RuPaul, World Of Wonder Get ‘Dry and Dirty’ this January with HOUSEOFLOVE Premium Canned Mocktails and Cocktails
World Of Wonder and RuPaul Unveil New HOUSEOFLOVE Premium Canned Mocktails AND Cocktails for a ‘Dry and Dirty’ January
World of Wonder and RuPaul, the multiple Emmy-award winning team behind the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” global franchise, are serving up three new flavor additions to the HOUSEOFLOVE premium canned cocktail and mocktail line.
Inspired by RuPaul’s culture-shaping “Drag Race” franchise
Inspired by the culture-shaping “Drag Race” franchise, the new HOUSEOFLOVE cocktails and mocktails are launching this month, January 2024, just in time for Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The new flavors include two low ABV, 100 cal selections alongside a 0% ABV mocktail to serve the growing demands driven by Gen Z and millennial consumers. The non-alcoholic sector is expected to grow to $30 billion in 2025, according to Global Market Insights.
In true Drag form, the brand is debuting its beverages with a “dry and dirty campaign,” bringing irreverence into the wellness trend with a line up of mouthwatering new flavors.
Vodka Soda Citrus
Vodka Soda Citrus: This perfect vodka soda, bursting with citrusy goodness, is made with premium vodka, lime juice, and natural flavors. (100 cal, 4% ABV)
Passion Fruit Margarita
Passion Fruit Margarita: Made with Authentic Tequila and natural Passion Fruit flavor, this margarita pairs well with tropical vacations, forgetting your ex-boyfriend, and nights out with your best Judys. (100 cal, 4% ABV)
Totally Tropical Mocktail
Totally Tropical Mocktail: This tropical mocktail, featuring natural guava, passion fruit, and citrus flavors, is the one – totally. Best paired with valley girl energy and long walks on the beach. Ru’s new HOUSEOFLOVE fav!
“We are pleased as punch to provide even more delicious offerings from the HOUSEOFLOVE!…”
“…After selling out the product at DragCon LA, we wanted to meet the demand for both mocktails and lower-calorie options. HOUSEOFLOVE pairs best with season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race – cheers!” said World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.
Built on the cult following of the brand, HOUSEOFLOVE will be debuting and sampling flavors at RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties and bars across NY, NJ, LA, Chicago, Vegas, and available for purchase at local retailers.
HOUSEOFLOVE cocktails and mocktails are available for purchase in fine liquor stores in major markets across the US, and direct to consumer at houseoflovecocktails.com.
About World of Wonder
World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 30 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul’s Drag Race and DragCon.
WOW’s pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety’s Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter’s Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted.
Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen’s Global 100 list, Banff’s Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.
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LA Shorts: Filmmaker Erin Gavin Brings Twists, Turns and Deep Love to Video Games with “Gaming For Love” — See it July 22
LA Shorts: Filmmaker Erin Gavin explores Love and Video Games with “Gaming For Love” — See it July 22
“Gaming for Love” is a poignant narrative inspired by true events which follows the journey of Maisie, a young girl battling cancer, as she finds solace and strength in the world of online gaming.
“Gaming For Love” screens at LA Shorts Monday July 22.
Erin Gavin’s career has spanned over motion pictures, television series, theatrical
productions, print and live-action commercials.
Erin’s other film credits include “Dread”, “The Last Investigation”, “Junk,” and most recently played the Iconic star Marilyn Monroe in a hit stage production.
Erin signed with Serdica Record (Classical contemporary) label and her first song ‘I’m through with love’ has been a global success.
![Erin Gavin Filmmaker](https://dailyovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-22-at-8.39.28%E2%80%AFAM-754x1024.png)
“Gaming for Love” Filmmaker Erin Gavin
Through themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of human connection, “Gaming for Love” beautifully illustrates the profound influence of gaming in Maisie’s life and the bonds forged beyond the confines of the digital realm.
Today’s conversation with Erin Gavin from “Gaming For Love” has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Joe Winger:
We are back today with Erin Gavin, the writer, producer, and director of short film Gaming for Love. Erin, thanks for joining us today.
Erin Gavin:
Thanks for having me. This is brilliant, Joe. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Joe Winger:
My pleasure. I’m looking forward to learning more about you and sharing your message with the audience today.
You direct, you produced, you wrote this; and it’s a very powerful short film Gaming for Love. What’s the most important message you want to share with our audience today?
Erin Gavin:
So for me, the reason I wanted to tell this story is because it’s loosely based on true events. I felt this wave of emotion come over me when I was reading this article and I thought, what an amazing, powerful real loving story.
I just felt compelled to tell it.
From that thought to where we are today feels absolutely incredible. So I’m very grateful.
Joe Winger:
You’ve done a lot of prolific work, both in front of the camera and behind the camera. On stage, on screen, with music.
What inspired you to choose this project next for you?
Erin Gavin:
Other filmmakers will probably relate to this. But it just felt right. There was no part of me that was hesitant not tell this story. Every part of me just said that’s it. This is the story. This is what I’m doing. It’s happening. That was really it. There was no ifs, and’s, but’s, maybe’s about it.
Joe Winger:
That’s very courageous. We often hear so much glamour about Hollywood. But behind the scenes, the production itself isn’t always so easy.
So without giving away any plots or any spoilers, what was one of the biggest challenges of your production? And how did you solve that challenge?
Erin Gavin:
One was the budget.
So in order to make a movie, as we know, we need money. So I literally I thought, I need to ask for help here, which is something I’m not very good at doing in terms of asking people to put together a GoFundMe and let’s do this.
That was a challenge for me to swallow my pride and be like I need to help.
It was amazing how many people came together and just wanted to help. It honestly made me well up and just feel so appreciative of everybody and everyone’s support.
The other challenge was to get crew together. So I was really lucky. I partnered with a company called Up Next studios.
We had a lot of help. People were just coming on board and helping, but naturally, sometimes people fall off and then you have to get somebody else in. That can be challenging in the final days, when someone drops out two days, I didn’t have too much of that, but it worked out in the end and who was meant to be on the movie was on the movie.
Joe Winger:
That’s a great way of thinking about it. Just to detail that out a little bit more, where, location-wise, where on the globe were you shooting?
Erin Gavin:
It was all shot in Scotland. I wrote it the second week in January, and we had the first cut by end of February.
So it was really rushed, really quick and really intense. We had to find locations really quick and we had to really narrow down those locations. I was in Scotland, so it made sense to just let’s roll. I was really lucky with the locations. I had friends just pull in together and be like, You can shoot here.”
So it all worked out really well.
Joe Winger:
How many days of production?
Erin Gavin:
Three days.
Joe Winger:
Three days in Scotland. You shot about a month and a half after you wrote it, is that more or less right?
Erin Gavin:
After I wrote it, I had about 3-4 weeks to pull all the crew together, locations together, everything together.
It was intense.
Then three days of shooting and then editing. Obviously the final cuts and then putting the music together.
But I’m really thankful for the team. Without the team, this would not be possible, and everybody’s support, it wouldn’t be possible.
Joe Winger:
Just going a little deeper on what you just said a second ago, two things to think about.
Number one, a lot of the people that are watching this interview right now have never been on a production set. The closest they’ve been is the movie theater.
Second thing is how many people out there, they’ve written something. But they may not have the courage or the audacity to actually get out there and shoot it, or as you brought up, to go out there and raise money because it costs money to do these things.
Do you have any advice or inspiration for someone out there who wants to be doing what you just accomplished, and they’re scared, hesitant, or nervously excited?
Erin Gavin:
I think you have to be very vulnerable. You have to put ego aside and let people read your script, polish it, get advice on it, make sure it’s as solid as it can be.
That’s hard to do when you pour your heart into this piece and you obviously this piece of paper has everything that you’ve just poured out onto it.
Then to give that [heartfelt script] to someone to be super critical is really hard, but that’s the first step and make sure it’s as good as it can be.
I would say community is key.
So perhaps maybe look at how you can narrow it down budget wise. So that’s your locations. Everything that costs money. And ask for help. Build that community. G to your local drama schools, go to your local film schools.
People want to film. People in the creative world, they want to be doing something.
So people do want to help. That’s what I would say, [at] home and in your community, ask for help, get the script solid. That would be the first two key things to be doing.
Joe Winger:
Good advice.
The title Gaming for Love, gaming is a big theme of the story.
I’d love to believe everybody in the world knows what gaming means. But just in case, can you tell us what gaming means?
What message do you hope the gaming community receives when they see the short film?
Erin Gavin:
We’re talking about computer gaming and [my short film] doesn’t shine it in a negative light.
I actually spoke to somebody last night who’s in the gaming world, for all the major companies and does computer programming in terms of the creative side of things. He said, they would love this story because it shows that this can help people in certain ways. It also has a community to it as well. Like most things in life have some negatives and some positives and everybody has their own opinion, right?
But for this shines it in a light that is true in terms of belonging to this story and how it helps someone.
Joe Winger:
That’s beautiful.
Erin Gavin:
Yeah, certainly this one has a twist at the end.
So I hope the viewers get to watch it and they’ll see exactly what I mean.
I also created a song about gaming which is also very true. A lot of gamers who have heard the song [feel] it’s so relatable.
Joe Winger:
Let’s talk about the cast. The performances are subtle and thoughtful and deep. I was surprised how much I was feeling in such a short period of time.
How did you find your cast? Any favorite moment that really stands out with you?
Erin Gavin:
I love that you felt that. We were really lucky because we just gelled and it made sense and it worked and not a lot of movies have that luck.
I reached out to a Gent who owns a theater school in Scotland. I said I need a young girl for one of the leads.
He happened to also have a Gent who teaches at the school who would’ve been the perfect, and he’d also been in like big shows like Outlander and whatnot.
So I thought, okay, he can act. I checked him out. He’s good. And she was great. And that all came from a gent called Rhys Donnelly who helped me with the casting. And also I reached out to a friend of mine who plays one of the other parts. Who I know is a great actor, Paul Donnelly, and he’s been in Outlander and a bunch of stuff.
So it, again, it was just a community aspect. It’s Oh, who knows who, and who can, how can I connect this and make this all work? And that’s how it happened.
Joe Winger:
What I love about what you just said is we are talking about the plot and the story and the gaming community earlier. You’re talking about the community behind the scenes of production.
I feel like whether it’s deliberate or not. You just found all these different communities to work together to highlight other communities, really a community effort in front of the scene, behind the scenes, in the story, all over the place.
Joe Winger:
Our audience knows we talk usually with chefs and winemakers and mixologists.
We’re talking about food and drink and travel. This topic is a little bit not what we usually talk about, but if you don’t mind, can we talk about food and flavor for a minute with you? Is that okay?
Erin Gavin:
Sure. All right.
Joe Winger:
You probably eat very healthy is my guess, but I could be wrong.
But when you’re indulgent, When you’re looking for flavor. What’s your favorite or what’s it? What’s a good guilty pleasure for you or what’s one of your favorite food and drink pairings?
Erin Gavin:
Being from Scotland, right? I was, Oh, have you tried haggis? Yeah, of course I tried haggis, but haggis is Most things in life, if it’s made well and it’s done it’s really good.
But it can also be the opposite, but I have to say, I do actually love haggis. But now I don’t really eat meat so much. But they do a really good like vegetarian option these days. So when I’m home, especially around Christmas time that would be my sort of go to but to pair with it, I’m going to be really sad here.
I like to drink milk with it. Most people like, yeah, this wine from this region. I’m like, nope, just milk. But but that’s when I go to at home. So when I’m in LA I actually, we like in LA, we have the best sushi. most extending sushi [00:13:00] restaurants. So sushi would be my go to when I’m in LA and definitely sake.
Joe Winger:
What’s the taste profile of haggis? What’s what’s it similar to?
What’s the aroma? What are we tasting? Will you take a bite?
Erin Gavin:
There’s another drink in Scotland. Sometimes I like to have Irn Bru with haggis. It sounds disgusting to a lot of people, but I like it. So it’s just like Irn Bro and haggis.
It’s an acquired taste.
Joe Winger:
Erin, what’s the best way to follow you and learn more about the short film, whether it’s a website, social media, something else, what’s the best way to follow your film festival journey and just what you’re up to with you yourself.
Erin Gavin:
Erin Gavin:
Oh, I appreciate that. On most of the social medias Erin Gavin Artist, like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, TikTok.
Gaming For Love has its own pages on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s screening 22nd of July at 1pm at LA Shorts in Los Angeles.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Zoe Saldana, Thomasin McKenzie: Annual Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival celebrates their 20th anniversary
Zoe Saldana, Thomasin McKenzie, Jamie Lee Curtis: Annual Oscar-Qualifying® HollyShorts Film Festival celebrates their 20th anniversary
The Oscar® Qualifying HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL returns for its much-anticipated 20th edition from August 8-18, 2024.
From over 6000 entries, over 400 films form this year’s anniversary program.
This Friday, July 12, HollyShorts will share the entire 2024 selection on YouTube.
Last year, the Academy® granted the festival their 4th OSCAR®-qualifying award for Documentary Short Film, this accolade joined their other three top awards, Best Short Film Grand Prize, Best Short Animation and Best Short Live Action. The winners of these awards will be eligible for consideration for a 2025 Academy® Award.
HollyShorts has also launched an inaugural Sports category with NBA Champion, Metta World Peace as the head judge, he is also a producer of a film to be premiered on opening night called, “With Love Charlie”. The festival’s sports category is led by producer Jessica Badawi and will include work from former NBA player and champion Matt Barnes premiering his documentary “Black Mark”, an episode from the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks series “The Sound of the Seahawks”, “The Syd & TP Show” with WNBA stars Theresa Plaisance and Sydney Colson, the show is produced exclusively by TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company founded by four of the world’s greatest athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Sim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bidr. Also joining this new category will be Red Bull Media House’s “Life of Kai” featuring ESPY award winner Kai Lenny and “Race and Surf” from Selema Masakela, NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies “Marc Gasol: Memphis Made”, “ESPN 30 for 30” and two documentaries from the Italian powerhouse soccer team AC Milan including “Roots-Bennacer”.
Some of the documentary short films selected for the 20th edition include “Alok” directed by Alex Hedison and executive produced by Jodie Foster, “The Final Copy of Ilon Specht” directed by two-time Academy® Award winner Ben Proudfoot, Benjamin Alfonsi’s “Whitney Houston in Focus”, John Beder’s “How to Sue the Klan” and “XCLD: The Story of Cancel Culture” directed by Ferne Pearlstein and produced by Trevor Noah.
The star-studded live-action short film entries include “How Can I Help You” directed by Eliza Scanlen and starring Thomasin McKenzie, Marco Perego’s “Dovecote” with Zoe Saldana, “Dammi” starring Riz Ahmed and Isabelle Adjani, Ken Cheng’s “Summons” starring Jimmy O. Yang and Alexandra Shipp, “Midnight” from legendary Japanese director Takashi Miike, Louisa Connolly-Burnham’s “Sister Wives” featuring BAFTA Rising Star Award winner Mia McKenna-Bruce, “Hearts of Stone” with Noomi Rapace and Jessica Barden, “French” directed by Dylan Joseph and produced by OSCAR® nominee Kobi Mizrahi, “Vlog” starring and directed by Yvonne Strahovski in her directorial debut, “Edge of Space” directed by OSCAR® nominee Jean de Meuron, Russell Goldman’s “Burn Out” produced by Academy® Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis, “Fall Risk” featuring Victoria Pedretti, directed by Alex Martini, and produced by Bella Thorne, and Jim Cummings’ “Pretty Sad”, Yasmin Afifi’s BAFTA winning JELLYFISH AND LOBSTER and Tom Stuart’s GOOD BOY starring Ben Whishaw also join this fantastic lineup.
Among the animated short film entries are Nadia Hallgren and Jamie-James Medina’s “The Brown Dog” with voice performances by Steve Buscemi and the late Michael K. Williams, Paul Shammasian’s “An Angel on Oxford Street” narrated by Christopher Eccleston, “Play Again” directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Zen Pace, voiced by Benjamin Bratt and Eric Briche’s “Volcelest”.
Notable music videos include Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!” and Nikki Lorenzo’s “Lista, directed by Bianca Poletti and starring Academy® Award nominee John Hawkes.
Additional noteworthy selections include Bella Thorne’s “Unsettled” featuring Chris Zylka, Eli Newman’s “Concrete” starring Ed Harris and Sophia Ali, Mackenzie Davis’ directorial debut “Woaca”, “If Not Now, When?” starring Kate Dickie, Hanna Gray Organschi’s “Merci, Poppy” with Victoria Pedretti, Danielle Baynes’ “The Dog” starring Kate Walsh, Francesca Scorsese’s “Fish Out of Water”, Richie Keen’s “The Grievance” with Rosie O’Donnell and Kevin Pollack, Mika Simmons’ “My Week with Maisy” starring Joanna Lumley, Annie Girard’s “One in the Chamber” starring Wilson Bethel, Hector Prats’ “Heaven is Nobody’s” starring Roger Guenveur Smith, Michael Perez-Lindsey’s “Will I See You Again?” featuring Richard Lawson, Blake Winston Rice’s “Tea”, co-directors Brit Crawshaw and Josh Hayward’s “Female Captive” starring Pauline Chalamet, Academy Award winner’s Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton’s Slick Films selected shorts include Rhys Chapman’s “Ryan Can’t Read” and Elizabeth Peace’s “The Golden Boy”, Benjamin Verrall’s “Shouting at the Sea” starring Harry Michell, Maia Scalia’s “His Mother”, Ethan Kuperberg’s “Paper Towels” starring Josh Brener, and “Swollen” directed by Roxy Sorkin.
HollyShorts is devoted to showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe, advancing the careers of filmmakers through screenings, networking events, and various panels and forums. The festival showcases the top short films produced in 40 minutes or less.
To view the full list of official selections visit http://www.hollyshorts.com
This year’s hybrid celebration of short films will take place in person, with screenings at the world-renowned TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and virtually through the official festival streaming platform, BITPIX.
HollyShorts screenings will take place from August 8-18th at TCL Chinese Theatres, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., 3rd Level, Hollywood, CA, 90028, followed by the annual awards gala on August 18th.
For additional information and tickets visit https://hollyshorts2024.eventive.org/passes/buy
Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast
Secret of Caesar salad: John Robert Sutton Reveals on “Foods That Matter” Podcast
The Caesar salad was NOT invented in Italy!
The iconic dish, celebrating its 100th birthday this year, has roots in Tijuana, Mexico.
![Foods That Matter John Robert Sutton](https://dailyovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-12.09.06 PM-1024x1024.png)
Foods ThatMatter John Robert Sutton
To celebrate, podcast host of CurtCo Media’s Foods That Matter and seasoned food archaeologist John Robert Sutton joined Juan José “Tana” Plascencia, the owner of Caesar’s Restaurant – home of the first Caesar salad – in person.
To eat some original recipe salad and chat about how, why, where, and by whom the dish came to be one of the most popular menu items in the US.
John and Tana’s intriguing conversation, starting with the recipe’s origins and ending with its worldwide prominence, is available on Foods That Matter on all major podcast platforms. You get a firsthand look at the backstory of Caesar salad, delving into all the rich flavors and history that made it such an important influence in the dining world.
Near or visiting Tijuana?
Join Tana at the centennial celebration at Caesar’s Restaurant on July 7, 2024. Plus, if you tell Tana that you listened to this episode of Foods That Matter – Celebrating 100 Years of Caesar Salad with the Origin Story that Starts in Tijuana, Mexico – he will give you the authentic recipe to take home!
About Foods That Matter:
Come along for a culinary thrill as Foods That Matter transports foodies to corners of the world through stories of adventure with food archeologist John Robert Sutton, also known as ‘The Indiana Jones of Food.’
John unlocks the secrets to the globe’s extraordinary cuisines, as he’s been doing throughout his travels in over 120 countries while enriching top grocery stores and Michelin-starred chefs with the finest ingredients and powering them with quality products.
The presenting sponsor of Foods That Matter is Watkins, award-winning extracts, spices & herbs, seasoning blends, grilling rubs & marinades, artificial dye-free baking decorations, and more crafted in the USA since 1868. The show is available on podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube and Goodpods.
About CurtCo Media:
CurtCo Media – with its talented producers and creative team – provides listeners with quality podcasts, featuring authoritative hosts, distinguished guests, and inspiring storytellers. The company presents many nationally-recognized series, covering topics such as scripted sci-fi (SOLAR), luxury (Cars That Matter, Travel That Matters, Wines That Matter) and others.
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Family and Flavor first with Howell’s Standard and their Hot Honey
Taste Howell’s Standard Hot Honey, The Wellness Superfood Packed with Flavor and Family
Howell’s Standard provides raw, natural honey in its purest form, a variety of herb and fruit-infused honeys, and products from the hive.
They are a small family-owned company in Northeast Maryland that appreciates the gifts of nature and artistic expression. Find their website, their Instagram and their in-person farmer’s market experience.
Below, Alexander and Monica Howell visited for a conversation about family, flavor, health benefits and the magic of honey.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full, unedited conversation on the FlavRReport YouTube channel.
My understanding going back to the beginning is, this whole company was a COVID baby, meaning the idea of it launched during the pandemic. Is that accurate?
Alexander Howell: So I’ll give you a bit of a backstory. We had, like you said, started around the boom of COVID. During that time with all the sickness going around, one of the things we decided to do was to figure out how we can stay healthier and keep the entire family more healthy during that entire time.
One of the things we decided to do was to cut out a lot of white and processed sugars because it’s the cause of a lot of health issues, cancers, things of that nature. After that we [realized] we can’t just not have any type of sweetener at all. We’re not that strong.
We went across a couple of different sweeteners. We tried agave, we tried monk fruit. We tried all those, [but] they didn’t hit the spot for us.
Then we were at a farmer’s market [and] tried some raw honey. Once we had tried that, it’s like the entire world just opened up for us because.
We started researching it more and found out there were tons of health benefits tied into raw honey itself.
Once we started consuming it ourselves, we felt the changes. A lot more energy naturally, our skin started looking a lot better, our hair started looking better. Then we decided instead of keeping this a family secret, we can share it with the world.
Monica Howell: So I’ve got a slightly different angle on it. Everything Alex said is definitely true. Pre COVID, I had always been an entrepreneur at heart, always dabbling in something, always doing a little side things. They say you have to have multiple streams of income.
So I was always looking for the next best option. Prior to COVID, I was creating body butters and detox masks and sugar scrubs; and just looking for things that were positive for your skin in a natural manner. Honey was one of the ingredients that was always on my shelf.
[Honey] is one of those ingredients. It’s a wonderful connector. I had really only ever thought of honey as this thing that was on aisle number eight of the grocery store always next to the maple syrup. A condiment to get with your fried chicken.
But once I started having success with personal skin care, the products that were most sought after, that had the best outcomes for my skin all had honey in them.
During COVID, we just really started to come together more, having more conversations. Bringing together the things that we were doing individually as a group and kind of figuring out
We started minimizing ingredients. Looking at that 20 line ingredient list on the back of everything and saying what can [remove]?
Something you both touched on was the zero to one aspect. Talk a little bit about the process from idea to reality.
Monica Howell: So for me, it was checking boxes. Throwing something on the wall and seeing what sticks, that old spaghetti adage.
There’s so many layers, so many things that I wasn’t aware of honey as a whole.
Figuring out how we could integrate this into our lives, and then how we then convert that and transition that into something that was revenue generating, seeing there was a niche.
We started with friends and family. Letting people that would trust us, try things out.
A lot of the response was ‘I don’t like honey’ or ‘I already have sugar. I don’t need to do this.’
But we said, it’s open your mind, let’s look into something a little different. Let’s consider it in a different way and move forward from there.
One thing that I think stands out for us is the fact that everything that we do, all the honey options that we have available are all beneficial in some way, shape or form. You get the benefit of those things that are being infused into the honey. So everything is purposeful.
Everything added is to expand the benefits of the honey into something beyond.
Each honey is different, with different infusions. We call them varietals. Essentially a varietal is a honey that the beekeeper and the farmer have integrated hives into that particular crop. The honey has a flavor and nuance. Then we have our infusions.
Local honey is where I go. That’s all I want. Our local [honey] in Maryland is not the same local that’s in Texas. What’s local to California is not what’s local to Utah. What’s local to Utah is not local to Maine. But when you look at it, all those honeys have a slight variance and nuance in flavor because of what’s being pollinated.
Our plants aren’t the same here as in Hawaii. So when you say I enjoy wildflower, the enjoyment of your wildflower might taste completely different than what I’m used to because of the plants that are growing. It doesn’t necessarily all taste the same.
When you started with this idea, were you aware of the different varietals, the regions and how that affected honey?
Alexander Howell: We definitely didn’t know how intricate and how deep this kind of rabbit hole of honey goes. It’s a very nice and very informative learning experience for two reasons. One, just so we are aware of the benefits and can tell our family, but also so we can now have those kinds of conversations with our customers.
Monica Howell: Even something as a variance from season to season. Literally your spring honey can be a completely different product from your fall [honey] and your winter honey.
The amount of moisture that’s in the air, that can even be from location to location. April showers bring May flowers. Those April showers are happening, there’s a ton of moisture in the air. And then when you’re getting into the fall, you’re having the bees that are pollinated when you’re getting into the fall, there’s a variance in that same region.
That same area has shifted the temperature. You’re just coming out of 90 degree weather. There’s still flowers out. But the pollination process that’s happening, the bees are what they’re collecting now, it can be different.
In the U. S. alone, there’s over 300 different types of honey. Over the world, there are thousands.
The interesting thing is when we’re bringing those varietals together in one place, you actually taste them side by side, [you can taste and notice] there are definite differences that you may never [have noticed otherwise] .
Someone says, “I don’t like honey. I say, “Well you haven’t tasted my honey.”
They find out, they dont like wildflower from North Carolina, but they love sage from California or macadamia nut from Hawaii – it’s amazing.
You’ve both mentioned farmer’s market experiences, sampling and buying. Let’s talk a little bit about those experiences.
Alexander Howell: As far as farmers markets goes, we’ve gotten the entire spectrum of reactions – ‘Oh, this is some of the best I‘ve ever had in my life’, or ‘This is nasty’
I appreciate either side of the spectrum, it’s just very honest and blunt. In person, you get to actually see that emotion, you get to see that interaction, you get to not only see what they think but maybe they brought a friend or a family member of theirs – their husband, their wife, their kids, their dog.
We get to see what your dietary needs are, your favorite flavors, your favorite vegetables. If you have a health issue, what type of things we have that could possibly help.
It’s even as simple as someone getting a gift for somebody who’s a pescatarian who likes to cook so, ‘What do you have for this?’
And I can then give them a whole range of stuff [to browse].
Monica Howell: We’ve been selling at farmer’s markets for 2.5 years. By far, it is my favorite. People who grew up going to farmer’s markets. Beekeepers that have grown up in their Grandma’s backyard.
We always get somebody that says, ‘Oh, my grandma had honey. And I’m already familiar.’ I always challenge them to taste something that’s a little different,
We get people who are extremely health conscious. They are looking for natural options.
On your website, there’s a lot of products What are the major categories and what are one or two or three that you really want to highlight that are currently available?
Monica Howell: We do some switching out from season to season, but for the most part, 25 items. A combination of the varietals and the infusions.
We’ve got an amazing macadamia nut honey that comes from Hawaii. You get a honey that has a certain butteriness to it, a nice weight to it. A little nuttiness at the end. It’s amazing in coffee. It’s amazing on top of a banana bread, really good in yogurt. Also good to cook with.
Our blueberry is from Maine. A little bit of a nuance of that blueberry flavor. It’s a little sweeter than some of the other honeys. It’s amazing on bakery goods and breakfast. So instead of using traditional maple syrup, we’re using the blueberry honey on a Belgian waffle on a pancake. Amazing on yogurt and things like that.
Then we’ve got our infusions. So the infusions essentially are different botanicals using a particular honey.
I’m using an extra white honey from Iowa. If you’re looking on the spectrum of honey, not only does honey change area to area, there’s water white honey, all the way down to your dark amber honeys. So there’s an entire rainbow of different types of honey, based on what’s being pollinated and what’s growing.
Your darker honeys have more of a molasses flavor, probably 10 – 20 x the antioxidants that you’re getting then like a water white honey. But when we’re considering what to use to infuse, I’m usually going with that lighter honey.
Our elderberry honey is super important. We’re taking a ground elderberry from the actual berry, not the elderberry flower. And we’re grinding that up and then infusing that into honey over a period of time. That allows you to then take that elderberry on a regular basis, either in as a sweetener for your tea or actually adding it into a yogurt.
Alexander Howell: Some of the things that I like to highlight, because I’m a foodie, I’m always trying to find honey that would elevate the taste.
One of those is Hot Honey. Anything from chicken, to beef, to pork, to seafood, to shellfish. I love it all. One specific thing is strawberries. It sounds a little out there, but it’s amazing.
And also the vanilla. I love it on my baked goods, banana breads, cornbread, really good on cinnamon rolls. Instead of the sheet icing I’ll put the honey. Even simpler like a latte or a cup of tea. Put some of your pancakes or crepes.
It’s the two different honeys on two different ends of the spectrum, but at the end of the day they both serve their purposes
Monica Howell: We are working with a few bartenders and mixologists that have taken our honeys and creating mocktails. Super fun.
One thing to acknowledge, the audience is a large majority of our conversations are wine based. So it’s with winemakers and chefs.
Do any of these honeys pair better with any specific kinds of varietals of wine?
Alexander Howell: One of the best ways I do like to enjoy wine with honey is charcuterie.
Monica Howell: Charcuterie and honey go hand in hand. It’s like a whole little puzzle of delicious-ness.
I like Merlot. Something becoming more popular are meads. So mead is wine essentially made with the foundation of honey versus grapes. There are a lot of brewers that are starting to play with mead. So you’ll find mead in all different varietals, some that very much tastes like wine and some that tastes closer to beer.
We’re not necessarily pairing the wine so much with the honey as helping the person that’s hosting the event, creating that perfect board, that perfect accompaniment to it.
What’s the best way to learn more about you? Website, social media? How can we follow you more?
Monica Howell: Definitely the website is the easiest way. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram. The unique feature of what we do in-person. That’s the benefit of coming to see us at a farmer’s market. We also are actually on a couple of stores in the local area, local by design, which is an Annapolis mall in Annapolis, Maryland, where our product is available on their shelves.
You can find gifting boxes and samplers on the website too.
Howell’s Standard provides raw, natural honey in its purest form, a variety of herb and fruit-infused honeys, and products from the hive.
They are a small family-owned company in Northeast Maryland that appreciates the gifts of nature and artistic expression. Find their website, their Instagram and their in-person farmer’s market experience.
Below, Alexander and Monica Howell visited for a conversation about family, flavor, health benefits and the magic of honey.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Find the full, unedited conversation on the FlavRReport YouTube channel.
My understanding going back to the beginning is, this whole company was a COVID baby, meaning the idea of it launched during the pandemic. Is that accurate?
Alexander Howell: So I’ll give you a bit of a backstory. We had, like you said, started around the boom of COVID. During that time with all the sickness going around, one of the things we decided to do was to figure out how we can stay healthier and keep the entire family more healthy during that entire time.
One of the things we decided to do was to cut out a lot of white and processed sugars because it’s the cause of a lot of health issues, cancers, things of that nature. After that we [realized] we can’t just not have any type of sweetener at all. We’re not that strong.
We went across a couple of different sweeteners. We tried agave, we tried monk fruit. We tried all those, [but] they didn’t hit the spot for us.
Then we were at a farmer’s market [and] tried some raw honey. Once we had tried that, it’s like the entire world just opened up for us because.
We started researching it more and found out there were tons of health benefits tied into raw honey itself.
Once we started consuming it ourselves, we felt the changes. A lot more energy naturally, our skin started looking a lot better, our hair started looking better. Then we decided instead of keeping this a family secret, we can share it with the world.
Monica Howell: So I’ve got a slightly different angle on it. Everything Alex said is definitely true. Pre COVID, I had always been an entrepreneur at heart, always dabbling in something, always doing a little side things. They say you have to have multiple streams of income.
So I was always looking for the next best option. Prior to COVID, I was creating body butters and detox masks and sugar scrubs; and just looking for things that were positive for your skin in a natural manner. Honey was one of the ingredients that was always on my shelf.
[Honey] is one of those ingredients. It’s a wonderful connector. I had really only ever thought of honey as this thing that was on aisle number eight of the grocery store always next to the maple syrup. A condiment to get with your fried chicken.
But once I started having success with personal skin care, the products that were most sought after, that had the best outcomes for my skin all had honey in them.
During COVID, we just really started to come together more, having more conversations. Bringing together the things that we were doing individually as a group and kind of figuring out
We started minimizing ingredients. Looking at that 20 line ingredient list on the back of everything and saying what can [remove]?
Something you both touched on was the zero to one aspect. Talk a little bit about the process from idea to reality.
Monica Howell: So for me, it was checking boxes. Throwing something on the wall and seeing what sticks, that old spaghetti adage.
There’s so many layers, so many things that I wasn’t aware of honey as a whole.
Figuring out how we could integrate this into our lives, and then how we then convert that and transition that into something that was revenue generating, seeing there was a niche.
We started with friends and family. Letting people that would trust us, try things out.
A lot of the response was ‘I don’t like honey’ or ‘I already have sugar. I don’t need to do this.’
But we said, it’s open your mind, let’s look into something a little different. Let’s consider it in a different way and move forward from there.
One thing that I think stands out for us is the fact that everything that we do, all the honey options that we have available are all beneficial in some way, shape or form. You get the benefit of those things that are being infused into the honey. So everything is purposeful.
Everything added is to expand the benefits of the honey into something beyond.
Each honey is different, with different infusions. We call them varietals. Essentially a varietal is a honey that the beekeeper and the farmer have integrated hives into that particular crop. The honey has a flavor and nuance. Then we have our infusions.
Local honey is where I go. That’s all I want. Our local [honey] in Maryland is not the same local that’s in Texas. What’s local to California is not what’s local to Utah. What’s local to Utah is not local to Maine. But when you look at it, all those honeys have a slight variance and nuance in flavor because of what’s being pollinated.
Our plants aren’t the same here as in Hawaii. So when you say I enjoy wildflower, the enjoyment of your wildflower might taste completely different than what I’m used to because of the plants that are growing. It doesn’t necessarily all taste the same.
When you started with this idea, were you aware of the different varietals, the regions and how that affected honey?
Alexander Howell: We definitely didn’t know how intricate and how deep this kind of rabbit hole of honey goes. It’s a very nice and very informative learning experience for two reasons. One, just so we are aware of the benefits and can tell our family, but also so we can now have those kinds of conversations with our customers.
Monica Howell: Even something as a variance from season to season. Literally your spring honey can be a completely different product from your fall [honey] and your winter honey.
The amount of moisture that’s in the air, that can even be from location to location. April showers bring May flowers. Those April showers are happening, there’s a ton of moisture in the air. And then when you’re getting into the fall, you’re having the bees that are pollinated when you’re getting into the fall, there’s a variance in that same region.
That same area has shifted the temperature. You’re just coming out of 90 degree weather. There’s still flowers out. But the pollination process that’s happening, the bees are what they’re collecting now, it can be different.
In the U. S. alone, there’s over 300 different types of honey. Over the world, there are thousands.
The interesting thing is when we’re bringing those varietals together in one place, you actually taste them side by side, [you can taste and notice] there are definite differences that you may never [have noticed otherwise] .
Someone says, “I don’t like honey. I say, “Well you haven’t tasted my honey.”
They find out, they dont like wildflower from North Carolina, but they love sage from California or macadamia nut from Hawaii – it’s amazing.
You’ve both mentioned farmer’s market experiences, sampling and buying. Let’s talk a little bit about those experiences.
Alexander Howell: As far as farmers markets goes, we’ve gotten the entire spectrum of reactions – ‘Oh, this is some of the best I‘ve ever had in my life’, or ‘This is nasty’
I appreciate either side of the spectrum, it’s just very honest and blunt. In person, you get to actually see that emotion, you get to see that interaction, you get to not only see what they think but maybe they brought a friend or a family member of theirs – their husband, their wife, their kids, their dog.
We get to see what your dietary needs are, your favorite flavors, your favorite vegetables. If you have a health issue, what type of things we have that could possibly help.
It’s even as simple as someone getting a gift for somebody who’s a pescatarian who likes to cook so, ‘What do you have for this?’
And I can then give them a whole range of stuff [to browse].
Monica Howell: We’ve been selling at farmer’s markets for 2.5 years. By far, it is my favorite. People who grew up going to farmer’s markets. Beekeepers that have grown up in their Grandma’s backyard.
We always get somebody that says, ‘Oh, my grandma had honey. And I’m already familiar.’ I always challenge them to taste something that’s a little different,
We get people who are extremely health conscious. They are looking for natural options.
On your website, there’s a lot of products What are the major categories and what are one or two or three that you really want to highlight that are currently available?
Monica Howell: We do some switching out from season to season, but for the most part, 25 items. A combination of the varietals and the infusions.
We’ve got an amazing macadamia nut honey that comes from Hawaii. You get a honey that has a certain butteriness to it, a nice weight to it. A little nuttiness at the end. It’s amazing in coffee. It’s amazing on top of a banana bread, really good in yogurt. Also good to cook with.
Our blueberry is from Maine. A little bit of a nuance of that blueberry flavor. It’s a little sweeter than some of the other honeys. It’s amazing on bakery goods and breakfast. So instead of using traditional maple syrup, we’re using the blueberry honey on a Belgian waffle on a pancake. Amazing on yogurt and things like that.
Then we’ve got our infusions. So the infusions essentially are different botanicals using a particular honey.
I’m using an extra white honey from Iowa. If you’re looking on the spectrum of honey, not only does honey change area to area, there’s water white honey, all the way down to your dark amber honeys. So there’s an entire rainbow of different types of honey, based on what’s being pollinated and what’s growing.
Your darker honeys have more of a molasses flavor, probably 10 – 20 x the antioxidants that you’re getting then like a water white honey. But when we’re considering what to use to infuse, I’m usually going with that lighter honey.
Our elderberry honey is super important. We’re taking a ground elderberry from the actual berry, not the elderberry flower. And we’re grinding that up and then infusing that into honey over a period of time. That allows you to then take that elderberry on a regular basis, either in as a sweetener for your tea or actually adding it into a yogurt.
Alexander Howell: Some of the things that I like to highlight, because I’m a foodie, I’m always trying to find honey that would elevate the taste.
One of those is Hot Honey. Anything from chicken, to beef, to pork, to seafood, to shellfish. I love it all. One specific thing is strawberries. It sounds a little out there, but it’s amazing.
And also the vanilla. I love it on my baked goods, banana breads, cornbread, really good on cinnamon rolls. Instead of the sheet icing I’ll put the honey. Even simpler like a latte or a cup of tea. Put some of your pancakes or crepes.
It’s the two different honeys on two different ends of the spectrum, but at the end of the day they both serve their purposes
Monica Howell: We are working with a few bartenders and mixologists that have taken our honeys and creating mocktails. Super fun.
One thing to acknowledge, the audience is a large majority of our conversations are wine based. So it’s with winemakers and chefs.
Do any of these honeys pair better with any specific kinds of varietals of wine?
Alexander Howell: One of the best ways I do like to enjoy wine with honey is charcuterie.
Monica Howell: Charcuterie and honey go hand in hand. It’s like a whole little puzzle of delicious-ness.
I like Merlot. Something becoming more popular are meads. So mead is wine essentially made with the foundation of honey versus grapes. There are a lot of brewers that are starting to play with mead. So you’ll find mead in all different varietals, some that very much tastes like wine and some that tastes closer to beer.
We’re not necessarily pairing the wine so much with the honey as helping the person that’s hosting the event, creating that perfect board, that perfect accompaniment to it.
What’s the best way to learn more about you? Website, social media? How can we follow you more?
Monica Howell: Definitely the website is the easiest way. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram. The unique feature of what we do in-person. That’s the benefit of coming to see us at a farmer’s market. We also are actually on a couple of stores in the local area, local by design, which is an Annapolis mall in Annapolis, Maryland, where our product is available on their shelves.
You can find gifting boxes and samplers on the website too.
Post Views: 379 -
Los Angeles’s newest Cocktail Bar from Jared Meisler ‘The Moon Room’ Opens on Melrose
Los Angeles’s newest Cocktail Bar from Jared Meisler ‘The Moon Room’ Opens on Melrose
Renowned Los Angeles bar proprietor Jared Meisler (The Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch, The Friend, The Little Friend, The Brig and Gin Rummy), in collaboration with multi-talented textile and graphic designer Tria Jensen Meisler, announces the grand opening of their latest venture, THE MOON ROOM, in the Melrose District on Friday, March 15, 2024.
Multi-award-winning mixologist Annemarie Sagoi will lead the cocktail program, ensuring an unforgettable drinking experience.
THE MOON ROOM, located at 7174 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, occupies a prominent spot at the southeast corner of Melrose and North Formosa Avenues, just a stone’s throw from La Brea Avenue.
Surrounded by the bustling energy of the city’s chic boutiques and culinary hotspots, it stands out as a beacon of allure in the heart of the Melrose District, beckoning with its inviting atmosphere and promises of unforgettable experiences.
“I have always loved that stretch of Melrose Ave.
It’s iconic and feels like a geographic center of Los Angeles,”
Meisler
“The idea was to create a chic and sophisticated room that is not pretentious and feels fun. A place to gather and celebrate. It’s a hub for people all over LA that come to life when the sun goes down.”
Guests are enveloped in a chic and sophisticated ambiance within THE MOON ROOM’s walls. Velvety black lacquer banquettes complement meticulously carved wood panels. White marble tables and contemporary café chairs with brass accents offer a striking juxtaposition against the sultry darkness.
The floor boasts a mesmerizing herringbone pattern, leading the eye to walls adorned with a curated collection of provocative art that intermingles with vintage abstracts, pop art, black and white nudes, and other avant-garde pieces from modern and contemporary artists. This eclectic mix creates an atmosphere of playful sensuality.
An enormous, mirrored ball gently gyrates at the heart of the space, casting a soft glow reminiscent of the moon’s seductive luminosity.
The fusion of chic 1970s and 1980s Paris and New York styles with the contemporary essence of Los Angeles creates a luxurious, sophisticated, and sensual environment that invites guests to immerse themselves in an experience beyond the ordinary.
Step out onto the narrow balcony and indulge in a bird’s-eye view of the bustling late-night activity along Melrose Avenue. Sip on your favorite cocktail, puff on your favorite puffable, and relish the cool breeze of the Los Angeles evening. It is the perfect setting to unwind and soak in the city’s vibrant energy below.
Music is a defining element at THE MOON ROOM, where the baby grand piano exudes a seductive appeal, setting the stage for captivating live performances. As the evening unfolds, the ambiance shifts to pulsating funky disco grooves.
THE MOON ROOM’s beverage Director Annemarie Sagoi has crafted an exotic menu of inventive and playful craft cocktails, each exuding a steamy and seductive vibe.
Drink prices range from $12-$18 and include Andromeda with Reposado Tequila, Mint, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Pineapple, Chartreuse & Habanero; Phoenix with Vodka, Sticky Rice Syrup, Longan, Ginger, Lychee and Lime; Pavo with Byrrh Quinquina, Sweet Vermouth, Fresh Berries, Lemon & Apricot; Cassiopeia Spritz with Kumquat, Jasmine, Cocchi Rosa, Lemon & Pet Nat; Orion with Reposado Tequila, Mezcal, Spiced Cocoa, Camel Milk, Coconut, Chartreuse & Black Salt; Lynx Martini with Gin, Bianco & Dry Vermouth, Za’atar Oil Wash, Pistachio & Orange Blossom; Hercules with Irish Whiskey, Coffee Liqueur, Cold Brew, Chai Spices, Honey & Averna Foam; Selene with Zubrowka Vodka, St Germain, Cinnamon, Apple, Angostura & Lemon; Draco with Dark Rum, Rhum Agricole, Creole Shrubb, Cocchi Di Torino & Manzanilla Sherry; and Pegasus with Bourbon, Date, Amaro & Black Walnut Bitters.
There are several NO BOOZE options including Grus with Lyre Aperitivo, Zero Proof Sparkling Rosé, Mineral Water & Lemon; Fornax with Mint, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Lime, Pineapple, Habanero and Mineral Water and CBD Tart Cherry Phosphate.
In addition to the assorted list of Wines by the Glass, Bottled Beers, Dry Ciders and a High Life + Well Bourbon orTequila Shot, there are snacks including Assorted Olives; Marcona Almonds; Pecorino Romano; Wasabi Peas; Salami with Stone Ground Mustard; Spicy Pepitas and Kettle Chips.
Post Views: 2,154 -
Magic, Music, Must-Taste Drinks: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel with Tracie May
Cocktail magic, competition, celebration: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.
MC Petey Majik hosted the 2-day Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 June 14-15 celebrating with flavor, masterclasses, magic, competition. Tracie May captured it all.
Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev
Tracie May at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
A spectacular 2-day summer celebration, welcomed over 1000 cocktail enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to the iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.
The vibrant cocktail carnival featured a dazzling array of over 130 cocktails from 36 premium global spirits, liqueurs and mixer brands.
Fernet Branca poured at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
A gathering of Vietnam’s top mixologists, innovative concoctions were expertly mixed by a combination of the country’s most respected bartenders and up-and-coming talents.
Cocktail Carnival part of Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
At the heart of the festival was a showcase of Vietnam’s craftsmanship and creativity, where seasoned mixologists flexed their skills to craft tantalizing libations.
The Botanist at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
From classic cocktails with a Vietnamese twist to avant-garde creations pushing the boundaries of flavor, each drink was a testament to the artistry and innovation within Vietnam’s ever-growing cocktail scene.
For guests inspired to continue the cocktail adventure at home, Mercantile Vietnam provided the option for attendees to purchase a bottle of their favorite brand from the event and have it shipped directly to their door.
Entertainment Extravaganza
The event’s charismatic MC Petey Majik led the carnival atmosphere and captivated the audience with a spellbinding magic show accompanied by igniting cocktail flaring performances from the talented Chương and Phước.
Tracie May with Clase Azul at Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
On Friday, the stage was taken over with a charismatic live performance from Vietnam’s premier DJ and saxophone duo Omar and Pierre. The party continued Saturday with the contagious energy of DJ PIA.
Interactive Masterclasses and Exclusive Tasting Room
For spirits connoisseurs the festival also offered a wealth of knowledge with 4 optional interactive masterclasses hosted per day, where industry experts from Lady Triệu, Bruichladdich, Jose Cuervo, Highland Park and Lý Gia Viên shared their craft and insights with eager participants.
Tracie May with Michelin Star Chef:Owner of Ănăn Saigon Peter Cường Franklin
Luxury spirits aficionados could enhance their experience further and purchase tickets to enter the event’s Exclusive Room, featuring personalized tastings from 8 of the world’s super and ultra-premium brands, with a combined retail price of over 600 Million VND.
Competitive Spirit
One of the highlights of the festival was the highly anticipated Best Cocktail, Best Bartender and Best Brand Competitions with guests encouraged to vote for their favorites.
Bartenders from across the country battled it out for top honors.
With precision, flair, and a dash of showmanship, contestants dazzled spectators with their signature creations, showcasing the ingenuity and talent within Vietnam’s cocktail community.
Shanky’s Whip at Vietnam Cocktail 2024
On Saturday 15th June, the 2024 winners were announced: Mai Thanh Phong’s “Banh Mi Saigon” cocktail, made with Matusalem Rum, won Best Cocktail.
Nguyen Tuan Cuong, who works at Yugen Bar and is sponsored by Shanky’s Whip, was named Best Bartender. Also, Jägermeister was awarded Best Brand of the event.
Cultural Fusion
Beyond the cocktails themselves, the festival served as a social celebration of cultural fusion, from modern Vietnamese influences to global trends, the event highlighted the diverse tapestry of brands and the pioneering people shaping the country’s dynamic cocktail scene.
Vietnam’s Cocktail Revolution
As the final glasses were raised and the last drops were savored, the Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 left an indelible mark on the hearts and palates of all those who attended. With its vibrant energy, innovative spirit, and unwavering passion for mixology, the festival has undoubtedly cemented its place as a must-attend event on the global cocktail calendar, promising even more excitement and inspiration in the years to come.
Cheers to the next chapter of Vietnam’s cultural cocktail revolution!
Awards were announced on Saturday, June 15th, at 8 PM
Best Cocktail of the Event 2024
- Cocktail Name: Bánh Mì Sài Gòn
- Bartender Name: Mai Thanh Phong
- Brand Name: Matusalem Rum
- Bar Name: Madam Kew Bar
Best Bartender of the Event 2024
- Bartender’s Name: Nguyen Tuan Cuong
- Brand Name: Shanky’s Whip
- Bar Name: Yugen Bar
Best Brand of the Event 2024
- Brand Name: Jägermeister
Participating Brands:
- Large Exhibitors: Lady Triệu, Jose Cuervo, Cointreau
- Medium Exhibitors: Bushmills, Naked Malt, Kaibutsu, 1800, Campari, RCR Crystalleria Italiana.
- Small Exhibitors: Kurayoshi Matsui, Duncan taylor, Lark Distillery, Hangar 1 Vodka, Maestro Dobel, Bruichladdich Distillery Company, Passoa, The Botanist, No3 London Dry Gin, Dictador The Arthouse Spirit Brand, Colombian Gin, Stranger & Sons Gin, Fernet Branca, Espolon Tequila, Michter’s, Shanky’s Whip, Gran Centenario Tequila, Jägermeister, The Kyoto, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Matusalem, Brookies Byron Gin, Ly Gia Vien, Torani, Fentimans, Mercantile.
Participating Bars (in collaboration with brands):
- Kraken x The Dot Bar
- Sexton x Dram Bar
- Wild Turkey x Lost Birds Bar
- Glenrothes x Firkin Bar
Master Classes: Lady Trieu, Bruichladich, Jose Cuervo, Ly Gia Vien, Highland Park
Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev
Post Views: 1,247
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