Cocktail – The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai

August 1, 2026August 1, 2026

Best York Cocktails at Life on Mars

While walking the city of York we stumbled upon the charming Life on Mars, a bar that serves dumplings, coffee, and cocktails. The interesting part is that this business is located in one of the bridge lodges on the Lendal Bridge. The venue has a main seating area, plus a semi-private room adjacent to the staircase, and a small outdoor seating area nearer to the river. We were so intrigued we stopped in and are so glad because the cocktails here are amazing thanks to jumpsuit-clad owner Ross Woodford who had opened a previous Life on Mars concept when he lived in China.

We sat at the bar where Woodford and crew were preparing drinks and totally enjoyed the David Bowie touches in the decor, plus eclectic music playing. The cocktails lean on Chinese flavors such as the plum wine that’s paired with scotch in the outstanding highball Big in Japan. Woodford previously participated in Ti’ Punch cocktail competitions, so the Quiet Moment that includes Rhum Agricole was an interest of me. This outstanding drink includes Clement Blanc Rhum, rhubarb liqueur, caramel and vanilla syrup, plus lime.

Mrs. Mai Tai ordered These Hips Don’t Lie, a complex cocktail with Sichuan-inspired Peddlers Salted Plum Gin, amaro, lemon, and rosehip syrup – appropriate given that the symbol of Yorkshire is the white rose. This cocktail was amazing and encapsulates what Life on Mars is doing in the city of York: local focus combined with flavors from across the world.

York was a special highlight of our trip to the British Isles and we’re so glad we found Life on Mars which offers such an amazing and unique experience, with the highest quality cocktails in the city as well.

July 18, 2026August 5, 2026

Vintage Cocktail Club: Dublin’s Best Cocktails

We’d heard that Vintage Cocktail Club had great cocktails including a tiki section, so we planned to visit during our trip to Dublin Ireland. We made time during our first day in Dublin to check it out, having some difficulty finding the location thanks to a true speakeasy entrance and sleep deprivation from our red-eye.

Longtime VCC employee Ann Marie was our server and helped us through the menu options and offering recommendations when requested. We were so impressed by our cocktails we returned and saw Ann Marie again the next day and went again during our third day in town to revisit some of our favorites.

VCC has three floors, the middle of which has a bar and lounge seating. Upstairs there’s an outdoor patio with an additional bar if it gets busy, plus a downstairs bar and lounge open during certain hours (downstairs is the only place where you can sit at the bar). It’s a fun and elegant venue with appropriately relaxing jazz music and vintage touches.

In terms of the tiki menu, I ordered the Mai Tai and Fog Cutter on our first visit. The Mai Tai uses Havana Club 7, Goslings, and Wray & Nephew rums, plus Giffard Orgeat. I usually don’t like the Giffard but maybe it’s different in Europe because I loved the almond flavors in the rich Mai Tai served over a large cube. On another visit I asked for it over crushed ice and Appleton Signature replacing the Goslings and the Mai Tai was even better and one of the best this year. The Fog Cutter was not too citrusy and had plenty of booze hidden in the balanced blend. I prefer cream sherry rather than Manzanilla but this was a really fine Fog Cutter.

In fact, all of the drinks we had were really good with some including the Wee Dram, Dirty Wizard, Single Elix, Tequila Mockingbird, and Falls Road Flip being excellent. We adored Absinthe Minded, one of Ann Marie’s recipes that includes smokey Irish whiskey, Sloe Gin, and Absinthe.

Needless to say, we absolutely loved Vintage Cocktail Club for its great cocktails, amazing service, and relaxing vibe. We at meals in pubs, but for cocktails Vintage Cocktail Club would be hard to beat.

July 9, 2026

Last Spring Cocktails at Alter Ego

We returned to Alter Ego Cocktail Club to give their Spring 2026 seasonal menu one last try, with Mrs. Mai Tai trying the High Heels and Cigarettes that features Scotch as a trainer for our upcoming trip to British Isles and Scotland. Meanwhile, I absolutely loved the zesty flavors of First Bloom that features basic, coconut, and lemon. The drinks at Alter Ego are really top notch and consistent on each of our visits.

Another favorite is the Bread and Butter, featuring salted butter and savory sprinkles on top. We love it, and the fries also have some Japanese seasoning as well. The chicken skewers are also very good.

Paul let us know they’ve introduced a new late night cocktail menu that features some of Alter Ego’s signature cocktails as well as some modern classic such as the Trinidadi Issues, Second Serve, and Smoke Ume Margarita. Some of these some from seminal venues and bartenders of the last 25 years of the craft cocktail revolution.

March 8, 2026March 8, 2026

Espresso Martini with Jamaican Rum

We’d visited Faith & Spirits in downtown San Carlos a couple months ago in the waning days of the holiday pop-ups, and we had an impromptu visit to town for dinner so decided to have some cocktails. We knew that Faith & Spirits does dueling pianos on the weekend, but that doesn’t start until 9 pm so we were super early and the place not busy yet. Nonetheless, the lounge vibe was a nice place to relax with excellent cocktails.

I started with a Paper Plane that was very well done, while Mrs. Mai Tai went with her current favorite, a really coffee-forward Espresso Martini. The rich flavors of the martini intrigued me and I wondered how they’d pair with a bolder spirit than vodka. As I was thinking about it I spotted an almost empty bottle of Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, a boozy favorite for cocktail mixing. So I ordered one with the rum subbing for vodka, just enough to kill the bottle.

The rum was immediately noticeable and I thought it paired well to really make the cocktail a flavor bomb, though Mrs. Mai Tai and I’m sure others would find the original to be a cleaner and more pure tasting experience. Different strokes.

Faith & Spirits seems like a really nice cocktail bar on the Peninsula, if you’d looking for something about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose.

November 9, 2025November 9, 2025

Chill Vibe and Great Cocktails at Starlite

This iconic San Francisco lounge is on the 21st floor of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, now known as Beacon Grand Hotel. Previously known as the Starlight Room, the rebranded Starlite features updated decor and a focus on classic cocktails and small bites. We’d visited before the pandemic and were impressed by the new decor, pleasantly surprised by the relaxed vibe inside with a DJ playing mid-tempo tracks and a volume that allowed for conversation. On a Friday, many patrons were dressed to impress and several large groups were enjoying the views of Union Square and high quality cocktails.

I went looking for something new and a Porn Star Martini seemed to be appropriate for this style of cocktail lounge. The Porn Star was fine I guess but compared to the other cocktails was probably the least appealing of the drinks at our table. The Pisco Punch was first created in the City and Starlite’s version is really great. We were also were impressed by the Espresso Martini riff called Colorado Bulldog that includes Mexican Coke and delightful Vanilla Cream. But the best by far in our group was a wonderful Strawberry Grasshopper served over a large minty rock.

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025

San Jose’s Best Halloween Bar is Alter Ego

San Jose’s burgeoning bar scene is really hitting its stride, including social media promotions of the various bars doing Halloween-themed offerings. We heard that Alter Ego Cocktail Club had special menus and decor so we arrived right at opening on Saturday to experience the offerings.

Upon entering the speakeasy inside Still O.G. you’ll be told that the entire staff was killed and what you’re witnessing are the ghostly apparitions. You’re provided with a small welcome punch to drink to complete the effect. We were seated at the bar and could see the decor has been transformed with dark elements and a great modern dark wave soundtrack.

We’ve had amazing cocktail experiences here before and the new menu was no exception, presented as a book with elaborate illustrations. A variety of spirits and cocktail styles are presented, with the Heart Stopper shots served from a chest being popular in the venue and on social media.

I started with The Dark, an absolutely delightful coffee cocktail with an orange foam and a chocolate pentagram garnish. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mai Tai had the Isle de las Muñecas with tequila, carrot, and ginger – served in a disturbing baby doll’s head mug. This was a really great cocktail and the vegetal notes were interesting and well-balanced.

Our second round started with the Witching Hour which is basically a boozy chocolate milk served in a flute. Perhaps the best overall for me was my Telltale Heart which uses beet and Alchermes for a red color that works fantastically with the mug that’s shaped like a heart. We were truly impressed by the cocktails.

The staff were dressed in costumes related to their untimely deaths and as with previous experiences very knowledgable, professional, and team-oriented. Alter Ego fills up fast so be sure to make a reservation.

September 18, 2025May 2, 2026

Halloween Pop-Up at Livermore’s Fat Pigeon

The Fat Pigeon seems to be the Tri-Valley’s go-to venue for cocktail pop-ups, previously hosting Miracle at Christmas, Golden Girls, and Alice in Wonderland themes previously. Since spooky season is upon us, there’re now running a Halloween theme.

The setup includes a special cocktail menu including low ABV and mocktail options, plus fun and fairly elaborate decor. There are no special costumes or wildly immersive soundscapes, though, just fun drinks in a welcoming venue.

I enjoyed the 13 Stabs Later, a refreshing drink with soda and blood orange apéritif that leans fruity. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mai Tai tried the Offering which is a clarified drink including bourbon and pumpkin spices. It’s served with a Biscoff cookie which you’re supposed to take a bite of before taking a sip.

The highlight for us was the Spooky Tini Flight, with an okay Espresso Martini but amazing Bad Apple and Pumpkin Spice variants. The little tiny martini glasses are a fun delivery method and we enjoyed rotating the display to get to our favorite item.

As pop-ups go, Fat Pigeon seems to have the format and execution locked in. The atmosphere is fun and the quality cocktails offer something for nearly everyone.