Cocktails in Vegas

This summer, the newly 'appointed' Mrs Tipple & I took a trip to the USA.
As this was our honeymoon we wanted to go all out, starting with 5 days in Las Vegas before heading over to the east coast for 5 days in New York.

They say everything is bigger in the US...they are not wrong!

On the run up to the Honeymoon a lot of time was spent researching the cities, sites to see, where to shop, where to eat...where to drink? The beauty of Las Vegas is that everything is so over the top, after 2 days it felt like the norm spending the morning in an Egyptian Pyramid at the Luxor before having Gelato on the streets of Venice in the Venetian.
On our first evening we ate at Diablo's, a Mexican diner situated between the New York New York & Monte Carlo Casino's. We visited on recommendation from friends...although the two for one beer voucher I had may have swayed our decision. Upon sitting down Liz ordered a Margarita (large!) whilst I browsed the beer menu. UK supermarkets and beer shops are full of US imported beer now, so I was familiar with most of the offereing's on the menu. I opted for a pint of what on the menu was worded as 'New Castle'...this turned out to be a pint of Newcastle Brown Ale...my quest to try new beer failed at the first hurdle! The fish tacos here was pretty good - however the nachos were amazing, the portion itself was enough to feed a family of four!

In Las Vegas you can walk down the strip with a beer quite happily, considering it was 24hour drinking we felt comfortable and safe at all times - with no idiot drunks ruining everyone's holiday.
Upon exploring the strip we discovered 'Fat Tuesdays'. Essentially, this is a fast food joint for cocktails. We walked in for a cold drink without realising where we were...the back wall was full of giant slush machines, with an option of various cup sizes...from a $10 16oz to giant $35 novelty yard sticks. We started our Fat Tuesday addiction with a Margarita. We chose to purchase these drinks for a bit of relief from the 30+ degree heat on the strip, for the money we expected a iced drink with a hint of alcohol...we were wrong, they were stronger than they looked!

Later in the week we discovered that our hotel (MGM Grand) had a Fat Tuesday outlet, and being cheaper than the main bar we visited frequently to keep us 'hydrated' whilst we fluttered in the Casino. For an extra dollar we were offered an extra 'shot'...this seemed to be at least 50ml of extra tequila...well worth the money!!!
Throughout the week we tried 'Hurricane (rum & fruit juice), Pina Colada, Amaretto & Whisky (strong!!!) as well as about 5 Margaritas.
As I mentioned earlier, Vegas was so safe and was a world away from Leeds City Center on a Saturday night, which was surprising given the reputation of Sin City. As a business model, Fat Tuesday was perfect for the Strip in the blazing heat of the desert, I couldn't see it working in the UK as people would just abuse it and make a mess in the streets...but if you are ever in Vegas, you need to try it!

Las Vegas is America's playground. It is full of shows and attractions that would keep you occupied for weeks, all before you even spend time in the Casino. We are definately not gamblers, Vegas was booked so we could experience the 'spectacle' of it all, the Eiffle Tower, the Stratosphere, the fountains at the Bellagio. When you are in the casino though you can not help but have a little flutter. The night before we left Las Vegas we decided to go out for a nice meal, spend time on the casino floor and just enjoy our final night. After a week of fast food it was nice to sit down at Grimaldi's Italian at the Palazzo and just enjoy a quiet pint of Sam Adams and a glass of prosecco (similar to in NYC, the measure of prosecco was enormous considering what we have in the UK). The pizza here is to die for, best order one to share between two though due to the size!


When we arrived back at the MGM Grand we spent an hour losing money on the slot machines before retiring to one of the casino's many bars. Whisky Down is a bar that I had researched several months before our visit to Las Vegas, open 24 hours it offers a bit of class in an brightly lit casino floor. Walking past it I imagine it to be similar to how old fashioned US speakeasy's were during the prohibition, or somewhere that a wealthy gambler could wind down with a cigar and a glass of Bourbon.  However tempted I was to order a large Bourbon and watch the world go by I found myself tempted by the cocktail menu. We ordered their signature 'Whisky In A Jar' which contained Old Forrester Bourbon, mint, watermelon & ginger beer $15. We also tried a 'Black Basil Smash' with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, honey syrup, lemon juice and blackberries for $14. Both drinks were really nice, but the stand out was the Whisky In A Jar...considering the quality of the drink we found the prices to be quite reasonable, especially due to its central Casino location. Next time we visit though I will try to work my way through their Bourbon shelf, neat with one cube of ice!

The above is just a small selection of the amazing bars and restaurants located in Las Vegas itself. This city is not just for the gamblers and party animals...but it is definitely a place for Foodies and surprisingly enough, a great place to relax.
We have already booked to go back - the trip can not come soon enough!

Shaken, Not Stirred - my favourite tipples from the world of James Bond.

'Maybe I misjudged Stromberg. Any man who drinks Dom Perigean '52 can't be all bad' - The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Unsure whether you have noticed or not, but there is another Bond film coming out.
SPECTRE, Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the legendary 007 opens in cinema's on 26th October...do you have your tickets booked?  We sure do!

A lot of people know me to be quite a geek, with a love of all things superhero, Doctor Who etc.  Many of you will know me for my love of beer.  However, my biggest passion is the franchise goliath that is James Bond.

Still taken from Goldfinger via Getty Images 

Ever since I opened a VHS copy of Goldeneye & Dr No at Christmas and saw the Q-Boat chase of The World Is Not Enough in the cinema (I am only 26 after all) I have been obsessed with the giant that is the worlds longest running movie franchise.  Even featuring it when discussing the role of British film franchises in cinema for my university dissertation, so it is safe to assume my excitement of seeing 007 come up against an old enemy in the form of the villainous organisation that is SPECTRE.

Throughout the cinematic history of 007 (and even in the novels), alcohol has played a huge part in James Bond's lifestyle. Whether it to be a way to showcase his lavish lifestyle, a way to figure out a villain in plain sight (Red Grant in From Russia With Love 'Red wine with fish, that should have told me something') or even as a blatant piece of product placement. Here I will discuss my favourite tipples from the James Bond franchise.

First up I will start with the champagne. From dining with colleagues and villains, to (mostly) accompanying him to bed with one of his many Bond Girls, champagne is present in almost all the James Bond films.
'Bollinger? If it is a '69, you were expecting me' - Moonraker
I have to admit, I first purchased a bottle of Champagne Bollinger purely after seeing 007 drink it, I was not disappointed in the taste! I remember having some friends over many years ago where we drank a bottle watching a Roger Moore 007 film. Sometimes the bottle is hidden in the back of shot, however I can remember at least three times where it was blatantly in shot of the camera...my favourite being the champagne cooler built into Pierce Brosnan's DB5.
Champagne Bollinger has been present in the James Bond films since Roger Moore in Live And Let Die and continues to pop up even now into Daniel Craig's era.
Due to the iconic connotations of Bollinger, the brand has taken up the 007 logo on many limited edition bottles...something that I have yet to have the joy of purchasing. For SPECTRE, Bollinger have released a limited edition Crystal cooler. at £4500 it is certainly not cheap, but one for the collectors.

Image taken from JamesBondLifestyle.com.

Bollinger SPECTRE 007 Limited Edition Crystal cooler

with Bollinger R.D. 1988 Magnum bottle.

photo © Champagne Bollinger

So Bollinger is still Bond's Champagne of choice, however he has not always had such a tie to one brand. Another famous Champagne seen in the films is Dom Perignon. This champagne was present from Sean Connery to Roger Moore. I have not yet had the opportunity to sample this tipple so I can not really comment on it...when ever I see a bottle in Selfridges it is at least £100 more than my budget for that day.  However what I love about the inclusion of this brand is that 007 uses it many times to comment on his adversaries...or even just to impress a woman.

'My dear girl, there are some things that just aren't done, such as drinking Dom Perigean '53 above the temperature of 38 degrees fahrenheit. Thats as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs' - Goldfinger (1964)

Moving on to the most famous of James Bond's tipples...the Martini
Iconically ordered by Sean Connery in Dr No to be 'shaken, not stirred' this quote can not be said without trying to imitate Sean's Scottish accent. As Daniel Craig's films aimed to take 007 back to how Fleming wrote him it was natural to bring the recipe of 007's own version of the drink into the films. In Casino Royale, 007 orders a Vodka Martini with:
'Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it over ice, and add a thin slice of lemon peel'
This is then named the Vesper...which is now top of the list of the Martini section in many cocktail bars in Leeds...even though one ingredient Kina Lillet is no longer available. As I have never had a Martini containing Kina Lillet I have never actually had a Vesper, but many bars just add vermouth. The first time I ordered a Vesper was whilst trying to impress Liz in Harvey Nichols on Valentines Day...she is still with me so didn't scare her off, which was probably down to holding in the Connery accent. On a personal level though, I have to say I generally order a gin martini as opposed to 007's vodka martini, which I now find strange how for years Bond ordered 'vodka martini' when the Vesper contains two parts Gordons....anyway I digress.
Just a note for those in Leeds, the 360 Bar in Trinity Kitchen does an amazing Martini with Bombay Sapphire, the barman even attempted a Connery accent!

Finally I wanted to discuss the alcohol that Bond drinks which are clearly paid for by the company themselves. Now I have nothing against this, product placement in movies is more often than not a vital way of the producers being able to actually finance the film...my favourite moment being when Bond first meets Vesper in Casino Royale when she is literally sizing up 007. Vesper comments on his expensive watch 'what is it...Rolex?' to which Bond replies 'Omega' with the face of the watch facing the camera...they could have just taken that clip for Omega's ad campaign. In Skyfall there was a small uproar about Bond drinking Heineken. Beer has been present in several of the films, but not really associated with the 'gentleman spy' image. However Daniel Craig has openly commented how Skyfall could not have been made without the advertising funds...I think I read that Heineken paid £30million ! Luckily Bond takes a few swigs before drinking a Scotch with Silva.
In SPECTRE Bond will be drinking Belvedere vodka, whether he will actually request the brand or whether it is just in the background is currently unknown however the brand are cashing in on their investment with limited edition bottles...is it sad that even though we do not generally drink Vodka in our house I still want a bottle in my bar?

SPECTRE opens on Monday in the UK...I have booked for Friday so no spoilers on Twitter or Facebook please !!! - Sam

Une bouteille de Cotes Du Rhone

I have only been writing these blogs for a couple of weeks now and for some reason I have ventured away from the Beer Blog that I was originally intending to write. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy drinking and trying out various different tipples, but I had only intended on writing about wine & spirts every now and again.....however I have recently stumbled on something amazing and thought I would share it with you.

As I have previously stated I am far from being a connoseuir, I am happy to try any tipple and purely judge them on whether I enjoy to drink them or not (9 times out of 10 I am happy for a second glass).

Every now and again in our house we do enjoy a glass (or two) of wine. We tend to open a bottle during inpromptu drinking evenings in certain family members dining rooms! If I were to have the choice I would always choose a red wine, for me white wine is better served cold on a warm day...and lets face it on those days I will stick to a beer. When choosing a red wine I enjoy drinking rich, spicy and full bodied red wine...if this sounds like you, then you need to try the tipple below.

At Christmas the in-laws gave us a mixed case of wine, we have made sure to savour these bottles as the in-laws have a very good taste in wine and we know these bottles are worth only drinking when in the mood for a quality glass. On opening the bottle of Saint-Esprit Cotes Du Rhone I was careful not to pour huge measures into our glass, as I already knew that I would want to make this bottle last. Whilst pouring it had a very deep colour to it and really stuck to the glass. The fruity flavours are what hit you first, followed by the spices which leave a really warm aftertaste in the back of your throat. Now I really surprised myself whilst drinking this because I had (without knowing it) paired this wine perfectly with our tea. The heat from the spices really go well with a lamb curry and would match any meal with a few chillis thrown in. 8/10

Cotes Du Rhone is definately a favoured red wine in our household. We first became hooked on it about two years ago whilst on a family holiday in France.
We spent alot of time in L'Epinoux drinking Kronenbourg on an afternoon due to the heat, but because of our location we naturally went towards the red wine as the day went on. The highlight of the whole trip for me was to relax outside of our Gite with the BBQ going and the whole family sat around the table enjoying a glass.

The trick if you are ever buying wine in a french supermarket is to look at the emptiest shelf and see what the locals are buying. Here we found this lovely bottle, one that even though we brought half a dozen bottles back with us to the UK I still to this day can not find it on any online wine shops. In the UK you would probably pay at least £7 for the quality of this bottle...however to the French, we managed to purchase these for €1.50 a bottle (looking back the empty shelf may have been down to our family).

If you ever see this in the UK let me know!!!!

The Saint-Esprit is approx £10 a bottle and can be found at the link below
https://www.majestic.co.uk/Cotes-du-Rhone-Saint-Esprit-zid06541