NY Barfly

Wild Turkey Asks Obama to "Give Us the Bird"

Liquor companies are all about publicity stunts, but rarely do they involve a live turkey, the president of the United States, and a proposal for job-creation. We're giving Wild Turkey props for their "Give 'Em The Bird" campaign. Each year, the president pardons one lucky turkey, sparing him from ending up on the table for thanksgiving dinner. The turkeys usually go on to live out their lives on Mount Vernon, and a few have served as the grand marshal in Disney's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Well, this year, the spirit label is offering the gobbler a full-time job (after all, job-creation is one of the president's signature accomplishments. After he's done at the White House, the turkey has the chance to become the "spokesbird" at the distillery in central Kentucky, which is pretty much the best job that an animal with a brain the size of a pea could expect.

We are doubtful that the president will actually take the brand up on their offers, as Republicans in congress would likely cry fowl. Wokka wokka.

Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen Shows Off Summer Videos

One thing we really don’t like about food TV? It’s all about food! There are very few shows that feature liquid culture as prominently as they delve into all things edible. We have one word for that: lame. Thankfully there are less-mainstream options like Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen, which is now in Season 3 on the Small Screen Network, an online viewing platform that showcases off-the-radar talents covering topics that might not be Food Network Material. There are 20 new webisodes of mixologist Kathy Casey’s show coming up, and they’ll teach you how to make everything from a gin and tonic to cucumber lime foam to a dessert cocktail made with ice cream, espresso, caramel and mezcal. You can get a look at these handy DIY videos here. They’re especially good if you’re looking for a reason to break into that home bar.

Learn About Beer History at the New York Historical Society

The New York Historical Society is up and running with what just might be the most awesome exhibit ever, at least for lushes. Beer Here: Brewing New York’s History delves into the Big Apple’s long and storied love affair with brew. Tracing the tap line all the way back to the 17th Century, the exhibit looks at pub culture, beer’s important role in raising tax revenue during the early days of NYC and the state of the city’s breweries in today’s environment, when mass production is the norm.

The best part? You get to sample the suds when you’re done with the tour! The historical society has set up a small beer hall at the end of the exhibition where you can sample some of NY’s best labels. Suh-weet! Get more info here – the exhibit runs through September 2.

 

The Best New Bar in New York

Ladies and Gentlemen – last weekend, we discovered the best new bar in New York. If you’re wondering where that might be, here’s a hint: while you’re drinking, you’ll probably encounter more than one person wearing a venetian carnival mask. That’s right – we’re talking about the bar that’s pouring drinks at Sleep No More – the EPIC theater piece by British theater troupe Punchdrunk that takes place over the six stories of Chelsea’s McKittrick Hotel. If you haven’t seen the show – you’ll want to run right over.

As you are ushered into the immersive theater experience, you’re reminded that the on-site bar is open throughout the course of the show. Draped in red velvet and staffed by a dapper gentleman that is called Maximillian, the room is straight out of an episode of Twin Peaks. Yep – that’s a good thing. As the show winds down, patrons gather in the lounge and enjoy some cocktails and the tunes from an old-timey band. If this haunt was a regular drink spot, we’d be there every night. Sadly – it’s not – so buy yourself some tickets and head over before this place disappears as quickly as it came. Here’s the website.

Spike Your Cocktails With Aloe

Let’s call this botanical ingredients day. If the basil vodka we looked at before wasn’t up your alley, perhaps you’d be down for some Aloe instead? Alo Drink is made with real aloe vera pulp – while you can certainly drink it on its own, we’re keen to see how this plant-based beverage stacks up when mixed with some hooch (clearly, that’s what God intended when he invented the aloe plant). Each bottle of this stuff contains 25% aloe vera pulp and juice – which should go well in a margarita or with some vodka on the rocks. Though we doubt that you’ve been imbibing a lot of aloe drinks these days, this sure beats having to squeeze the plant’s juice into your glass. Get more info here.

Imbibe Magazine Turns Five

Awww – Imbibe Magazine, our favorite periodical about all things booze – is turning five this month. That may not be legal drinking age quite yet, but to celebrate they’ve rounded up a snapshot of the last five years in all things liquid. If you were around five years ago – you know that this encapsulates A LOT of change (bourbon wasn’t even that popular back then – imagine!) – speaking of bourbon there are now over 5 million barrels of it aging in Kentucky, which is the highest inventory since 1982. To learn about more fun stats like this, and to say happy birthday, check out the magazine’s website here.

How About Some Romanian Wine?

When you think of Romania – wine is probably the last thing on your list (behind gypsies, vampires and orphans). Well – the folks in the country know a thing or two about wine production. In fact, they have been producing vino in one form or another since 2,000 B.C. – that’s a pretty good track record, if you ask us. A group of vineyards, responsible for nearly 15,000 acres of vines, has banded together and will try to drum up more interest in Romania labels over the next few years. The region is known for standard varietals – think Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. There are also a few more interesting choices coming out of the vineyards - Feteasca Neagra is a red wine known for its intense ruby color and strong personality. Strong personality? Sounds like most of the Romanians we know. . .

Vine Talk: Behind the Scenes

The folks over at Public Television are readying our favorite new show. Ok, so we’ve never actually seen an episode of Vine Talk with Stanley Tucci before, but how can you go wrong with episodes that feature notable celebs and food personalities tasting wine on camera and chatting about the vino? The show is getting ready for an April debut, and they sent over this “behind the scenes” video which details them putting everything together. That’s funny – they seem pretty sober to us. Although, the executive producer is shown carrying around a glass of red – he seems like our type of guy. You can learn more about Vine Talk here.

 

Absinthe, A Documentary

Because when you’re not drinking absinthe, you know you want to be watching a documentary about it. We just got word about Absinthe, The Documentary. The film promises to trace the Green Fairy’s arc – from its birth in Switzerland through the rise of the spirit's use in the cafes of Paris to the recent revival. In fact, why not have a little party where you get soused on wormwood and have to struggle to remember the movie when you wake up the next day?

You can check out the film’s website here. It’s an hour and 10 minutes long, and can be watched on Amazon.com’s movie watcher for $3.99. Come on, that's cheaper than a shot of the stuff!

Why We Like Ke$ha (Yes, That Ke$ha)

Is it fashionable to like Ke$ha? No – absolutely not – the singer has a dollar sign in her name, for god’s sake! But, we can’t help feel a certain fondness when we hear things like the answer she gave when asked if she was lying about brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack (via Huff Post).

"Absolutely not!" she insisted. "Jack Daniels is an anti-bacterial and it's way better than morning breath. Let me put it this way, if you wake up naked in a bathtub and you have the choice between rinsing out with Jack Daniels or trying to make out with some dude with morning breath, I would recommend picking up the Jack."