Cocktails & Conversation

It’s always a pleasure to meet new friends. When I heard about Orlando’s first spirit-free speakeasy and tasting lounge, I wanted to invite Kevin Zepf of The Bandbox over to learn more! I love that so many bars and restaurants are offering a variety of Zero Proof Cocktails. Not only are more folks going sans alcohol, it’s nice to have the option if you want to have night off of booze. Kevin walks me through his new tasting lounge that opens on June 25th, what he did as a Marine Musician and how exploring his own city is his favorite way to spend a day! Plus there is a zero proof cocktail recipe in there incase you want a booze free drank. ENJOY!

If you know me at all, you know I love a good dance party. These two young ladies stumbled into some massive success about a year ago, with meeting the need for raging Taylor Swift dance parties. What started in Orlando has swift(ly), you’re welcome, grown to dancing across the USA! I chat with Courtney and Caitie about how they started Le Petite Feté, what in the world a Margarita Rash is, and how they are the exact same Enneagram numbers! Join us for some day drinking w my favorite Monkey 47 Dry Gin cocktails, that are literally perfect for a Hot-Hot Summer. ENJOY Darlings!

I ♥️ love meeting new friends and Jen Knopf was no exception! Life would be the most challenging without the capacity to read properly. Reading a recipe, holding down a job, reading street signs, all nearly impossible without understanding how all of the letters come together to make sense. Listen in as Jen shares her story on how she started her initiative, The Reed Charitable Foundation, to come alongside kids that need help in the reading department to get the assistance they need! We do some early afternoon drinking with Tito’s Vodka and some local (read: delicious) Limoncello, as well! ENJOY Darlings! 🥂

So much incredible work has come out of Orlando. Wouldn’t you agree? Sitting down with John Rivers was no exception. He is a bit of a (self proclaimed) perfectionist, which works out for us, since his brisket he perfected for 18 years. Plus, that sauce. (Insert a drooling emoji.) We chat his journey from having to figure out how to make life work at a very early age, to being able to take care of over a million people during a pretty challenging time. Plus, we get the scoop on all that is coming up with 4Roots Farm Campus! I did some day drinking by myself this time, so I made my favorite cocktail, a Blackberry Whiskey Sour with Woodford Reserve. Hope you will make this drink as you listen in. I can personally guarantee you will enjoy both!

Who likes to party? Whether that is your thing or not, it’s definitely a part of the downtown Orlando scene, which adds a lot to the flavor of Orlando! Dominique held Orlando’s first ever Nighttime Manager position, and honestly it’s one of very few in the country! She has loads of stories to tell including how she moved to and lived in NYC at 16, working with her brothers in the ever growing cannabis industry and why she started the Orlando Hospitality Alliance. Plus, I may have made up a new favorite Monkey 47 Gin cocktail called “Thyme’s Up.” You will have to listen in to get the recipe! Cheers.

If there’s something I really love, it’s meeting new people – well, most of them. If you are a new dentist, no thank you, but it was so delightful to meet and interview the new(ish) Mayor of Winter Park, a small-town gem, north of Orlando! Phil finished a couple successful careers, retired, and then decided it would a good idea to run for Mayor. He has incredible current and long-term plans for Winter Park! For the first time ever, I let my Guest bring the drink. Instead of a cocktail, we went straight for the hard stuff and sampled a midday tasting of Scotch! Enjoy these endless stories and hope you will sip on something delicious while you listen in!

Spending time with Teryn Tucker is truly one of the greatest delights one can enjoy in this life. Teryn has been my long-time hair stylist and keeps me in the beautiful blonde. Her story is so incredible, from her living in NYC on her own for a bit when she was 16, to intentionally losing her southern Georgia accent, to doing hair for Bella Hadid at NYFW. She is a true legend around this town. I made a perfect dusty rose colored cocktail called "Elk's Own" and it did not disappoint and neither will this episode! ENJOY!

During this Holiday Season, I wanted to chat with some of the most giving folks I know! Jim and Beth Hobart have been such active members of the Orlando scene. Beth has a wildly successful Real Estate business and Jim has too many projects to list here, but he has a long-standing photography business, MacBeth Studio. It’s hard to go out around town and not run into one of them. We get a sneak peek inside how they met, fell in love (after many years), and have had a successful 16 year marriage! Plus, we chat about how they love to give back to the Orlando community. I made them Hibiscus Lemon Gin and Tonics with my favorite Monkey 47 Gin. This is the LAST podcast of the year. Hope you ENJOY!

What a pleasure to have such a deep and vast community in Central FL. DJ Nigel John, aka Kurt Rambus, just makes Orlando better. If you've gotten out in the last couple of years, chances are you have witnessed the magic that Nigel brings to events. His story is forever fascinating. We chat about his first vinyl purchases, listening to KISS with his mother, and his alter ego Kurt Rambus. I made him a fall rum cocktail that you really should try. ENJOY this one!

What’s better than making new friends? Not much. It was a pleasure to meet a kindred spirit in Heather LaVine. I went from knowing a bit of Heather’s story, to knowing her journey quite well. There’s never a straight cut path in life and Heather’s story reflects that well. From the baseball through-line, to discovering the joy of a well-designed wine bar, to her starting the ever lovely Golden Hour Wine, right here in Baldwin Park, getting a front row seat to her story was thrilling! I made her a Classic Negroni with my favorite Monkey 47 Gin. I think you will most definitely ENJOY this one!