Eagle Rare 10 year single cask bourbon, Cinzano red vermouth, bitters. $11
Eureka Restaurant & Lounge, San Francisco CA
Nothing beats a neatly made Manhattan! I haven’t always enjoyed bourbon cocktails, but now they’re one of my favorites.
Yellow flowering maple shrub (Abutilon pictum, Malvaceae), 17th Street. I love the green and gold variegated leaves on this plant.
Appleton Estate rum, pineapple, lime, ginger beer and Angostura bitters. $10
Foreign Cinema, San Francisco CA
Omg, this cocktail was delicious! It had a great combination of flavors and it very refreshing.
San Francisco themed mural, 21st Street.
Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice, Espolon Reposado tequila, Amaro Nonino liqueur, honey vinegar, Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas bitters, lime. $12
McCrady’s Restaurant, Charleston SC
This was a new one for me – a horchata cocktail! And it was SO delicious! They used rice flour and lots of other ingredients as you can see. The result is a super refreshing and scrumptious cocktail with lots of flavor and a wonderful texture!
Open up the menu and choose your own adventure!
Southern Comfort whiskey, orange juice, triple sec, gingerale, dash of bitters. $9
Poogan’s Porch, Charleston SC
This cocktail was very refreshing! I thought it might be a little strong because of the whiskey, but the addition of oj, triple sec and ginger ale kept the flavors light and sweet. Mmm, very good!
Heavy wooden door against yellow walls, Fort Moultrie, Sullivan’s Island. This was the door leading to the powder room in this historic fort. The grounds are super clean and very pretty.
La Bubbly sparkling wine, Peychaud’s bitters, sugared lemon. $8
McCrady’s Restaurant, Charleston SC
This restaurant was recommended by a friend, so I arrived for an early dinner expecting great service and delicious food. I can tell you right now, that I received both! This cocktail was a great way to start off my meal. It was bright and refreshing tasting and had a beautiful peach-pink color.
The restaurant had just opened so I choose a table facing the bar so that I could people-watch as my meal progressed. The bar was quite tall, extending up to the open second floor and appeared cozy and warm from all the rich woods and leather.
Ravenous Pineapple – Herradura tequila, Ilegal mezcal, pineapple and lime served tall. $12
Jake’s Takes Manhattan – Knob Creek bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur and Amaro Averna served up. $12
Jake’s on Market, San Francisco CA
I wasn’t too impressed by the cocktails at Jake’s, especially at $12 a pop. For one thing, if something is supposed to be “served tall” I expect it to come in a highball or similar glassware, not in a short tumbler. Lame! The Ravenous Pineapple cocktail was different, but not amazing tasting. The Manhattan tasted a little better.
Mosaic snake, 24th and York Street Mini Park. This is a super cool sculpture in the play area at this park in The Mission.
Blenheim Julep – Makers Mark bourbon, lemon, mint, and spicy Blenheim ginger ale. $7
Classic Champagne Cocktail – Bubbly and bitters, brown sugar cube. $7
The Glass Onion, Charleston SC
Mmm, these cocktails were yummy and pretty cheap as cocktails go. The Blenheim Julep was fruity and refreshing and the Classic Champagne Cocktail was bright and bubbly. Perfect when combined with a delicious meal.
View of Charleston Waterfront Park from Charleston Harbor. I love the row of Sabal Palmetto trees lining the waterfront pathway.
Spicy BBQ glaze, house ground grits, fried field peas, brussels sprouts leaves, maple jus. $12
Anson Restaurant, Charleston SC
Omg, this was SO frickin’ good! Not only was it plated beautifully, the pork belly and all the components were super delicious! One of the best appetizers I’ve had in a while! Noms!
The Willow Salon mural, Liberty Street. This cute mural is on the side of the building. You don’t come across many random murals in Charleston so I’m glad that The Willow Salon has this one.
Manhattan Project – Bulleit rye whiskey, maraschino liquer, bitters. $12
Charleston Punch – Myers rum, grand marnier, orange juice. $11
Anson Restaurant, Charleston SC
Love the bartenders at Anson. They’re super friendly and their drinks are always neatly made and delicious. The Manhattan Project is killer and the Charleston Punch is sweet and refreshing.
Pineapple Fountain at the Charleston Waterfront Park. The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality in the low country. Perhaps it’s the botanist in me, but this fountain is one of my favorites among the MANY fountains I’ve seen in my lifetime. It’s not overly large, but it’s elegant, dramatic, and beautiful!
Swizzle – The drink of choice at the world’s first cocktail party in London circa 1924. Cruzan light rum falernum, lime juice, and bitters “swizzled” over hand chipped ice. $8
Lil’ Bit – A lil’ of this and a lil’ of that go a long way. Johnny Drum bourbon, Jack Rudy, orange juice, grapefruit bitters, lemon and lime. $13
The Bar at Husk, Charleston SC
The Swizzle was OK. I wasn’t crazy about the taste and was SO disappointed that the “chipped ice” became full on ice cubes. I’ve never had a swizzle cocktail that didn’t have at least crushed ice. I liked the Lil’ Bit cocktail better. It had a bolder flavor and went down smoothly.
Ripley Point Marina. On my third trip to Charleston, I stayed at a hotel in Ripley Point with a great view of the Ashley River and this marina.
Bulleit rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, splash of grenadine, and a dash of bitters. $10
Magnolia’s – Uptown Down South, Charleston SC
Gotta love the relaxed atmosphere of this restaurant! Service is sweet and friendly and the drinks are nicely made. This Manhattan was delicous!
Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. I have to admit that this bridge looks really cool! One of these days, I’m gonna run this thing.
Planter’s Punch. Old Brigand rum, grapefruit, lime and orange juices with a dash of Angostura bitters. Garnished with an orange slice and maraschino cherry. A longer punch! $14 (Barbados dollar)
Waterfront connection. Old Brigand rum, pina colada, Galliano, white creme de cacao, orange juice. Garnished with a pineapple slice and maraschino cherry. $16 (Barbados dollar)
Waterfront Cafe, Bridgetown, BARBADOS
Another yummy set of beautiful cocktails. The service at Waterfront Cafe was very friendly and perfectly situated along the inlet near the Chamberlain Bridge.
Random elephant ride at the Highland Adventure Weather Station in the middle of the island. It was probably defunct, but I like the weathered look of it. We had taken a taxi tour around the island with a hilariously outspoken driver named Angela. We learned that she doesn’t eat rabbit because a skinned rabbit looks like a human baby, and she doesn’t eat shark because she had recently witnessed a butchered shark with a human hand in its belly. Lol!
Vittle Monster 