Andrew Bohrer

I use D’arbo syrups in a wide variety of nonalcoholic drinks as well as cocktails that just don’t need more alcohol. They make a cassis ($16), lingonberry ($12), and elderflower syrup ($12) which are just as good in champagne as they poured on waffles.

UNLOCK THE SECRETS TO EXOTIC COCKTAILS! Look, there are only two secrets to making better drinks, so buckle up, I’m going to blow your mind. Secret number one: practice the thousands of tiny techniques that will subtly improve your cocktails over years of practice. Secret number two: only mix quality bottles that already tasted good on their own. So, BG Reynolds syrups are pretty good at room temp with a bottle of OK rum. But, add a little ice, add a little fresh lime, oh look out, shaking that drink, all of a sudden you just went semi-pro with your Mai Tai game.

I have the Bull in China mixing glass and expect I will for the rest of my life. The designers there are making gear that will last but has an elegant aesthetic. There isn’t much to say about durable, ideal tools that last forever, they just show up and work for you. In the case of Bull in China, the gear looks good while it’s working.

Look, you can throw a brick through a window and get a Prada bag, or spend money, whatever. But the perfect pear is only good for two minutes— that is the true luxury. I sent a case of plums to a friend and his family in Alaska to share, as they quarantine separately, during a 14 day covid isolation. I think about it because being able to share something so perfect, so far from its home, is what was a gift for kings.

I drink tea everyday. It’s non-alcoholic amaro. Did you know it also has quite a storied history (winky emoji)? Anyway, tea is simple. Boil water to 220° F/ 100° C, buy fresh, and keep fresh. Maybe Harney & Sons is better, but if nothing else it’s fresh. Until you can get into your local tea shop again, try exploring here. But back to sincerity, tea is something in which paying 50% more gets you something many orders of magnitude better. Harney covers that spread well in cute little tins.

Handmade grenadine made fresh from in-season pomegranates is literal ambrosia; 12 bottle case ($180). Once you’ve had it, you’ll think there are two months in the calendar: pomegranate and lack of pomegranate.

Quality cocktail cherries don’t glow in the dark. Grow up.

Really easy to work with, this group got what I was looking for and figured it out fast. They kept me up on everything new coming online and I never felt like they threw me any misses.

Megan took me to see several homes— she is a real pro. She knows more, asks more questions, and has a very critical eye. More importantly, she listens to what you want, what your values are, and takes you to the right places.

I hired Suzane to do the inspection before buying a home. I spent a couple hours with her as she compiled information for her report. She is extremely thorough and watching her work was very informative.

I hired Leon to help me move out of a tricky condo. We had to navigate staircases, go over the balcony with a few things, and make a fairly tight fit in the moving truck. He and his crew were great, on time, professional, and, because it was tricky, they were also creative.

I use the fiber line, great deal, much better, faster and cheaper than Comcast. However, when fiber wasn't available, the service was incredibly slow.

Brought Marc McGinnis out for a 2nd opinion on a slope that needs to be stabilized. Was very impressed with his ability to explain his decisions/ observations and his historical knowledge of other engineering projects in the neighborhood. I will be hiring him again as my home improvement project continues.

Recently hired them to plan a large project that includes, construction, landscaping, and engineering. I contacted a dozen landscape architects and decided on them. I'll let you know how it goes.

I've worked with Luke on both sides of the camera and always been impressed with his ability to tell stories and get the best out of his subjects.

I've done a few food styling projects with Ryan and he's great to work with. I like collaborating with him, he challenges me, and he genuinely likes his job. When I look at his real portfolio, (not just food) I'm always floored with the quality of his work.

Your mom doesn’t have Zoom fatigue yet. If she is like my mother, nothing would be finer than getting shipped a pound of chocolate and being instructed to eat it while learning about it in a Zoom workshop. Theo’s is great and more important in the world of chocolate, they also lead with ethics. Look it up. I won’t bum you out here, I’ll just say, “buy the best chocolate you can from people who care about the world,” that’s a reason to pick Theo’s. And moms love activities.

I buy my tires at Costco. Eh, the prices are great and they are really fast. I drive a Mini, which has silly little tires that literally cost twice as much at the dealer. So, yeah, I mean, get a hot dog, some tires, you know, Costco.

I am not passionate about getting my car washed. That said, Pink Elephant does a good job, it is worth the money, and everyone else is no better than relying on rain. Also, the Deny Triangle liquor store is next to their downtown location, one of the nicer selections in Seattle.

Great dentist, been going there for years, has a very holistic view and an amazing art collection. I really like that the practice takes the time to explain the arch of services.

I've been a patient for almost 20 years, first with Dr Cahn but I mostly see Amy Cheng these days. Both are have everything you'd want out of a caregiver: intelligence both mental and emotional, highly intuitive and adaptable and compassionate. Several years ago, Dr Cahn said, " look, your cholesterol is bad, you want to take medicine for it or work some kale into your diet? Your choice." Because he gets that it is my choice. I'm kale over drugs.

I have a chihuahua mutt and she has four dewclaws, she is piecemeal, and I love her. And because I want her to love me, I have Dog City cut nails so I don't have to be the bad guy. They do fast work, my dog doesn't fuss much, and the price is great.

I honestly don't know the name of my vet. I actually decided to go with this network because I was traveling so often that the ability to visit clinics all over Washington and Oregon was a big plus. Also, I switched to them after a previous vet seemed to suggest too many services, with odd pricing. VCA has been straightforward and organized, I've been happy with all of their Drs.

Yeah, I do Flywheel sometimes. It's dumb and often the music is bad. If you like the music there, then, you like bad music. But, the instructors are good at their job, it's a very efficient workout, and it makes you a better cyclist in the real word by pushing you in ways that streets and trails often can't.

The spa facilities are nice, I'm kind of an idiot in the spa, I just sit there wishing I had a boat to play with. That said, I think they are well above average and my wife, who likes spas, likes this. More importantly, I have had two great massages here, one of which was an ashiatsu massage in which the therapist seemingly performed miracles on a couple injuries I had. Without hyperbole, it was the best massage I ever had.

I've been following Masae Iwase for a few years now, this is where she is working these days. I have a messy, fluffy mane, she takes care of it, I'm happy about it.

I use BECU because they aren't criminals. Their ads are true, they treat you like a human. I have never had any problems with them, they are always kind, and they refund my fees at ATMs, I can't remember why, but that is a plus.

I know the folks at Ace Spirits. They were nice to me. That means something. And unlike most of the garbage, big-brand online retailers of spirits, Ace is small, local, cares about you and your order, and actually ships nationwide, too.

I use ATT&T because they are SOOO adequate. Customer service is fine, the family plan price is better than average, the coverage in Seattle is good, but is lacking in PDX and SF. So, if you are mostly in Seattle, it's much better than T-Mobile and completely serviceable.

I happened to visit on their first anniversary. There was a small coffee class happening, a DJ spinning, the standard folk pretending to study and write novels, the neighborhood and their kids. It was a perfect coffee shop. The roasts are mostly on the light and fruity side— they exclusively roast African coffee. I think of the joy they bring others each time I sip their coffee. Grab a bag of Dur Feres from Ethiopa or Turihamwe from Burundi, both under $20. Or splurge on a subscription series for your single-origin-obsessed loved one.

I've used Dave a couple times for boots, Frye boots specifically. Seems odd to gush about a cobbler, he is fast, he has a competitive price, and he gets it done. Dave does good work 'nuff said.

I've been 100% travel for over a year now and these guys have all my stuff. They are actually great. The price is quite competitive, the grounds are clean and well kept, it's very secure and easy to load in and out of. It's crazy to say, "I get good service from my storage space" but, I do.

The Meadow has been buying all of the fancy bitters and salts since day one. You can try them in the shop before you buy, well, maybe not now, but it’s good to buy your bitters from the people that support bitters. In particular for gifts or for yourself, you should get popcorn salt, fleur del sel, maybe some Luxardo cherries, a Mystery Happy Hour Box. No one’s gonna dislike these.