Music and Booze With Mo

Marjory Moretti of Wormwood (and sometimes Botanica) in San Diego really wanted to be a chef, but found herself crafting with spirits instead. A lover of metal and all things rock, she's picked up the keyboard and is taking lessons to see if she can become the next Beethoven. When she's not  jamming on the keys, she is also doing spirits consulting and creating opportunities for other bartending moms like herself via mentorship programs and competitions which she is getting going within the SD scene. Check out her playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eidK91se3PDyOsK82uDU1?si=grs2N35_SSaMNDF3TTMJgQ

Josh Harris is not only the founder of the Bon Vivants, a spirits marketing and trade advocacy agency, as well as the owner of internationally recognized cocktail bar Trick Dog and the new casual Quik Dog, but a San Francisco native giving back to his hometown. We spent a while reminiscing about his days developing his skills at legendary SF spots like Postrio and music oriented Pier 23, and cheating his way into hospitality (things in SF were still pretty loose back then!). He took all of that into Trick Dog, even sharing his love of music with an early vinyl only menu, and he continues to innovate spirit free cocktails and the thinking around them. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ow0XpRNXP7V3ICvGTVvrO?si=9Pq-A5wOQl2YLFOQVPvw7w

Nathan Ehrenfeld is a partner in the music services company Beta Petrol as well as Laurel Canyon Spirits, blending his passion for music and spirits in everything he does. He's played guitar in a lot of bands, and moved from NYC to LA in order to break through doing so. Agnes Gooch in the mid '90s got him some spins, and currently his band Midnights can be found gigging around LA. When he's not on stage, he's behind the scenes crafting vodka and coffee liqueur, and running that music supervisions (and more!) business. He even made us a playlist which you can listen to here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/79Tylj7YODU1wY2jqq1eT6?si=MeZ7Y8Z8TyyOnRNVNwgOJg

Bo Counts is the owner of Pinpoint in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a place where you can have a delicious craft cocktail and play pinball. After his years as a house DJ, he found himself working in other areas of the entertainment industry and his travels introduced him to great drinks and bars all over the country. This inspired him to bring something like that, but with his own spin, to Fayetteville. Of course, the playlist is on "point" and he still enjoys crafting a mood with music as much as working with his team to create great cocktails. To get a sense of what a night at Pinpoint sounds like, check out this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4DGVfMPb78bGU2cZq5VfrJ?si=dzXdy4UhT0mIglTHYq98_A

Brandon Berkel can be found mixing it up at James Beard nominated Van Atta in Telluride, Colorado. The spot just turned a year old, but Brandon has been crafting cocktails for a while now, spending time in St. Louis and later Nashville, honing his chops at Attaboy. Prior to that, he could be found selling merch at shows for his screamo and metal band friends, until he wound up on stage playing bass on the Warped Tour when the original bassist dropped out. It's all about creating community in his mountain town these days though, making playlists and drinks for his guests. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/200yt3w28HX4TEKzq8WLFa?si=s6zhhUWESFO_hLvsKdmyBA

Kitty is the Beverage Babaylan of NYC's deliciously devilish hideaway, Paradise Lost. Years after getting their start in a classic New Jersey dive bar catering to college students and recent graduates, they took their love of crafting cocktails and respect for their Filipino heritage across the river to eventually be part of the opening team for this special spot. They also filled the playlists up with ska and punk and so much more, all of which is a far cry from the violin and piano lessons of their youth. Check out their massive Paradise Lost playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jf5zmEkxvvkoXaSvnrVDi?si=-IN2iHWRQpCUYYOsMu6Zcw

JP Hunter remembered visiting tiki spots when he was a kid growing up in LA, and so when he retired from the construction biz in Texas, he figured the time had come for him to open one up there. His bar, 4 Kahunas in Arlington, TX, has become the third space he always dreamed of hosting people in. It's also a place where he can indulge in his deep love of exotica and oldies as it creates the perfect mood for those drinking his tropical libations. 

Hayze Webster is both the bar manager and rum manager of the legendary old school tiki palace, Hala Kahiki Lounge, in River Grove, Illinois. From his start in sports bars by Wrigley Field to crafting in speakeasies like Untitled Supper Club Chicago, he always had a deep love of tiki drinks and enjoyed the art that surrounded the scene. As he taught himself the tropical stuff via Beachbum Berry's books, he landed his spot in tiki history by getting his dream gig and learning more about rums than he ever expected to. He stopped teaching himself the keyboards but may still pull out his mixer to get some synth grooves going and indulge in his love of pop divas, or some chopped & screwed jams (which he would love to play in the bar some time). Check out Hayze's Groovy Daze here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/27kqOAdnw3ZxQpzGC0vaqX?si=yErkpnv-SV-ua1HPrrYB-Q

Baltimore native Nick Pikounis is the bar manager and beverage director of the tropical rum bar Pink Flamingo. It's surprising that someone who learned craft cocktails at a spot that wouldn't allow the use of citrus would now commandeer a place that revels in them - and he steered them right into a James Beard nomination. He also loves DJ culture, making some attempts in the electronic world after a brief childhood stint in clarinet and piano. Listen to his Baltimore B-sides mix here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2A6ZkL5zjVQYst1rg5jfjo?si=nPbOkBnpRI2sC70_Dg5o0A

After years of working in hospitality within the Disneyland environment (hello Club 33!), Michael Cobb found himself opening up a little tiki bar smack in the middle of Santa Barbara's wine country. High Roller Tiki Lounge, located in Solvang, CA, is a tropical oasis in a small Danish village where you can catch rockabilly and surf bands booked by Michael, who also throws shows in Vegas and crafts his own spirit - Bettie Page Rum - made in Ventura, CA. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1A1vgERlWlUj1Npgy6F6K4?si=A8Xq-Q-2RS2_1UbCMS44PA