For about $62, you can reportedly get your genitals “frozen” at a spa in Manchester, England to make them more sexually appealing.
The Manchester Evening News reports that the Ainscow Spa offers a unisex Love Mist treatment from Cryotherapy UK, which they claim will “tighter and more youthful” look around their sex parts.
“When the sub-zero temperature covers the skin, the sudden drop in heat stimulates the temperature receptors, prompting the brain to transmit messages throughout the body so the blood vessels undergo ‘vasoconstriction,’” the spa writes on it’s website. “This produces a quicker blood flow and ramps up endorphin levels, generating a natural high.”
But how does it feel? “It’s not uncomfortable, it’s quite relaxing,” Cryotherapy UK co-director Debra Lister said last year. “You can feel it nipping a little bit but it’s not invasive at all and it’s a lot better alternative to things like botox.”
The Love Mist is reportedly only available for a limited time, so if you’re hoping to tighten up your junk by freezing it, you better hurry to Manchester.
Next year, when you are in need of a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, flowers are a classic and easy choice. But if you really want to show your significant other that you care, you might consider buying them a weed-filled bouquet, which is just what a significant number of Los Angeles residents did last week.
Fox2 reports that for Valentine’s Day Lowell Farms produced 500 bouquets packed with wildflowers, eucalyptus, and one ounce of marijuana valued at $400. But why buy a weed bouquet over the traditional flowers? The answer should be obvious, but if it isn’t, let a customer who bought one for his girlfriend explain.
“You can’t smoke roses,” Nic Lenze told Fox 2. “I just thought it was a cool way that you could give flowers but instead of them dying and throwing them away in a week you can get some practical use out of them. You come home from a long day of work and you have a headache, flowers aren’t going to help you any.’’
The most enduring images of Ben Affleck, somehow or another, tend to involve him being played. No guessing is required, the reason why is right there staring at you—it’s that grand, doofy face of his. It wears surprise well, his emotional reaction assuming the lead, before his logical, image-conscious brain snaps the mask back on. Think of how you trick a baby, running a flat hand vertically over your face, changing from faux-grumpy to exaggerated happy. Ben Affleck’s mind is the hand; his face is the baby’s.
Much to DJ Khaled’s consternation, being played isn’t always such a bad thing. Take the film that made Affleck, for example, Good Will Hunting. In its ending, Affleck’s Chuckie Sullivan goes through his daily ritual, walking the laneway, knocking the door, calling to Matt Damon’s Will Hunting. Nobody answers. The audience knows Will’s left town, finally gifting Chuckie “the best part of his day,” but only when Chuckie peers into the empty house does understanding dawn. Realization doesn’t smack Affleck’s face, though. It ripples with this dumbstruck expression, an elated but wry half-smile flickering in between. He’s been played, but he’s happy about it.
Not always, but sometimes you do feel for him in these moments. Like in Chasing Amy, when Affleck’s goateed slacker Holden believes Alyssa dedicates her performance his direction. There again is that striking, dopey face of Affleck’s through the song, so deliriously oblivious this isn’t about him. When Joey Lauren Adams’ Alyssa makes out with another woman, and it becomes obvious they’re in a lesbian bar, Affleck puts any cartoon jaw hitting the floor to shame with his shame.
Really, there’s just so many instances of Affleck caught unaware, not with his pants on the ground, but as if he forgot what pants even were. That paparazzi pic of him drinking in his backyard. Almost all of Gone Girl, which, in truth, explains why that film’s sublime; Affleck lets David Fincher paint him as such a doltish jackass—though perhaps it works because Affleck, like his character, has no idea what’s really going on. Also moments of note: Bennifer, Gigli, the trashy phoenix back tat controversy, and literally anytime he’s smoking a cigarette.
All of that pales in comparison to Sad Affleck. You’ve seen the meme: An interviewer asks Henry Cavill and Affleck a question (regarding the Batman v. Superman backlash) and Cavill responds (saying something fleeting), while Affleck stares forlornly into the distance, the weight of all five oceans crashing over him as Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” plays. It isn’t existential despair filling his face, just despair despair. He isn’t lost in thought, simply lost. He looks like Maury told him “You are the father!” but Affleck can’t recall the last time he had sex.
In other words, he appears as someone realizing they’d been played. These moments are tragicomic because they’re so relatable. A friend pursuing their dreams, but leaving you behind. Misplaced affection. An impulsive, capital-B Bad tattoo. Unflattering pictures in the social media age. Poor career choices. You laugh at Affleck because these are recognizable mistakes everyone, yourself included, can so easily make.
He is a man of extremes, that Sinatra style of all or nothing at all. Though honorable, it leaves him vulnerable to these grand blunders on a large scale. You almost admire his naked hunger, dismissing any respectability politics and just going for it.
In a BBC Radio 1 interview, Affleck finally addressed the meme, saying, “It taught me not to do interviews with Henry Cavill where I don’t say anything and they can lay Simon and Garfunkel tracks over it. That’s one thing I learned.” Which is sort of like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and promising he won’t open jars anymore. It misses the point. But maybe this endemic of most internet follies—us laughing and focusing on something frivolous and fleeting. Still it’s worth noting: It keeps happening. (Hold this thought.)
If it isn’t already obvious, we’re discussing this because Ben Affleck apparently “wants out” of Batman. An easy interpretation is Affleck wishes off a sinking ship. The DC film universe lacks many key variables: structure, vision, stars, plot, a director who isn’t Zack Snyder but granted total reign like Snyder (David Ayer is still recovering from those five buses Warner Bros. rolled over him). The Batman, which Affleck initially was to star, write, and direct, can’t get off the ground. I can’t remember the last time such media fervor revolved around a screenplay like The Batman’s. The word on everyone’s tongues and keyboards is the same: “a mess.”
Ben Affleck’s career is at a crossroads. Like most Americans, he didn’t enjoy a stellar 2016: The outrage-inducing Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad, the passable shrug of The Accountant (a movie that doesn’t work because Affleck isn’t believable as a genius savant; this is why Damon played Will Hunting), and now Live By Night, his pet project that’s struggling at the box office and leaving audiences largely apathetic.
However, his public perception, despite slurred sports rants and relationship woes, still enjoys the goodwill of his late career renaissance. His moody thriller trifecta of Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo provided Affleck a niche for his talents. He’s truly captivating in Gone Girl, even while playing such a trashy fool. Earnest intrigue still surrounds Ben Affleck movies. But he remains plagued by his ego and his need to do everything.
When Affleck first signed on as Batman, it revealed his desire to still become [insert all the glittering emojis] a movie star. (Also, and I’m not making this up, to show off his “heroic chin”). Unlike his contemporaries, Affleck doesn’t boast a truly iconic character to his name. Damon has Jason Bourne, Brad Pitt and George Clooney have their Ocean’s characters (among others), Leo has Jack, and now Ben’s brother Casey should win an Oscar as janitor Lee Chandler. In part, this revolves around Affleck’s strengths as an actor: he best serves as a stabilizing foil to other actors’ unhinged and showier performances (think of how well he supplements the ensemble of Argo and The Town). His characters’ dramatic breakthroughs often occur underneath the surface, pain and suffering often suppressed, rarely unleashed. It’s why his Batman is pretty damn compelling.
None of this matters if the movies stink, which they do. Affleck better thrives within his own ecosystem or a true auteur’s like Fincher or Gus Van Sant. This decision to play or not play Batman is crucial, with nothing on his upcoming schedule outside The Batman and Witness for the Prosecution—a remake of the Billy Wilder film that’s in development.
If Affleck doesn’t resume his role as Bruce Wayne, he’ll likely be lauded, proving he’s a Serious Artist, and it’ll serve as further indictment of Warner Bros./DC’s incompetence. If he does, he’ll be doubling down on a rudderless vehicle, opening himself once again to being played. Those are his potential options: Serious Artist, or Damn Fool, both parts at which Affleck excels.
Normally, eating in hotel restaurants proves you are too lazy to find a nice spot to dine. When in actuality, if you know where to look, it can be the best decision you make while traveling. Who doesn’t want to stumble upstairs to their room after eating and drinking? Here are five international destinations that prove the point.
Stockholm, Sweden
Photos by Jen Chiu
Matsalen in Stockholm’s Grand Hotel is where to go if you want slick service and you covet a leisurely meal, as in four-hours. At this two-Michelin-starred restaurant, diners choose between five or eight courses. Matsalen overachieves in many areas, starting with the amuse bouche. Generally this is a small one-bite starter.
One night, it was a Swedish squid with lobster, cucumber, salmon roe, tapioca, yogurt and coriander. This restaurant has primo real estate on the waterfront. If you want to see all the action, book the chef’s dining table.
Hong Kong
Photos by Jen Chiu
Opulence and dim sum don’t typically go hand-in-hand, but they do at two-Michelin starred Tin Lung Heen, located on the 102nd Floor of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. Dim sum lovers will find many of the traditional favorites, made with top quality ingredients and up-market variations: hargow (steamed shrimp dumplings) with black truffle, pork and lobster dumpling with golden leaf, and rice noodle rolls with barbecued Iberian pork.
Baersbronn, Germany
Photos by Jen Chiu
Food enthusiasts make the 1.5 hour drive from Stuttgart (one of Germany’s manufacturing hubs; not really a top tourist destination, but hello, Porsche Museum) to Baersbronn, an off-the-beaten-path town in the Germany’s Black Forest. Not only will you see lush green landscapes conjuring fairytale images of Little Red Riding Hood, but you’ll find a cluster of Michelin-starred restaurants, including Restaurant Bareiss, which boasts three Michelin Stars in their petite 8-table establishment. Here, you’ll get a sense of the history and terroir as Bareiss infuses traditional cooking techniques and ingredients from this region. Tip for you wine lovers: Dry Riesling is a must in this region.
If you stay at this hotel, you’ll be rewarded with pools, spas, hiking trails and electric mountain bikes you can rent to explore…and a magnificent daily afternoon cake bar. You’ll find generations of families from Germany and Switzerland who have been making the annual pilgrimage for decades.
Kanazawa, Japan
Photos by Jen Chiu
30 miles outside of Kanazawa is the spa town of Kaga where you’ll find luxury ryokan Beniya Mukayu. This is where Zen tradition and modern design converge. Aside from the in-room onsen baths and other pampering, people stay here for the lavish multi-course kaiseki dinner. Kaiseki is a traditional dinner/art form with a focus on taste, texture, appearance and attention to seasonal ingredients. Dishes are beautifully arranged such as local crab prepared two ways, sea urchin, duck meatballs, nodogoro fish with grilled matsutake mushroom, and Cod soft roe with turnip served in a hot pot.
Alsace, France
Bordering Germany and Switzerland, the Alasce region changed hands between German and French rule over the centuries and the cuisine reflects a mix of those cultures. Bakery storefronts display soft pretzels next to croissants and galettes.
The culinary output of this hybridization can be experienced at Auberge de’ill in Hotel des Berges. Located along a river in a small village situated between Colmar and Straosburg, this 13 unit boutique hotel + the newest addition of an Airstream trailer (the owner bought it as supplemental lodging to host guests for his daughter’s wedding a few summers ago; it was such a hit he decided to keep it on his grounds) has been owned by the same family for decades. Goose liver pate and pear, lobster with cabbage and pinot noir jus, pigeon with truffles are examples of dishes to sample at this three Michelin-starred restaurant. If you don’t shy away from decadence, try the terrine of goose fois. 133 euros for 300 grams or a grand puba slice of 600 grams for 219 euro.
Misheard lyrics are not a new phenomenon. Neither is their collection in posts like this.
But every so often Twitter reminds us that it’s a consistently funny phenomenon nonetheless that persists in age of Genius and song lyrics on our iPhones. The embarrassment with which users admit their mishearing lyrics seems both exaggerated and endearing.
It’s such a common mistake, yet that doesn’t diminish the shame we feel. Like a twice-a-year Catholic, these people feel the need to repent and confess. And like the Young Pope, we feel the right to laugh.
I’m a huge fan of gin. There are so many different styles. Take London Dry and imagine that bone dry whisper of juniper and a scraping of citrus oil, perhaps some tea leaf and some pine needles. There you have gin. Other varieties bend the realism of floral notes and some even combine the two with cucumbers and roses! I’m a fan of one that hails from Vermont made from raw honey and grain. It tastes just fine in a snifter or when treated to fresh lime juice and a touch of ice. It’s always up to the drinker how they want to enjoy their slurp.
Gin has had a tempestuous history. A thing of the underclass, a cheap drunk and sometimes even a curative. Every sailor knew that the gin he carried on the high seas was made to be enjoyed with a squeeze of lime- it probably wasn’t fresh lime like we have today, but that lime (hence the word limey’s) represented healing. And that healing is why we drink gin up to today.
Because gin represents more than just a mere foil for tonic water, it’s the stuff that keeps you from getting malaria when you’re in the rain forest. See that quinine water is the thing that you take when there are those pesky mosquitos around carrying malaria. And the gin? It keeps your mind numb to the fact that the mosquitos are looking to give you whatever they are carrying. And you don’t want that. Nope.
Gin is here for healing what ails ye. During the Middle Ages, it was said that gin was a powerful curative against the plague. I’d like to believe that gin was purified water with folk healing herbs added.
One very delicious way to enjoy gin is with citrus juices. But instead of just opening the refrigerator and taking out juices of an uncertain demeanor, why not raise the bar and use freshly squeezed juices that have been roasted prior? Roasted? What does that mean? Cooking the fruit juices in the oven with raw sugar or honey is one of life’s simple pleasures. Then as if by magic, the roasted juices are woven into punch with the above mentioned gin of your choosing. And since I’ve been charged with the responsibility for being slightly askew of the norm, I’m going to ask you to use a gin that has been infused with THC.
Since you’ve been following along, or not- let me explain. I wrote a little book, really the first one on the topic- named Cannabis Cocktails and this book teaches a different approach to the enjoyment of gin. Since I teach an alternative method to extracting THC and adding it to craft spirits, this new way is quite simple and therefore intriguing. I was given permission by the kind folks at the Magical Butter Machine company to use their namesake invention. This made my life extremely easy for the infusion part. The decarb part is cumbersome and stinky, but necessary to make your weed active. That means you feel the good stuff happen in your head and in your belly. A craft cocktail that has THC in it. Not CBD (well meaning) or hemp (a money grab), but the real thing. Yes Virginia, you get drunk and stoned and guess what? They are pretty tasty together!
Remember: please, never more than one drink per hour. They tend to cause negativity if you go over this little rule of thumb. If you take too much, suck a few lemons- that seems to work.
Photo by Flickr user Basheer Tome
Three Planets Punch
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut about four grapefruits in half, with four oranges and four limes, two lemons as well. Place on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle with raw sugar and Angostura Biters. Roast for ½ hour to an hour. Let cool and then juice.
For two persons or more…
8 oz. Botanical Gin infused with the strain of your choice
4 oz. Dry Sherry
4 oz. Roasted Grapefruit
4 oz. Roasted Lime
4 oz. Roasted Orange
2 oz. Roasted Lemon juices
1 bottle Sparkling wine
Angostura Bitters
Ice
Combine all the juices with the gin and about twenty shakes of Angostura Bitters, add the sherry and stir. Add the sparkling wine and stir again. Taste for bitterness. Adjust with Angostura and stir. Spoon into Victorian Tea Cups and serve.
On Tuesday, the New York State Assembly voted in support of A.2142, a bill that will seal the criminal records of people who have been unjustly and unconstitutionally arrested for simple possession of marijuana in public view. The vote was 95 in favor and 38 opposed.
Over the last 20 years, more than 800,000 New Yorkers have been arrested for simple possession of marijuana. Those convicted face significant barriers to accessing education, employment, housing opportunities, and other state services.
“I introduced the marijuana sealing bill because drug laws have created a permanent underclass of people unable to find jobs after a conviction,” said Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes. “One of the most damaging issues derived from the war on drugs is that the policies are inherently racist. Communities of color have been devastated by bad drug policies and hyper-criminalization for the last 40 years,” she added.
“It is an approach that has never worked and has caused significantly more harm than good to our communities and to our families. If today’s moment of increased attention to heroin encourages us to center public health in our drug policy, then we need to ensure that we are making amends to communities of color by alleviating the burden bad policies have had on their lives. Sealing low-level marijuana possession convictions is the first step to reintegrating thousands of New Yorkers who are inhibited daily from accessing employment, housing and an education all due to a conviction on their record for simple possession of marijuana” Peoples-Stokes said.
This bill was sponsored by Assembly member Peoples-Stokes of Buffalo and members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus, who have vocally called for equity in our state’s drug policies, citing the impact the discriminatory enforcement of these policies have had on communities of color.
New York State first decriminalized personal marijuana possession in 1977, recognizing the harmful impact an arrest could have on young people. Although New York officials, including Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, have previously recognized these arrests as ineffective, unjust, and racially discriminatory, they still continue across the state because of a loophole in the law.
In 2016 more than 22,000 New Yorkers were arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana – 80 percent of whom were black or Latino. Governor Cuomo proposed closing this loophole as part of his State of the State 2017, citing the damaging collateral consequences. As policymakers acknowledge that these arrests are unjust and should not take place in the future, they must simultaneously focus on repairing the harm for people burdened by a criminal record from such an arrest.
The discriminatory practices are statewide. For example, in the city of Buffalo in Erie County, African Americans represent 70 percent of the marijuana arrests – despite only being 38.6 percent of the population, and using marijuana at similar rates as other groups.
Once convicted, a permanent record can follow these mostly young people of color for the rest of their lives – a record easily found by banks, schools, employers, landlords, and licensing boards.
This sealing legislation has taken on increased importance amid the Trump Administration’s rhetoric and actions targeting immigrant communities. On the national level, simple marijuana possession is the fourth most common cause of deportation, according to the report “Secure Communities and ICE Deportations: A Failed Program?” Sealing records will provide a measure of protection for immigrants by making it difficult or impossible for immigration authorities to meet their legal burden of proof for a judge to find a lawful permanent resident deportable. Additionally, sealing will guard against the Trump administration’s Executive Order targeting noncitizens with any criminal arrests and/or convictions for deportation. If the arrest is also sealed and the sealed information is not shared with the FBI, these individuals may be at lower risk of becoming an enforcement target.
“A marijuana conviction can lead to devastating consequences for immigrants, including detention and deportation,” said Alisa Wellek, Executive Director of the Immigrant Defense Project. “This bill will provide some important protections for green card holders and undocumented New Yorkers targeted by Trump’s aggressive deportation agenda.”
Increasingly, jurisdictions and legislators across the country are realizing that marijuana prohibition has been ineffective, unjust, and racially discriminatory, and are working to implement regulatory systems that are fair and effective. In New York, Assembly members recognize that, at a minimum, people should not be saddled with a permanent criminal record simply for possession of small amount of marijuana.
“New York must repair the harms of our racially biased marijuana laws and sealing low-level marijuana convictions is a step in the right direction. Thank you to the New York State Assembly for recognizing that a permanent criminal record is an out-sized burden for low-level marijuana possession and that allowing sealing for these convictions will allow New Yorkers to avoid job loss, eviction, and a host of unnecessary collateral consequences,”said Alyssa Aguilera, co-executive director of VOCAL-NY.
Advocates now look to the Senate to quickly pass the Senate companion bill (S.3809) sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey before the session ends on June 21, and to begin to repair the harm done by marijuana prohibition to communities across the state. Governor Cuomo also has a unique opportunity to address the harms that these arrests have caused by enacting sealing for marijuana possession arrests as part of his decriminalization proposal in the state budget legislation. Such a move would show his commitment to communities that have borne the harshest brunt of racial profiling and those currently most vulnerable under Trump’s executive orders.
“In New York State 22,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in 2016. The misdemeanor charge for public view of marijuana possession gives those people convicted a criminal record that will follow them throughout their lives, potentially limiting their access to education, affecting their ability to obtain employment, leading to a potential inability to provide for their families,” said Senator Jamaal Bailey.
“Furthermore, and even more problematic, there exist significant racial disparities in the manner that marijuana possession policy is enforced. Blacks and Latinos are arrested at higher rates despite the fact that white people use marijuana at higher rates than people of color. Responsible and fair policy is what we need here and this bill will do just that. I am proud to sponsor this legislation with Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes and commend her for taking initiative on this issue. We must act now, with proactive legislation, for the future of many young men and women of our State are at stake here.”
After the nonprofit medical cannabis advocacy group Americans for Safe Access filed a legal request with the Department of Justice last year, and following months of pressure from the public, the Drug Enforcement Agency has finally removed marijuana myths from its website.
The misinformation presented by the DEA included several statements citing now-debunked studies or direct contradictions to the agency’s own stances and science’s conclusions on marijuana. Safe Access Now reports that one publication, “Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana,” contained 23 of the 25 factual inaccuracies in violation of the Information Quality Act.
The misinformation presented by the DEA, all of which is now proven false or inconclusive, included:
Marijuana is a gateway drug to harder substances
It contributes to psychosis
It can cause lung cancer or put you at a higher risk
It contributes to irreversible cognitive decline in adults
It worsens mental illness, increasing the risk of schizophrenia, anxiety, and even suicide
The DEA website especially dwelled on marijuana use and its role as a “gateway drug,” claiming that using marijuana would put people at a higher risk of being addicted to heroin, meth, and cocaine, when in fact there is little evidence to this being the case.
Here’s what ASA requested appear in place of these misleading statements:
“At present, the available data do not suggest a causative link between marijuana use and the development of psychosis.”
“Numerous large, longitudinal studies show that subjects who used marijuana do not have a greater incidence of psychotic diagnoses compared to those who do not use marijuana.”
“[M]arijuana per se does not appear to induce schizophrenia in the majority of individuals who have tried or continue to use marijuana. However, in individuals with a genetic vulnerability for psychosis, marijuana use may influence the development of psychosis.”
“Overall, research does not support a direct causal relationship between regular marijuana use and other illicit drug use.”
Steph Sherer, Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access, said in a statement that this could mean we’re getting close to the end of Washington’s gridlock against legal marijuana. “This is a victory for medical cannabis patients across the nation, who rely on cannabis to treat serious illnesses. The federal government now admits that cannabis is not a gateway drug, and doesn’t cause long-term brain damage, or psychosis. While the fight to end stigma around cannabis is far from over, this is a big first step.”
It’s no secret that the best moments of superhero stories—either in comic book or TV or film form—aren’t the fights or display of superhuman strength. The best moments are when we’re reminded how regular our heroes can be, battling very human struggles. Meet Thor the crappy roommate.
Though usually those normal moments play for dramatic effect, the recent Marvel shorts depicting Team Thor spring into comedy. The first, packaged with the Captain America: Civil War DVD, explained why Thor wasn’t part of the fight between Captain America and Iron Man. He’d moved to Australia, renting a flat with his roommate Darryl.
Marvel has released another of the shorts, this one coming as an extra on the Doctor Strange DVD, and sees Thor trying to pay his rent in Asgardian coins and asserting the pair’s need for a servant.
Both shorts are directed by Taiki Waititi. He’s also behind the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok and last year’s tender romp Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
It’s fitting that this cocktail made its national debut during a time of political discourse. But unlike real life, this drink is filled with sunshine and unicorns, like a cozy sweater on a cold winter day. It’s creator, Jesse Cyr, recently moved onto the regional finals of the Bols Around the World — one of the world’s largest international bartending competitions, now in its ninth year.
“When you think of winter flavors, baking spices usually come to mind,” says Cyr.
Allspice, cinnamon, and clove fit perfectly into cocktails during the cold weather season. They almost have a warming effect on the body by subconsciously reminding you of baking holiday desserts with friends and family.
“The orange clove syrup in Stay the Course not only gives the proper amount of sweetness, but also gives you that warming effect. And adding the cardamom bitters really takes the spices to a more complex level.”
Stay the Course
Photo by Jesse Cyr
By Jesse Cyr, Rob Roy (Seattle WA)
2 oz Bols Barrel Aged Genever
0.25 oz orange clove syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash Cardamom bitters
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass and pour over a large ice cu be in an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Orange clove syrup
3 Tbs whole cloves
Peel from 1 whole orange
3 cups sugar
1.5 cups water
Heat the cloves in a sauce pan over medium high heat until fragrant. Add the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and pour entire contents of pan into a heat proof vessel containing the orange peels. Let the syrup sit in the vessel for 2 hours. Strain out the cloves and orange peels, bottle, and refrigerate.
Cyr says he kept the cocktail simple in order to showcase the base spirit.
“I love how the Bols barrel aged genever has bright citrus notes and some baking spices from the French Limousin oak it’s aged in. I felt that an orange clove syrup would really help to highlight those flavors. And using just a dash of cardamom bitters gives a nod to the history of Lucas Bols and how cardamom was one of the first flavors of liqueur that they distilled in the late 1500’s.”
