Back Down South

Drink This – Sharpie Mustache

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We’re handing the reins to Jamie for this one. A few weeks ago, he spent the night with us in Georgia and late Sunday morning, whipped this up this for me to try. One turned into two turned into a pre-made batch that he bottled up for me to enjoy over the next few days. Here’s his story on his first experience with this cocktail, and of course, the recipe.
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I had an opportunity to attend a class for bartenders in Nashville on bitters. If there is something I obsess over and would love to know more about, it’s bitters. There are two types of bitters – tinctures and potables. Tinctures are what you dash into cocktails (think Angostura, Peychauds) and potables are what you drink (think Fernet, Campari). Both are vital to making incredible cocktails.

The class was being taught at a bar across from the street my house in Nashville (how convenient ) called 308. The most exciting thing was the people teaching the class. We were taught by Sother Teague, head bartender for Amor y Amargo, a cozy bar in the East Village of NYC, and also one of the best bars in the city.

Amor y Amargo is such a fascinating concept. The bar uses no sugar, no shakers, no juice. All drinks are brown, bitter, and stirred. Nothing nonalcoholic besides water. No sugar means no syrups. That coupled with no juices, I can’t fathom how you create an entire bar menu. However they do, and it is incredible.

We got to try a drink during the class called the Sharpie Mustache. There was no act in making the drink, Sother just popped open a beer growler and poured a batch made cocktail onto ice and zested it with an orange peel. I got excited because I LOVE batch making cocktails. The drink was delicious, and the crazy thing was – it was a split based Manhattan. That means the base of the cocktail (or the main spirit component) was mixed up of two different types of spirits. In this case, it was Rye and Gin. Rye and Gin!? That’s amazing!

I loved the drink so much, I went out and bought the rest of the ingredients I didn’t have in my bar already, batch made about 7 cocktails into a 32 oz growler and took it to a party. It was a HUGE hit. I just popped open the bottle, poured it on ice and gave a little orange zest. Boom.

The recipe is very, very simple:

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe, rocks or Nick and Norah glass (pictured above).

OR, if you want to batch make it:

  • Funnel 250ml of Rye, Gin, Bonal, Meletti into a 32oz growler
  • Add 20 dashes tiki bitters
  • Don’t forget to orange zest with each cocktail your pour

Lauren Davis

LoDavis

Photographed in Decatur, GA

Raised in:
Watkinsville, Georgia

Lives in:
Decatur, Georgia

Favorite shop in the South:
I love the Levi’s store because my style has basically become denim on denim + clogs all day everyday. But mostly I thrift! I love Goodwill and I frequent a few local shops in Decatur, like Last Chance Thrift.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Lauren, wife to Dan. She’s got shop on Poshmark called “lo_and_beh0ld” where she sells clothing items from her own closet, as well as some great thrifted pieces.

Dan Davis – Whiskey Weekly

DanDAvisPhotographed in Decatur, GA 

Raised in:
Albuquerque, NM and San Diego, CA

Lives in:
Decatur, Georgia

Favorite place to drink whiskey in Atlanta:
If not in my own home, then at The Pinewood.

Favorite whiskey at the moment:
Basil Hayden’s.

Now would ya look at that:

Meet Dan Davis, the man behind one of my favorite Instagram accounts, Whiskey Weekly. It only seemed appropriate to meet he and his wife for whiskey at the spot of his choice. He chose one of my Decatur favorites, The Pinewood, where we crushed Old Fashioneds and then walked to Raging Burrito to soak ’em up.

Jay Clay Kid

Photographed in Atlanta, GA via iPhone
(the best camera is the one you have with you)

Raised in:
Spartanburg, South Carolina

Lives in:
Nashville, Tennessee

Highlight of your trip to Atlanta (other than visiting us, of course):
My first experience at Johnny’s. I can’t say what happened…but Johnny’s.

Now would ya look at that:
My dude Jamie Clayton before shooting a wedding together. We fueled up at Marcel for his first visit to the Westside then killed time in Brick+Morter (where I snapped this) and Sid’s (where he snagged a belt and I sipped free Buffalo Trace).

Andrew Isabella

Beetlecat 069Photographed in Atlanta, GA

Raised in:
Florida

Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia

Favorite items on your current menu:
Tuna Carpaccio and Moqueca Stew.

Your “Last Meal Ever” request:
Tacos de Lengua; that might be up for debate later in life!

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Andrew Isabella, Executive Chef at BeetleCat.
Full story of Atlanta’s “youthful new seafood joint” on The Love List.

Music Monday – Youth Model

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Photographed in Atlanta, GA at Smith’s Olde Bar
Randy (left), Matt (right)

Randy Borawski – the bearded Yankees fan – is a Columbia, South Carolina music veteran and co-host of WXRY’s Unsigned. When he reached out to me about his band Youth Model, I was about to board a plane back to Atlanta. There are two ways that I love most to listen to an album for the first time: on a long drive, or on a flight. The timing was perfect. I quickly added their six-song EP Open Season to a playlist and hit play as we took off. When I landed, I Tweeted their track “Tried This Time” as Song of the Day, which I still declare my favorite from the EP.

Matt and Randy met through Unsigned, where Randy showcases local, regional and undiscovered talent. “If only all decisions could be made as easily as my decision to accept Matt’s offer to join the band,” Randy says. Matt adds that Randy “accepted on the spot.” The two have consistently been playing shows and laying down tracks ever since.

I had the pleasure of meeting them and snapping some photos in Atlanta at Smith’s Olde Bar last week. We willingly accepted beers (PBR for Matt, something local for Randy) and took advantage of having the place to ourselves.

Stream: “Tried This Time”

Tried This Time

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Raised in:
Randy: Marcy, New York
Matt: Columbia, South Carolina

Lives in:
Randy: Columbia, South Carolina
Matt: Charleston, South Carolina

Where does the name ‘Youth Model’ come from:
Matt: I was shooting guns with a friend when a buddy showed up with a youth model shotgun. I thought it was funny watching a grown man shoot a small gun, but it felt so comfortable because that’s what he learned to shoot with as a kid. Later it occurred to me that ‘this is just like my songwriting, I’m going back in time to place where music was fresh and a brand new experience with each song’ hence the name, Youth Model takes us back there.

Describe your music in 5 words or less:
Matt: Self-loathing infused power pop.
Randy: Indie rock for the masses.

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Highlight from your night at Smith’s:
Randy: We played to a new (and larger audience) that enjoyed our set, larger than the last time we played there.

Last record you purchased:
Matt: Nirvana’s Nevermind. This record is flawless, start to finish.
Randy: All Over the World: The Very Best of ELO.

Writer you most admire:
Matt: Jeff Tweedy from Wilco.
Randy: Justin Currie from Del Amitri.

Listen to Youth Model.
iTunes | Spotify

Play Hookie

Some Mondays call for playin’ hookie. Don’t tell my boss.

Get your own Play Hookie sweatshirt from Blu Kicks.
More goodness with this brand coming very soon!

Henley Bond

Our experience with “made to measure” e-commerce companies have been very mixed, which hasn’t surprised us. We aren’t tailors, so YouTube videos teaching how to measure for the perfect fit can still be a struggle to know if we’re executing properly. The majority of the time, we failed. The shirt arrives, and Mark’s sleeves are still too long for him, the neck a bit too tight, the quality very disappointing.

Enter Henley Bond.

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Individually crafted by hand in Philadelphia, this recently launched company claims to offer “clothing online without sacrificing quality.” I proceeded as a skeptic. We went through the routine: pick the style, take the measurements, fill ’em out, send it in, wait and assume you’ll be receiving a shirt that’s not perfect but good enough. To our surprise, four weeks later Mark’s shirt is delivered and…it’s perfect. The quality exceeds our expectations and the fit, in Mark’s words, “is a dream.”

Michael J. Beaumont, founder of Henley Bond, was born in Blackburn, UK and raised in Manchester. He’s since lived in Toronto and now calls Philadelphia home. Michael seeks to bring a better, more personalized fit than ready-wear clothing can offer. Below, a short interview with the man himself. Don’t miss his gift to y’all at the bottom!
 
Describe Henley Bond in 5 words or less:
Old-world craftsmanship, modern style.
 
How do y’all stand out from other “Made to Measure” companies:
We were tailors first, our team have been making bespoke clothing for years, both here and in the birthplace of the craft, the UK. We have everything from bespoke shoes to knitwear in our repertoire, some of which will be coming in early 2016. With our shirts, we take a massive amount of pride in our craft, we make everything in the US and do things the way they’ve always been done: by hand. From pattern cutting to pressing, the human touch makes a big difference in our opinion. 
 
Southern destination you’d most like to visit:
New Orleans, it’s been on my list for a good few years now. I had a trip booked back in 2008, but unfortunately it was for the same week Hurricane Ike hit and we had to cancel. I have spent time in Memphis and Nashville though; the music, food and atmosphere in both were incredible!
 
Currently listening to:
A lot of early jazz of late too, a little Etta James and Lou Reed are great while designing.
 
Favorite shirt currently available:
Our white, green & navy gingham. The cloth is beautiful, the details are subtle and it pairs well with everything.

henleybondPhotographed in Austin, TX in Allens Boots

I can’t offer you the heavenly smell of being surrounded by cowboy boot leather heaven like Mark is, but I can offer you a 15% discount on your first Henley Bond shirt! Use code BDSHB2016. The offer is good from now until the end of February. Thanks, Michael!

Music Monday – Matt Wertz

Wertz 001Photographed in Jasper, GA

Back in September when Matt was featured, I mentioned I’d be back to share his – well, to quote myself – rad stuff. So here I am, fulfilling my promise along with an interview with Mr. Wertz. Last week he released a remix of “Somebody New” from his 2010 EP While We’re Becoming, available on NoiseTrade. Simply put, it’s an exciting foreshadowing of what’s to come from him.

Stream: “Somebody New” (Leagues Remix)
Somebody New (Remix)

This new sound has changed so much since your first record, which I first heard when I was 15. We’re digging it a lot. What’s the main desire and drive for the new sound? What do we have to look forward to?
Thanks so much! It’s always a bit nerve-wracking to put out new music, especially when what you’re putting out there is such a departure from what people are accustomed to hearing from you. The biggest thing for me with this, and all the upcoming releases, is that I connect with it. My musical palate is ever-changing and I wanted to make sure whatever music I put out reflected where my tastes are currently. I wanted to make sure I was creating music I would want to listen to. Mission Accomplished.

What you liked most about working with LEAGUES on this remix:
It was super fun working with Jeremy Lutito and Thad Cockrell. I’ve known them both for a long time, and Thad and I had originally written “Somebody New” back in 2009. Both Thad and I had a feeling that song could be bigger (sounding) and it just made sense to bring Jeremy into the process because I’m really aligning with where he is musically right now. They are both super talented, and it was a blast to get to see what would happen when they got their hands on one of my songs. It’s like painting with new color or something.

The last movie you watched:
Alive Inside. It’s a beautiful documentary talking about the effect music has on Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients. When they are given an iPod playing music from their youth, it literally makes them come alive again. It’s just such and affirmation of the power music has.

Currently reading:
I’ve been reading Into the Wild by Krakauer, and just started chipping away at A General Theory of Love by a bunch of people MUCH smarter than me. Wish me luck…
If you had one last dance to dance, what song would you put on:
“Billy Jean,” all day long. Billy Jean, often imitated, never duplicated.Listen to Matt!
iTunes | Spotify | NoiseTrade, where you can grab the “Somebody New” remix.

Drink This – Benjamin Barker Daiquiri

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The Drink: The snow has long since melted, but it was fun while it lasted. Snow in the South just makes me jump up and down like a little kid, which I literally did. And instead of hot chocolate, I made some daiquiris! This was my way of saying to winter “look, it’s not you, it’s me, you’re welcome right now but please don’t stay for too long.” So as Jimmy Buffett played, I cracked open the Death & Co’s cocktail book (a must buy) and turned to the Daiquiri Variations pages. I settled the Benjamin Barker Daiquiri, created by Brian Miller, esteemed barman of New York’s Death & Co.

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain to coupe, warm up your bones with beachy cocktail vibes!

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