Drinking With Nolan

On top of the Rock with the work pals!

Taking in the NYC skyline, making memories, and enjoying a little fun outside the office. Cheers to good people, great views, and even better company!

NYCViews TeamTime Cheers

National Vodka Day has never tasted so good!

I’m celebrating with a Lemon Paw Paw Drop featuring Broken Shed Vodka vodka. Bright, citrusy, and packed with that unique tropical character from paw paw, this is my kind of vodka cocktail.

The lemon brings the perfect pop of freshness, while Broken Shed gives it a clean, smooth base that lets those flavors shine. Tart, refreshing, and dangerously easy to sip!

Cheers to vodka — and to finding fun new ways to enjoy it!

Best Cocktails

Happy National Coffee Day!

I decided to celebrate the cocktail way and shook up two different drinks featuring Hoyser Country ™️ Drunken Bean Coffee Wh***ey — and now I need your help deciding which one wins.

Coffee Old Fashioned — Drunken Bean Coffee Wh***ey with a splash of caramel syrup. Rich, smooth, and just the right amount of sweet.

Coffee Manhattan — Drunken Bean Coffee Wh***ey paired with a beautiful fruity vermouth and black lemon bitters. A little brighter and more complex, with a fun citrusy edge.

So… which one would you choose? The rich and decadent Old Fashioned or the fruity, bittersweet Manhattan?

I honestly don’t know if I can pick a favorite. Maybe I’ll just have both.

Best Cocktails

I’m really digging this Hibiscus Sour from El Matatan The Finest Fusion of Latin Cuisine !

There’s just something about hibiscus in a cocktail that I love. That beautiful floral character, vibrant color, and bright, tart flavor make this such a fun twist on a classic sour. It’s refreshing without being too sweet, with just enough complexity to keep me coming back for another sip.

And of course, anything from El Matatan is even better when enjoyed with great food, good company, and Oscar behind the bar. This one definitely hits the spot!

We made our way over to Highball Costa Mesa in Costa Mesa, and what a great find!

It’s a really beautiful Japanese-inspired bar with amazing service, a great atmosphere, and some seriously creative cocktails. One that immediately caught my attention was the Daifuku.

This one is almost like a strawberry mochi in cocktail form. The drink combines kome shochu, baijiu, Nonino, and strawberry, then gets topped with an anko foam that brings everything together.

And there’s a little bit of technique involved in enjoying it—you have to drink both the foam and the liquid together to get the full effect. The creamy, sweet anko foam and bright strawberry flavors completely change the experience when they hit the palate alongside the cocktail underneath.

Creative, delicious, and definitely one of those drinks that makes you stop and appreciate the thought that goes into a great cocktail. Highball is absolutely worth a visit!

One of my favorite drinks from the trip was this really tasty Piña Colada!

There’s just something about a Piña Colada that feels like vacation in a glass. Creamy coconut, sweet tropical pineapple, plenty of ice, and that beautiful balance that makes you want to sit back and enjoy the view.

After all the cocktails we tried throughout Costa Rica, this one definitely stood out as a favorite. Sometimes you don’t need anything complicated — just a great tropical classic, a beautiful setting, and nowhere else you need to be.

I’d happily go back for another one!

Now this one is definitely a favorite — the Mogotes from Arenas Del Mar .

Made with gin, blackberry cordial, and lemon, this cocktail hits that perfect sweet-bitter balance while staying bright and refreshing. Exactly the kind of drink I want in my hand while sitting on the beach, watching the waves roll in and letting the rest of the world slow down for a while.

Fresh, fruity, citrusy, and incredibly easy to sip. Add the ocean view and I’m pretty sure this is what vacation cocktails are supposed to be.

Definitely one I’d happily have again.

I’m definitely not turning down a cocktail and ceviche class at Arenas Del Mar !

We got up to the bar and worked our way through some classics with Frainer — a New York Sour and Margarita. Then we got into some fun Costa Rican twists. The Costa Rican Daiquiri and Cacique Mai Tai brought a little local flavor to the lineup and were both a ton of fun to make and drink.

And then Andrey took us over to the next station and showed us how to put together an amazing mahi mahi ceviche. Fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious — the perfect pairing for all those cocktails.

Great drinks, great food, and a hands-on experience in one of the most beautiful places imaginable. Not a bad way to spend a day in Costa Rica!

Sometimes the cocktail is only half the experience — the view is the other half.

We’re enjoying this beautiful evening at Le Papillon Restaurante , watching the sun sink into the Pacific with a delicious margarita in hand. The ocean, the sunset, the tropical surroundings… and a perfectly frosty marg? Hard to imagine a better combination.

This is what vacation is all about: slowing down, taking in the view, and enjoying a great cocktail while you’re at it. Cheers to sunset sips!

Another beach day at Arenas Del Mar , another tasty cocktail!

After yesterday’s battle with the waves, I figured I’d play it a little safer today and keep my feet planted firmly on the beach — with a Pisco Sour in hand, of course.

Bright, refreshing, and beautifully balanced, the Pisco Sour is one of those cocktails that feels right at the beach. The citrus gives it a lively kick, while the pisco brings a smooth, distinctive character that makes every sip a little more interesting.

Sunshine, ocean views, and a great cocktail in hand… I could definitely get used to this Costa Rican routine. Cheers to another day of beach mode!