http://off-focus.com Exploring the worlds of wine, spirits and food Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:30:48 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Eric Asimov didn't much like the movie Bottle Shock either. http://off-focus.com/2008/08/10/bottle-shock/ Bobby's on the Bayou was one of my favorite places in Houston. "Officials suspect arson in fire that left no injuries." Bobby's on the Bayou 2622 Greens Road Houston TX 77032 (281) 442-1777 Two buck beer and the best burgers on the north side of town. I hope they rebuild. http://off-focus.com/2008/07/21/bobbys-bayou/ It's early morning on day three of Tales of the Cocktail 2008. Last night I did the "Spirited Dinner" at Bourbon House, hosted by LeNell Smothers of NYC fame. Now, I'm looking for a nice quiet breakfast so I walk out of the Hotel Monteleone and turn toward Canal Street. ... http://off-focus.com/2008/07/18/menas-palace/ My wife and I went last year and had the spirited times of our lives. This year, I'm going alone (since my wife has other out of town obligations). I'm on the "Founder’s Day Pass" so I'll be able to attend all the big events. I'll be posting regularly on my twitter ... http://off-focus.com/2008/07/14/tales-of-the-cocktail-2008/ Here's a little ditty I found in Google Books. The Great American Cocktail Since Dionysius blithe and young inspired old Hellas air  And beat the muses at their game, "with vine leaves in his hair;" Since Wotan quaffed oblivion to Nieblungen gold,  And Thor beside the icy fjord drank thunder-bolts of old; Since Omar in the ... http://off-focus.com/2008/07/04/the-great-american-cocktail/ I arrived at Vietopia twenty minutes early. Now, arriving early is normal for me, it gives me time to case the place. I sat down in the bar to wait for my group to arrive and for me to get ready for a relaxing evening out. Vietopia Vietnamese Cuisine 5176 Buffalo Speedway Houston ... http://off-focus.com/2008/07/02/the-trinidad-spritzer/ follow jm9900 at twitter.comdeveloped by korelab Seems like everyone is twittering these days. Twitter is a micro-blogging site: sort of a combination of a blog, instant messaging and mobile phone texting. It's a social media thing, one that not everyone (including me) fully understands. Twitter is good for publishing and promoting links, announcing ... http://off-focus.com/2008/06/04/twitter/ A quick search of cocktail recipes will find a class of drinks called "the Black Manhattan." Many substitute Irish Whiskey for Bourbon (or Rye). Others substitute an amaro for the sweet vermouth. Basically, these all drinks are extensions of the classic Manhattan recipe (3 parts Rye or Bourbon, 1 part sweet ... http://off-focus.com/2008/05/21/the-black-manhattan/ Camper English (who blogs at www.alcademics.com) recently posed a question: "So now I need a word or phrase that describes having every drink on the menu in one night - the cocktail menu equivalent of a triple crown or marathon or Iron Man." For me, the answer was easy. Here's my logic: Trying ... http://off-focus.com/2008/05/21/how-about-a-texas-flight/ A couple who are friends of mine are going to New Orleans for the Memorial Day Weekend. "Be sure to find Marvin Allen at the Monteleone Carousel Lounge and order a Vieux Carre," I told Barbara. Somehow, just because I visit there every other month or so, I'm supposed to be ... http://off-focus.com/2008/05/08/the-carousel-lounges-vieux-carre/