Welcome to narenandjacobgotoleblonbeach.com and the first online viewing of our pilot, the Happy Hour. This has been a labor of love for over 5 years and in 2007, my drinking partner in crime Jacob Briars and I had an amazing and life changing week in Rio de Janeiro, filming what has become a wonderful snapshot of one of the world’s great cities, Carioca life, local cuisine and all the while uncovering their national spirit – Cachaça.
Leblon beach was the back drop and our landing pad – literally – for a week of Cachaça filled nights and sunny days among soccer mad locals and scantily clad, bronzed bodies on the beach. Not ours of course. Brazil is full of color, character and indeed colorful characters and the Happy Hour proves that at the very least, Cariocas know how to live life to the full.
The time is right for a dedicated cocktail show that spans the globe and teaches everyone – from novices to aficionados – how to make the perfect cocktail. Whether it’s a classic drink whose roots lie in the 18th or 19th centuries, or a modern twist on a classic theme, the Happy Hour is centered around the wonderful, intriguing and often complex world of bars and the sublime cocktails and mixed drinks that are served within their sacred confines.
But this show is about more than just cocktails. It is first and foremost a travel and lifestyle show that simply uses cocktails as an entertaining backdrop. By doing so it encapsulates the history and traditions of each of the world’s great spirits and cocktails. The working subline – Cocktails, Cultures, Characters – sums up the show’s goals perfectly. Sure, it features spirits and cocktails made by experts all over the world, but it is also about the cultures and characters behind them.
We will talk to the people on the ground whose families and towns have been making these drinks for centuries to show how integral these spirits are to their very existence and what they mean to the local people. We will also talk to the world’s experts on each spirit and educate our audience on many of the world’s great drinks.
While the Happy Hour pilot is the cornerstone of this site, we will also be including new footage every month of what this wonderful spirit can offer, how versatile it really is and that there is indeed life beyond the Caipirinha. There will be interviews with Cachaça experts, tips on making great cocktails, travel stories and all sorts of other nonsense, not too dissimilar to what you see in the show itself really.
There’s also a chance for you to get involved by sending in cocktail recipes, share your own cachaça experiences, hit us with questions or just poke fun at us. Either way, get involved and help us spread the word on the wonderful world that is Cachaça.
Big love,
Naren.
