You Got Served: Nathan Hazard, *These Drinks
If there ever was a cocktail master you'd like to have close by at a moments notice, it would be Nathan Hazard. His ability to conjure up tropical concoctions and instantly propel you onto island time is impressive...and on some weeks just plain needed.
Nathan's approach to cocktail making is fun, sophisticated and always served up with a side of surprising flair..."Pineapple Upside Down Punch" anyone!? Zing!
In fact, he's filled with so much spirit, Aperol recently appointed him as Chief Brunch Officer, spreading orange-hued bubbles and deliciously proper weekend etiquette for groups of lucky Bon Vivants across Los Angeles this summer. What can we say?! He is one delightful, stylish and thirst quenching gentleman that you should familiarize yourself with STAT!
You got served....by Nathan Hazard.
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Do you have a routine or game plan when it comes to styling with props for your photos?
I always strive for authenticity when I make pictures, usually using natural or existing light and shooting right on my wooden work table. Despite my abundance of potential props, I usually tend toward spare compositions that focus on one key item (generally a piece of glassware) to tell the story. Garnishes, however, are a whole other story!
What's your Serving Style? Brand new/on trend, unique vintage originals, particular colors?
I often get made fun of at flea markets for exclaiming "oh, I collect these!" or "aww, I used to collect these..." every 3 minutes or so. I am basically a hoarder, or as I prefer to say, "a lover of things." Thus, my serving style is very colorful and eclectic, rife with antiques but definitely entwined with current trend pieces, and often peppered with Southwest, Latin American, and Polynesian kitsch artifacts. So, EVERYTHING.
If you could get a hold of any item for your kitchen or tabletop, what do you currently have your eye on?
It's no secret - I'm pretty obsessed with tiki mugs, almost to a vice. I now have strict rules about eBay. It doesn't help that these days artists are taking the craft to a whole new level creatively. This anatomical human head mug is pretty fantastic, but I am being good and just admiring it from afar...
Do you have a favorite piece in your collection? What's the story behind it?
Currently, it's this incredible -and monolithic- vintage wooden hand-carved 4-tier lazy susan with pineapple topper. The leaves of the pineapple double as serving spoons! It was a must, and showpiece perfect for The Coconut Club - a brand new LA tiki supper club that I am involved with and create cocktails for. This find is also a great example of why I love my community - not one, but two of my peers (ah hem, DxD) alerted me to its existence, knowing I probably needed to own it. I did.
If you could express your personal style in 3 emojis, what would they be?
Toughest question yet! Um ... 
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Piscolada Cocktail Recipe 2 oz pineapple-infused pisco 3/4 oz fresh lime juice 3/4 oz coconut-lemongrass syrup white of one egg Chuncho bitters For the pineapple-infused pisco: Trim and peel one pineapple and cut into chunks or spears. Place in a large jar and top with pisco. Seal tightly and set in a cool place for 3-5 days, agitating daily. Taste. When satisfied, remove pineapple and strain. For the coconut-lemongrass syrup: Combine one cup of water and one cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup raw shredded coconut (not sweetened) and two stalks chopped lemongrass. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let cool completely. Strain contents through a sieve, bottle and refrigerate. *Coconut fats may congeal on the surface after chilling. Simply pour syrup through a mesh strainer before use. To prepare the cocktail: Combine pisco, lime, syrup, and egg white in a shaker. Add ice and shake very vigorously to produce a luscious emulsified foam. Strain into a cocktail glass and top with a few dashes of bitters. Garnish with a coconut shrimp, or a blade of lemongrass.[separator type="double"]
Drink sampling and a recipe included with the styling sesh? You don't hear us complaining!
Nathan's pisco cocktail was brought to life with an incredibly fun and relaxed, yet vibrant setting. You know our inner crazy plant ladies can't resist the addition of any leafy green plant to a table scape and this luscious scene is sending us on a tropical hammock, cold drink in hand. He even plucked that fresh lemongrass straight from his backyard garden - talk about a renaissance man!
Nicely played Mr. Hazard, if you don't mind we'll be back over in time for happy hour tonight.
Make sure to bookmark Nathan's new site *These Drinks, launching soon and promised to be filled with unique cocktail inspiration. Also be sure to quench your thirst with his weekly booze cruising and cocktail testing on Instagram & Twitter. Oh...and please view this amazing video that we cannot stop watching on repeat.
Thank you sir, may we have another!?
Get Ready! More surprise guests picking from Box 003 each Wednesday in August!
Want More? Catch up on the first two boxes (and some seriously stunning styling) here!