AMERICANWAY

ITINERARY { DR INK } Mood Slings Kitschy pool toys and house tunes usually crank up the fun meter at backyard barbecues. Something new to add to the list: introducing guests to their desired state of being — in a glass. Yep — with the right ingredients, optimism, strength and the like are now just a few sips away, thanks to a NEW MIXOLOGY TREND. Here, five places to get some tips on how to pour on the vanguard, and a recipe to get your party started. { By Neal Webster Turnage } AMERICAN SEASONS, NANTUCKET, MASS. Mood: Optimism A bubbly pink bright outlook, fueled with lychee puree, fresh raspberries and gin by Nantucket mixer Alyssa Billings. (See recipe below.) 80 Center St., (508) 228- 7111, www.americanseasons.com WOODFIRE KIRBY’S, DALLAS Mood: Passion Egg whites, lavender syrup, raspberries and red chili ignite the libido in Sly Cosmopoulos’ love-connection vodka concoction. 3525 Greenville Ave., (214) 821- 2122, www.woodfirekirbys.com BUDDAKAN, ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. Mood: Strength Josh Levine’s bourbon-spiked cocktail has the added muscle of whiskey-barrel–aged bitters and kaffir- infused lemonade (kaffir lime, lemon juice, simple syrup and water).The Pier Shops at Caesars, One Atlantic Ocean , (609) 674-0100, www.buddakanac.com MISE EN PLACE, TAMPA, FLA. Mood: Surprise A classic Russian martini, says Nate DeWitt, with a spicy surprise — habanero pepper. 442 W. Kennedy Blvd., (813) 254-5373, www.miseonline.com D BAR, NEW YORK CITY Mood: Trust Duane Fernandez Jr. builds simpatico with Russian vodka and assorted zakuski (Russian for “starters”) on a skewer atop the glass: one cornichon, one ca- per berry and one large Spanish olive stuffed with Parmigiano-Reggiano . 263 W. 19th St., (212) 493- 5171 , www.dbarnyc.com Optimism Recipe: 1 ½ ounces g i n 1 ½ ounces l y c h e e pu r e e 3 f r e s h r a s p b e r r i e s ½ ounce r o s e s y r u p Shake and pour into a flute or glass and top off with prosecco. { GREEN } Trash Talk { By Mark Henricks } “Honey, would you take out the trash?” Someday, that phrase may seem as quaint as a request to pick up whale oil at the gen- eral store. After rising forever, the amount of trash Americans gener- ate has begun to drop. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, total municipal solid waste peaked at 255 million tons in 2007 before notching its first-ever slide to 251 million tons in 2008, fol- lowed by a drop to 243 million tons in 2009. The per-capita generation of cardboard boxes, leftover lettuce, grass clippings, ripped sofas, ob- solete computers and other things we throw out has also fallen. In this case, the peak came in 2000 at 4.72 pounds per American, per day. Today, that figure is back to where it was in the late 1980s — 4.34 pounds per day. Meanwhile, recycling rates have climbed. As a result, a slight major- ity — 54 percent and shrinking — of today’s solid waste goes into land- fills. And some kinds are almost ready to be reclassified as resourc- es rather than as refuse: Recycling { EAT } Worth Waffl ing The place: Breakfast at SHAKY ALIBI in Los Angeles; comes with a deli- cious bite of history and an unassuming, non-cellphone- yakking vibe. The crowd: Young and old Hollywood stars; L.A. -area regulars; interna- tional epicureans; visitors from Kansas City, Mo. The goodies:Micro roasted fresh coffees ground to order and authentic Liege waffles made from a secret recipe originating in Liege, Belgium, in the 1860s. Dense, thick, crispy caramelized waffles made from yeast dough and served with custom top- pings. Try speculoos (a salty-sweet graham-cracker spread) on a waffle with a side of rich, handcrafted ice cream from Santa Barbara, Calif. The vibe: Whatever. “Nobody cares who you are, what you do or how much you make,” says owner and head waffle maker R.J. Milano, whose German great- grandmother taught him everything he knows. 7401 Beverly Blvd., (323) 938- 5282, www.shakyalibi .com —N.W.T. rates for paper and cardboard top 62 percent, with compostable yard trimmings close behind at nearly 60 percent. Unfortunately, though, just 7 percent of plastic gets recycled. So, while taking out the trash may not be as common in the s future, it’s not ready to disappear from honey-dos yet. 20 JUNE 15, 2011 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY

• Cover