by Mark Bailey and Edward Hemingway
If you're a fan of the legends and lore of old Hollywood, or of the more recent golden age of Natalie Wood, Dennis Hopper, Liz and Dick, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe, 'Of All the Gin Joints' is a great gift book for you or that movie buff you know.
The book begins with the silent movie era with stories about such luminaries as Fatty Arbuckle, John Barrymore, Clara Bow, and Louise Brooks. Following tales of their exploits, a drink recipe is printed along with a feature on the famous bars and hotels where the stars imbibed. Here's one thing I learned after reading this book: Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan did not invent Hollywood partying to excess. Tallulah Bankhead, Richard Burton, and Errol Flynn ran wild at night (and day) and staggered into their close-ups by morning. And while it may sound decadent and adventurous to take an actual champagne bath, it didn't end so happily for Natalie Wood. It seems that champagne burned rather than tickled the intended areas.
There's also a story -- believe it or not -- about how John Wayne may have been one of the inventors of the Margarita. There's a good recipe for that classic drink as well. If you've ever had the pleasure of having a Mai Tai at Trader Vic's, you'll enjoy reading about the history of the chain. But it wasn't the first American Tiki bar. Don's Beachcomber takes that honor. If you had a drink called 'The Zombie' there, hopefully you remember it. Judging by the recipe, it's not for beginners.
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