Party Libations, Bounce Time & Lovely Sins: Tales Of The Cocktail 2009 In New Orleans - Part III - Feature

The late afternoon concerts in the off alley sweetness becomes New Orleans during Tales Of The Cocktail as part three of the journey of spirits in the Big Easy continues.Tantalizing along the streets within the setting sun brings the secluded bungalow of French 75  Bar into view. Mekhong, a sugar caned based rum swirled in the essence of Thailand, lulls with a sense of comfort as the sidling of the bar encourages the make of a “Dr. Funk”, a sweet tail mixing Mekhong with ginger beer, absinthe, cucumber peel and mint in a cold refreshing bite of chill. The "Sabai Sarai" resolutely by comparison takes the Mekhong with simple syrup and lemon juice and shakes well in ice for a cold lift.“Seven Deadly Sins”, revolving within the W New Orleans, welcomes with the red and purple club essence as the valet recognizes my return with ample props against a lack of memory.Entering the ballroom den of inequity, the intent made known the path. At the inset, despite the “Sloth” of Corazon with the straight Anejo white tequila, the structure lacked breathe while style made its smoothness apparent.Within Cabana Cachaca's truth of mixing logistics notwithstanding as they encompassed “Lust”, shadowed girls in sheer silk intertwined within background pedestals highlighting the energy as the continued legacy of Michael Jackson late-70s style puritized the feeling with the music pouring through the speakers.As Tommy Bahama Rum embraced the laid back infusion of “Anger” caddycorner on the floor, the “Wrath Of Tommy” slipped within the tongue volleying the standard with a Victorian lemonade concentrate humping up with a trip.Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka cinched the effort of “Gluttony” in the cold dark center with a punch that simply effects nostalgia in either fusion or straight endeavors. The aforetold “Head Juicer” distills with a passion as he pours visions of shots in excessive succession as if a he were a God of Southern magnificence.The Spirit Awards brought the drinks into pinpoint at Harrahs New Orleans as girls, bartenders extraordinaire in their own right, slinked in cocktail dresses, the black silver of their tattoos creeping down the nill of their open back.Up on stage, the emcee of cocktails highlights that the bartender (Evan) is making some “drinky shit” to get the party rolling. Best Drink Selection & Cocktail menu spearheaded The Merchant Hotel in Belfast while James Meehan of PDT(Please Don't Tell) in NYC raged as the Best Bartender while his bar captured the World's Best Cocktail Spot. Making its debut and capturing the Best New Cocktail Bar swiftly skyrocketed The Clover Club in Brooklyn.Latrobe's On Royal made the closing night funkified as the line stretched around the smoke filled entrance in droves waiting for the “Bartender's Breakfast” to begin as the transient rooms mixed from jazz to ambient to simple lust as the walk disappeared into reds and blues leading towards the atrium ballroom.The Big Bounce, out of Miami, kicked the musical stylings in high gear with a rock/jazz fusion beat boxing hip hop vibe that infused solid energy that had the room shimmering. BB brought the gusto with his slow “prawn” funk as the trip hop continuation easily integrated into some rip raging New Orleans jazz.The beatbox master slowed the progression down into the robot and metranomed it back out bringing visions of My Morning Jacket Quarter-style. The funk took up prescience as the music heightened up to MJ's “Blood On The Dance Floor”A Tales Apprentice, hot, short and petite, with a white fedora sizzles as she entices around the dance floor enraptured by the journey achieved. Her friends encourage the energy in spades, optimizing the true nature of the cocktail community, a plus in the night.As the swinging of the dome kept the structure moving, the rooms bathed led the way home. The dome wrapped in white raged in a heaven-like orgy as the chill middle resounded in browns and golds, earth-like in its resistance. The third room waifed in the blue of the chill with soft leather chairs and inviting stares as the red vilified the exit with a tinge of sin.Plymouth Gin sang the night as the dancers led the music through the gates of tomorrow.The brunch within Soul Revival livened with the smoothness of Mount Gay Rum as plantains soaked in rum with cinnamon and brown sugar sizzled in unison topped with ice cream. Having visited Barbados, home to the distillery during the Barbados Film Festival, the quality of the brand is known and consumed.Introducing a new 1703 brand, only available outside Barbados, the taste on a simple sip produced a quiet stillness bounded by orange oak underpinings that balanced smoothness on all sides, a simply beautiful feeling.The last stop boarded the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, spinning in perpetuity like a wandering Gonzo in search of spicy recollection. A Tabasco intrinsic Hacondero Cajun Mary surrounded with spicy green bean stalks soothes the savage spirit as tales of Dylan and Van Morrison pepper the style as the merry-go-round spins faster and faster into oblivion. Stopping nowhere but moving nonetheless.Tales Of The Cocktail, on the maiden voyage, proved decisive, divisive, cantankerous, rowdy, intelligent and fun in all the best ways, embracing the science and beauty that is the spirit. New Orleans never had it so good.