Lush Life

It was her grandfather’s Manhattan that inspired our guest to love the art of making cocktails, but what was it about that Manhattan that would lead her to New Orleans? I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time. Joining us today on our episode sponsored by Louisiana Tourism is the fabulous Abigail Gull...

First up! This is a 2 parter, so for those of you who missed part 1, go back to the previous episode and start there! If you are ready to join us for Part 2 of Asian Rice Wines and Spirits. Then let’s go! I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time. We’ve discussed Sake, Shōchū, and Soju, now it’s time f...

What a way to begin Season 7! By attempting to tackle the category that is Asian Rice Wine and Spirits? We would be truly destined to fail if we didn’t have such a spectacular leader to guide us through. How can I describe Marie Cheong-Thong? She is not only one of eight spirit committee members of the IWSC but also Chairman of the British Sake Association, a Council Member of the Association of W...

Is it that time already…the leaves are falling, there is a chill in the air, and I’m back with a new season to keep you company. I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, where every week, we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time. Yes, next Tuesday, I bring you Season 7 of Lush Life.  This season it’s more of the same  - great conversations, g...

During  lockdown, I received cocktails from some of the world’s best bars delivered right to my door.  Who should cycle them over to me at a moment’s notice? None other than the drinks legend who is my guest today.   Many of you who filled out my Lush Life survey, asked for more interviews with industry legends; well, here you go. Fabrice Limon is at your service. He has too ma...

What is the saying, when life hands you sugar cane, make rum, right?  Well, my guest today is making way more than white rum, aged rum, and rhum agricole down south in Gonzales, Louisiana, that’s for sure.  On Lush Life today, sponsored by Louisiana Travel, I am thrilled to have Andrew Soltau. Co-Owner and COO, of Sugarfield Spirits to guide us through how he and his brother found their...

Have you tried to find Le Syndicat bar on Rue Faubourg Saint Denis?  They don’t make it easy. Our guest today explains what’s going on behind all those posters and why it’s not to miss on your next trip to Paris. I think we need to toast to the father of Thibault Massina, the Creative Director at the one and only Le Syndicat bar in the 10th arrondissement in the City of Lights. Thanks to his...

Our guest today fell into distilling after years of being a self-proclaimed Pinot chaser. What is it exactly that drew her over to the spirit world?  Sarah Elsom, Master Distiller of the Cardrona Distillery on the South Island of New Zealand, knew she wanted to work in wine from the age of 16.  That passion took her all over the world and back again. When she returned home, she was lucky...

What to do when your country bans alcohol sales during the height of covid, and you own a distillery? Create a non-alcoholic spirit, and then find the perfect partner to help you introduce it to the world. Danielle Schoeman used her distilling know-how to produce Mahala Botanical, then she sent it to Paul Scanlon to see what he thought. After years working for a drinks company, he was ready to bri...

I have a penchant for wild cats; one, in particular, go tigers! Now there is another cat begging for my attention, and I just can’t ignore it. Who could when these cats are distilling rum? On Lush Life today, sponsored by Louisiana Travel, I am thrilled to have Tait Martin, Ph. D., President & CEO of Wildcat Brothers Distillery who is with us to recount the story of how a cocktail made with th...

If you already call yourself a cocktail fan, then I will take it for granted that my two guests are already known to you. If not, I am proud to introduce you to The Cocktail Lovers! Who are the Cocktail Lovers? Just the industry icons who launched the award-winning The Cocktail Lovers magazine 11 years ago.  Individually they are Sandrae Lawrence and Gary Sharpen. They’ve been listed on the L...

The daffodils are out and as some of you may know from previous episodes that when the daffodils come out, I get behind the mic for a short chat. I need to thank all of you for being so patient with me. It’s been kind of a crazy year. In between traveling and covid and other life stuff, I know Lush Life has been a bit sporadic!  I also want to thank all of you who have helped me by filling ou...

Hidden away under the Bloomberg Building in the City of London lies the remains of the Roman Temple of Mithras, which you can visit. So what does that have to do with drinking? Our guest today is definitely the one to answer that question!  Francis Grew, one of the fantastic curators of the fabulous Museum of London, knows all about the Romans in London and more specifically what the Romans w...

What is a work of art?  That question is so subjective. Yet I truly believe that my two guests have made it possible for us to drink every cocktail we have at the St. Regis Venice in a work of art.  My first guest is Facundo Gallegos, the Bar Manager at the St. Regis Venice. The second is Adriano Berengo, the President of Berengo Studio 1989 and Fondazione Berengo.  On my way to Ven...

My cocktail of the week is made up of masterclasses, bar takeovers, tastings, and overall fun and festivities, plus is served in a city that I love. Confused?  Did you guess what’s on the table? This week's episode is its own cocktail whose ingredients come from Venice, Italy, and is called Venice Cocktail Week. From Dec 13 - 19 last year, Venice was host to a slew of cocktail lovers, distill...

It wouldn’t be fair to say I have a favorite restaurant in Venice, but my guest today runs the one spot that is nearest to my heart. Now he’s not only wowing them with his world-class Venetian cuisine but he’s created an amaro that makes the gondoliers sing. I’m not the only one who Luca di Vita has welcomed into Alla Testiere, the wonderful restaurant he owns with chef Bruno Gavagnin. London’s Ru...

Heading to the City of London is like going home! Fleet Street, one of its most famous addresses, was always the denizen of journos who were known to enjoy a tipple or two. My guest today welcomes me back with a Gimlet that’s pure London through and through. Very few businesses are allowed to use the livery of the City of London and William Borrell, the Director of the City of London Distillery an...

It might be known for rock, ballroom dancing, arcades, and even The Cure’s Robert Smith, but one wouldn’t automatically think of Blackpool, England as the home of Sweet Mash. Thanks to the efforts of our guest today, you will now. Moving from New York City to Blackpool England is only a small step if your goal is to redefine what an English whiskey can be.  Vince Oleson, Distillery Manager of...

Thinking of opening a new cocktail bar or planning a fabulous cocktail party?  Thanks to our guest today we don’t have to start from scratch. He’s given us the tools to hone every facet of the guest experience! How lucky are we that Jason Williams, Creative Director of Proof & Company and head of Proof Creative, their bar and beverage consultancy program, has shared his 20 PIllar Plan wit...

For those of you who listened to the very, very end of my ep last week, you were expecting this week to be all about the City of London, well, due to unforeseen circumstances with which I won’t bore you.  Instead, this week we will be answering all your questions about bitters with two who have been in the bitters biz for almost 10 years.  I’ve had many eureka moments in the over 200 epi...

I wish I had known my guest sooner. Every dinner party he has ends with a round of homemade liqueur. The liquid was so good that he was convinced to bottle it for the whole world to enjoy. Now everyone’s dinner party can end with one more sip!  Thomas Lester was busy doing other things when he realized what he was making was just too yummy not to share. Thus,  Reverend Hubert Winter Gin...

Yes, it’s a biggie. My 200th episode, and who should join me but one of the biggest names in cocktails and my constant companion during the lockdown, Lynnette Marrero. 199 episodes ago, I had a mic and “bottom’s up” to end the show. Now we have reached the 200th episode - I have a mic, bottoms up, and 199 episodes of Lush Life Podcast! This is due to the hard work and dedication of everyone involv...

Yorkshire is known for its turbulent weather and wildly romantic hills and dales, which influenced not only the Bronte sisters but our guest today. We have Richard Thompson, Co-Founder of Sing Gin, with me today on the program. When his father brought home a still, they were not sure what would come of it. Throwing caution to the wind, he and his family produced an award-winning gin that comes fro...

This is a pre-Thanksgiving quiz. What American Revolutionary War hero said, “I have not yet begun to fight?” and has a rum named after him. No, it’s not Hamilton!   We have Finnian Gill, Co-Founder - Master of Flavors for...wait for it...for John Paul Jones Rum here to answer every question you might have on how the two that is American Revolutionary war hero John Paul Jones and rum came...

So I have one question for you before I begin: Are you Team Bach or Team Coward?  Bach said: “Without my morning coffee, I’m just like a dried-up piece of a goat.” While Noel Coward asked, “Why do I drink champagne for breakfast? Doesn’t everyone?” So how do you wake up in the morning Sponsored by Tanqueray Gin, I was joined at the final Lush Life Book Club at Oriole bar in London by Pippa Gu...