Martinez, Daisy and Sangaree

(martinez, v. wasik for serious eats)
(martinez, v. wasik for serious eats)

In A Collar and Tie (GQ Book 4), Henry and Martin go to the Venetian Bar and have a few drinks. They first try the Martinez and then the Gin Daisy.

All the mixed drinks they imbibe in the books are gin-based, and that is because prefer gin drinks, and I knew I’d want to try whatever I had them drink. I’m not (yet) a whiskey/rye/bourbon fan (which is a shame, considering where I live), so I wasn’t going to want to invest in a bunch of amber liquor that I wouldn’t otherwise want to drink.

The Martinez is believed to be the precursor to the much-simpler/possibly more elegant Martini. It was probably developed in the 1860s, but first showed up in a cocktail recipe book in 1884.

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disreputable neighborhoods of 1901 + brothel guide

When Henry and Martin embark on their adventure in A Collar and Tie (GQ Book 4), they go to the only place Henry can think of, which is the neighborhood of a whorehouse that he supposes attracts men with tastes similar to his own. Continue reading disreputable neighborhoods of 1901 + brothel guide

dances and debutantes

le quadrille a bullier / philippe jacques linder
le quadrille a bullier / philippe jacques linder

I cannot dance. I was after the Mr. forever to take ballroom dance lessons with me, and when he finally relented, I turned out to be the worst dancer imaginable. Graceless, herky-jerky and unleadable. But I love the idea of wearing a ball gown and doing some formal, ritualistic dance, and obviously it’s the sort of thing Henry would love, too.

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