Don’t worry, this idiot won’t be reading. He’ll be shaking. As in making tasty cocktails, which if you come to any of these [...]]]> I’m heading this week for a West Coast book tour. Now I know what you’re thinking: Dear god, why would anyone want to go listen this idiot read from some book about cocktails, organic or not?

Don’t worry, this idiot won’t be reading. He’ll be shaking. As in making tasty cocktails, which if you come to any of these events, you’ll be able to drink. Think of these as parties that just happen to have some books lying around. Books you can, if you feel so inclined, purchase. Did I mention what fine photography there is in this book? Along with recipes for great drinks?

In other words, perfect eco-conscious gifts.

So if you or any friends, family, colleagues, non-violent former cellmates, happen to be in Los Angeles, Scottsdale, San Francisco and Portland, come find out why organic cocktails are tasty – and better for the planet.

I’ll be in Los Angeles on Monday, April 19, for an Earth Day kick-off party at the O Bar & Kitchen at downtown’s O Hotel from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sponsored by TRU Organic Spirits and Skylight Books.

I’ll be at The Spa at Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Tuesday, April 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

I’ll be at San Francisco’s Elixir on Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day!) from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., sponsored by Square One Organic Spirits.

And I’ll be at Portland, Oregon’s Teardrop Lounge on Friday, April 23, for a happy hour party sponsored by Harvard Common Press and Imbibe Magazine.

Small-minded people might characterize it as pitifully inept.

I’d just turned 16. It was in driving school, and I had just met an impossibly lovely and exotic French girl. Let’s call her Laurence G (in case she decides to sue me for [...]]]> You could say my initial approach to creating the perfect Valentine’s Day date was misguided.

Small-minded people might characterize it as pitifully inept.

I’d just turned 16. It was in driving school, and I had just met an impossibly lovely and exotic French girl. Let’s call her Laurence G (in case she decides to sue me for assaulting her with traumatic memories). More improbable than her beauty was how I had somehow mustered the guts to ask her out. She said oui, and we set a date. And, wanting to make a big impression, set about to find something to wear that showed what a hip and international guy I was.

So I went to a fashion boutique about the size of a broom closet in Washington, D.C. and spent a lot of my parents’ money on a shirt whose style could best be described as Proletarian Poodle.

It was gray and puffy enough to fit three of me, with a collar open nearly to my belly button.

When at last we met for our group date, Laurence and her couples friends showed up dressed like preppy Americans. In other words, just like I dressed on any day but this one.

I’d like to say my charm won over my wardrobe … but that would be, as they say in France, un big fat lie.

Laurence’s friends were very nice to me, in the way that bright, well-adjusted people are to the criminally insane.

To calm my nerves, and find ways to drown out her friends’ increasingly more obvious mirth at my get-up, I drank. A lot. Stingers. Screwdrivers. Rum and Cokes. Rum and rums.

If this tactic helped endear me to Laurence, I can’t remember. You see, at some point in the evening I’d fallen asleep (that’s nice-talk for passed out dead drunk) – and woken up in the backseat of her friend’s car. Sans Laurence, of course.

I was mightily bummed to have blown it with Laurence. But as far as I know she and her friends mercifully took no pictures of me in that shirt.

So while I may not have learned since then how to dress better, I have learned how to drink better (I’ve also learned that girls aren’t all that into guys who dress like extras from Les Miserables).

Most any bibulous beginning to Valentine’s Day should begin with bubbly.

While you can’t go wrong with the real stuff – Champagne, that is – domestic sparklers are often as good – and less expensive.

Among the best I’ve tried recently are produced by Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvee (about $26 per bottle), made with organically grown grapes.

You’d find an excellent value in Korbel California Brut Champagne ($18), also made with organically grown grapes. This is Korbel’s first crack at bubbly fashioned from organic grapes, and it’s quite good. Incidentally, I’ll soon be posting a Q&A I recently did with the winemaker.

For price and taste – and with an Italian accent – go for Mionetto Organic Prosecco ($16). This one was a wonderful surprise. While I’ve long been a fan of Mionetto’s proseccos, this organic version had a delicacy of flavor and bubbles that won me over for good. If I can score an interview with one of the winemakers, I’ll ask how he/she pulls this nifty trick off.

I’ll have some Valentine’s Day cocktail recipes up in the next day or so…

 From BlackBook.com

From [...]]]> Rather than bore readers (all two or three of you) to tears with a series of onanistic postings about recent media coverage of my just-published book on organic cocktails, I’m going to chuck it all in one posting. In other words, all the same blatant self-promotion; just served up quicker… (click in each logo)

 From BlackBook.com

From TheKitch blog

 From the Daytime show

You can see the clip by clicking on the station logo:

Click on the St. Pete Times logo…

Oh, and enjoy some drinks from the book!

When: Thursday, October 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Where: Restaurant BT (in Tampa’s Old Hyde Park Village), 1633 West Snow Ave., Tampa, FL 33606 US

For advance reservations ($30 includes a copy [...]]]> Please join me in celebrating the publication of Organic, Shaken and Stirred, my new book about organic cocktails.

Oh, and enjoy some drinks from the book!

When: Thursday, October 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Where: Restaurant BT (in Tampa’s Old Hyde Park Village), 1633 West Snow Ave., Tampa, FL 33606 US

For advance reservations ($30 includes a copy of the book, two cocktails and appetizers), call Inkwood Books (www.InkwoodBooks.com) at 813-253-2638 or Restaurant BT (www.RestaurantBT.com) at 813-258-1916. Or drop by Restaurant BT the night of the party.