First cocktail of the event: Angostura Bitters’ The Broadside

On Saturday and Monday I headed over to the Andaz Hotel across from the New York City Public Library for the Industry Invitation as part of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. I spent a lot more time there last year, but didn’t have the time/energy to do as much this year. I was so tired that I skipped Sunday entirely (and because of work, I couldn’t make it to the Indie Spirits Expo on Tuesday).

I spoke to a few people who were at the event last year, and they seemed to think this year’s was missing something. I must admit, it felt like there were fewer spirits and cocktails to taste. But that didn’t limit my overall enjoyment of what was available.

There were some very interesting new spirits to try this year. The most interesting was Pavan, a French liqueur made from muscat grapes. It’s a very sweet drink that needs to be mixed, and they had a few cocktails to try with it. I thought the sangria was still a bit sweet for my taste, but the equal parts iced black tea with Pavan and a little lemon was very good–great idea for a summer barbecue.

Allison from Brenne Whiskey

Another sweeter spirit was Cabin Fever maple whiskey. After talking with the owner of the company, I realized this whiskey is made for mixing (and apparently cooking). It has a distinct, strong maple flavor and aroma that can go well with a lot of cocktails–I think it might work in a mint julep and help cut out a lot of simple syrup.

The presentation of this cocktail is so impressive it’s almost a shame to drink it

On the non-sweet side, there was a single malt whiskey from France, Brenne, which is finished in cognac casks. It was more floral and less peaty than Scotch, but very smooth. There was also Mizu shochu, a new Japanese liquor to the US market, which was surprisingly versatile in cocktails (and quite good with just a little ice).

A pair of tasty shochu cocktails

The best cocktail presentation went to Chase spirits for the William Fennel Flower cocktail with elderflower liqueur, gin, apple, fennel, raspberry, and lemon. My cocktail didn’t look as impressive as these two, but tasted just as good.

$600 cognac that I’ll probably never have again

The most expensive spirits I tasted were Frapin Extra Cognac, which retails for about $600 a bottle, and Nikka Whiskey 21 year old pure malt, which retails for about $200. I definitely enjoyed the Japanese whiskey more than the cognac.

Collection of Nikka Japanese whiskey

The best non-alcohol highlight of my days at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic was a shave courtesy of High West Whiskey and Truman’s. I didn’t really need a shave, but how could I pass up having someone else shave me me? It was a relaxing experience that ended in a whiskey cocktail. You can find Alberto at Truman’s on Madison Ave. between 30th and 31st Sts.

I’m really not sure what one is supposed to do to celebrate Buddha’s birthday, but I figure this photo is appropriate.

Buddha’s head with a bodhi tree growing around it at Wat Phra Mahthat in Ayutthaya, Thailand.

A couple weeks ago I picked up a bottle of Elysian Brewing’s 12 Beers of the Apocalypse series–a one-time release. It was Peste Chocolate Chili Ale, and it was surprisingly good and much darker than one would expect from an ale. I was told by the liquor store employee that this beer was actually spicy, and that was definitely true. At 7.5% abv, this dark brew has a lot flavor. The chocolate was not overpowering, in fact it was rather subtle–it helped even out the chili. The chili was indeed spicy, and the beer grew spicier as I drank more. If the apocalypse is coming, this would be one crazy beer to have while watching it all end.

The second big bottle of beer was Stone’s Espresso Imperial Russian Stout. I should’ve checked the bottle before cracking it open–I had this 11% abv brew before heading out on a Saturday night. It was a little sweeter than I expected, but I attribute that to the high alcohol content. It had a light coffee aroma and subtle flavor hidden by the sweetness. For such a strong beer, it was smooth and tasted a bit lighter–a dangerous combination when you’d rather drink it slowly.

You have to trust your meat vendor in China

I came across an interesting article on natural remedies for some travel ailments. I’ve certainly encountered a few of these–mostly of the sleep deprivation/jet lag and stomach bug variety. The article also covers anxiety, motion sickness, sunburn, and insect bites. Nothing I really worry about since I bring insect repellent and sunscreen and have no problems with anxiety or motion sickness (alright, I experience travel anxiety, but I actually enjoy it).

It’s especially important to take food safety precautions when traveling to countries that aren’t exactly known for quality sanitation, such as most of Southeast Asia. When my parents came to visit China for the first time, they were told to bring activated charcoal pills and Pepto-Bismol. In three weeks, my parents were slightly sick for a day each (of course, I didn’t bring them to the more divey restaurants that I would normally frequent). I figure the charcoal was probably the best help for them on that trip.

During my first two years in China, I had a few too many trips to the local hospital for stomach/intestinal ailments (so many that I lost at least 20 lbs.). The average hospital in China is not a place I would recommend visiting–there are some nice hospitals in the major cities, but they cost a lot more. The doctors constantly blamed my problems on drinking too much cold water (that should give you a hint as to the quality of these healthcare professionals).

Yogurt probably saved me from more trips to the hospital in China

About halfway through that second year, I started eating yogurt. Prior to this, I had never eaten yogurt. I definitely didn’t get sick as often after that. Just as the article mentions taking probiotics to prevent traveler’s diarrhea, the probiotics in yogurt can do the same. This habit has followed me back home to the US, though I have changed my brand to organic yogurt. Yogurt is available almost anywhere in the world, but if it isn’t there’s always probiotic pills.

I just need a few giant mugs of coffee to relieve the feeling of jet lag

As for sleep deprivation and/or jet lag, I just suffer through it and drink a more coffee than most people would ever consider. Traveler’s Tip: McDonald’s coffee is the cheapest you can find when traveling, and most outlets offer free refills (though the separate McCafe outlets don’t do this). The article also mentions taking low doses of melatonin, but it’s not always recommended. I’ve tried it and didn’t see any real improvement in sleep.

Do you have any preventive measures for avoiding getting sick while traveling?

Not quite a tiger mom

My mother has encouraged my travels (and other endeavors), even if she doesn’t quite understand why I make my travel choices. It’s an appropriate time to thank her for all the encouragement.

Then there are dangers that never cross our minds until we read an unbelievable article. Most people are worried about malaria or other such diseases when they go on safari–few ever think about the excitement of the animal on the safari.

How can you not read an article titled “I was swallowed by a hippo”?

A kayak tour guide on the Zambezi lived to tell the story of how he tried to save his friend from hippo attack and wound up swallowed by the two-ton African animal. Fortunately, he was spit out by the hippo and survived to tell his story.

The trash can at the Great Wall makes a good point

The tale that Peter Templer tells is horrifying. However, there is a brilliant line in this story: “time passes very slowly when you’re in a hippo’s mouth.” After reading that, I couldn’t help but think of Homer Simpson inside the elephant’s mouth.

The most amazing part of Peter’s story is that he got back in kayak on the Zambezi and encountered hippos once more. I can only imagine the terror he felt then.

Holding the chili cook-off at Grove St. was a great idea–it’s a much better location than the hidden lot on 4th St. The crowd was thin when I arrive just after noon, but it became quite crowded as the day went on.

I was rather disappointed with the entries to the chili cook-off. There were too many bland chilis, and only one that I found reasonably spicy. For some reason, there were a lot of rather sweet entries (really, who the hell wants to eat sweet chili?). It made me think that if I had entered this year, I would’ve had to make everyone sign a waiver because I make my chili spicy (I even use Sichuan flower peppercorns (aka prickly ash) and Thai peppers).

This was my favorite chili from Chilin’ Beans

I’ve reviewed the winners of this year’s cook-off, and I’m not too pleased with the results. My pick for individual chili entry was Chilin’ Beans, which made the chili with 10 types of peppers, giving it a very nice flavor and a bit of a kick. For some reason, the voters chose a chili that was made with Dr. Pepper and was sickeningly sweet. The winning restaurant, PJ Ryan’s, was a decent chili with chorizo–again, it would’ve been much better if there was at least some level of spiciness to it.

There were also a lot of vegetarian and vegan entries. Most were a little thin on the sauce, but a few were good enough that I would eat more that the little cup provided.

Unlike my final destinations of Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou, Songpan was uncrowded and peaceful. It was a welcome change from the 12+ million that surrounded me in Shenzhen. The traditional architecture was also a great reason to see Songpan. I also had some really good spicy yak jerky there.

Yes, I walked to that temple on the side of the mountain

My first real bus trip was during my semester in London. The university arranged a trip to Amsterdam–it was 12 hours overnight, and wasn’t comfortable enough for sleeping. After my semester, I took a bus to Edinburgh because train service at the time suffered from a few problems, causing significantly longer travel times–the bus wasn’t much slower and cost a lot less than the train. Again, overnight buses weren’t comfortable enough for me to get much sleep.

I didn’t take another long bus trip until I moved to China five years later.

A rest stop in Sichuan Province

During my first May holiday, I set out on a long journey from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou National Park. I would’ve liked to take the short flight to Huanglong airport, but it was a bit out of my budget for that trip. I was told the bus to Songpan, a brief stopover along the way, was a second-class bus. I maintain that to be second-class, it would require the bus to have some class. It was hot and humid in Chengdu, but the bus had no air conditioning. There was still snow on the ground when we reached mountains, and the windows wouldn’t close. Along that 12-hour bus ride, at least 10 men chain smoked (never stopping for a breath)–and this included the bus driver sitting beneath the “No Smoking” sign.

Terraced fields of Sichuan Province

Along the route to Songpan, our full bus stopped a few times to pick up more passengers–not that the bus company would approve, but the driver and ticket taker needed to make some extra cash. These passengers sat on the floor and were told to hide when we reached checkpoints because it was illegal to have an overloaded bus. I don’t know what the authorities would’ve done had they discovered the illegal passengers.

View from the bus in Sichuan Province

The only worthwhile part of the smoke-filled bus through the winding mountain roads of Sichuan was the scenery. There were beautiful views of terraced fields, roadside villages, and rivers. The bus also stopped a couple times for bathroom breaks. At each of those stops, there were also some local vendors selling tasty treats like dried yak meat. On the way back, I even got to sit on a yak.

Stopping for yak on the way back to Chengdu

I only used the rest stop for a bathroom break once on that trip. I paid 5 jiao (about 7 cents) for the privilege of walking into a wood shack converted into a public toilet. I knew public toilets in China were generally dirty, but this one was on a different level. I walked on the creaking floor to find the hole in the floor in which to urinate. As I looked down, I discovered that I had just paid to pee off a cliff. There was no plumbing, just a hole that gave a great view down the side of the mountain. I paid to do what I could’ve done outside.

We drove on to Songpan, the driver and passengers continuing their chain smoking, and arrived a couple hours before sunset to enjoy a little of what the town offered.

The bus station in Songpan

Fortunately, the bus back from Jiuzhaigou a few days later was more modern–it even had air conditioning. Of course, it still had a few passengers who insisted on smoking during the journey, which was exacerbated by the fact that this bus didn’t have windows that opened.

It certainly turned me off from ever taking a long bus ride again. But, I’ve been known to make the same mistakes, and a bus ride through a foreign country is probably one of those repeatable mistakes.

What are some of your bus trip horror stories (or maybe comedic stories)?

At the end of my second year, I worked for an English learning center for adults. During the international labor day holiday in May, the school arranged a bus to take the staff to Dameisha–the major tourist beach on the other side of Shenzhen. It took almost two hours to get there. 

We weren’t the only ones there to enjoy the day at the beach. A local factory also had a company outing, complete with an early evening barbecue. I didn’t eat much at the barbecue since none of the food was kept in a cooler.

In the background of what looks like a landfill is a five-star Sheraton hotel.