"V in V" Conference 2012!!!!

Oh, hello friends!

Sorry, I didn't see you there.

Tiki T. coming to you straight from the annual "Vinyl in the Valley Conference" which was held in the city of brotherly love this year, Philly!

We kicked off the festivities (oops...I mean, business meetings) at Rum Bar. A great modern take on the vintage tiki bar. Minimally tasteful decor and a variety of happy hour rum punches....Bravo!

I myself did it up right with a classic daiquiri, while Mr. Tugent enjoyed one with grapefruit bitters (apparently a take on a Hemingway cocktail). We mulled over the usual topics during happy hour, sampled a chile infused rum which proved to be a naughty little number, and then it was off to dinner for a uniquely authentic Chinese experience. The rum punches were the stuff of 1950s nostalgia...sickly sweet and $4.50 a pop. We were then greeted with a live writhing eel table side, which found its way into Ned's stir fry. Crispy and oily, I am so glad that eels have found a higher purpose than swimming around people's legs and freaking them out.

But I suppose the best lesson I took away from this trip is that simplicity is the key to happiness in the home bar arena. So let's pay homage with the veteran Ma Tai.

Here we go, kids...

Healthy Slug of White Rum
1.2 oz Creme de Almond
Splash Maraschino
Splash Pineapple Juice
Splash Sweet and Sour
Healthy Slug of Dark Rum

Shake vigorously, pour over ice in Collins glass and understand that god loves you.

Until the next record....
XO,
Tiki T.