Paper Whiskey

New Orleans Bar Blog

Watch / Read / Listen (No. 5)

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Watch:

  1. Fury. I watched this namely for Logan Lerman but Brad Pitt and all the other actors are just as brilliant. The entire color palette of this movie is brown, gray, grim, and bleak but that’s reality.
  2. Plizzanet Earth with Snoop Dogg. Dream come true.

Read:

  1. We Rate Dogs. I’ve been waiting for the right time to adopt a dog. With this Twitter account on my feed, every day seems like the right time.
  2. Aziz Ansari’s Op Ed. The most articulate, concise, and thought-provoking way to tell Trump to ‘go f*ck himself.’

Listen:

  1. Prateek Kuhad. It was hard to pinpoint who he sounds like: Vance Joy, Feist, Jack Johnson? Nonetheless, his voice is magnificent. I love all the songs from his album “In Tokens & Charms” but “Go” is the standout track.

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckle-beer

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A bi-weekly series of libations with Becca-approved design or flavor. Perhaps both.

Name: Luchesa Lager
From: Oasis Texas Brewing Company of Austin, TX
Type: kellerbier
Pair it with: an outdoor movie viewing
Emphasis on: design

Let me out of here: Austin Road Trip

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Firehouse Lounge. Pull the bookcase to enter this speakeasy.

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Baptist cocktail from Firehouse Lounge: bourbon, lime, ginger beer, bitters.

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(L) Tsukemen and Tonkotsu Orginal from Ramen Tatsu-Ya. (R) Kimchi fries from Chi’Lantro.

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Everything was gucci at Uchi.

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Best pasta: Patrizi’s food truck.

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Butterfly Bar interior.

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Butterfly Bar cocktails. (L) Lillete’s Cup: Hendrick’s gin, rose syrup, cucmber, strawberry, lemon, and topo chico. (R) Texas Ginger: Texas-blended whiskey, ginger beer, lime.

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Gibson Street Bar. Too crowded to stay. But looked like a good time.

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Eight-bit space invaders at Kung Fu Saloon, an arcade bar. But only the skeeball is free.

Title of post dedicated to Michelle who pulled a calmer version of Amy Poehler. We roadtripped to Austin last month with Ly’s new Mini Cooper! To open the car door, you have to double pull the handle. Michelle thought it was child lock and Ly’s all like That’s weird, it’s not on child lock. So Michelle would say Let me out of here! to remind Ly to open the door for her. We finally figured it out.

I won’t look any further than my own backyard

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It’s 4 p.m. on weekday. I get a text from Michelle: Come to happy hour at Brisbi’s. I’ve heard of the place and live in the same neighborhood, but have never been.

Flashback to a few years ago when I was living in Virginia. My parents were visiting, so I took them to the National Mall. My then roommate, a lifelong VA resident, remarked that it was his first time seeing the monuments. First time! The monuments! I feel bad enough about not going to established restaurants like Commander’s Palace and Emeril’s.

It happens. You take for granted of what’s in your backyard. Such was the case with Brisbi’s. It’s not a national treasure like Lincoln Memorial but it does offer cold beer and a beautiful sunset.

Vibe: sunsetty, breezy, casual
Happy Hour: $1.75 domestics, $3 premium drafts/import bottles, $5 house wines
Food Favorites: food was gone by the time I arrived

Title of post credited to L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz.

Monday Meetings with Dana Tanamachi

Gina Rodriguez from Jane the Virgin started Movement Mondays on her Instagram to garner support for working Latino actors. She points out that studios feel more confident in hiring Latino actors for high-profile roles if the numbers back it up. TV shows and movies with Latino actors need to pull in higher ratings and more revenue.

This approach is the same for all minorities and extends beyond the acting community—into all aspects of creative professions. Inspired by Gina, I am starting the series Monday Meetings to highlight Asian movers, shakers, and makers. We should be seeing them and hearing from them more often—not just sporadically.

♦ ♦ ♦

Meet Dana Tanamachi, whose work has spawned the ubiquitous chalkboard lettering. Like most things that are meant to be, it seemingly happened by chance. She decorated a friend’s wall at a party, which became such a big hit that she was asked to design the backdrop at other parties. Soon businesses in town discovered her work through Facebook pictures and friends of friends. On her last day at her studio job, Oprah Magazine gave her the official seal of awesomeness and commissioned her for their cover page.

Dana is a true example of how you can spin straw into gold; she only needs a tape measure, rags and dollar-store chalk to create her masterpieces. Let’s add insane talent to that recipe of greatness. Since we’ll never be on her level, you can own one of her amazing designs here and ask yourself what you’ve done with your life by looking at her other work here.

Top photo by Sharon Radisch for Trouve Magazine. Bottom photo from Tanamachi Studio.

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