August 30, 2024 • 29 mins
Join our host, Nancy Ridlen, as she sits down with Rebecca Dowda, CEO of More Than Mixology and iSi ambassador. Rebecca shares her inspiring journey as an entrepreneur in the world of handcrafted cocktails. She reveals her passion for fresh ingredients, expert mixology technique, and training the next generation of cocktail creators.
Whether you’re looking to elevate your cocktail game or just starting out, this episode is packed with tips and insights that will inspire your next creation. Perfect for both seasoned mixologists and beginners alike.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, nancy Ridland.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, welcome back to ConfessionsBeyond the Food.
My name is Nancy Ridland, withW3 Sales, and today I'm joined
(00:20):
by Rebecca.
She is the CEO of More ThanMixology, so so excited to have
you.
I'm excited to be here.
Thank you for having me.
Yeah, we just did this reallyfun event.
She created the most beautifuldrinks.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I wanted to drink all of them.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Which one was your favorite?
The grapefruit.
Which one was that called theFrench Blonde?
The French Blonde, yes, taylorSwift's favorite cocktail.
Yes, you know what?
I'm not a big Taylor Swift fan,but, oh, come back.
No, I do like her music.
I did upload her um her latestalbum and I've been listening to
(00:57):
it cause I have my niece in mycar and wanted to be, you know,
the cool aunt.
Yes, so, but you're a bigSwifty, I am a big Swifty.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I wasn't always and my sister kind of forced me into
liking her.
Um, so at first I was like justkind of doing it to appease my
sister, and then I got into itand we've seen her three times
now and it's just, it's a lot offun.
It's a cool community.
It was cool.
It was cool at Taylor Swift'sconcerts and at Beyonce's
concerts, cause everyone isbeing so nice to each other.
(01:25):
It's like the whole worldshould go to one of these
concerts, just so they can seehow to treat other people.
So it's not just the music andthe costumes and the drama and
all that stuff, it's just, it'sa it's a cool community.
That's interesting because Isound psychotic.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, because
everybody that has gone to oneof their concerts gets out of
there and they're like I wasn'ta fan and I'm in love with her.
Yeah, I mean tracy is one ofthem.
Macy on our team, tracy andmacy, they I mean they were like
you need to go to a concert.
You don't understand it untilyou know she's a really great
performer beyonce too.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I think I levitated at the Beyonce concert.
I was just.
I was just one of the.
I too Love her.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, anyways, so that's awesome.
So you're from.
You're from Texas.
Yes, are you from here?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I was born in Galveston, my family's from
Galveston, and then I grew up inTexas City, which is about.
It's a little refinery townright outside of Galveston.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nice, I've heard Galveston.
Nice, I've heard of Texas City.
It was a good place to grow up.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It's a smaller town.
My dad owned a lumber yard andyou know just small town stuff.
I got in trouble a lot.
My mom ran the museum in TexasCity so that was a lot of fun.
We would do like the window,like set up the windows and
stuff like that.
that's really cool yeah and youwouldn't think there would be a
museum, but it's home to thelargest industrial disaster in
(02:52):
the history of the United States, april 16th and 17 1947 no
there's like a lot of likeinformation about that, the
disaster, and how they werebuilt, and then, like industry I
don't know why I'm telling youthis but no, that's amazing,
We'll have to go to Texas.
Yeah, it was, you know it's asmall town, like I said, but it
was fun.
I was a cheerleader, my sisterwas on the drill team and, you
(03:15):
know, just Friday night lights,like we lived it pretty much.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah, so after high school.
So how did you did you start?
You know how did you getinvolved in this world?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
So I started goodness I started.
I mean, I started working inrestaurants.
I'm trying to think of what myfirst job was.
There's a place in Galvestoncalled Mooney Gardens and I was
a cashier at the restaurantthere and it's got like a.
It has a rainforest and anaquarium and a like a beach and
it was the cashier at therestaurant and then I worked at
like Joe's Crab Shack and I justalways came back to the
restaurant industry.
So when I graduated from highschool I started at University
(03:52):
of Houston and when I moveddowntown or when I moved to
Houston, I started working at arestaurant downtown called
Liberty Noodle.
There was one here in Dallasand it was just the coolest vibe
.
It was kind of like and I was19, I guess, and so it was like
that kind of time where I wasimpressionable and everyone that
worked there had a reallydifferent background and it was
(04:15):
just a melting pot of differentpeople and I loved it.
I loved working downtown andthat's when I started bartending
and I would bartend at as manyrestaurants and clubs as I could
and I went to school for a lotof things, but mostly
broadcasting.
I actually worked for Telemundofor a little while and I just
(04:38):
always went back to the industry.
I mean, I worked in nightclubs,I worked in restaurants, I
worked in honky-tonk bars, andthen I really, really fell in
love with hotels and so Istarted working at the Hilton in
downtown, at their lobby bar.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
And that's when I really learned about mixology.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Tony Abagino wrote a book called the Modern
Mixologist and so I was like Ihad my little.
What is that movie Julie andJulia, where she like makes all
of Julia Child's recipes?
I went through his book and Iwas like I'm going to make every
recipe in this book and Hiltonwas great.
They were like tell us what youneed and I just I really fell
in love with you know,handcrafted cocktails and fresh
(05:19):
ingredients and the techniquesand everything behind it.
And so I left Hilton and thetechniques and everything behind
it.
And so I left Hilton.
I worked at a bar downtowncalled Breezer 101, which is a
just fabulous cocktail bar.
They've got like 150 differentwhiskeys they did at the time.
They probably have more now.
And then I went to Hotel Iconand I started doing their
(05:41):
cocktail program there.
I worked with some really greatchefs just really great people.
Program there.
I worked with some really greatchefs just really great people.
And then I worked at an agencyfor 12 years as their director
of mixology.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That's amazing.
So what have you seen like inthe industry change, like as far
as like cocktails go, and Imean just the need for
innovation and and basicallythat mixology is a thing.
It's not just a thing.
It's not just something.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
It's not right, a hobby or anything like that, not
a hobby.
It's interesting I think there'sgosh so much has changed.
I think that there's a lot morerespect for the industry from
from from a public or publicperspective now.
Um, and it's not kind of thisthing where it's like I'm
bartending to get throughcollege or I'm bartending to it
(06:33):
can be a means to an end, um,and I think that people in the
industry have a lot more respectfor each other and that's
really important.
Um, as far as the cocktails andthings like that, I mean so
much changes.
It changes all the time.
You know, and you see thesetrends that you can kind of tell
when something's going to be aflop or it's not going to.
You know, catch on and thenyou've got, you know, the Moscow
(06:54):
mules of the world that whencocktails become their own
category, it's prettyinteresting to think about how
those evolve.
But I've done some coolbeverage programs or LTOs that I
thought were great and weregonna do really well and they
completely bombed.
And then I've made cocktailsthat I wouldn't drink
(07:16):
necessarily or don't love, andthey do really well for
different accounts.
So it's kind of hard to keepyour finger on the pulse
especially in national accounts.
So it's it's kind of hard tokeep your finger on the pulse,
especially in national accounts.
You know Um, but I I would sayto me just the respect for the,
for the industry as a whole, hashas changed, um for the better,
and I think that's prettyexciting.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
It's amazing.
I mean that's the best part of,I mean that's one of the best
parts of you know dining out islike.
What cocktail am I going tostart out with?
I mean you know, what's yourgo-to?
I love a Paloma, which isprobably why I like the French
one.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
What is?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
your favorite or your go-to?
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Well, I don't know.
I love a dirty martini, I lovea Negroni, I love an
old-fashioned, I love margaritas.
There's not much I won't drink,yeah there's not much, I won't
drink, I'll try anything.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
So do you drink wine too?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Yes, or beer like out of the three, which is your
favorite?
Okay, well, so I, I taste a lotof cocktails Like that's what I
do all day, and so I don'tdrink a lot of cocktails.
I drink like if I, when I'mdone with work, like if I go
meet my husband for a drink,I'll get like a Mikkel Vulture
and a shot of Espelon.
(08:43):
That's kind of like.
There you have it, nicole,that's awesome, I'm a bartender
at heart.
You know what I mean, like I,just a cold beer and a shot of
tequila, but um, yeah, I lovewine, I love, I love white wine
like anything crisp andrefreshing.
(09:04):
I love IPAs, um, but I'll, youknow, I'll try anything.
I'll get weird cocktails.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
That's awesome, so, um, so how did you start up your
, um your company?
So?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I was a mixology director and what I did for this
agency.
It's a very well-known andwell-respected agency in Houston
.
I worked with national accountsand I helped them with their
beverage program so morespecifically, their menus and so
we would do site visits andthere's so much more that goes
(09:36):
into it than me just saying thisis what I like and this is what
I think tastes good, so youshould put it on your menu.
You look at, you know theregionality and who they work
with and the skill, the skillset of their bartenders, and um,
so I worked, I worked there fora while and just it became
something that I just knew thatI could do for myself.
Um, and so you know, one day Ijust I kind of had a shitty day
(10:02):
at work and I came home and myhusband and I were talking and I
was like I just I don't knowwhat to do next.
You know, I don't know if I do.
I want to like try to be asupplier, cause I left the
agency for a little while and,um, and worked for a distributor
and it did not go well.
It was a nine month, just not,it was not my cup of tea and I
(10:26):
was like I wish I could just dowhat I'm doing now but do it for
myself.
And he was like you can and it.
It was kind of weird because Imean, while we were having this
conversation, a friend of minewho had also lived at the same
place and started her owncompany in events and you know
she does like promotionalmaterials she texted me and she
(10:46):
said do you ever do side gigs?
I'd love to hire you to do somecocktails for a wedding for me,
and I'm so glad she did becauseit was like here it is, Like
this is your sign, Like you cando this on your own.
So I started MTM.
That was in August.
I started MTM in January thefollowing year and it's been a
wild ride.
Owning your own company ispretty stressful.
(11:09):
Just a little bit, I get it.
I've learned a lot.
I call my dad probably once aweek and ask him.
I think my husband's terrifiedthat I'm going to go to prison
for, like, tax evasion orsomething.
So I call my dad, freaking outall the time, but it's been
super rewarding and I've workedwith people that I wouldn't
expect to.
I mean, the gig I have with EChas been one of my favorite
(11:32):
parts of this, but I've done alot of like speaking gigs that I
normally wouldn't have.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Um, you know, and it's just, it's fun to to push
myself and prove to myself thatI can do it.
I love your approach about howyou go in and you get to.
I mean, there's so much more,like you said, there's so much
more than just you know here'ssome really cool cocktails that
work, that are you know, thatare surefire to get you know
people, but you go in andunderstand it and the talent
level and because the experienceand talent level can really
(12:09):
affect you know the cocktail.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Right, and I think it's.
You know, it's a little unfairsometimes too, because places
will come up with these you knowthese mandate lists and their
pantry lists and these are thepeople that we want to work with
and they put together thesegreat cocktails and then they
just kind of go, like this, tothe bartenders and it's like
okay, execute this, and youbetter do it properly, you
better do it right, and theydon't always want to invest the
time and the training that youneed.
(12:37):
And you really have to speak topeople, you know, like they're
human beings for a start, butespecially with bartenders, you
can't just go in and say, okay,this is three ounces, this is
one ounce, this is what youshake it and you strain.
You have to tell them why.
You know, and I think for awhile, a lot of mixologists kind
of were were gatekeepingrecipes and techniques and
(12:57):
things like that, and it's notso much like that anymore.
Um, so the training is.
The training is so important.
You know, and and follow-uptraining, and you can't execute
a beverage menu and then justhave it there for 10 years.
Things are going to change,flavors are going to change and
trends, um.
So I love the, I love thetraining side of it.
(13:18):
Um, I love doing events.
Events are a lot of fun becauseyou don't have any like
handcuffs.
You can, you know, do whateveryou want, pretty much.
But yeah, I really like to domore than just here's a cocktail
recipe.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Go for it peace out out, Right, yeah, so, um, like
when do you like you're just athome and you're like that would
be fun to put those flavorstogether.
Do you like, I mean, try it outat your house?
Do you?
I mean like, tell me about,like, how you like create a
cocktail?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So what's up about it ?
It depends.
So sometimes it's I honestly,honestly, one of my favorite
cocktails that I've done in thepast couple of years.
I was at a dispensary in Aspenand they sold these really great
candles um, I go todispensaries for candles, I'm
just kidding.
So I got this candle.
It's called the Ridge and itsmelled like leather and tobacco
(14:15):
and black cherry and vanillaand it was just the best.
I mean, I'm a huge scent person.
I think if I hadn't gone ontothe beverage side of things, I
would have somehow found my wayinto either music or something
to do with scents, because I canbe in the room with someone and
just be like I know exactlywhat perfume they're wearing, I
know exactly what cologne he'swearing.
(14:36):
Anyway, this candle smelledgreat and I was like I want to
figure out how to make acocktail that tastes the way
that this candle smells.
And so we infused wild turkeywith leather, we used tobacco
bitter and it took a lot oftrial and error to figure it out
.
We used tomorrow and blackcherry bitters and a little bit
(14:57):
of vanilla extract and all thesethings.
So that kind of came togetherbecause I wanted it to.
And then there are times thatsomebody comes to me.
A really good friend of minejust came out with a line of
vodkas and one of them is it'sall for, like, sports clubs and
sporting venues and things likethat.
So there's like a hot dogflavored vodka, there's a
popcorn, there's dulcical,there's cotton candy and you
(15:19):
know, sometimes it's things likethat that you have to figure
out, like every if everythinghas its place.
Then what is the place of thishot dog vodka?
And, honestly, with that one itwas like what the hell am I
going to do with it?
And then you start playing withit and it's fun.
You don't have to take it soseriously, you know, dip it in
some relish and throw sometahini on it and like, have fun
shots.
So I think it's like the.
(15:40):
The challenge can come frombeing the most creative person
that you can be, that that makesyou know these really delicious
cocktails and then also takingsomething that's not some you
know, an ingredient that youwould necessarily say you know,
one day I want to make hot dogflavored martinis, but then
figuring out a way to make itwork and, and you know,
(16:02):
ultimately have a guest enjoythat cocktail as well.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So you're so gifted, that's amazing.
I mean to infuse leather people, that is that's.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
I mean, I love doing infusions, I really like
infusions.
My poor husband, he'll comehome and look and he's like what
is in our refrigerator, likewhat is in these cabinets, and
I'm like just give it, you know,three weeks and so, and then
sometimes I forget about it too,but it's fun to play around
with flavors.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I have.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
This is kind of cliche, but flavor Bible and I
just will look this.
You know this combo looks goodtogether.
This looks different.
Or you know, this is aningredient that's not listed.
That I think should be, so I'mjust trying to figure out that's
so fun.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, it is fun.
So you were just on bar, areyou're part of bar rescue?
Tell me a little bit about that, y'all.
This girl, rebecca, is famousokay.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Not quite.
I think I said three completesentences.
The first episode I did.
I don't know, I'm pretty mellow.
I think I'm kind of I'm mellow.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, you're not like spazzing out like I am.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I'm like I don't know .
I think I'm mellow, I'm kind ofhyper and I'm also like anal
retentive and high strung but Ithink mostly I'm mellow and I'm
not like the type to be likeyou're doing this wrong or
anything like that.
And so I think that when I firstI was super excited when they
asked me to do bar rescue.
And then we got there and I waslike like I'm not going to yell
at anybody, you know.
(17:32):
And so I was like kind of justtaking it all in.
And they were like would youmind just talking, like can you
say anything?
Um?
And so that that first episodewas definitely experience.
I've done one since, and thenI'm I'm shooting another one in
a few weeks, so it's a lot offun.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
I tell you what those people work so hard.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I mean, it's a huge crew.
They are super nice, it's just,they're the nicest people, it's
a lot of work but it's superfun.
So and you're going into barsand kind of giving, helping them
, rescuing them, like findingout what the problem is, or yeah
, I mean you get to, you watch,you know they do the recon part,
(18:11):
and that's when you're sittingand you're watching the
bartenders working and you kindof get a look behind the scenes
and a lot of the times you canpredict mistakes that bartenders
are going to make.
For some reason, guy bartenders, every time they pick up an ice
scoop they put their thumb init.
95% of the time their thumb isinside the ice scoop.
So you kind of know what to lookfor Poor counts or not shaking
(18:33):
a drink.
I mean, a lot of bartendersjust barely shake the drink and
then they wonder why thedilution's off, and so, yeah,
you just kind of identify whatthose problems are and come up
with solutions and then shootthat part of it.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
I love it today.
You said I wish my alarm clockwas the sound, of sound of
shaking.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Yeah, I would get out of bed a lot earlier.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
It could either be that or it could be just a
champagne cork, it's just likethose are things that and that's
one thing I train about toolike shake the drink so people
can hear you shaking the drink.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
When people walk into the door of a restaurant or a
bar, they should hear thatyou're making cocktails and
making them correct, like whodoesn't like that sound?
It means we're making cocktails, we're having a good time, even
if you're at a funeral.
If somebody starts shaking acocktail, people's ears are
gonna perk up.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
So every good thing happens around the bar right, I
mean dancing happens on the bar,like I mean shaking, like lots
of fun things, like peoplehaving a good time, and I think
that you're so right.
I know that, like on theculinary side, the chefs you
know what happens behind in thekitchen is so fascinating, but
you guys are on display like allthe time and just to watch,
(19:40):
like all the ingredients andwhat you know, these, what is
going into these cocktails today, is just fascinating to me to
watch.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Well, you want people to have I mean people feed off
your energy.
I used to work at this bar inHouston called Blizzard's Pub.
I started there when I was 19probably.
I loved it.
Then I was there for a whileand then I just didn't love it.
It wasn't anything to do withthe bar or the people there, I
(20:11):
was just always in a bad moodworking when it was like quit go
do something else like figureout what you want to do, but
don't stand back here and likeharsh somebody else's mellow cuz
you're not liking what you'redoing, you know.
And so I just I saved up as muchas I could for like two months
and I quit my job and I work forsix months, just so I could
(20:32):
figure out, like, is this what Iwant to do, you know?
And it helped me appreciate thethe industry more.
And when I came back, that'swhen I went to the Hilton and my
my perspective was changed somuch that just it really put me
on a different path yeah, yeah,loving what you do makes a
complete, you know, differencein your day to day.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
And even though, like the restaurant industry, I mean
this industry is tough andowning your own business is
really challenging but when youlove like and you're passionate
about it and you care about thatand result and you're having
fun like and you work aroundreally great people, that's so
important, like working withworking around cool people is
(21:15):
great, and that's one thingabout MTM.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
that's been a lot of fun.
This is going to sound kind ofbitchy, but like I don't know if
I should say this, this isgoing to sound really bitchy,
but it is something that Ithought about.
I want to be I want to be ableto be a little more selective
about who I'm working with, andI work with really really great
suppliers and I work with someof my best friends.
(21:42):
You know I really do and itmakes it more fun, obviously,
but it makes me work harder.
Like one of my best friends isa national account manager for
Campari and and they've got sucha freaking killer portfolio to
begin with.
But when I, when I work onprojects with her, I I want her
to be impressed, you know,because we go to happy hour
(22:05):
together, we work out together,we make playlists for each other
, like I.
It makes me more motivated andmore determined to like I want
to blow her away with this.
That's who I did the theleather cocktail for, so that's
awesome.
Yeah, that's.
It's important to like what youdo, but also like you're doing
it with.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, cause we spend most of our lives working and
traveling.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
You know what I mean, like being on a road trip with
someone that you don't likesucks, it's awkward, it's the
worst.
Yeah, so yeah.
We spend so much time working,we spend so much time on the
road together.
It's good to bike here withyeah.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
So one thing you said today that I thought was really
was funny.
You said the theater, what didyou call it?
The theater, dinner theater wasreally was funny.
You said the theater.
What did you call it?
The theater, dinner theater?
Yes, can you tell us a littlebit?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I know it's your favorite thing, um, I don't know
if y'all are sensing my sarcasm, but it is a thing, it's
important, but I think that likeso I feel like this all kind of
really took on a new, a newworld like, like like post COVID
, when people started going backout again they wanted to be
like dazzled you know, and andthat's cool, I mean it's got its
(23:19):
place.
But, like, not every cocktailneeds to be smoked, and one
thing that I found is that whenpeople are smoking cocktails, a
lot of the times it's going tosmoke out the entire dining room
and people are like.
You know, I'm I'm trying to eatthis soup and it smells like
the inside of a barbecue pit inhere.
So I don't.
I don't love drink theater anddinner theater.
I think that there's a way toshow that what you're doing is
(23:45):
is good without having to liketap dance on top of a table.
So I think you know some of itis cool.
I think that's another coolthing about like working with EC
is like you can do all thistable side stuff.
But you know I don'tnecessarily want to.
I'm trying to think of anexample that won't bite me in
(24:07):
the ass.
Like flavor blasters are socool that the the gun and it
makes the bubble that sits ontop of the cocktail when I first
started working with, Icouldn't get it to work and it
was like oh, it's like.
You know, how are we gonna?
How are we gonna suggest thisto, you know, a restaurant, if,
if I can't even do it not that Ican do everything, but I just
(24:29):
couldn't get it to him.
So they came up with a solutionfor it and and like so stuff
like that is cool, but itdoesn't necessarily have to be
like it.
Just it feels inauthentic to me.
It doesn't feel genuine to belike okay, here's a drink that's
fine, and we use this juicethat's got a ton of
preservatives and we used, youknow shit, vodka and all this
(24:53):
stuff.
But we're going to put it in abox and the box is going to
light up and then there'sglitter in it, so you should pay
us $25 for it.
It's not a great cocktail.
You're paying for the Instagramability of it and I don't love
that.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Yeah, there are definitely those Instagram
restaurants and scenes out therewhere they'll have this really
crazy shaped glass, but thedrink is like really right.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Here's this glass that looks like an octopus, but
it's hand wash.
Only you can't stack it.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
You're going to use it twice and it's going to break
like okay and I got two sipsand I'm done, and so, um, but
yeah, like it doesn't have to be.
Yeah, just I think that's theword inauthentic, like when
you're trying too hard.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I went.
I went to London in March andevery cocktail that I tried was
so on point, was so deliciousand there was none of this hokey
shit.
It was a really great cocktailthat was made impeccably with
really good ingredients and Ididn't need you know the dance
(25:55):
for grandma.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I just here's your drink okay, if I get to go to
London, I'm gonna have to getthose places.
I will.
I I'll forward you my my guide.
Yay, I can't wait.
I mean that's what, that's howmy husband and I travel.
We're like okay, where are wegonna eat?
Because that's what, that'swhat we do too my husband and
and I travel, we're like okay,where are we going to eat?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Cause that's what.
That's what we do too.
My husband and I both travel aton for work, and so when we're
going out to dinner we'll sendthe website, like we'll text
each other the website, and thenwe it's really dorky and then
we look at the menu and I'm likeI would have, I would get this,
and he would tell him you wouldget.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
We do the same thing Like, and we look at the drink
menus and.
I mean, yeah, it's all aboutthe food and the drinks for me
when I travel.
It's not about like all theseactivities, it's same same.
Just want to chill, eat anddrink.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I love going out to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Me too.
I don't know if that's like.
I mean, I heard that,especially Dallas people, and
I'm sure I don't know if it'sthe same for Houston, because
you guys have a lot more, Iguess, things to do with the
ocean or the gulf.
You know, close by, kind of.
But you know, like Dallaspeople, like all we do, like
what are your hobbies?
I'm like eating and drinking.
I mean like going out andthat's just.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
I love going out yeah , I love like girlfriends,
family, my head, I love goingout it's an experience and it's
fun, and that's why I'm broke,because I love going out.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
It's an experience and it's fun and that's why I'm
broke, because I love going outto games, me too, and my kids
are going to break me too,because they are.
I mean, they have a really goodpalate.
So I'm like kids.
I was excited to get McDonald'syou know, back in the day, so
but anyways.
But yeah, things are definitelychanging and evolving and
(27:34):
everything but I'm so glad wegot to talk today and um.
So do you have a confession, ordid I steal it?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
earlier.
I don't, I, I mean what.
What is every time?
Every time you say, do you havea confession?
I get that usher song stuck inmy head.
Um, I mean, I, I guess myconfession would be that I, I
don't.
I don't drink a lot ofcocktails.
Um, I do taste them, but Idon't drink a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
You don't complete them, like just a little sip.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
And if they're, I mean, yeah, it's kind of lame.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
That's not lame, that's a good confession.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I love them.
I make good ones, taste goodones, but I just if it's, if
it's up to me and I'm like readyto just like kick back and have
a drink, just something simpleyeah, well, um, I can attest
that her drinks are incredibleand, um, if you're ever at NRA,
um Easy has a great booth andRebecca's there.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
She also lives in Houston, so you'll have to check
her out and look her up and ifyou need any tips on mixology,
you should definitely reach outto her.
But thank you so much forcoming on today.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Thanks for having me, it was fun.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
I'd love to have you again.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Any more recommendations on where to eat
and drink in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh, we can help you with that.
So, anyways, well, thanks forjoining us today, guys, and
we'll see you next time.
For more inspiration, followour social media at W3Sales.
Please like, comment andsubscribe.
You know all the things wewould love to connect with you.
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, nancy Ridland.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, welcome back to ConfessionsBeyond the Food.
My name is Nancy Ridland, withW3 Sales, and today I'm joined
(00:20):
by Rebecca.
She is the CEO of More ThanMixology, so so excited to have
you.
I'm excited to be here.
Thank you for having me.
Yeah, we just did this reallyfun event.
She created the most beautifuldrinks.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I wanted to drink all of them.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Which one was your favorite?
The grapefruit.
Which one was that called theFrench Blonde?
The French Blonde, yes, taylorSwift's favorite cocktail.
Yes, you know what?
I'm not a big Taylor Swift fan,but, oh, come back.
No, I do like her music.
I did upload her um her latestalbum and I've been listening to
(00:57):
it cause I have my niece in mycar and wanted to be, you know,
the cool aunt.
Yes, so, but you're a bigSwifty, I am a big Swifty.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I wasn't always and my sister kind of forced me into
liking her.
Um, so at first I was like justkind of doing it to appease my
sister, and then I got into itand we've seen her three times
now and it's just, it's a lot offun.
It's a cool community.
It was cool.
It was cool at Taylor Swift'sconcerts and at Beyonce's
concerts, cause everyone isbeing so nice to each other.
(01:25):
It's like the whole worldshould go to one of these
concerts, just so they can seehow to treat other people.
So it's not just the music andthe costumes and the drama and
all that stuff, it's just, it'sa it's a cool community.
That's interesting because Isound psychotic.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, because
everybody that has gone to oneof their concerts gets out of
there and they're like I wasn'ta fan and I'm in love with her.
Yeah, I mean tracy is one ofthem.
Macy on our team, tracy andmacy, they I mean they were like
you need to go to a concert.
You don't understand it untilyou know she's a really great
performer beyonce too.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I think I levitated at the Beyonce concert.
I was just.
I was just one of the.
I too Love her.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, anyways, so that's awesome.
So you're from.
You're from Texas.
Yes, are you from here?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I was born in Galveston, my family's from
Galveston, and then I grew up inTexas City, which is about.
It's a little refinery townright outside of Galveston.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nice, I've heard Galveston.
Nice, I've heard of Texas City.
It was a good place to grow up.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
It's a smaller town.
My dad owned a lumber yard andyou know just small town stuff.
I got in trouble a lot.
My mom ran the museum in TexasCity so that was a lot of fun.
We would do like the window,like set up the windows and
stuff like that.
that's really cool yeah and youwouldn't think there would be a
museum, but it's home to thelargest industrial disaster in
(02:52):
the history of the United States, april 16th and 17 1947 no
there's like a lot of likeinformation about that, the
disaster, and how they werebuilt, and then, like industry I
don't know why I'm telling youthis but no, that's amazing,
We'll have to go to Texas.
Yeah, it was, you know it's asmall town, like I said, but it
was fun.
I was a cheerleader, my sisterwas on the drill team and, you
(03:15):
know, just Friday night lights,like we lived it pretty much.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah, so after high school.
So how did you did you start?
You know how did you getinvolved in this world?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
So I started goodness I started.
I mean, I started working inrestaurants.
I'm trying to think of what myfirst job was.
There's a place in Galvestoncalled Mooney Gardens and I was
a cashier at the restaurantthere and it's got like a.
It has a rainforest and anaquarium and a like a beach and
it was the cashier at therestaurant and then I worked at
like Joe's Crab Shack and I justalways came back to the
restaurant industry.
So when I graduated from highschool I started at University
(03:52):
of Houston and when I moveddowntown or when I moved to
Houston, I started working at arestaurant downtown called
Liberty Noodle.
There was one here in Dallasand it was just the coolest vibe
.
It was kind of like and I was19, I guess, and so it was like
that kind of time where I wasimpressionable and everyone that
worked there had a reallydifferent background and it was
(04:15):
just a melting pot of differentpeople and I loved it.
I loved working downtown andthat's when I started bartending
and I would bartend at as manyrestaurants and clubs as I could
and I went to school for a lotof things, but mostly
broadcasting.
I actually worked for Telemundofor a little while and I just
(04:38):
always went back to the industry.
I mean, I worked in nightclubs,I worked in restaurants, I
worked in honky-tonk bars, andthen I really, really fell in
love with hotels and so Istarted working at the Hilton in
downtown, at their lobby bar.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
And that's when I really learned about mixology.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Tony Abagino wrote a book called the Modern
Mixologist and so I was like Ihad my little.
What is that movie Julie andJulia, where she like makes all
of Julia Child's recipes?
I went through his book and Iwas like I'm going to make every
recipe in this book and Hiltonwas great.
They were like tell us what youneed and I just I really fell
in love with you know,handcrafted cocktails and fresh
(05:19):
ingredients and the techniquesand everything behind it.
And so I left Hilton and thetechniques and everything behind
it.
And so I left Hilton.
I worked at a bar downtowncalled Breezer 101, which is a
just fabulous cocktail bar.
They've got like 150 differentwhiskeys they did at the time.
They probably have more now.
And then I went to Hotel Iconand I started doing their
(05:41):
cocktail program there.
I worked with some really greatchefs just really great people.
Program there.
I worked with some really greatchefs just really great people.
And then I worked at an agencyfor 12 years as their director
of mixology.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That's amazing.
So what have you seen like inthe industry change, like as far
as like cocktails go, and Imean just the need for
innovation and and basicallythat mixology is a thing.
It's not just a thing.
It's not just something.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
It's not right, a hobby or anything like that, not
a hobby.
It's interesting I think there'sgosh so much has changed.
I think that there's a lot morerespect for the industry from
from from a public or publicperspective now.
Um, and it's not kind of thisthing where it's like I'm
bartending to get throughcollege or I'm bartending to it
(06:33):
can be a means to an end, um,and I think that people in the
industry have a lot more respectfor each other and that's
really important.
Um, as far as the cocktails andthings like that, I mean so
much changes.
It changes all the time.
You know, and you see thesetrends that you can kind of tell
when something's going to be aflop or it's not going to.
You know, catch on and thenyou've got, you know, the Moscow
(06:54):
mules of the world that whencocktails become their own
category, it's prettyinteresting to think about how
those evolve.
But I've done some coolbeverage programs or LTOs that I
thought were great and weregonna do really well and they
completely bombed.
And then I've made cocktailsthat I wouldn't drink
(07:16):
necessarily or don't love, andthey do really well for
different accounts.
So it's kind of hard to keepyour finger on the pulse
especially in national accounts.
So it's it's kind of hard tokeep your finger on the pulse,
especially in national accounts.
You know Um, but I I would sayto me just the respect for the,
for the industry as a whole, hashas changed, um for the better,
and I think that's prettyexciting.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
It's amazing.
I mean that's the best part of,I mean that's one of the best
parts of you know dining out islike.
What cocktail am I going tostart out with?
I mean you know, what's yourgo-to?
I love a Paloma, which isprobably why I like the French
one.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
What is?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
your favorite or your go-to?
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Well, I don't know.
I love a dirty martini, I lovea Negroni, I love an
old-fashioned, I love margaritas.
There's not much I won't drink,yeah there's not much, I won't
drink, I'll try anything.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
So do you drink wine too?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Yes, or beer like out of the three, which is your
favorite?
Okay, well, so I, I taste a lotof cocktails Like that's what I
do all day, and so I don'tdrink a lot of cocktails.
I drink like if I, when I'mdone with work, like if I go
meet my husband for a drink,I'll get like a Mikkel Vulture
and a shot of Espelon.
(08:43):
That's kind of like.
There you have it, nicole,that's awesome, I'm a bartender
at heart.
You know what I mean, like I,just a cold beer and a shot of
tequila, but um, yeah, I lovewine, I love, I love white wine
like anything crisp andrefreshing.
(09:04):
I love IPAs, um, but I'll, youknow, I'll try anything.
I'll get weird cocktails.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
That's awesome, so, um, so how did you start up your
, um your company?
So?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I was a mixology director and what I did for this
agency.
It's a very well-known andwell-respected agency in Houston
.
I worked with national accountsand I helped them with their
beverage program so morespecifically, their menus and so
we would do site visits andthere's so much more that goes
(09:36):
into it than me just saying thisis what I like and this is what
I think tastes good, so youshould put it on your menu.
You look at, you know theregionality and who they work
with and the skill, the skillset of their bartenders, and um,
so I worked, I worked there fora while and just it became
something that I just knew thatI could do for myself.
Um, and so you know, one day Ijust I kind of had a shitty day
(10:02):
at work and I came home and myhusband and I were talking and I
was like I just I don't knowwhat to do next.
You know, I don't know if I do.
I want to like try to be asupplier, cause I left the
agency for a little while and,um, and worked for a distributor
and it did not go well.
It was a nine month, just not,it was not my cup of tea and I
(10:26):
was like I wish I could just dowhat I'm doing now but do it for
myself.
And he was like you can and it.
It was kind of weird because Imean, while we were having this
conversation, a friend of minewho had also lived at the same
place and started her owncompany in events and you know
she does like promotionalmaterials she texted me and she
(10:46):
said do you ever do side gigs?
I'd love to hire you to do somecocktails for a wedding for me,
and I'm so glad she did becauseit was like here it is, Like
this is your sign, Like you cando this on your own.
So I started MTM.
That was in August.
I started MTM in January thefollowing year and it's been a
wild ride.
Owning your own company ispretty stressful.
(11:09):
Just a little bit, I get it.
I've learned a lot.
I call my dad probably once aweek and ask him.
I think my husband's terrifiedthat I'm going to go to prison
for, like, tax evasion orsomething.
So I call my dad, freaking outall the time, but it's been
super rewarding and I've workedwith people that I wouldn't
expect to.
I mean, the gig I have with EChas been one of my favorite
(11:32):
parts of this, but I've done alot of like speaking gigs that I
normally wouldn't have.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Um, you know, and it's just, it's fun to to push
myself and prove to myself thatI can do it.
I love your approach about howyou go in and you get to.
I mean, there's so much more,like you said, there's so much
more than just you know here'ssome really cool cocktails that
work, that are you know, thatare surefire to get you know
people, but you go in andunderstand it and the talent
level and because the experienceand talent level can really
(12:09):
affect you know the cocktail.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Right, and I think it's.
You know, it's a little unfairsometimes too, because places
will come up with these you knowthese mandate lists and their
pantry lists and these are thepeople that we want to work with
and they put together thesegreat cocktails and then they
just kind of go, like this, tothe bartenders and it's like
okay, execute this, and youbetter do it properly, you
better do it right, and theydon't always want to invest the
time and the training that youneed.
(12:37):
And you really have to speak topeople, you know, like they're
human beings for a start, butespecially with bartenders, you
can't just go in and say, okay,this is three ounces, this is
one ounce, this is what youshake it and you strain.
You have to tell them why.
You know, and I think for awhile, a lot of mixologists kind
of were were gatekeepingrecipes and techniques and
(12:57):
things like that, and it's notso much like that anymore.
Um, so the training is.
The training is so important.
You know, and and follow-uptraining, and you can't execute
a beverage menu and then justhave it there for 10 years.
Things are going to change,flavors are going to change and
trends, um.
So I love the, I love thetraining side of it.
(13:18):
Um, I love doing events.
Events are a lot of fun becauseyou don't have any like
handcuffs.
You can, you know, do whateveryou want, pretty much.
But yeah, I really like to domore than just here's a cocktail
recipe.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Go for it peace out out, Right, yeah, so, um, like
when do you like you're just athome and you're like that would
be fun to put those flavorstogether.
Do you like, I mean, try it outat your house?
Do you?
I mean like, tell me about,like, how you like create a
cocktail?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So what's up about it ?
It depends.
So sometimes it's I honestly,honestly, one of my favorite
cocktails that I've done in thepast couple of years.
I was at a dispensary in Aspenand they sold these really great
candles um, I go todispensaries for candles, I'm
just kidding.
So I got this candle.
It's called the Ridge and itsmelled like leather and tobacco
(14:15):
and black cherry and vanillaand it was just the best.
I mean, I'm a huge scent person.
I think if I hadn't gone ontothe beverage side of things, I
would have somehow found my wayinto either music or something
to do with scents, because I canbe in the room with someone and
just be like I know exactlywhat perfume they're wearing, I
know exactly what cologne he'swearing.
(14:36):
Anyway, this candle smelledgreat and I was like I want to
figure out how to make acocktail that tastes the way
that this candle smells.
And so we infused wild turkeywith leather, we used tobacco
bitter and it took a lot oftrial and error to figure it out
.
We used tomorrow and blackcherry bitters and a little bit
(14:57):
of vanilla extract and all thesethings.
So that kind of came togetherbecause I wanted it to.
And then there are times thatsomebody comes to me.
A really good friend of minejust came out with a line of
vodkas and one of them is it'sall for, like, sports clubs and
sporting venues and things likethat.
So there's like a hot dogflavored vodka, there's a
popcorn, there's dulcical,there's cotton candy and you
(15:19):
know, sometimes it's things likethat that you have to figure
out, like every if everythinghas its place.
Then what is the place of thishot dog vodka?
And, honestly, with that one itwas like what the hell am I
going to do with it?
And then you start playing withit and it's fun.
You don't have to take it soseriously, you know, dip it in
some relish and throw sometahini on it and like, have fun
shots.
So I think it's like the.
(15:40):
The challenge can come frombeing the most creative person
that you can be, that that makesyou know these really delicious
cocktails and then also takingsomething that's not some you
know, an ingredient that youwould necessarily say you know,
one day I want to make hot dogflavored martinis, but then
figuring out a way to make itwork and, and you know,
(16:02):
ultimately have a guest enjoythat cocktail as well.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So you're so gifted, that's amazing.
I mean to infuse leather people, that is that's.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
I mean, I love doing infusions, I really like
infusions.
My poor husband, he'll comehome and look and he's like what
is in our refrigerator, likewhat is in these cabinets, and
I'm like just give it, you know,three weeks and so, and then
sometimes I forget about it too,but it's fun to play around
with flavors.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
I have.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
This is kind of cliche, but flavor Bible and I
just will look this.
You know this combo looks goodtogether.
This looks different.
Or you know, this is aningredient that's not listed.
That I think should be, so I'mjust trying to figure out that's
so fun.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Yeah, it is fun.
So you were just on bar, areyou're part of bar rescue?
Tell me a little bit about that, y'all.
This girl, rebecca, is famousokay.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Not quite.
I think I said three completesentences.
The first episode I did.
I don't know, I'm pretty mellow.
I think I'm kind of I'm mellow.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Yeah, you're not like spazzing out like I am.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I'm like I don't know .
I think I'm mellow, I'm kind ofhyper and I'm also like anal
retentive and high strung but Ithink mostly I'm mellow and I'm
not like the type to be likeyou're doing this wrong or
anything like that.
And so I think that when I firstI was super excited when they
asked me to do bar rescue.
And then we got there and I waslike like I'm not going to yell
at anybody, you know.
(17:32):
And so I was like kind of justtaking it all in.
And they were like would youmind just talking, like can you
say anything?
Um?
And so that that first episodewas definitely experience.
I've done one since, and thenI'm I'm shooting another one in
a few weeks, so it's a lot offun.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
I tell you what those people work so hard.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
I mean, it's a huge crew.
They are super nice, it's just,they're the nicest people, it's
a lot of work but it's superfun.
So and you're going into barsand kind of giving, helping them
, rescuing them, like findingout what the problem is, or yeah
, I mean you get to, you watch,you know they do the recon part,
(18:11):
and that's when you're sittingand you're watching the
bartenders working and you kindof get a look behind the scenes
and a lot of the times you canpredict mistakes that bartenders
are going to make.
For some reason, guy bartenders, every time they pick up an ice
scoop they put their thumb init.
95% of the time their thumb isinside the ice scoop.
So you kind of know what to lookfor Poor counts or not shaking
(18:33):
a drink.
I mean, a lot of bartendersjust barely shake the drink and
then they wonder why thedilution's off, and so, yeah,
you just kind of identify whatthose problems are and come up
with solutions and then shootthat part of it.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
I love it today.
You said I wish my alarm clockwas the sound, of sound of
shaking.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Yeah, I would get out of bed a lot earlier.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
It could either be that or it could be just a
champagne cork, it's just likethose are things that and that's
one thing I train about toolike shake the drink so people
can hear you shaking the drink.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
When people walk into the door of a restaurant or a
bar, they should hear thatyou're making cocktails and
making them correct, like whodoesn't like that sound?
It means we're making cocktails, we're having a good time, even
if you're at a funeral.
If somebody starts shaking acocktail, people's ears are
gonna perk up.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
So every good thing happens around the bar right, I
mean dancing happens on the bar,like I mean shaking, like lots
of fun things, like peoplehaving a good time, and I think
that you're so right.
I know that, like on theculinary side, the chefs you
know what happens behind in thekitchen is so fascinating, but
you guys are on display like allthe time and just to watch,
(19:40):
like all the ingredients andwhat you know, these, what is
going into these cocktails today, is just fascinating to me to
watch.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Well, you want people to have I mean people feed off
your energy.
I used to work at this bar inHouston called Blizzard's Pub.
I started there when I was 19probably.
I loved it.
Then I was there for a whileand then I just didn't love it.
It wasn't anything to do withthe bar or the people there, I
(20:11):
was just always in a bad moodworking when it was like quit go
do something else like figureout what you want to do, but
don't stand back here and likeharsh somebody else's mellow cuz
you're not liking what you'redoing, you know.
And so I just I saved up as muchas I could for like two months
and I quit my job and I work forsix months, just so I could
(20:32):
figure out, like, is this what Iwant to do, you know?
And it helped me appreciate thethe industry more.
And when I came back, that'swhen I went to the Hilton and my
my perspective was changed somuch that just it really put me
on a different path yeah, yeah,loving what you do makes a
complete, you know, differencein your day to day.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
And even though, like the restaurant industry, I mean
this industry is tough andowning your own business is
really challenging but when youlove like and you're passionate
about it and you care about thatand result and you're having
fun like and you work aroundreally great people, that's so
important, like working withworking around cool people is
(21:15):
great, and that's one thingabout MTM.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
that's been a lot of fun.
This is going to sound kind ofbitchy, but like I don't know if
I should say this, this isgoing to sound really bitchy,
but it is something that Ithought about.
I want to be I want to be ableto be a little more selective
about who I'm working with, andI work with really really great
suppliers and I work with someof my best friends.
(21:42):
You know I really do and itmakes it more fun, obviously,
but it makes me work harder.
Like one of my best friends isa national account manager for
Campari and and they've got sucha freaking killer portfolio to
begin with.
But when I, when I work onprojects with her, I I want her
to be impressed, you know,because we go to happy hour
(22:05):
together, we work out together,we make playlists for each other
, like I.
It makes me more motivated andmore determined to like I want
to blow her away with this.
That's who I did the theleather cocktail for, so that's
awesome.
Yeah, that's.
It's important to like what youdo, but also like you're doing
it with.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, cause we spend most of our lives working and
traveling.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
You know what I mean, like being on a road trip with
someone that you don't likesucks, it's awkward, it's the
worst.
Yeah, so yeah.
We spend so much time working,we spend so much time on the
road together.
It's good to bike here withyeah.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
So one thing you said today that I thought was really
was funny.
You said the theater, what didyou call it?
The theater, dinner theater wasreally was funny.
You said the theater.
What did you call it?
The theater, dinner theater?
Yes, can you tell us a littlebit?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
I know it's your favorite thing, um, I don't know
if y'all are sensing my sarcasm, but it is a thing, it's
important, but I think that likeso I feel like this all kind of
really took on a new, a newworld like, like like post COVID
, when people started going backout again they wanted to be
like dazzled you know, and andthat's cool, I mean it's got its
(23:19):
place.
But, like, not every cocktailneeds to be smoked, and one
thing that I found is that whenpeople are smoking cocktails, a
lot of the times it's going tosmoke out the entire dining room
and people are like.
You know, I'm I'm trying to eatthis soup and it smells like
the inside of a barbecue pit inhere.
So I don't.
I don't love drink theater anddinner theater.
I think that there's a way toshow that what you're doing is
(23:45):
is good without having to liketap dance on top of a table.
So I think you know some of itis cool.
I think that's another coolthing about like working with EC
is like you can do all thistable side stuff.
But you know I don'tnecessarily want to.
I'm trying to think of anexample that won't bite me in
(24:07):
the ass.
Like flavor blasters are socool that the the gun and it
makes the bubble that sits ontop of the cocktail when I first
started working with, Icouldn't get it to work and it
was like oh, it's like.
You know, how are we gonna?
How are we gonna suggest thisto, you know, a restaurant, if,
if I can't even do it not that Ican do everything, but I just
(24:29):
couldn't get it to him.
So they came up with a solutionfor it and and like so stuff
like that is cool, but itdoesn't necessarily have to be
like it.
Just it feels inauthentic to me.
It doesn't feel genuine to belike okay, here's a drink that's
fine, and we use this juicethat's got a ton of
preservatives and we used, youknow shit, vodka and all this
(24:53):
stuff.
But we're going to put it in abox and the box is going to
light up and then there'sglitter in it, so you should pay
us $25 for it.
It's not a great cocktail.
You're paying for the Instagramability of it and I don't love
that.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Yeah, there are definitely those Instagram
restaurants and scenes out therewhere they'll have this really
crazy shaped glass, but thedrink is like really right.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Here's this glass that looks like an octopus, but
it's hand wash.
Only you can't stack it.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
You're going to use it twice and it's going to break
like okay and I got two sipsand I'm done, and so, um, but
yeah, like it doesn't have to be.
Yeah, just I think that's theword inauthentic, like when
you're trying too hard.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
I went.
I went to London in March andevery cocktail that I tried was
so on point, was so deliciousand there was none of this hokey
shit.
It was a really great cocktailthat was made impeccably with
really good ingredients and Ididn't need you know the dance
(25:55):
for grandma.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I just here's your drink okay, if I get to go to
London, I'm gonna have to getthose places.
I will.
I I'll forward you my my guide.
Yay, I can't wait.
I mean that's what, that's howmy husband and I travel.
We're like okay, where are wegonna eat?
Because that's what, that'swhat we do too my husband and
and I travel, we're like okay,where are we going to eat?
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Cause that's what.
That's what we do too.
My husband and I both travel aton for work, and so when we're
going out to dinner we'll sendthe website, like we'll text
each other the website, and thenwe it's really dorky and then
we look at the menu and I'm likeI would have, I would get this,
and he would tell him you wouldget.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
We do the same thing Like, and we look at the drink
menus and.
I mean, yeah, it's all aboutthe food and the drinks for me
when I travel.
It's not about like all theseactivities, it's same same.
Just want to chill, eat anddrink.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I love going out to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Me too.
I don't know if that's like.
I mean, I heard that,especially Dallas people, and
I'm sure I don't know if it'sthe same for Houston, because
you guys have a lot more, Iguess, things to do with the
ocean or the gulf.
You know, close by, kind of.
But you know, like Dallaspeople, like all we do, like
what are your hobbies?
I'm like eating and drinking.
I mean like going out andthat's just.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
I love going out yeah , I love like girlfriends,
family, my head, I love goingout it's an experience and it's
fun, and that's why I'm broke,because I love going out.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
It's an experience and it's fun and that's why I'm
broke, because I love going outto games, me too, and my kids
are going to break me too,because they are.
I mean, they have a really goodpalate.
So I'm like kids.
I was excited to get McDonald'syou know, back in the day, so
but anyways.
But yeah, things are definitelychanging and evolving and
(27:34):
everything but I'm so glad wegot to talk today and um.
So do you have a confession, ordid I steal it?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
earlier.
I don't, I, I mean what.
What is every time?
Every time you say, do you havea confession?
I get that usher song stuck inmy head.
Um, I mean, I, I guess myconfession would be that I, I
don't.
I don't drink a lot ofcocktails.
Um, I do taste them, but Idon't drink a lot of them.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
You don't complete them, like just a little sip.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
And if they're, I mean, yeah, it's kind of lame.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
That's not lame, that's a good confession.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I love them.
I make good ones, taste goodones, but I just if it's, if
it's up to me and I'm like readyto just like kick back and have
a drink, just something simpleyeah, well, um, I can attest
that her drinks are incredibleand, um, if you're ever at NRA,
um Easy has a great booth andRebecca's there.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
She also lives in Houston, so you'll have to check
her out and look her up and ifyou need any tips on mixology,
you should definitely reach outto her.
But thank you so much forcoming on today.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Thanks for having me, it was fun.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
I'd love to have you again.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Any more recommendations on where to eat
and drink in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh, we can help you with that.
So, anyways, well, thanks forjoining us today, guys, and
we'll see you next time.
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