Once upon a time, ironically around Prohibition, every star had their own special cocktail (or at least a drink as in the case with the Shirley Temple). Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, Douglas Fairbanks, Marlene Dietrich, Will Rogers, Ginger Rogers, Lupe Valez, even President Roosevelt all were famous for having their own unique conconctions to slug back at the end of the day.
Somewhere in the early '60's all this celebrity swilling seemed to fall out of style - perhaps it was the rise of hippies, but a swell swanky cocktail suddenly seemed very square. We won't get into what the hippies did - that's a completely different subject.
In the 70's and 80's cocktails were noted for their simplicity - Rum and Tonic, Gin and Juice, it was pretty elemental - booze and a mixer to drown out the bite. Anything more than a few rocks and a straw poked into the glass was very uncool - unless you were on a beach in Hawaii, forget about ordering a Pina Colada - if you did you were an "amateur" (I always thought that was an odd term - did it mean professional drunks drink it straight? Is it hip to advertize that you're a professional booze hound? Yet another subject.)
But sometime in the late '90's - well actually right at the moment that Sarah Jessica Parker appeared over Sunset Blvd on a billboard sitting in a giant Cosmopolitan Glass wearing nothing but a laptop - that cocktail trends started to change again.
The Sex and the City Cosmopolitan has been growing and promulgating since. The result - a complicated martini must be made for every event, promotion, and party in order to appear well planned out and special. Creative garnishes that would enthrall Picasso are the name of the game - flowers, trinkets, small nibbles - pile 'em high.
And as home entertaining has become increasingly the trend, all us indie drinkers have been wearing ourselves out the past few years trying to progressively come up with clever cocktail ideas to please our neighbors and loved ones. Enter Liquid Relations - a custom cocktail creation service that I think is truly inspired.
Ryan Magerian who has created fab concoctions for restaurants such as The Penthouse and the Westside Tavern will also help you and your loved ones come up with your own very special drink.
Basically Magerian works with you to discover your favorite liquors and garnishes, movies, colors, music, allergies, and hated flavors. He then creates a one of a kind drink complete with directions and photos.
Liquid Relations also offers a home bar certification program in which you receive 3 days of intensive cocktail and spirit knowledge and technique training, and all the tools you’ll need to offer your friends and family a world class hospitality experience in the comfort of your own home.
That sounds pretty awesome if you ask me!
