Lush Life

Was it the flair, the fans, the fame - a mixture of all three - that made our guest today watch Tom Cruise in Cocktail and say “I want to do that”? Yes...and Vincenzo Sibilia is wowing them in Chelsea’s only speakeasy, but you need to know the password to see him in action.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----From Italy’s first capital city, Torino, to London wasn’t such a long journey. After a stint at catering college, Vincenzo knew the front of house suited him much more than the back of the kitchen. Mixing his natural flair for invention with his innate sense of creativity, our guest today helms Barts London with a combination of Italian bravado and international charm. Nestled in one of the major arteries of Chelsea, Barts rules the scene with its tongue-in-cheek, irreverent speakeasy style and its superb cocktail creations. Trying to find it in one of the 1930’s built apartment buildings can make you thirsty enough, your Barts experience begins when you ring the bell. From that moment on, you’re in Vincenzo’s hands, as he takes you to Chicago and back in one drink.Catch Vincenzo shaking up a healthy cocktail on our YouTube channel: Mixology in a MinuteAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸    

From a family full of fisherman comes our next guest, Tiago Serrão. His rapid rise from Bar-back to Bar Manager shows an innate knack for, not only conceiving creative cocktails, but also, chatting up the customers.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Galvin at Windows at first sight. Located on the 28th Floor of the Hilton Park Lane, it’s not hard to see why. The views over London are staggering - from wherever you sit, you could swear you hear the subtle strains of Chim Chim Cher-ee (from “Mary Poppins”). Galvin at Windows is not only the perfect date place, but also a Michelin starred restaurant and home to the Galvin Cup - one of the most prestigious mixology awards in London.Although still quite young, Tiago has climbed the 28 floors with ease, after working several years in a series of luxury hotels in his home country, Portugal, and the famous Ritz’s Rivoli Bar on Piccadilly. As Bar Manager of Galvin at Windows, he has created one of the most romantic menus in London, which you can hear all about on the podcast.Watch Tiago make his take on the Vieux Carre on our Youtube ChannelAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

One is from India and the other Spain, but together they have conquered the Doha cocktail scene. Thor de Mendoza, Venue Manager, and Gary Jones, Bartender, of the Hunters Room & Grill at the new Westin Doha Hotel & Spa have drawn local and foreign crowds to their happy hour, thanks to their creative cocktail & mocktail menu.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Inspired by the best grill rooms around the world, the Hunters Room's meat-heavy menu deserves to be accompanied by the best cocktails there are. Thor and Gary have used their ingenuity to create what they call their Grilled Mixology Collection. Grilled fruits are the basis for many of their iconic cocktails, such as the Grilled Pineapple Mojito and the Grilled Citrus Margarita.Also on trend is their Gin Infusion Bar - pick your choice of Gin, infuse it with your favorite ingredients, like cucumber, green apple or even thyme, and it’s yours and only yours. If you don’t drink, there are loads of equally creative mocktails. With Hunters being only a few months old, it will be exciting to check back with Thor and Gary it get all the Doha gossip!Watch Thor make the infamous Grilled Pineapple Mojito on our Youtube ChannelAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

From life guarding on an Italian beach, to bartending at one of the most iconic bars in London is not a logical career step unless you are Riccardo Vecchio. It was sink or swim and, thankfully for us, he’s safe behind the bar at Brown’s Hotel.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----The famed stained-glass window of St. George stares down at the bartenders from above as if to keep them on their toes. One wrong step and, like the dragon itself, out they go. Riccardo doesn’t have to worry. With the way he is going, he’ll be slaying the dragons soon. As cool and hip as Terence Donovan’s iconic black and white photos that lines its walls, Riccardo, the Head Bartender, reigns over the Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel and we are the ones to revel in his wake. Watch Riccardo conquer Europe here on my Mixology in a Minute Series on YoutubeAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

No one drinks vermouth on its own, do they? As UK Brand Ambassador for Belsazar Vermouth, our guest today, Fliss Gransden, is on a mission to right that wrong. Not only does it taste fantastic, but its low alcohol content means you could drink it all night!----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Founded in 2013, Belsazar Vermouth wants to change everyone’s opinion of what vermouth could be by making it all about the wine. Vermouth has been around since the inception of the cocktail itself and almost always used as a mixer. Using the best wines from the South Baden region of Germany, the product is a complete transformation from the old stuff.It’s Fliss’s job to educate, not only the public, but the bartenders as to how to serve it. She reveals how she does it on the podcast today. Her background working in the most cutting-edge bars in town and her knowledge and passion for Vermouth make her the perfect person for the job.Watch Fliss make the Rose Winter Tonic at Dirty Bones, Shoreditch here on our Youtube Channel  PS: Thanks to Dirty Bones Shoreditch for letting us film Fliss in their restaurant!Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

You go to Paris for the food and wine, but do you ever ask if there are French products in your cocktails? Well, under the tutelage of Soizic le Mercier, the team of the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand is promoting a whole new type of cocktail making in the City of Lights.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----  Soizic almost chose a career in sport, but with a whole family in hospitality, she really was destined to work exactly where she is. After twenty years behind the bar, she has seen it all and now is Bar Manager of one of the busiest hotels in Paris. You’ll find her team at the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand creating cocktails using Dubonnet, Chartreuse and Cointreau, but never Champagne! At least, not if Soizic can help it. As a true Frenchwoman, it pains her to see the good stuff being used as a mixer.   While raising a glass to Soizic, take a gander at the incredible ballroom, built 150 years ago, that was a contemporary of Claude Debussy, Auguste Lumière, Victor Hugo and the incomparable Sarah Bernhardt.   Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

We think we all know the legend of the Odyssey after reading Homer. Today we meet a modern day Odysseus whose journey from the Philippines took a different turn and landed him in the world of Mai Tai's, Pineapple and Bamboo.  ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----We discover how our Odysseus was anointed with the moniker Tiki Man! Holding court at Trader Vic’s at the London Hilton Park Lane for almost a decade could be the reason. Cocktail trends have come and gone, but Vic Bergeron’s (the founder of Trader Vic’s) concept of finding a Polynesian paradise, wherever you are in the world, has never waned.Odysseus clues us into the how and why the Mai Tai is still its number one order! Watch Odysseus rustle up an original 1944 Mai Tai for my Mixology in a Minute Series on YoutubeAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

“Remember, gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne!” was Winston Churchill’s cri de guerre.  Only gentlemen…what about the ladies? Didn’t he know that, throughout history, women were responsible for making some of the great Champagne houses of France famous? Virginie Taittinger, our guest today, is one of those women! ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin gave us Veuve Clicquot, Louise Pommery invented Brut, and Camille Olry-Roederer understood that celebrity and business go hand-in-hand!  Now, Virginie Taittinger has joined the sorority. Her bloodline sparkles. It’s no wonder, as her mother is a Piper-Heidsieck and her father ran Taittinger for 45 years. Trained by the best, Virginie is out on her own, following in those celebrated footsteps, doing what she was born to do - bottling bubbly. After six years aging, it’s time to pop the cork of Virginie Taittinger’s first special cuvée, Champagne Virginie T, a combination of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Not only is her champagne delicious, but the packaging is divine. The red-hot box transforms into an ice bucket. Pop the bottle into the bucket with ice and, when the label turns red, it’s ready to drink! We know that Churchill ‘s drink of choice was his Pol Roger. Maybe if Champagne Virginie T, had been around then, he might have switched camps. Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸 

One man in London is tasked with keeping famed actress Gertrude Fogg’s legacy aflame. That man, Filippo Previero joins us today directly from Mr. Fogg’s Tavern in olde New Row, Covent Garden, to explain how her gift to the neighborhood has been charming punters for more than a century. (wink, wink)----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----All of Soho mourned when Gertrude Fogg tread the boards for the very last time. Of course, it was in her nature to think of others, even after she had passed. Thanks to her generous nephew, Phileas (Around the World in 80 Days), her dying wish of transforming her humble Covent Garden flat into a tavern downstairs and a gin parlour upstairs was fulfilled. At least, that’s how Filippo Previero tells the tale. On this week’s podcast, we discover how Filippo found the courage to take the leap onto that mongolfiera, heading west from Italy, to become a master of "Mother’s Ruin" (as gin came to be known in the 18th C) here in Londontown. Beginning his career making Negronis, Filippo was perfect for the task. Filippo reigns over the extensive Gin Parlour at Mr. Fogg’s Tavern. A few brands may have been around since the days of Hogarth, but, with over 300 different gins, they’re not just home-brewed anymore. Ordering a G&T is an art here. Choosing from so many gins could be a bumpy road, but Filippo and his team are there to ease your own voyage of discovery through some of the best gins worldwide.    Watch Filippo Previero of Mr. Fogg's Tavern, London make The Hills Are Alive on the Lush Life YouTube channel!Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸 

If it hadn’t been for a Mr. Bearsley in 1692, what the heck would we be drinking with our Stilton? Thank goodness, he had the foresight to create Taylor’s and that the world would catch on to the merits of Port. The Head of PR for Taylor’s, Ana Margarida Morgado, let’s us know what they’ve been up to for the past 324 years.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----I had never sipped port until I was a grad student at Cambridge. Dining Clubs were aplenty and dinner always ended in cheese and port. My college even had its own label! I really felt I had missed out on all those years as an undergrad in the USA, drinking watery beer when Port had been available all the time. Who knew there was a whole culture, full of rules and regulations, surrounding this one drink? It must be decanted, the decanter must be passed to the left and you must never forget to put that said decanter back in its hoggit.     I am sure the Brits in 1692 also felt the same way, the first time Port landed on their shores. Mr. Jack Bearsley tapped into that need and we are still enjoying the fruits of his labor so many years later. While in Porto, a visit to the Taylor’s Port Wine cellars is a must. Ana guided me through a short history of the brand, and a description of each of its many offerings: Vintage, Tawny, Late Bottled Vintage, even White! She also answers my burning question, what do the Portuguese eat with Port!?  Watch Andy Mil of Cocktail Trading Company, London make a Port Wine Sour with Taylor's Port on the Lush Life YouTube Channel!Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Spending years in the hallowed libraries of Oxford pouring over the ins and outs of Quantum Mechanics might lead you to drink! It certainly happened to George Economides. One stag do in Sifnos and his whole world changed from investigating particles in a box to those in a glass. Harking back to his native land of Greece, our guest today is reviving the local spirit, Mastiha, and introducing it to the rest of the world - one cocktail at a time. ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----George has the hardest time describing the flavor of Mastiha to those who have never tried it - bubble gum, pine, woods, a combo of all. It’s truly tough to pin down to just one word. Tasting is the only way to describe it. “Grown” on the island of Chios in the Northern Aegean, Mastiha has a rather quirky production process. The resin from the tree drops on the ground, hardens and then is collected, cleaned and reconstituted into the nectar that has made its benefits famous throughout history. The list of drinkers range from Hippocrates, the Romans, Columbus, Italian popes, Arabic Sultans and me!. After my first sip with the Cypriot, I was converted. Watch Christian Sirica of Opso, London make a Greek Spritz with Enosis Mastiha on our YouTube channel!Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

How many times does this happen to you? You are walking down the street dressed in a sari, a man stops you, asks who you are, tells you your bar is his favorite in America and wants to open one in India? Well, it happened to Anne Frey owner of 1 Tippling Place and she is here to tell us more.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----1 Tippling Place is exactly the way Anne Frey wants it to be. She planned it that way. She longed for a local of her own and now there are going to be two: one in Philadelphia and one in Mumbai. After a trip to the UK, she fell in love with its cocktail culture and thought it would do well in Philadelphia. With help from Robin Honhold, now of White Lyan, and Dave Tang, a protégé of Sasha Petraske of Milk and Honey, she created a bar worthy of its neighborhood, the über-chic Rittenhouse Square. Everything is freshly made – syrups, juices, bitters - and ice is hand-cut!  This constant attention to detail has been recognized by Food & Wine (24 Best Cocktail Bars in US), Roca Patron (People's Choice 100 Best Bars in America), Maxim, Chilled and Dujour magazines. (All you Vodka drinkers, don’t worry she has kept it on the menu, unlike a few snobbier places out there.) Now Anne is off to Mumbai again, after a extremely successful pop-up bar, to recreate a 1 Tippling Place in one of the busiest cities in the world. We can’t wait to hear all about it when she returns. Watch Chris Zingler of 1 Tippling Place make his Apple Bottom Gin on out YouTube channel!Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

When it’s all about the food, how do you make the drinks stand out? Zahav Restaurant and its chef Michael Solomonov have been winning award after award since opening its doors, including finalist for "Outstanding Chef" at the James Beard Awards. As Bar Manager of one of the busiest eateries in the country, it’s Jeff Bartash's job to find out. ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----I feel like I should already know what Israeli cooking consists of; I certainly eat a whole lot of Lebanese food living in London. It took a trip home to Philadelphia, while researching an article I was writing for Sainsbury's Magazine, to discover what I had been missing: Mezze of salads, hummus, lamb shoulder cooked over hot coals, and more.I, of course, had heard of Zahav, but eating there is a whole different basket of Laffa. Needing a beverage to accompany my salatim, I asked the staff for a suggestion.Next thing I knew, a pitcher of Lemonnana was plonked down on the table. Lemon, Mint & Bourbon...so simple – no wonder it’s the national drink of Israel. Oh, just a slight different between what you might have tasted on the streets of Tel Aviv -  Zahav’s version added bourbon to the mix. We sampled the five other signature cocktails that had made it onto the menu, but on my way back to the UK, I was still dreaming of Lemonnana.   I just had to meet Jeff Bartash, the man whose job it is to oversee which cocktails make the cut and end up on the list. I learned a whole lot more than I imagined, about, not only Lemonanna, but also their wine list, which includes little known wines from Lebanon and Turkey as well.     Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Paddington Bear is not the only thing that emerged from the “darkest Peru.” Thankfully, the spirit on everyone’s lips at the moments has made it across the border as well. As the 100th anniversary of the invention of the Pisco Sour is upon us this year, Fabiano Latham is determined to educate everyone on the merits of the most Peruvian of beverages.I met Fabiano for drinks at his former haunt, Chotto Matte, one of the first restaurant/bars in London to serve Nikkei cuisine, accompanied by a slew of Pisco cocktails. Nikkei is actually the term to describe the Japanese diaspora. In this instance, it refers to a particular mode of cooking combining the Japanese influence with the local Peruvian cooking. Eat ceviche and tiridito and you can’t help but think sushi/sashimi. In Fabiano’s opinion, Pisco is the perfect go-with for this delicate food. He fell in love with it early on in his career and can’t help but feel he earns his wings every time someone is charmed, as well. Pisco is basically Peruvian brandy grown by the first 16th century Spanish settlers. It’s clear, sharp and dry - great with the spice and flavor of the local food. Although, greedy Gold Rushers were drinking Pisco Punch in late 19th century San Francisco, the Pisco Sour reigns supreme as the most popular Pisco cocktail. With only four ingredients, Mr. Vaughn Morris, owner of Morris’s Bar in Lima and inventor of the Pisco Sour, created a sensation. One hundred years later, we are toasting to his ingenuity. Fabiano shares a birthday with him - does this mean he was destined to be the UK’s premier Pisco aficionado? Possibly! As more and more Pisco distilleries are introduced upon our shores, it’s good to know we have Fabiano to point us in the right direction. See how Fabiano makes the Chilcano de Tonka at Chotto Matte, London on our Youtube ChannelAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Cyprus has loads to offer its citizens and visitors alike: lovely beaches, hot sun, great food, and architectural wonders. Still, for a country that has been around since the 10th millennium BC, you couldn’t find a good cocktail anywhere. Thank goodness for Dinos Constantinides – he has literally upped the bar for everyone in town.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! ----- His combination of inherent creativity and business savvy have made his bar Lost+Found Drinkery one of the World’s 50 Best Bars for two years running, according to Drinks International, one of the leading drinks journals. Nicosia, the capital whose location in the beach-less centre of the island, is often forgotten by the more than three million who visit the famed Cypriot seashores in summertime every year. Lost+Found Drinkery is out to change that. Since the financial crisis, much has had to change in the capital city. Bigger, glitzier institutions have shut down and locally sourced, smaller places have begun to crop up in their place. (Read my piece for the Mail on Sunday about the transformation of Nicosia here.)Dinos has tapped into that desire for change – leading way from frozen margaritas, daiquiris and pina coladas to Negronis, Old-Fashioneds and Crustas. Even if you are prone to a cold, fruity drink, a Tiki cocktail quite a different entity at Lost+Found Drinkery where ingredients include homemade syrups & bitters, fresh fruit and ice, like you have never seen it. There are seventeen (yes, one seven) water filters in-house so the ice is exactly as it should be.   If you're a frequent customer, you can invest in your own Tiki glass, which is kept under lock and key on the wall. Make sure you use it though, as you can forfeit your spot very easily. Today, Dinos reveals to us how and why he created Lost+Found Drinkery & why two menus are served - one for those new to the bar and the other for his regulars. NB: If you do order a mojito, don't be surprised if it comes in a plastic cup.   See how Dinos makes his version of the classic Crusta on our YouTube Channel.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I know I will be toasting to Nicci Stringfellow, the UK Casa Herradura Brand Ambassador on Mexican Independence Day this Friday. In fact, I might just be proclaiming a Grito de Nicci, not the historic Grito de Dolores, the battle cry of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who kicked off the entire revolution!----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Did you even know that same agave plant that sits on your work desk can produce one of the most popular liquors in the world? Thanks to Nicci Stringfellow, my shot, lime, salt, days are long gone. Sip and savor have replaced them after she educated me on the marvels of 100% Agave Tequila. Nicci has worked beside the greats, including the legendary, “King Cocktail” Dale Degroff, the godfather of the contemporary cocktail and author of The Craft of the Cocktail. In her own right, Nicci has helmed some of the best bars in the world, including LAB & Opium in London, Biervana in Tokyo and Hakkasan in Mumbai. Lucky for Casa Herradura, Nicci’s passion was tequila and she grabbed the chance to represent such a wonderful brand. “It’s a dream job for me to be able to represent such an amazing tequila. There are few things I like more than Herradura. Not just the liquid, though its honeyed silk is indeed a thing of beauty, but the way of life that it represents; the spirit of the community that its sharing creates.” Casa Herradura has been producing 100% Agave tequila since 1870, in the same hacienda in Amatitán, Jalisco, the home of tequila in Mexico. You will not be alone in loving the stuff, as over 60,000 visitors stop by each year to visit the distillery.  See how she makes her own version of the classic Old Fashioned on Mixology in a Minute on the Lush Life Youtube ChannelAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

You would think that following in the footsteps of Auguste Escoffier, Henry Braddock and César Ritz would be daunting, well, not for Anna Sebastian. Under her watchful eye as its Senior Bar Manager, The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar has continued to flourish since the day it opened in 2010.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----There really should be only one way to enter The Savoy – by taxi. It’s the closest to experiencing how the swells might have felt at the turn of the 20th Century, when it was first built. Driving in on the right-hand side (American!), your chauffeur or the doorman would help you exit without having to go around the cab, all thanks to a special Act of Parliament. Still, as much as hopping back in time sounds exciting, there would have been no Beaufort Bar to make your local. After a three-year long restoration and refurbishment of the entire hotel, it opened to great fanfare on October 10, 2010 at 10:10.The Beaufort Bar was born that evening. The sun may have gone down, but, every night the lights switch on in this evening-only drinking establishment and the drinks pop-up. I use this term because the menu is literally a Pop-Up Book specifically created for the Beaufort Bar. Fifteen hand-crafted cocktails make up the menu, including “character” cocktails dedicated to the famed entertainers and icons who walked the halls of this venerable hotel. Anna Sebastian reigns supreme over this hallowed spot. Under her watchful eye, the Beaufort Bar was awarded the title, Best International Hotel Bar in 2015 by Tales of the Cocktail, the world’s annual premier cocktail festival in New Orleans. Anna herself was also nominated for Bar Personality of the Year 2016 at Imbibe Live, Europe’s largest drinks conference. Anna explains that she “didn't know that the hospitality industry really existed at this level - I didn't know you could travel the world, deal with such an eclectic mix of guests as well as create something and be part of history in so many ways.” Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Take one Englishman and add an Italian to make a fantastic bar minutes from London Bridge. These two are remaking the area into the next cocktail destination. ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----It takes a team to make a bar stand out from the crowd. Daniel Thompson & Carlo Lorenzon are the two who are shaking up a bit of London, as of now, unrecognized for its cocktail bars.We head down to TwoRuba at the Hilton London Tower Bridge to hear how they are realizing that dream.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

How can an 18th Century cartoonist be the inspiration for modern day mixology? Sam Mitchell has found a way and lucky for us we get to sample his artistic creations?----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----James Gillray might not be as well known as his fellow 18thC cartoonist Hogarth, but does William have one of the great Gin Bars in London bearing his name? I think not. Gillray was known as "the father of the political cartoon" for poking fun at the mad King George III and others in his wake. Hogarth and he reigned supreme with their humorous, witty and biting caricatures. Now, as in the 17th C, the spirit known as Mother's Ruin is also reigning supreme in the city of its birth. Sam Mitchell who helms Gillray’s Bar at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall joins us today on the show to explain his take on this craze. He talks, among other things, about how he draws inspiration from the artist's work in creating the exciting menu. It adds to the enjoyment, but is not essential, to come along already versed in Gillray's work.Check out Sam rustle up a Regardez-Moi on Mixology in a Minute on my YouTube channelAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

How does one man get from the Seychelles to war-torn Cyprus back again to write THE book on Seychelles’ Cocktails without a phone, ipad or wireless? ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----I was invited to visit the Seychelles for their annual International Carnival. Having never been there before, I had no idea what their drink of choice might be  - so I literally googled Seychelles Cocktails. To my surprise, I found that a Mr. Flavien Joubert had written a book with that exact title. When he agreed to meet me for a chat, I had no idea that we had a common link and that was Cyprus. My personal drinking partner for the last ten years has been a Cypriot, so I know the country and its history quite well. How Flavien made it from a refugee camp in Nicosia back to slinging cocktails is one incredible story!Flavien makes reference to the war in Cyprus - if you wish to know more please, please click here to see what's happening in the Cypriot capitol of Nicosia.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

New Orleans, the birthplace of so many cocktails, is a really, really long way from London. Saying that, you can still sip that Sazerac without hopping a plane across the pond, thanks to Ian McIntyre. Why NOLA? Why London? He revealed all when he sat down with me over a Hurricane or two.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----On this program, I speak with Ian McIntyre, General Manager of the easiest bars in London, the Big Easy that is. Taking its inspiration from the Crescent City, the team at NOLA (closed) decided there was one thing missing in London and that was a good Hurricane. They have righted that wrong and now the fun of Bourbon Street has moved east to Shoreditch. Ian graciously talked me through this Nol-ifacation.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Prohibition gripped New York in the 20s, but there was one place you could always get a drink if you knew those in the know. The 21 Club’s Mark Tubridy lets us in on the secret that got you into one of the oldest drinking establishments in the Big Apple.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----Today we take you across the pond to New York’s 21 Club. Bartender Mark Tubridy guides us through a mini-history of cocktails in the Big Apple from one of the bars that started it all. He graciously sat down to talk me through prohibition to modern day. Avery Fletcher, the Director of Sales & Marketing of the 21 Club, joined the party as well.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸 Download the audio   WHERE YOU CAN HEAR ME DRINKING NEXT:Savoring for a Sazerac, then be sure to check our next podcast when we grill Nola London’s Ian McIntrye about why he and his partners set up a New Orleans bar in the heart of Shoreditch.ARE YOU A REGULAR LISTENER OF LUSH LIFE?You can get this and all future audio files automatically downloaded to your mobile device easy. If you’re on iOS, you can listen with iTunes. Android users can get it on Google Play. Or click the player to listen to just this episode. (But trust me, you’ll want to subscribe!)  

I sit down with James Trevaskis, of my local 11 Cadogan Gardens - an intimate hotel that is the toast of Chelsea. Truffle Martinis, homemade Eau de Vie, anything is possible when James Trevaskis is behind the bar, His ingenuity is what brings them into 11 Cadogan Gardens - find out how he got here and the thought process behind the drinks he creates.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----James began life as a sommelier, but then made the switch to mixologist. He can’t help bring his oenophilic knowledge to his cocktail making and that’s what makes this bar unmissable. My first Truffle Martini was an extremely enjoyable experience, I must say. If you are after the daring or the classic, you will leave wishing 11 Cadogan Gardens were your local too.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Of course, it would take a suave Italian to understand the suavest of drinks. Whether Gin or Vodka, Alessandro Palazzi of Dukes London shakes, stirs and shapes every Martini served at Ian Fleming’s favorite bar in London. ----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----James Bond - we all know what car he drives and his drink of choice. Even I use his famous tagline in my intro! But this man must hear, shaken not stirred more than any other, Alessandro Palazzi, the martini maker extraordinaire at Dukes London, Ian Fleming’s home away from home and the most famous Martini bar in the world. As the Martini is one of my favorite cocktails, I was thrilled to sit down with the man who makes them for a living. Needless to say, you can’t visit Dukes London without having their signature drink.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

What’s a Frenchman doing overseeing the most American Bar in London? Benoit Prevost has been making Manhattans for 23 years at The Stafford Hotel.  He reveals what’s kept him here all this time.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----I sit down with Benoit Provost, the Frenchman who heads up the most American of Bars in London.Ben invited me for drinks over lunch and talked me through his journey from the Loire Valley to the Stafford - his home for 23 years.If you haven’t been to the American Bar, you are in for a real treat. Order the White Mouse and toast to one of the great heroes of World War Two. Don’t forget also to toast to the man who brought you that drink, Benoit Provost.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

The Cocktail Trading Company’s Andy Mil is winning award after award for his consistently creative libations - find out how he got so far at such a young age.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----On my very first episode, I was lucky enough to grab the attention of Andy Mil of The Cocktail Trading Company, the extremely busy, award-winning London bartender on the cutting edge of creativity. Andy began his career as a chef working in some of the great London restaurants, though he found his calling when he moved from the back of the house to the front.  He graciously sat down to talk me through this transition and how it lent itself to his award-winning cocktail making.If you’re in London, make a pit-stop to 68 Bethnal Green Road and order the Bee’s Knees or their Old Fashioned, one of the best I have ever had.No matter how original or traditional, you can’t go wrong at The Cocktail Trading Company. That’s why they keep winning those awards.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Best Sips World Wide is launching on June 7th, 2016! Get ready for all the great cocktail based action every week!