Friday June 29, 2007

Ouch!  Sorry for the 3 month update!  I helped Sammy launch Cabo Uno in New York to rave reviews with his good friends Mario Batlali and Emeril Lagasse.   The tasting was held in a private room at Dos Caminos in New York.  What an amazing party!  Great drinks, food and an ambience of appreciation, recognition and felicitation for Sammy, afterall the night before he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  In particular we wish to congratulate Sammy on all of his success.  Also congrats to him for selling part of his business to Gruppo Campari! All  the best my friend and enjoy Italia!

The Tommy's/Julio margarita is now on the menu at over 25 places worldwide.  We are so flattered and appreciate everyone out there that strives to make great margaritas based on quality 100% agave tequila, fresh lime juice and agave .  Always easier said than done, integrity is key.  Stick to your guns.  We count some of the best bars in the world as friends and they likewise have taught us so many things.  So go out their and demand quality.

Tommy's was voted the 6th best bar in the world by Australian Bartender Magazine.  Thank you for the amazing honor.  As I said last year, poeple in Australia are  amazing!  Oh by the way, they can hold their libations as well!  Are we really the 6th best bar in the world?  Who knows... but remember why one goes out and hands over their hard earned money to any hospitality establishment: to receive an experience and be treated well.  Tommy's tries to create a friendly environment that is family oriented and genuine.  No text book formulas, no focus group meetings to find out why our customers are not happy.  We just try to treat everyone the way we would like to be treated.  Thank you for your preference and please, please visit all of our competitors.

What can I say about Carlitos?  Charles Vexenat  came our way by the legendary Dr. Dre Masso, arguably one of the best bartenders on earth but a 10x better person .  I remember him telling me years ago that Charles would be a superstar.  On June 5th I believe Charles, "baptized" Carlitos in Mexico won the Theme Best bartender of the UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We were of course present for his finals heat and he blew everyone out of the water.  The quality of his work is magnificent.  His passion for the craft and his willingness to give great service should be copied by all.  I raise a glass of Tapatio X.A to you my friend.  I look forward to seeing you in Mexico for 7/7/7! Carlitos you are a superstar!  Sampa!!!  Sampa!!!!  Sampa!!!!

More London notes,  belated happy birthday Charlotte.  Thank you for letting us partake in your festivities at the Dorchester.  Nice job by the way also.  Congrats to Magaly Franco , the new UK Cazadores ambassador.  Congrats to Tom Estes my fellow ambassador of tequila.  Tom you crushed us with Total Tequila at bar show!  If anyone ever goes to London, craves 100% agave tequila and does not make a pilgrimage to Cafe Pacifico or La Perlas, you are missing out.  These are places where it all started in Europe.

Rolo Tomassi goes down in the end.

Hey do not forget to throw fabulous margarita parties over the summer!  Please ask for Tommy's Killer margarita mix at your favoirtie retailers!  Remember to read labels and demand quality.  Thanks for reading... Hope you all go out and get iPhones!  Tommy's loves Apple!

March 13, 2007

Welcome all!   Just some quick notes over the last couple of weeks:  Tommy's is so proud to be part of the San Francisco restaurant community.  With all due respect to the many great cities and towns in this amazing country, food industry professionals widely believe there are only 4 true restaurant cities in the USA: New York, where I am at present, Chicago, New Orleans and of course San Francisco.  Again with all due respect to say Las Vegas, which may have the best dining scene on earth because great chefs from these places have opened satelites there Tommy's nevber forgets how special and priveledged we are to serve not only the Richmond district but all who come our way!  Thanks for coming!

As i said, I am in new York City for a few days to help my dear friend Sammy Hagar launch his amazing and new Extra Añejo Tequila, Cabo Uno tonight!!!!!   Many industry professional, chefs, musicians and other friends of Sammy will gather tonight for their first formal tasting of Uno.  I have been priveledged to have tried Uno  several times in the course of its aging to state that it is one of the finest extra añejos I have tried.  Today all who join us will be in for a trea!  More tomorrow!

Also congratulations to Sammy for being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!!! It is cool to see Sammy recognized for his musical contributions!  Sammy , like he has all of this time on his hands, started cabo Wabo Tequila  many years ago and now has the second largest selling ultra premium Tequila in the United States! 

Everyone have a great St. Patrick's day!!!!!!!!! 

February 9, 2007

I want to thank everyone who prayed and sent positive thoughts to the family of my driver Don Esteban Casillas.  He is now back at his home and will make a full recovery.  A true miracle!   I commmend the entire Casillas family for being so strong during this difficult period.  I told Don Esteban last week at his home in Guadalajara that I expect him to still be my driver.  Afterall he has beeen with me for six years and I expect him to be part of my team for many years to come.  

I have to say that there are many exciting things coming in the world of tequila in terms of advertising. Look for major brands to continue to reach more customers by venturing into the public eye.  As Tequila becomes a more globalized spirit, let's also not forget to show continued support for the small brands that we think are special.  Afterall, we all benefit from the diverse spectrum of tequila flavor.

I would like to thank German Gonzalez again for coming to Tommy's to host our Chinaco Negro event.  There were only 530 bottles of the world of Lot # 15.  There are now considerably less!!!!  

Likewise I would like to thank Eduardo Orendain of Arette for dropping by and helping us with our promotion.  Tommy's was one  of the first places outside of Mexico to carry Arette.  We are extremely proud to call Eduardo a family friend. 

If you are planning to have a party and make margaritas, please try our Tommy's Heavenly Margarita Mix .  Make sure you look at the ingredients.  We are not neon in color, we will not use high fructose corn syrup and we are fresh and natural.  Please compare our product with those our competitors.  If you are in Aneheim for the natural products show come by and see us!

 January 9, 2007

Greetings from Arandas, Jalisco!!!!!   Arandas is im the middle of festival season and the town is on fire!  If you know Demigods of Tequila Reggie Slater or Michael Harter, ask them about festival time in Arandas!   Festival time in Mexico is a time for remembering family, honoring traditon, seeing old friends and making new ones and giving thanks for another year!   Here in Arandas, festival starts on the 4th of January and continues on through the 12.   Though there is some serious drinking taking place poeple are happy and hospitable.   Every year on the 7 of January, the mañanitas are sung to the Virgin of Guadalupe at the Parroquia de Santa Maria.  The town muscian, sponsored by a few businesses and citizens then go off to sing songs at the houses of various sponsors.  All of this starts at 6 am!!!  and normally goes until 1 pm.  Amazing.  

 I also came to clelbrate the 84th birthday of Tequila's most famous bartender, Don Javier.  Don Javier owns Tequila's most famous bar, La Capilla, a place frequented by friends from all over the world and noted locals such as Jaime and Eduardo Orendain, the owners of Arette Tequila.   At la Capilla I was joined by Dre Masso , Henry Besant, Jerod, Anastacia, Eriic, Gianfranco and of course all othe regulars: Don Felipe, Alberto, Don Raul and Jose Luis to name but a  few.   We took a huge birhtday cake and sung the mañanitas to Don javier in Spanish, English, Italian and French!!!!  Don Javier is one of the most giving persons I have ever been acquainted.  He embodies everything that is great about the hospitality business.  It is a pity there are not more people like Don Javier! Feliz Cumpleaños Don javier.  Please remmeber we will keep you to opening our gift on your 99th birthday!!!!!  So after copias Batangas, we had to take off to Guad so we could eventually make it back to Arandas.  This is when I called my dear friend Jaime Orendain.

 Jaime is the consumate family man.  On this 7th of January it was also his son's birhtday, which was why he was not at La Capilla.  However after spending all and most of the evening with his family he still picked up my call and told me to meet him in Guadalajara.  It turns out that guadalajara on a Sunday night is dead.  There are very few options to have a civilized glass of Tequila.  Luckily we found one and proceeded to drink 2 bottles of Arette Añejo in 45 minutes.  Come on there were 9 of us drinking.  And as great as Arette Tequila is, what was more amazing was the company!   This is something money can never buy. Jaime , thank you  and your family yet again!   Feliz Año Nuevo to everyone!  Viva México!!!!! 

January 5, 2007

 Feliz Año Nuevo!!!!!   I hope everyone out there had a great new year's!  I rarely go out on New Year's as I prefer to spend it with my favorite people and not 10 million people.  However I hope eveyone spent time with their loved ones and hoisted a glass of 100% agave!

 Our annual demigod trip of tequila will be on the 14th of January.  Those lucky few on the trip will fall in love with Jalisco and the Tequila country.   If you are interested in U.S." premier tequila club please check out another part of the website for info on how you one day can go to jalisco with us!

If you like Chinaco tequila, Tommy;s will host German Gonzalez.  German and his brothers own Chinaco but it is defianltely German who runs the show.   He will be talking  about Chicaco Negro on January21, 2007 at a private dinner.  If you woulod like to attend, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   Space is limited to 25 people.  We will start at 4:30.  For details go to our events section.

Talk soon!  Have a great weekend!