For those who enjoy the simply yet better things in life. I share my preferred pairings when it comes to booze, cigars, coffee and tea.

Nica Rustica El Brujito

The Matsui

Del Maguey Chichicapa

This week’s cigar is the Romeo y Julieta Hose of Montegue Toro paired with a malt wisky from Compass Box

Last week I reviewed the Puros Huerfanos Churchill along with Elijah Craig and rum Clement VSOP.

IG: OpenBarExperience

Cancel Culture has its place in our new society, however, it must be careful not to consume itself by judging the past according to norms that did not exist just two decades ago.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has been dealing with strong opposition from the moment she won her election. That said, the disrespect she normally endures reached a new level this week with Rep. Yoho accosting her and using abusive language uncalled for.

Portland Oregon has seen some aggressive policing coming out of the White House and the Justice Department.

Plantation rum pledges to rename its rum to a non-problematic one…the question is when?

Community Fridge is coming to Houston.

Fact checking William Barr on Portland

Every Saturday I will give you a review of products I enjoy the way I enjoy them. This wee I have a cigar with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and an Indonesian binder. This cigar will be paired with a whiskey from Heaven Hill, Bernheim.

Let me know if you enjoy it and what you would like to hear next.

Magical thinking is firtle ground for conspiracy theories. Rational thinking is hard work.

Society’s best work is when there is a balance between the three pillars of society. Community, State, Economics have to coexist in a harmonious manner for a fulfilled society to exist.

Goya foods is looking to expand its consumer base to the non-Latino communtiy.

401(k) Changes

Social Security under threat

Magical Thinking

The Puritan beliefs of four centuries ago still influence our society. Many of the same belief and approach used in the 17th century England and colonial America are at play in today’s political dynamics. Prevalent among them is Father Knows Best and The King is Above the Law.

Words matter, so the use of the term toxic masculinity it may turn people off due to its attack on a natural state of being for men. Instead what I believe they mean is misogyny which is an institutional belief in male superiority. Let’s be clear about what we mean when we use these terms.

Oliver Cormwell

Matthew Hopkins

Calle 13

George Carlin

There are many things we have learned in the past couple of months.So the shared experience of COVID 19 has demanded that we all make some changes. We have adapted our businesses to do more curbside pick-ups and to-go sales than normal. We have set up kits for our guests to enjoy our cocktails at home. Some business owners have had to make difficult sacrifices. Chris Williams of Lucille’s has taken profitability out of the equation just so he can keep his doors open, but also keep his employees fed and paid. Michael Neff of Cottonmouth Club has explicitly gone on record with the national media by saying that if saving lives means him losing his business, then so be it. He has also pointed out that losing a quarter or more of the bars in any city will have long-lasting consequences on the culture and vibrancy of the city.In Houston in particular, the former mayor invested millions of dollars in revitalizing downtown by focusing in the historic area around Market Square and Main St. It just so happens to be around the time when the craft cocktail revival was at its peak.I can tell you, as someone who participated in the education and promotion of a unified industry working to raise the level of craftsmanship in bartending, there was a lot of learning and collaborating. There was some travel to conventions and educational opportunities, and of course, there was a bit of drinking involved… just for the sake of learning…That said… when you have bars today that ignore the city’s, county’s or state’s requirements to social distance tables or customers, to have staff wear N95 masks for their safety and the guests… when bars close voluntarily, but then the state mandate is that ALL bars must close…. Having a NIGHTCLUB turned lounge/event venue pack their space a day after the state order comes in, is at the very least a big middle finger to anyone who has given a shit about getting out of this situation sooner rather than later. For that club to then post a picture of the BLM protest and claim that the club’s actions are not as bad as the protest, is an insult to the all of those people at the protest that also patronized and spent money at Cle or Spire and contributed to their success, but were also part of a protest for SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Chris Williams

Michael Neff

Priming is the act of preparing something for use or action. Studies have been done that show people can be subconsciously prepared for an idea or thought through careful manipulation of their environment and language used during the experiment. It is n interesting fact and it is more thought provoking when seen used by social media and election campaigns.

In an effort to bring to you a bit of clarity on how COVID 19 is affecting some of the people in our community I spoke to a very talented chef with who currently has the virus. Omar Pereney also shares his story of how as an 11yr old he was able to get a job in one of Venezuela’s best kitchens. He also shares how in just 18 months he went from a new hire to buying out the company A la Carte Consulting.

On my next episode, I will speak to one of our colleague’s mother who already had COVID and experienced a bit more severe symptoms but also had a different set of realizations during her bout with the virus.

Peska and Omar Ends

John Oliver: Evictions

Media Manipulation

COVID Info April 2020

Asymptomatic Spread of COVID19

The Pandemic Today

My guest for this show is Michael Neff. Michael is an industry veteran who bartends and is a principal partner of The Cottonmouth Club in downtown Houston. He is an entrepreneur and spirits professional whose purpose in life is to make great bars and entice people to drink well in them.

He was the founding partner of Ward III & The Rum House in New York City, both bars famous for bespoke cocktails, finely curated spirits selections, and a commitment to hospitality.

As a consultant, he spearheaded the build and programs at Kolo Klub in Hoboken, NJ & Corvo Bianco in Manhattan. On the West Coast, he helped The Three Clubs in Hollywood relaunch their cocktail program and is currently building the five bars and programs at the storied Clifton’s Brookdale in Downtown Los Angeles.

A pandemic is a serious stuff. A pandemic poorly handled is really serious stuff. Just like any other potentially dangerous situation the mismanagement of it creates distrust, fear and uncertainty.For bars whose sole job is to host and entertain, a communicable disease is a nightmare scenario. Imagine having a social media agency but no internet; or distribution center with no warehouse space. You couldn’t do your job, But essential parts of your business are absent. When a bar can’t guarantee the public safety to congregate it looses all of its purposes.

The Office: Closing Time

Glengarry Glen Ross

George Carlin

Plantation rum is a staple at most craft cocktail bars. The rum itself is very good and which makes it easy to most bar owners and bartenders to give it a pass. The owner himself has made it a point to be involved in the bartending community through education and support of creative cocktail programs. Even the co-creator of some of the products line is someone dedicated to the improvement of the craft of bartending and its traditions. However, to me the name is at least problematic and at most it romanticizes, supports and characterizes a culture of oppression. One reason we continue to struggle with issues of oppression based on race is due to the distortion of history provided by products that depict it as benign. There is nothing benign about Plantations and there is nothing benign of implicit bias. Society just the same as any individual must face its worse sin before any amount of redemption is granted. The labor intensive cash crops of plantations were a place of rape, murder and oppression. Just as the confederate flag has been romanticized as a symbol of Southern culture so has plantations been romanticized as a beautiful place to live.

The chemistry of our brain is a vast trove of mystery that we have to accept. That said, there are things we do know about what makes us healthy and how to stimulate those involuntary reactions for our benefit. Isolation can be horrible for our mental health and our bodies. Again, there are things you can do to reverse those effects.

The Civil Rights Movement occurred over the span of more than a decade. A decade of sacrifice and suffering by everyone that believed in equal rights or those who believed that the abuse imposed on our black brethren was unjust. That fire started with the murder of Emmit Till (August 1955) and took a massive organized manifestation with the Bus Boycott in Montgomery, AL (Dec 5,1955-Dec 20,1956).

Distilled Identity by Osayi Endolyn

Proactive Policing, The Social Brain. June 12, 2020, Part 2

Mr. T

Bravery Chef Hall

Whitney Plantation Museum

Photo by British Library