Brandon Berkel can be found mixing it up at James Beard nominated Van Atta in Telluride, Colorado. The spot just turned a year old, but Brandon has been crafting cocktails for a while now, spending time in St. Louis and later Nashville, honing his chops at Attaboy. Prior to that, he could be found selling merch at shows for his screamo and metal band friends, until he wound up on stage playing bass on the Warped Tour when the original bassist dropped out. It's all about creating community in his mountain town these days though, making playlists and drinks for his guests. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/200yt3w28HX4TEKzq8WLFa?si=s6zhhUWESFO_hLvsKdmyBA

Kitty is the Beverage Babaylan of NYC's deliciously devilish hideaway, Paradise Lost. Years after getting their start in a classic New Jersey dive bar catering to college students and recent graduates, they took their love of crafting cocktails and respect for their Filipino heritage across the river to eventually be part of the opening team for this special spot. They also filled the playlists up with ska and punk and so much more, all of which is a far cry from the violin and piano lessons of their youth. Check out their massive Paradise Lost playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5jf5zmEkxvvkoXaSvnrVDi?si=-IN2iHWRQpCUYYOsMu6Zcw

JP Hunter remembered visiting tiki spots when he was a kid growing up in LA, and so when he retired from the construction biz in Texas, he figured the time had come for him to open one up there. His bar, 4 Kahunas in Arlington, TX, has become the third space he always dreamed of hosting people in. It's also a place where he can indulge in his deep love of exotica and oldies as it creates the perfect mood for those drinking his tropical libations.