by Gina Stephens | Mar 26, 2018 | Eat, March 2018
Kevin Barrett, a mixologist and the owner of downtown’s Dram & Draught, is headed to New Orleans after winning the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild’s “Make it Exotico” cocktail competition last month. Barrett’s Samba in the Rain (see recipe below) was the favorite pick from a panel of four judges. The audience crowned Watts & Ward’s bartender Daniel Barnes and his cocktail Separacion as the crowd-favorite winner.
For the competition, mixologists across the country were invited to submit their best cocktail recipe using Exotico Tequila Blanco or Exotico Tequila Reposado, 100 percent agave tequila, as the base spirit. Panels of USBG-selected judges narrowed down the entries to 10 semifinalists for each of the seven competition cities: Miami, Raleigh, San Diego, Austin, Indianapolis, Denver and Detroit.
Bartenders had a maximum of seven minutes to make their cocktails in real time for judges, who considered each entry on its appearance, aroma, creativity, taste and overall impression. Judges included USBG professionals, tequila and cocktail experts and local media personalities.
Samba in the Rain
Along with the trophy for winning the first leg of the competition, Barrett receives an all-expense paid trip to the Tales of the Cocktail festival in New Orleans to compete against the six other finalists for the grand prize: an all-expense-paid trip to Exotico Tequila’s distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. We’ll have our fingers crossed for Kevin as we attempt to recreate his winning cocktail at home.
SAMBA IN THE RAIN
Ingredients:
•1.5 oz. Exotico TequilaBlanco
• 3 oz. soda water
• 1 oz. Aperol
• .75 oz. lemon juice
• .5 oz. agave syrup
•4 dashes Sombra Mezcal
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients except Mezcal in a shaker with ice. Shake, and strain over ice into a Collins glass. Top with soda water, and add dashes or spritz of Mezcal. Garnish with lemon wheel and pomegranate seed “flower” and serve.
SEPARACION
Separacion
Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz. Exotico Plata
• .25 oz. Vida Mescal
• 1 oz. Montenegro Amarao
• .25 Agave syprup
• Rosemary sprig
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, stirred for dilution then double strained into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with smoked rosemary trapped in a bell jar and a rosemary sprig.
by Gina Stephens | Mar 19, 2018 | March 2018, Polish, Stuff
by Gina Stephens | Mar 19, 2018 | Eat, March 2018
Raleigh’s first mobile bar for hire is hitting the streets and looking for a party. Esmeralda, the vintage 1962 Shasta camper, is the culmination of a two-year project for Tipsy Gypsy Caravan owner Cami Bell. “I saw a similar camper bar at a clambake a few years ago; it was the cutest thing I’d ever seen,” says Bell. “I immediately knew I wanted to build one.” After fi nding the camper she needed, Bell enlisted the help of Lori Langdon from Indigo, a Raleigh interior design fi rm, and Foundation Bar Manager Kyle Hankin to create a beautiful and functional mobile bar.
The bar is ideal for private events and weddings—guests rent the caravan, including the bartender, ice and glassware. Bell hosts a tasting party to pick cocktails for the event beforehand and the client provides the alcohol and mixers. “Cocktails, wine and beer are carefully paired with your food and style, and Esmeralda will be dressed out to match,” says Bell. ”We can do anything and go anywhere with alcohol or not in the Raleigh area.”
by Gina Stephens | Mar 12, 2018 | March 2018, Retreat, Stuff
Pantone, the ‘color bible,’ chose Ultra Violet 18-3838 as the color of the year for 2018. The New Jersey-based color supplier is considered an authority on color, setting color standards for the design industry. Pantone describes this year’s color as “communicating originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking that points us toward the future”.
Here are ideas for adding a shade of violet to any room.
1. City seen painting
1. City scene painting 12 x 16, $69.95; Form & Function
2. Lavender Take-Out Box includes pure lavender essential oils, soap, bath salts, 20-hour candle and a lavender sachet, $19.95; Form & Function
3. Paddywax wildflower & birch
3. Paddywax wildflower & birch 10 oz. candle, $25.95; Form & Function
4. Glass lantern, $35; Inspirations
4. Glass lantern
5. Lepi de Provence lavender flower soap, $6.50; Affordable Chic
2. Lavender Take-Out Box
5. Lepi de Provence lavender
6. Sigourney arm chair
6.Sigourney arm chair, $
309.99: Target
7. Cotton pillow 22 x 22, $59.50; Inspirations
7. Cotton Pillow8. Recycled bulb vase, $18.95; Form & Function
9. Purple pool balls, $5 each; Form & Function
10. Book bundle, $15; Form & Function
8. Recycled Bulb Vase
9. Purple pool balls
10. Book bundle
Sherwin Williams Kimono Violet 6839
Kimono Violet (SW 6839) is a bold, beautiful choice for those who want to fully embrace this year’s trend. It is fabulous paired with white for a high contrast look… perhaps paired with white sofas in a living area or violet painted backs of white bookshelves. Despite its boldness, it is surprisingly lovely and restful in a modern bedroom paired with silvers and greys for a meditative retreat. And it would be a knockout color for a front door with taupey- grey siding.
—Carole Marcotte, Form & Function
formandfunctionraleigh.com
Sherwin Williams Berry Cream 9075
We’re going with SW 9075 Berry Cream. We like it because it has a definite violet undertone, but is subtle enough to work in large spaces. Berry Cream is a relaxing, soothing hue.
—Beth Bridgers, Beyond Blue Interiors
Pantone Ultra Violet #18-1838
My go to violet is Ultraviolet #18-1838 which is he color Pantone chose as 2018’s color of the year. You need to be creative in using any hue of violet as all violet and purple shades are complex with a range of possibilities. Violet is chic and elegant, with subtle sophistication. I love to use a mix of floral and geometric patterns in a room painted in a violet hue to soften the space.
– Tula Sumerford, Design by Tula, designbytula.com
Amy Howard’s One Step Orchid
With 2 weeks until March, we’re entering the warm weather season, perfect weather for spray paint!! Amy Howard’s “Orchid” Lacquer Spray Paint is a lovely violet – just right when you need a little drama to set off your silver or gold accents. Use it on frames,lamps,chandeliers, drawer pulls – the sky’s the limit!
—Laurie Lebetter, affordablechicshops.com
by Gina Stephens | Mar 5, 2018 | March 2018, Polish, Stuff
Lisette L Designer Yvonne Lamers talks about the spring collection
What is official role/title with Lisette L?
Designer. I am part of a design team; Lucie Benjamin and I are a team that complements each other in terms of our expertise. I am working on a Adobe Illustrator and Excel for technical details; I’m a former pattern maker as well. Lucie was a retail buyer for many years and has a keen retail eye and numbers sense. Together we combine our expertise and bring it to Lisette to build the collection.
What did you do before coming to Lisette L?
I’ve had 35 years of experience in design, ranging from designer buyer for a major Canadian retail chain to designer at Esprit Canada, and 20 years at Ego fashion where I specialized in private label programs for major Canadian retailers inc
luding Costco, Dynamite group, Marie Claire group, Sears and several American retailers. This included overseeing production and quality control in Eastern Europe and Asia, traveling to Europe for style and fabric research.
What makes this years springcollection special?
The collection is the most diverse ever as our retailers have responded so well to our offering of tops and blouses in colors dyed to match our bottom prints. It’s so easy for the customer to complete a wardrobe when we have a top in the perfect shade to match this season’s on trend printed pant.
I know you love every piece but what are a couple of your favorite pieces in this collection?
I love the simplistic elegance of the constellation jacquard pant. It’s black and white, so easy, and of course I usually wear it with black, but sometime I’ll team it with a coral top to make a bright statement or mushroom top to make it neutral. The other piece is our top in the soft sienna jersey with one side-exposed shoulder. I can wear it to work with pants and it’s so elegant. Then I change into our 22-inch length little black skirt for my dinner out, and it’s the look of an edgy classic dress.
Why do you think Lisette L appeals to women from 30-80 years old?
The pull-on pant is easy and comfortable. Once you wear a Lisette L pant, you will not want to go back to a pant with a restricting waistband and zipper. It’s all about comfort.
Over the years you’ve been with Lisette, L what has been the biggest change you’ve seen in the clothing industry and change within Lisette L?
First again I stress comfort. Women now realize they can have comfortable elegance. They can look totally chic in a pull-on pant with the wide variety of novelty fabrics. Also, four years ago the emphasis was on solid color bottoms, now novelty patterns are just as important, and many have become classics.
Is there anything I haven’t asked you that you think readers should know about the your style, designs or Lisette L as a company?
I would say that readers should know that our collection is evolving and expanding each season with more tops and blouses to pair with our bottoms. And our denim collection offers so many of the on-trend design details like pearls and embroideries, in high quality European stretch denims fabrics and the classic Lisette L fit.
