🍸 Bourbon Adventures in Bardstown 🍸

 

If you’ve ever planned to hit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it’s likely that your home base includes either Lexington or Louisville. But we would offer another alternative – Bardstown. This small community is located about the same distance in between the two larger cities, right in the heart of Bourbon Country … and it’s known as the “Bourbon Capital of the World!”

Along with small town charm and access to nearby distilleries, Bardstown also offers some delicious cocktail and bourbon options, most within walking distance from each other!

The one exception is one of the newest hotels in town - The Trail Hotel. This was our home base and except for having to take a taxi or vehicle to town, it was superb! They have an onsite restaurant and even have a speakeasy known as the Bourbon Vault. It’s hidden down one of the corridors of the hotel. The Vault features all the classics and an extensive bourbon collection (at prices you might expect for a tourist destination). They even have their own brand of rye made at nearby Bardstown Distilling. Very tasty! Note that there are other hotel options if you prefer to be able to walk downtown.

We’ll start our adventure with a true craft cocktail bar in the heart of downtown … Liam Ash Cocktail Emporium. As we said, there are quite a few places to get good bourbon and a drink in Bardstown. But the folks at Liam Ash are proud of their upscale cocktail menu, as they should be! They specialize in cocktails with flair – think smoke, bubbles, etc. but they also have some fantastic versions of classic drinks like a Manhattan and Sazerac. And yes, they have other spirits like gin, vodka, and a nice wine list along with nibbles. This one is a #tipsypick!

Most of our travels include at least one place we visit more than once. On this trip, it was Neat Bourbon Bar and Bottle Shop. This is a classic spot with all the exposed brick, hardwood, and leather furniture that you’d expect in a large city lounge. But the service is pure small town charm. The menu includes classics like a terrific Old Fashioned and bourbon flights. They also have some rare pours you won’t find elsewhere. Definitely a #tipsypick for a stop or a way to wind down toward last call.

For a more classic speakeasy feel, we ducked down an alley way and into The Volstead Bourbon Lounge! (For those “in the know” this used to be the Blind Pig speakeasy...) The bottle wall here is indeed impressive and the staff knows where to find each one. The overall space feels like your uncle’s living room mixed with his man cave. They even have classic B&W movies on the TV screens. It’s a great place to explore your bourbon palate or enjoy a classic cocktail from the menu!

If you want a little history along with your bourbon, it doesn’t get better than Old Talbott Tavern. The tavern itself dates back to 1779 and has hosted guests like Abraham Lincoln and Jesse James. There’s even a room upstairs dedicated to a famous shootout with the outlaw. But once you get a look around, make sure to stop in at the bourbon bar! It’s billed as the world’s oldest bourbon bar. They have an excellent selection of the “brown water” and you can even do flights to give your palate a workout. This one is worth it for the atmosphere alone!

And for even more history… Chicken Cock Distillery goes all the way back to 1856 and is one of America’s oldest bourbon brands. It was revived in 2012 and is housed in Bardstown in a historic mansion. Their tasting room is a step back in time. You can taste one or more of the house spirits individually or in a flight… but we chose a flight of Old Fashioneds! That’s four different versions of the cocktail with various expressions of bourbon. Definitely a #tipsypick.

Oak and Grape is a relatively new addition to the scene, but we found perhaps the best Old Fashioned of the weekend here. They used an electronic smoker to add just the right amount of smoky goodness. They have an extensive wine and beer selection. This spot is also a favorite of local service workers, so you know it is worth a visit!

And finally, when you just need a refreshing cold beer, Scout and Scholar Brewing is just off the main square. The brewery also has bourbon, cocktails, and outstanding food. They have a large patio space, perfect for relaxing in between bourbon stops.

One added attraction we’ll mention. It’s hard to beat sipping bourbon on a historic train ride through the countryside! My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers that experience from downtown Bardstown, with dinner that includes a bourbon tasting. You also get a trackside look at some historic rickhouses on the journey.

Lots of #tipsypicks packed into one small town! What’s your favorite way to do the Bourbon Trail?

👀💥 Secret Bars and Other Sips in Adams Morgan 👀💥

The Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington D.C. reminds us of the Lower East Side in New York City – lots of funky shops, great ethnic restaurants, and plenty of cocktail bars. It may be a bit sketchy at times, but there’s always a fun time to be had.

So with the closure of one of our favorite D.C. speakeasies, the Gibson, we decided to venture out to find some suitable replacements in Adams Morgan. 

We start with our quest for a speakeasy … and we found Code Red. It appears as a former storefront along a street that could be in any big city… except for the big iron door with the metal knocker. And yes, when you knock, you have to provide the password to the person behind the sliding panel. Your reward is a classic speakeasy vibe complete with menus that include news clips from prohibition. The presentation is half the fun as we ordered a smoked old fashioned that was in fact “fired up” tableside. It’s a pretty fair replacement for the Gibson and one we will come back to! #tipsypick

Imagine walking past a historic DuPont mansion and you notice a sign that looks like it’s inviting you for a drink. That’s exactly how we found the 1921 Biergarten at Heurich Mansion. We are so glad we entered the garden and followed the path to some tasty beer and wine, including local brews and Senate Beer, a revival of an original recipe by the home’s original owner, a brewery baron. They also have displays detailing the history of the brand and the brewery. The garden area is a welcoming and fantastic place to kick back and enjoy your libation. A #tipsypick for sure!

Take a few steps down from the sidewalk – and a century into the past - and enter The Golden Age… literally. In true “dive bar” fashion (a name for bars below the street level) without the smoke and sticky floors, this basement restaurant also has a great list of cocktails, about 11 pages long to be exact. The speakeasy vibe completes the package. Truly a place to step back into the “golden age.”

Another “dive” spot in similar fashion is Bar Charley. But again, don’t get lost in the fact that you have to go downstairs. This is an excellent spot for tiki drinks, cocktails like old fashioneds and Manhattans, and a not-to-be-missed steak and fries special for happy hour! They also have a great wine list. 

If oak panels and history are more your speed, Round Robin Bar is a must-stop for a true D.C. experience. You can almost imagine the deals being made around the circular bar over a classic Old Fashioned. And that’s what we had. But the signature drink is the Mint Julep. This is a classic stop in the equally classy Willard Hotel.

Here’s a stop for the whiskey lovers! One of the largest whiskey selections in town (and maybe the eastern U.S. with more than 2,700 bottles at last count) is found at Jack Rose Dining Saloon. It’s easy to get lost perusing the selection. But we settled in for a classic Manhattan that did not disappoint. The food is also top notch. 

Walking into our next stop, McClellan’s Retreat, reminded us of some of our favorite watering holes over the years. The bartender was friendly, the drinks were strong and tasty. This corner spot is great for a first stop or a last stop… or hanging out the entire evening. They also have a decent happy hour, in case you need another reason to stop in.

Also, let’s agree to not quibble about the distinction on the map between Adams Morgan and DuPont Circle, shall we?  OK then - here are a couple of stops if you’re closer to the circle than you are the Washington Hilton… 

Teddy & the Bully Bar is a classic new American bistro/bar near the circle with a menu billed as a “reflection of Teddy Roosevelt’s love for comfort food.”  We were comforted by some great cocktails and a nice wine list.  You should check it out.

And finally, The Doyle Bar boasts a panoramic view of DuPont Circle and an upscale classic vibe that reminds you of the 1950’s. The cocktails were fantastic as were the nibbles. The people watching isn’t bad here either. 

We hear tell there are a couple of speakeasies we didn’t make it to this time in Adams Morgan. Do you have any favorites?

🗼 🥐 ☕️ Latin Quarter Libations in Paris 🗼 🥐 ☕️

Let’s just say our first trip to Paris won’t be our last. How can it be, with so many great spots left to discover?  OK, we admit, we might have underestimated how large this city is. So rather than trying to scramble all over to hit the “top” bars and speakeasies, we’ll focus on one of the amazing neighborhoods where we spent most of our time on this trip.

The 5th Arrondisment is also known as the Latin Quarter. It’s home to the Sorbonne, the Pantheon, and some wonderful shops as well as local bars and restaurants. In some of these places, we were the only non-locals – truly #offthetipsypath.

First, the true craft cocktail bar that we think should be part of any visit to the Latin Quarter. At Solera, the drinks are tasty and the presentation (including the glassware) is over the top! Hint: lots of dry ice! The Artist comes with a genie lamp … the Scorpi On Fire is what it sounds like, with three shots included. This was a fun experience – so much so that we visited more than once. 

It’s not often you go to a foreign country and find a bar dedicated to your home state. Imagine our surprise walking into Le Tennessee Bar! We actually got a heads up from friends, but it was still a surprise to walk in to this space on a side street and be welcomed with shots of Jack Daniel’s. Apparently, this started out as a jazz bar named for Tennessee Williams, but new owners decided to embrace the southern American charm. The bartender also made a fantastic Old Fashioned, both with Jack Daniel’s and one with Scotch, which we will definitely try at home.

The Latin Quarter is also home to a number of jazz clubs, but they fill up fast, so we had to look elsewhere for live music during our visit. That led us to Le Piano Vache. This is very much a locals bar for fantastic live music. It looks like a club we’d find in Greenwich Village in NYC. It’s the kind of place where the owner will seat you with strangers and you get to know them over drinks and music! We had people ask us how we (tourists) found it!

Another one of our favorite “locals” stops is The Confessional. Tucked away off a side street, it’s the kind of place we favor at home, where you can trade jokes with the bartender and get a solid cocktail and glass of wine at the same time. We visited twice and both times had a solid Old Fashioned among other things, including the “dia del spritz”… a tequila spritz! It’s a great stop to unwind after a day seeing the sights!

Have you ever judged a book by its cover and been wrong? In this case… we judged The OakenShield Tavern from the outside as a typical British pub. We are glad we were wrong! This is actually a spot for fans of role-playing games and other activities to come and hang out and play. They have dozens of games lining shelves all around the place. But make no mistake, it’s a bar! They made a fantastic espresso martini and had a large menu of surprisingly tasty shots that were named after the signs of the zodiac. It’s our sign that we’ll come back!

If you’re a fan of the John Wick movies (John Wick 4 was filmed in Paris, BTW), you’ll recognize the name of this locals bar - Baba Yaga Paris. This intimate spot doesn’t lean in too far to the movie theme. It’s just a great little stop with solid cocktails very close to Notre Dame Cathedral! Definitely a place to relax for a while away from the tourist crowds. The square outside is also worth slowing down for.

Now there’s no way we can end a rundown of our first trip to Paris without mentioning wine. Notably, like in most of Europe, wine in Paris is high-quality, inexpensive, and plentiful. In particular, we wanted the experience of wine and caviar service, and champagne and oysters, paired. We found both in the Latin Quarter!

We are big fans of natural and biodynamic wines, so the selection at Les Flacons was perfect! We paired a great natural white wine from the menu with a caviar service that was fantastic. They also have bottles for sale and we recognized a few of them from our adventures. This is a wonderful locally-owned wine bar and shop perfect for date night!

And finally, our first experience with oysters and champagne couldn’t have been better than Ostra. Definitely check them out if that’s the Parisian experience you crave!

Now as we mentioned at the start, this was our first trip to Paris and it won’t be our last. There are so many great places left to explore! What are some of your favorite spots?

🍸 A Cocktail Adventure in Slovenia’s Capital 🍸

It’s very possible you’ve never heard of the country of Slovenia. It’s only been a sovereign nation since 1991 – formerly part of Yugoslavia. But more Americans are discovering it because of its history, natural beauty, and wonderful culture. So we’re going to take you to the capital city of Ljubljana to share our #tipsypicks for fantastic cocktails and wine.

First, the city is very walkable, with most of the spots we’ll mention all within walking distance of each other … which is a good thing since most of the historic city center is pedestrian-only! Second, most Slovenians speak English as a second language, especially in major cities. We had no trouble getting around and ordering what we wanted!

Local bartenders in Ljubljana will admit there are only a few “true” cocktail bars in the city. Silk and Fizz is one of them and probably the one that is most like something we find in New York or Miami. They have an upscale vibe and some of the most creative cocktails around, including one that’s a tribute to Elvis (think PB and Banana) with a banana-flavored garnish that completes the package. Their classic cocktails are also delicious. We visited three times during our stay! It’s our #tipsypick!

The other true classic cocktail bar is Kolibri, an intimate spot down a side street from the riverfront with lovely patio seating outside and warm retro spaces inside. We enjoyed both. They have an apothecary-style counter that fits with their creative cocktail ingredients. But they can also do classic cocktails on request!

Slovenia has a vibrant “patio culture” with sidewalk seating at most places. But we found one spot that takes it to another level. Normally we wouldn’t recommend drinking under a bridge … unless it’s at Klub Recnih Kapitanov (KRK). That’s right, this bar is actually under a bridge, with seating right along the Ljubljanica River and plenty of shade because … it’s under a bridge! They have great beer selections and some perfect patio cocktails like spritzes. Definitely worth the stroll along the river to get here!

On the way back toward the city center from our bridge adventure we wandered into a lovely corner bistro bar that turned out to be a wonderful discovery. Ferdinand is very much a locals spot but close enough to the tourist spots with a great food menu, cocktails and wine/beer selection as well as a lively patio space. It’s a very relaxing #tipsypick!

Have you ever been to a bar or restaurant that makes you feel like you’re somewhere else?  That’s the vibe we got at Captain’s Cabin. It’s a basement bar with a pirate/nautical theme straight out of the Caribbean … or maybe our favorite Pirate Tavern back home!  We especially enjoyed the 2-for-1 cocktail special, meaning we had to order two per person, although that could be dangerous in the wrong hands! Great spot for a drink (or two) or a fun night out with friends!

Speaking of places where you feel like you’re somewhere else … Ljubljana does indeed have a medieval castle overlooking the city! How about drinking wine at sunset with such a view? Grajska Vinoteka is a winery, cellar, and wine bar within the walls of the Ljubljana Castle. They host sunset parties with a view straight out of a fairytale! You can choose from glasses or bottles with nibbles and wander the grounds of the castle as well.

You can also ride the funicular cable car to the castle and back for some extra views. After your visit (or on the way up) you can stop at the base of the funicular for a drink at several spots. We chose Daktari after our sunset wine experience. They have a fantastic selection of cocktails, including a solid Old Fashioned, that you can enjoy on the patio or inside. The indoor space reminded us of a library speakeasy with some “old world” charm.

Ljubljana also seems to be a college town, with lots of students out on the streets and squares both day and night. One of four favorite spots we found close to the main university was Tozd. It was a delightful mix of coffee bar and drink stop, perfect for relaxing and/or pulling out your laptop. We really enjoyed the vibe, the service, and an opportunity to try one of the local brews.

There are lots of great restaurants in Ljubljana … in fact a surprising number!  Here are a few we enjoyed: Tabar – tapas and drinks along the river; Julija – a modern dining experience with expansive patio on a busy street; and Pop’s Aperitivo, which was probably the most crowded one we visited, but they had great food and drinks in a lovely courtyard setting. All of these options had great cocktails and natural wines.

Overall, we think Ljubljana and all of Slovenia is worth a look for your next European adventure!