Still or sparkling
CAMPER ENGLISH • Alcademics
WORK • Wednesday Routine
CAMPER ENGLISH • cocktails & spirits writer/educator • Alcademics
Neighborhood you live in: Mission District
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I lead bottled water tasting classes on Tuesday evenings, so Wednesdays are a bit of cleanup and recycling — we taste around 20 waters, so there are a lot of cups and bottles to deal with. My office is upstairs in the Mechanics’ Institute library building, and the library is my favorite place in all of San Francisco, so I just moved in. And yet: I have my own cocktail book collection up here that’s already a bit much.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m a full-time cocktail and spirits writer, but that means I do a lot of other things besides writing. I judged a cognac cocktail competition on Monday and I give bar history tours on Saturdays. Today, though, I’m finishing up articles I’m writing about Chartreuse in martinis, another about clear ice cubes (the thing I am most known for), and I’m really trying to work on a proposal for my next book.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
I put all my attention into cocktails. Lately my regular spots have been The Valley Club and (always) Comstock Saloon, but I’ve got bartender friends coming to town, so that means we do the route of True Laurel, Trick Dog, and down to ABV or Dalva, with a meal at Lolo along the way.
How about leisure or culture?
Because I do “fun” stuff for work, I do nerd stuff for fun, like going to lectures at the SF Historical Society, Big Brain events, and Nerd Nite at Rickshaw Stop. That said, my friends have convinced me to go to Horse Meat Disco at the renovated Castro Theatre this weekend. I may stay up past 10p!
Any weekend getaways?
Not in the short term, but I use visiting friends as an excuse to take the ferry over to Jack London Square to hit Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon, maybe hit Viridian or Tallboy, and take BART back.
What was your last great vacation?
Every year I go to New Orleans for the Tales of the Cocktail convention. I love the Monteleone Hotel to stay in, and visiting the old bars like Napoleon House and Arnaud’s French 75, but my favorite spot is Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 for both food and tropical drinks. Outside of the conference I’ll go to different sets of museums and attractions each year, like the Pharmacy Museum or some sort of history tour. I’ve been meaning to visit the Audubon Insectarium for years now. I’m really getting into bugs lately.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I created CocktailSafe.org to teach bartenders about safer drinks and techniques, and to steer clear of things like nicotine infusions and homemade tonic syrup. It’s bare bones, but full of good info.