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This gorgeous Art Deco bar opened in the historic Oxford Hotel (c. 1890) the day after prohibition ended in 1933, and has changed very little since. Filled with neon lighting and decorative panels designed by Denver artist Alley Henson, it’s a must-stop in Denver for cocktails. The Oxford Hotel is a great place to stay in Denver for the historic ambiance, its convenient downtown location, the complimentary Grand Marnier in the lobby, and especially The Cruise Room.
The current issue of Preservation Magazine has a cover story on the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is chock full of Art Deco buildings. Unfortunately, many were demolished in the past 30 years but there are still plenty to be enjoyed, and many have been restored. Author Wayne Curtis (also author of the highly recommended book And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails) writes:
It may come as a surprise to learn that Tulsa is one of the nation’s premier centers of art deco architecture, putting it in the classy company of Miami Beach, New York, and Los Angeles. The style was hugely popular here from the outset and remained so through several evolutions—as the geometrically ornamented structures of the 1920s gave way to the simpler and more heroic public architecture of the Great Depression and then to the sleek streamline moderne of the later 1930s.
“The 1970s were a pretty dark decade,” says Lee Anne Zeigler, executive director of the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture, a nonprofit devoted to historic preservation. Recent satellite imagery, she says, shows that some 52 percent of downtown Tulsa has been conscripted into duty as parking lots.Zeigler estimates that demolition claimed about half of the city’s deco buildings. Among the losses: the jewelbox-like Security Federal Savings and Loan, remodeled in 1937 with black Vitrolite and geometric shapes, and razed for parking in 1999. Grand theaters—such as the Delman, the Will Rogers, and the Palace (the latter artfully redesigned in 1935 by Koberling with a subtle zigzag styling)—came tumbling down. Tulsa Art Deco, first published by the Junior League in 1980 and republished by the foundation in 2001, is pocked with editor’s notes that say “torn off” or “demolished.”
The Classic Cocktail
1/6 Lemon juice
1/6 Curacao liqueur
1/6 Maraschino liqueur
1/2 Brandy (I use E&J XO, but use Cognac if you’re feeling flush)
Stir with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass rimmed with superfine sugar (optional). Squeeze lemon peel over drink and discard.
From The Standard Bartender’s Guide by Patrick Gavin Duffy, 1948.
Suggested music with this drink:
Count Basie - One O’Clock Jump
Maiden’s Prayer Cocktail No. 2
1/3 Lillet Blanc
1/3 Dry Gin
1/6 Calvados (or Applejack)
1/6 Pricota (substitute Apricot Brandy)
Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.
A lovely, elegant cocktail from the Savoy Cocktail Book
(2003 reprint, originally published in 1930).
Note: I use a 3 oz. total drink size so 1/3 = 1 oz.
This little music magazine from San Diego in 1980 is a fascinating look at the underground punk and rock music scene of the time. It was written by Dan McLain aka Country Dick Montana, infamous late drummer (RIP) for The Crawdaddys, The Beat Farmers, and others. He did the awesome illustrations including the cover, and all of the content is hand lettered! There is an interview with Glen Matlock, show reviews including one by the Crawdaddys (argh, I missed that one!), record reviews, and upcoming show listings.
If you view the original size images on Flickr it’s readable.
Originally uploaded by thejab
Here is my first post in a year, but I will be more frequent with my posts now that my blog has been resurrected, thanks to my blog designer and friend in all things tiki and cocktails - Humuhumu.
Some drinks look so simple they sound boring, but often the sum is better than the parts. Here is a very tasty variation on the Manhattan.
New 1920 Cocktail
1 dash orange bitters
1/4 French (dry) vermouth
1/4 Italian (sweet) vermouth
1/2 rye
Stir well in cracked ice and strain. Squeeze lemon peel above drink (but don’t drop it in).
From The Standard Bartender’s Guide by Patrick Gavin Duffy, 1948.
Tip: When measurements call for fractions or parts, don’t take that for ounces such as 1/2 ounce of rye. That would make a tiny drink and we don’t want that, right? I use a 3 ounce approximate drink size as a guide, and split that into parts. So in this drink I would use 1.5 oz. rye + 3/4 oz. of each vermouth = 3 oz. total. I don’t count dashes.
That’s it?! I guess I’ll be at Forbidden Island a lot this month! Hooray!
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