May Meeting - Teardrop Lounge, Portland Oregon

You want to know how awesome the Seattle chapter of LUPEC is? We are so awesome that we spread our drinking dollars all the way down to our smaller but possibly more charming neighbor to the south, Portland!

13 of us met at the Teardrop Lounge last Saturday night for a hell of a good time and some crazy awesome cocktails! Bartenders Ricky and Brian were working off the new menu which features 10 House Cocktails, 10 Classics and 10 'Friends' Cocktails (from bartenders around the states). For those of you light on the maths skills that is a menu with 30 freaking cocktails on it, all with about 4 ingredients each. Serious kudos Teardrop! SERIOUS!!!

 
No slouches themselves, Mary and Émilee took care of us like the pros that they are. Keeping track of everyone's orders for "Bidú Cocktails", "Thief in the Nights", "Apple of Discords" and the like.  And what about the 2 rounds of "Dementia Pugilistica Punch" and all the pretty punch cups? (Thanks to Jamie Boudreau for the 2nd one!)  And don't even get me started on that Piña Colada! I'm spoiled forever now!

Another awesome shout out for Portland gal Allison who came by and showed us her handcrafted Lewis Bags. I can't wait to order one!!

After our "official meeting" some of us headed to Thatch where Trader Tiki himself was working. Unfortunately I don't think Blair realized how many of us might be stopping by and was possibly a little overwhelmed by our Team Seattle Awesomeness. There was something flaming sent out and a little mix it yourself cocktail passed around in pitchers. I didn't catch the names of either but no worries.

Thank you to both the ladies who made the trek from Seattle (Lauren, Eden, Rachel, Jen, Elisabeth, Elise, Stevi, Marcie, Gisla, Erin) and also the great women from Portland who joined us (Karie, Michelle, Allison, Mary and Émilee)! I hope you'll get that PDX LUPEC thing in full swing!

What was your favorite cocktail of the night? I think I have to go with the Piña Colada, I mean I've had them a million times but that one is off the charts!

I'll have the rest of the pictures posted on the Facebook Event page soon, you should do the same!

Taking This Show on the Road!

Just to mix things up a bit (pun intended) this month the LUPEC ladies are headed down to Portland, Oregon and the well know, well loved Teardrop Lounge. Owners Daniel Shoemaker and Ted Charak opened their bar about 3 years ago and have been impressing customers ever since. Fanatical about quality products you'll find syrups, bitters, tonic, infusions and the like all made in house. They have an impressive cocktail menu of interesting original drinks as well as the classics.

Our meeting (just like the date and the location) will be a bit different this time in that it will start at 8:00pm on Saturday May 29 and we will have a reserved section until 9:30pm. Very nice of Teardrop to host us on a busy Saturday night! Cocktails range in price from $9-$12 and the bar offers some very nice food also. As in the past please RSVP if you are planning on attending so we can give the guys a head count and bring cash for easier settling of tabs.

Additionally Blair Reynolds aka Trader Tiki will be behind the stick at Thatch that same night. Blair has told me that there may or may not be pineapples and awesome tiki drinks awaiting if anyone chooses to head over after our meeting! Guaranteed you'll find me with a tiki drink in hand sometime after 10pm. If you haven't met Blair or had a tiki drink crafted by him you are missing out!

And now that we are talking about Portland, aren't we lucky to live so close to another great food and drink city? I'm sure we'll get around and get to trying other places as well. I'd love for you all to report back after our meeting on other places you sussed out quality cocktails (or were expecting to but were disappointed). So where else are you planning to go? Clyde Common? Beaker and Flask? Others?

See you next Saturday night!! Cheers!