Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 60

Casita Hollywood: Jose Cuervo Agave Bar Under the Stars

[image error] Thank you to Jose Cuervo Agave Bar! I loved our night under the stars at Casita Hollywood.

WHERE: Casita Hollywood, 1323 N Highland Ave,  
Los Angeles, CA 90028

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Jose Cuervo Shows Commitment to Making Tequila Consumption More Sustainable with First-Ever Bar Made from Agave

Agave is the heart of tequila – the spirit wouldn’t exist without it. As the world’s #1 tequila brand with the largest acreage of agave fields in Mexico, Jose Cuervo is committed to identifying new and creative ways to reuse, repurpose and recycle agave byproduct and show tequila lovers just how versatile the agave plant is.  

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Jose Cuervo announced its latest agave innovation: the first-ever bar that tequila made – literally. Introducing: the Jose Cuervo Agave Bar – a limited-time experience that will showcase all the unique and creative ways agave byproduct can be repurposed, from the bar and chairs, to sustainably upgraded cocktails, straws and more. The experience is inspired by the iconic AKAMBA Festival, a music festival that takes place each year on the slopes of a volcano in Tequila, Mexico, and whose mission is to treat the world more sustainably through art, music, spirits and cuisine. The bar that tequila made will debut in Los Angeles, CA in September and will be traveling to different parts of the country this year and into the future.  

Visitors to The Jose Cuervo Agave Bar can expect a variety of exciting activities that will enrich their understanding of the importance of agave and how drinking more sustainably benefits Jose Cuervo and tequila lovers alike, including: 

Agave byproducts: From glassware and straws to clothing and accessories, attendees can snag their own little piece of The Jose Cuervo Agave Bar to take home and champion sustainable drinking. Agave temporary tattoo station: The Bar That Tequila Made will leave its mark on guests – literally! Made using agave ink and designed by local tattoo artists, these temporary tattoos are sure to leave their mark on guests. 

Sustainably upgraded cocktails: What’s a bar without tequila? Guests will sample cocktails that feature a sustainable upgrade, all made from Jose Cuervo Tradicional expressions (Plata, Reposado and Añejo). 

Live music inspired by AKAMBA: Guests will enjoy live sets from DJ Quantic that will transport them directly to the AKAMBA festival in the agave fields of Tequila. TEQUILA FACTS1. CUERVO WAS THE FIRST PRODUCER OF TEQUILA IN THE WORLD.

Jose Antonio de Cuervo y Valdes obtained land from the King of Spain in 1758 and began producing tequila – all before Mexico became an independent republic. In 1795, his son, Jose María Guadalupe de Cuervo, began selling the very first Vino Mezcal de Tequila de Jose Cuervo after receiving the first official charter from the King of Spain to produce tequila commercially.

2. THE CUERVO FAMILY METHOD IS UNMATCHED.

Jose Cuervo has been making tequila for over 250 years with the same experience, handcraftsmanship, and recipes that have been handed down generation through generation. Carefully choosing the best agaves, meticulous fermentation and distillation, and final processing result in the world’s finest tequila.

3. ALL CUERVO TEQUILA IS MADE IN CENTRAL MEXICO.

Specifically, the central Mexican town of Tequila in the state of Jalisco. According to the Declaration for the Protection of the Denomination of Origin ( the Mexican law that oversees the protection of Tequila), only alcoholic beverages made with Blue Agave or Agave Azul (Agave Tequilana Weber blue variety) grown in the states of Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas can be labeled tequila. No agave grown outside this region, including other countries, can be used for any product labeled as “tequila.”

4. REAL TEQUILA CAN ONLY BE PRODUCED IN FIVE SPECIFIC REGIONS IN MEXICO.

Tequila received a Designation of Origin (appellation de controlee) in 1974. It’s the same as an appellation for Bordeaux, Bourbon or Cognac. The Mexican federal government has established strict requirements governing tequila production.

5. TEQUILA IS MADE FROM BLUE AGAVE.

Real tequila is made from a plant called Blue Agave. Only the Agave Azul Tequilana Weber variety can be used for tequila. Classified by German botanist F. Weber in 1905, Blue Agave is commonly mistaken for a cactus, but it’s really a relative of the lily (amaryllis) family. Blue Agave is sometimes known as maguey, mexic, pita and teometl.

6. THE PIÑA IS THE HEART OF THE BLUE AGAVE.

The piña (Spanish word for pineapple) is the fruit or, “heart,” of the agave from which sugars are extracted and tequila is made. The word piña is used because once harvested, the heart of the plant resembles a pineapple.

7. THE BLUE AGAVE PLANT TAKES SIX TO TWELVE YEARS TO MATURE.

This is when the piña reaches its peak in sugars and will yield the most tequila. Each plant is only harvested once, and then more agave must be planted to continue the production process.

8. TEQUILA IS NOT MEZCAL.

The two spirits are often confused, but they are very different. For example, Tequila can only be made from the Blue Agave, grown in specified regions of Jalisco, while mezcal can be made from many different varieties of agave such as Mano Larga, Espadin, etc. Tequila is always double-distilled, while mezcal is generally distilled once.

9. TEQUILA DOES NOT HAVE A WORM IN ITS BOTTLE.

The worm is found only in certain bottles of mezcal.

10. TEQUILA IS NOT STRONGER THAN OTHER SPIRITS.

Jose Cuervo produces at 38% to 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), just like most spirits. Tequila, however, has a unique flavor and is frequently consumed straight as a shot. This intense taste experience may be what leads people to mistakenly think that tequila is “stronger.”

11. “REPOSADO” MEANS “RESTED.”

Tequila must be “rested” in wood barrels for a minimum of two months. This is a requirement of the Mexican government. The “resting” mellows and refines the tequila, producing a combination of superb smoothness and great taste.

12. “AÑEJO” MEANS “AGED”

Translated from Spanish, “añejo” means “aged.” In tequila terms, “añejo” is the designation for tequila that has been aged in oak barrels for at least one year.

13. NORMAS ARE PRODUCTION STANDARDS SET BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.

Normas specify what tequila is and how it must be made. Each bottle of real tequila must have a NOM (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas) 4-digit number on the bottle. This number indicates the distillery where the Tequila is made. Jose Cuervo’s NOM numbers are 1104 and 1122.

14. THE LARGEST COLLECTION

The largest collection of tequila bottles in the US is over 2000 bottles and was built by collector Lou Barton.

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Luxury Las Vegas: My Stay at The Venetian Resort

[image error] Where did I stay in Las Vegas?

I loved the luxury suites at The Venetian Resort! I stayed in the Palazzo tower.

Did you know?

Every Single Room is a Suite! And each suite is nearly double the size of the average Las Vegas hotel room.

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My suite was incredible. I loved that it was so spacious with separate sunken living area, a full sized work desk and a table with two chairs so you can order in your meals as well as entertain by the couch and enjoy the views from the floor to ceiling window. I slept so well on my pillow-top king bed and loved the oversized roman tub and separate glass-enclosed shower. There are two sinks as well as a makeup mirror and vanity area.

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After not being able to travel, I loved walking around the resort and taking advantage of the climbing wall at Canyon Ranch spa + fitness which is one of the world’s largest day spas. There are more than 150 extraordinary services in a 134,000-square-foot Las Vegas day spa with more than 90 treatment rooms, exclusive amenities, and the warm personal attention at this Forbes Travel Guide Four Star spa.

[image error] THANK YOU to MIKE for taking great care of me on the climbing wall! I loved it!

Ready for some outdoor time? I loved the Cabanas and Daybeds at all of the pools–you can enjoy The Venetian or Palazzo side! Swim, sip and relax!

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Looking for a special libation? We had drinks at Electra where the cocktails were designed by Award-winning Bartender Sam Ross! Make sure to check out the largest mezcal collection in Las Vegas. We loved the Penichillin and sitting at the bar to select our next cocktail.

While I was on property, there was a grand opening for SUSHISAMBA which is a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culture and cuisine. The food is FANTASTIC! I loved it!

My favorite thing was my gondola ride. It reminded me of my time in Venice, Italy. I enjoyed the gondolier singing and the gorgeous colors at sunset. We picked an outdoor ride but you can also choose indoor! We floated beneath bridges and listened to the songs. Next time, I want to see The Gondolier March! It is a special tradition when the team of gondoliers sing in unison as they march along the indoor canal at 9:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m., beginning at the gondola turn-around in the Grand Canal Shoppes.

As part of our IPW Vegas 2021 Media Brunch, we saw The Mayor from The Atomic Saloon Show at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas! Vegas is always a wild ride!

[image error] See more of my Vegas Adventures at https://bit.ly/2021IPW [image error]

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The Gentle Barn: My Tikkun Olam Bat Mitzvah Project

By Madeleine Maze

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Hello friends and family,
Mitzvah means “good deed” in Hebrew. It is common to engage “a mitzvah project” when preparing for a Bat Mitzvah, because as a Bat Mitzvah, I will be a member of the larger Jewish community. It is important for Jews to be of service and engage tikkun olam, the Hebrew phrase that refers to the rabbinical teaching that Jews are meant to repair the world through acts of love and kindness. 

Many of you know that I love animals. In fact, I love them so much that I often encourage my parents to get just one more dog—because we only have 5 and that’s not nearly enough. As a young child I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. These days, my vision is more aligned with being a conservation biologist. However, my first days in middle school have me skeptical about my future scientific self. I am considering living by one simple guiding principle:  Follow the path of LESS math. Stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted! But regardless of math, I remain committed to animals. I believe that humans must be their champions. Unfortunately, we humans don’t always respect mother earth and her creatures. Too many animals are abused, underfed, sick, and abandoned. It makes me so angry that animals are needlessly killed, illegally poached, and widely mistreated. Our oceans are sick and filling up with plastic, our forests are burning and otherwise shrinking, and the loss of habitat and species diversity is becoming increasingly critical. We humans cannot exist without nature, we are part of nature, and humans are often confused about this.

This is why I have chosen to help the Gentle Barn Foundation by both raising money and volunteering onsite with the animals for my mitzvah project.  The Gentle Barn is an animal sanctuary with locations here in Santa Clarita, Tennessee and Missouri. The Gentle Barn is dedicated to creating a kinder world by rescuing and healing animals.  The Gentle Barn is also committed to teaching people kindness and compassion to animals, each other and our planet. It provides animals with sanctuary.  It helps kids who are struggling at home and in school.  It offers animal-assisted therapy and rehab programs for children and adults. For many years my family and I have shared time with the animals and people at the Gentle Barn and we have raised money and visited annually with our TIOH community. The Gentle Barn is a special place for animals and progress and learning; but it’s also a special place for me and many of us here today. The Gentle Barn holds a very special place in my heart. Check out this slideshow for a glimpse of our past gatherings at the Gentle Barn.

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This is where you all come in! Please help support my project by donating money. Any amount – big or small – is appreciated. In lieu of a gift to me, please send what you can to this organization. Here is a link to make a Postcard Donation and I will be notified so I can thank you personally.  https://www.gentlebarn.org/donate/postcard 

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You can also support Gentle Barn by visiting them yourself. Spend a wonderful day learning the animals’ stories, hugging the cows, giving the pigs tummy rubs, and cuddling the turkeys. Although Gentle Barn does not currently have any resident camels (and that’s disappointing since there are many camels in my Dvar), you should still go see the Luigi the rooster, Earl the emu, Dreidel and Menorah the pigs, and Holy Cow the cow. You can also get involved by sponsoring an animal, or donating time to their programs. Please do your part to ensure that more animals are treated with respect and dignity, as you recommit every day to healing our world. 

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