3 minute read
LIFE ON VENUS
by MOLLY McANANY | Photographs by SILAS FALLSTICH
WINE COCKTAILS AND PUNK ROCK CONVERGE AT VENUS IN FURS
he new music, pop culture, and S&M themed bar on the lower east side of Santa Barbara, Venus in Furs, prides itself on being a low ABV establishment, recreating your favorite liqueur drinks into natural wine cocktails. Inspired by the Velvet Underground song Venus in Furs, the bar delivers an edgy yet sophisticated atmosphere and dynamic flavor profile, keeping true to their organic blends free from pesticides, affordable, and always punk rock inspired. The dark greens, blues, and warm metal tones give way to the open floor and high ceilings, combining a luxe, Italian gothic style with a group-friendly indoor design and
Toutdoor terrace. I am greeted at the door and welcomed to take a seat, opting for an emerald green velvet sofa by the spiral staircase. I take a quick glance at the cocktail list and immediately catch a cheeky reference to The Runaways’ song Cherry Bomb. Thinking it fate (or at least a bit serendipitous considering Joan Jett has been my rock idol since I was a kid), I start the evening off with the Hello Daddy, Hello Mom. The sherry cobbler-based drink is sassy and full of life like Cherrie Currie, paired with passionfruit, orange, lemon, and mint. The hole-in-the-wall vibe is reminiscent of the underground punk rock bars of the 60s, 70s, and 80s paying homage to great cultural movements and the drinks that kept people moshing all night long. Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman, co-owners of Good Lion Hospitality Group and the founders of other local craft cocktail bars The Good Lion, Test Pilot, and Shaker Mill, lead a tight knit team of oenophiles who curate an always evolving array of wine-based cocktails based on famous musicians, songs, and landmarks that reigned supreme in the punk and hard rock eras.
All the wine cocktails are complemented by a vast wine and beer selection as well as seasonal dishes and shareable plates from chef Julian Martinez. The menu is broken down into sections with Pitch-Black Reds subtitled “tbh, Adam Driver is only slightly more brooding” and beer subtitled “yes, Taylor, the wine bar has beer,” making the decision making process a playful experience. With no hard liquor license, the kinkiness still shines through, minus the hangover.
As a perfect mixture of sour and strange, The Bowery’s Bees Lees cocktail, based on the Bowery Hotel in New York which is known for its iconic nightlife and haunted history, arrives like a vision as soon as I finish my first round. Embodying the cinematic landmark in the Lower East Side of Manhattan,
Venus in Furs concocted this white wine-based cocktail of ghostly complexion with yellow peach, lemon, honey, and “lingering notes of summer ’08.” The tanginess is perfect for anyone who loves a lemon drop or a horror vibe to match the elevated grunge ambiance.
A bright, jammy red wine-based cocktail is the next to be placed before me, with “all the moods” and all the head banging warranted by the Damned who inspired this drink. Titled New Rose in Town, after the punk band’s first single “New Rose,” this cocktail is like Christmas on ice (think Nightmare Before Christmas) with cherry bark vanilla bitters. I “got a brand new favorite drink in town” after trying this chilled red and sipped down every last drop as fast as the Damned play through a set.
As if to send me off into a gentle slumber, I conclude the night with The Gentle Whip, based with “lots of bitter Italian stuff,” grapefruit, and a hint of lemon. The “bitter stuff” is a combination of vermouth, bitters, and amaros, almost as bitter as Lou Reed’s witty lyricism and understanding of life’s urban core. Before leaving, I inquire if my music knowledge served me in guessing the inspiration behind each drink and depart happy to know I did not let John Cale or my tastebuds down. *
