on: the top three albums of 2013

fka twigs
ep2

early tricky.  maxinquaye.  and the first time you heard martina topley bird...

this is that all over again.





jenny hval
innocence is kinky

remember the girl next door?  remember the first time you glimpsed that perhaps -- just perhaps -- she was no longer simply that girl.  this is the audiation.

run the jewels
run the jewels

and while so many others had a certain other hip hop offering atop their lists.  here.  no.  not here.

here, the bump is preferred to the shock.

on: champagne cocktails

post pop. beyond the flute.  here are three offerings -- plus one come a.m..

airmail

1.5 oz. añejo rum

3/4 oz.  fresh lime juice

1 oz. honey syrup (1 part honey to 1 part water)

1 oz. prosecco

shake rum, lime juice and honey syrup over cracked ice.  strain into a coupe glass.  top with prosecco.  garnish with mint leaf (dragged through angostura bitters).

french 75

1.5 oz british gin
1.5 tsp superfine sugar
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 dashes absinthe
3 oz. chilled champagne

shake gin, absinthe, sugar and lemon juice over cracked ice.  strain into a highball glass half full of cracked ice.  top with champagne.  garnish with lemon twist.

old cuban

6 mint leaves
1 oz. simple syrup
3/4 oz.  fresh lime juice

1.5 oz. havana club añejo especial rum

2 dashes angostura bitters

2 oz. chilled champagne

in a cocktail shaker, place mint, simple syrup, and lime juice.  gently bruise mint with a wooden muddler.  add rum and bitters.  fill shaker with ice and shake.  top with champagne.  garnish with mint leaf.

and while not necessarily an evening cocktail, a proper mimosa come the a.m. is always appreciated.  the key is one part good orange juice to two parts even better champagne.  champagne first.  orange juice next.  finish with a splash of grand marnier.

oh.  and my champagne of choice:  veuve clicquot.

always veuve clicquot.

the third bear

on.

still.

always.


and never, ever again.



welcome.