drink now, travel later

Social media shows that a lot of you have turned to cooking, exercise, and cocktails as coping mechanisms during Safer at Home.  In fact, there’s even a meme that says we’ll all end up as chunks, hunks, or drunks when this is over.  And while that is a huge exaggeration for most of us, it does bring to mind one of my favorite travel activities - drinking cocktails in their bars of origin!  With that in mind, here’s a little history, a little cocktail, and a little dream of future travel!

Pina Colada - Restaurant Barrachina/Caribe Hilton - San Juan, Puerto Rico

This first one is a bit of a battle.  The story here goes that in 1954 rival bartenders at the Caribe Hilton came up with oddly similar drinks and both laid claim to the title “inventor”.  Joan Crawford is said to have enjoyed the pineapple and coconut drink poolside, claiming it was “better than slapping Bette Davis in the face”.  But, then, there’s Don Ramon Portas Mingot, bartender at the Restaurant Barrachina in Old San Juan.  In 1963, he claimed he was actually the inventor. Today, Restaurant Barrachina still serves up the delightful frozen concoction.  Insider tip: sit in the back bar, and order a “second”.  These are the non-tourist variety, and pack much more of a rum “punch”.  So, while Restaurant Barrachina has the “home of” plaque outside their door, the Caribe Hilton does have a few years on the title.  Try them both, for a little “taste challenge” on your vacation.  After all, the Pina Colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico!  

Bloody Mary - King Cole Bar, St. Regis Hotel, New York, New York

New York is known as a melting pot, and the origins and evolution of the Bloody Mary fit right into that narrative.  While most agree that Fernand Petiot is the creator of the Bloody Mary, when it was created, where it was created,, and the exact recipe are somewhat less clear.  Most believe it was created at Harry’s Bar in Paris, but that is not the version we all know and love.  That version, which Petiot brought with him to New York, was actually pretty bland.  So, when he began mixing it at the St. Regis, sophisticated New York palates had him “spice it up”, and America’s brunch classic was born.  The St. Regis, however, felt the name “Bloody Mary” was a little crude for their clientele, and tried (very unsuccessfully) to change it to the Red Snapper.  But when a legend is born, a legend is born!

Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Tequila Sunrise - Arizona Biltmore Pool Bar, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, AZ

And then there’s yet another drink with a slightly muddled beginning, pun definitely intended.  Again, this cocktail has a couple of forms.  The modern version: the layered, very fruity version most of us picture, was born in Sausilito’s Trident Bar in the early 1970s.  Mick Jagger is even said to have sipped a few there while on tour, eventually naming said tour after the drink.  The original, however, was born way back in the 1930s in, of all places, Phoenix, Arizona.  AZ was quite the Hollywood getaway back then, and Gene Sulit, bartender at the Arizona Biltmore, was tasked with creating a “refreshing tequila cocktail” to enjoy poolside for discerning clientele.  It’s lighter, tarter, and much less orange and cherry forward than the modern take, but it’s no less satisfying.  Both bars are still open, but the Arizona Biltmore is home to the original.  The hotel, (with it’s sensational pool!) remains a luxurious hideaway even today.

Irish Coffee - Buena Vista, San Francisco, CA

So, the “origin” on this one is a bit of a stretch, but the bar that perfected the American version is in San Francisco, and does have its foundation tied to the true Irish original.  Supposedly created in 1943, during a terribly stormy night at Pan Am’s Foyne Flying Boat terminal in Ireland (although even the Irish can’t quite agree on this story), this drink was created as something simple to warm waiting passengers.  Supposedly, an American travel writer, Stan Delaplane, was among those waiting that night, and brought the cocktail back to America, and his “home bar”, the Buena Vista in San Francisco.  The story goes, the owner Jack Koeppler challenged Delaplane to recreate the iconic drink for his bar and patrons.  After many unsuccessful attempts, and importing special Irish dairy, the two were able to capture the essence of the cocktail, and it became an iconic staple of the bar.  And let’s face it, a dreary day in SF can equal that of Ireland’s coast, so it seems a match made in heaven.  Be aware, these beautiful coffee cocktails are quite strong, and more than one requires grabbing a bite to eat at the Buena Vista, too.  After my first one, I almost fell off the barstool!

Editorial Credit: SvetlanaSF shutterstock.com

Blue Hawaiian - Hilton Hawaiian Village - Oahu, HI

Tiki Culture, and all things Hawaiiana have made a huge resurgence in the past few years.  This love for the retro days of Hawaii, includes tiki cocktails, too, of course!  The odd thing?  Most of them came from the Mainland, and not the Hawaiian Islands.  But, there is one, one fabulous, namesake cocktail, born out of the fires of Pele and representing the spirit of aloha - the Blue Hawaiian!  This one is straight out of a Mad Men marketing dream.  Henry Yee, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, partnered with the makers of Blue Curacao to invent a signature cocktail in 1957, two years before Hawaii was granted statehood.  After WWII, Hawaii had become an American vacation obsession, a true tropical paradise accessible by a Pan Am or Hawaiian Airlines flight from the West Coast.  Even Elvis showed up in Oahu the same year as the cocktail!  Coincidence?  Yes, definitely. His film, “Blue Hawaii”, didn’t come out until 1961.  But, that drink?  It’s a luau staple even today, and a must drink in the Summer.

Editorial Credit: Jeff Whyte / Shutterstock.com

The Sazerac — Not Where You Might Think — New Orleans, LA

The Sazerac is the ubiquitous “first” American cocktail, and you might be under the impression that its origin is either the Carousel or Sazerac Bars in New Orleans. But technically, there is no “official” first bar to drink it in.  The Sazerac was actually created in a pharmacy by apothecary Antoine Peychaud, and that pharmacy hasn’t existed for over 100 years.  While you can get an “original” at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone (with it’s indoor merry-go-round) or Sazerac Bar at the Grand Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, the cocktail wasn’t exactly born in either place. Still, either hotel is worth a visit, and New Orleans is always an incredibly fun destination!

Editorial credit: zimmytws / Shutterstock.com

So, if you’re looking to drink, dream, and plan your escape, why not take a cocktail tour?  Even sipping on one of these makes us feel like we’re “there”.  And even more amazing?  All of these are “American” cocktails,  meaning you don’t have to go very far to enjoy one in its home.  So cheers, bottoms up, and drink, er, rather dream now, and travel later!

Want to work with our resident cocktail expert, Erin, to plan a fabulous vacation to sip a cocktail or two? She can get it planned for you before the post-lockdown booking search snaps up the best availability!