ubiquitous that you don’t even have to find a bar to enjoy it. So, won’t you please join me now as we stand and make Leche de Pantera, the historic, Panther’s Milk.

The Eternal Optimist

June 11, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

I’ve got to admit, I don’t have high hopes for this one. Funny that I would approach this drink with such pessimism. It must be my natural contrarian streak. I like to think of myself as a pragmatist, which, to be fair, often presents as pessimism. I tend to approach things first from a “what obstacles are in our way” viewpoint. Which is also ironic, don’t you think? You see, I am also, paradoxically, usually the one out front trying to get people excited. Reminding them that we can do anything we set our minds to, if we only believe in ourselves and each other. What can I say? It’s complicated being me, just like it is complicated being you. That’s alright, as Walt Whitman said, “Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes.” So, in the spirit of keeping your chin up even when you know you are going to fail, won’t you join me now as we stand and make The Eternal Optimist.

Earl Grey Sour

June 10, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

You never know how things are going to turn out. That’s just the truth. No matter how much you learn and analyze, there is just no accounting for that element of chance. That’s why we play the game, as they say. Last night, my son’s baseball team went from worst to first as they beat the number one seed in the first round of the championship. No one saw that coming, well, no one except a group of boys who believed in themselves. Tonight, they advance in the winner’s bracket, two games from winning it all. Maybe they will win, maybe they will lose, maybe it will rain. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it was nice to see the world turned upside down as the sun shined on them for a moment. I like that. I’m a big fan of unexpected wins. So, tonight we honor those who take a chance, and go against the odds as we stand and make the Earl Grey Sour.

Parasol

June 9, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

Summer is definitely here. It is stifling outside, when it is not raining, so the humidity is through the roof. This is just the kind of day that Mr. Carrier was thinking about when he decided we needed to get this air into some kind of condition. It seems like it is all rain showers followed by moments of intense sunshine. Pretty sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere, but it is obscured by the steam rising from the pavement. The point is, this is the kind of day when you need some shelter and something to help keep you cool, so why not have both, as we stand and make the Parasol.

Bela Lugosi

June 8, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

There are times in life when you do everything right, but still come up short. It happens. Even when you make every possible effort and don’t miss a trick, the world just doesn’t line up for you. It’s all about the effort. That’s why we teach kids to always do their best, fully aware that sometimes your best simply isn’t good enough to overcome the obstacles life has placed in your way. That’s the way the world works and that is ok. I am reminded of that tonight and a fellow who was among the best at what he did. A man so good at his job that he ended up typecast, trapped in a role he could not escape even as the world changed and left him behind. So, in honor of doing one thing and doing it well, won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Bela Lugosi.

Love in the South Pacific

June 7, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

In olden times, heroes walked the earth. These pioneers helped map the digital horizon, measuring the bandheight as they defended Pandora’s Letterbox against the forces of the L33t H4x0rz. Though their exploits are well-documented in the early annals of the vodcast, precious few tangible relics remain. Glasses signifying membership in the Royal League of Bunnies are found from time to time, purple and green Charooba mugs are spoken of in hushed whispers and some say they have actually seen RobotBox shooters and the Drinkbot decanter, but those claims are suspect, at best. So, in the spirit of the ones who came before, won’t you join me now as we stand and make Tiki Bar TV’s “Love in the South Pacific”.

Cynar Sour

June 4, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

It’s all about experimentation. Trying new things, finding out what works and what doesn’t, making sure your results are reproducible. This week I saw the scientific method described as “fuck around and find out”. I can’t argue with that. So let’s get in the garden and contemplate artichokes as we fuck around with the Cynar Sour.

The Queen’s Steeple

June 3, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 1 Comment

I am always on the lookout for new things and one of the most enjoyable aspects of “Cocktails from Quarantine” has been the excuse, I mean opportunity, to try lots of different alcohols. This week I stumbled across a bottle I have been looking for and immediately snatched it up, with the intent of exploring it’s charms and then sharing them with you, gentle reader. So, remembering that education is never a waste, won’t you join me now as we stand and make The Queen’s Steeple.

The Sawyer

June 2, 2021 / Monkeybrad / 0 Comments

I bought some new tins and I am still trying to decide if I really like them or not, so I’ve got the feeling we are in for some shaken drinks over the next few days. Which is lucky, because I prefer to shaking to stirring or building or, heaven forbid, blending. There is just something about it. The sound of those tins crashing together as the ice sloshes back and forth mixing up the flavors and textures we all love. The feel of the ice forming on the outside. The heft of them in your hands and the new ones have definitely got heft. So in the spirit of getting to play with new toys, won’t you join me now as we make the bitter, but lovely, Sawyer.