Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/898117
november 2017 / the tasting panel / 1 13 What was the Rat Pack? Five guys who palled around together and drank 'til the wee hours? I believe it was a bit more than that. It was friend- ship—an unbreakable bond—and it was a lifestyle. Frank Sinatra may have been the "Pack Leader," but he did not start the group. Legend has it that Lauren Bacall saw her husband Humphrey Bogart and his buddies coming back from a long night in Las Vegas and said, "You look like a goddamn rat pack." From there, the group's beginnings can be traced to Bogey and Bacall's Holmby Hills estate in L.A. To the surprise of some, the Rat Pack was never a "men-only" group. Over the years, many women were part of the Pack, including Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and Angie Dickinson. The bartending world has a similar misconception of being dominated by men. The truth is that more than half of all bartenders in the U.S. are women. With that in mind, I headed to Las Vegas, determined to show a little thanks and respect to some of the women who are keeping this industry moving and innovating. First things first, I had to find a great group of women. In a town that never closes and offers endless options for enjoyment, it was pretty easy to find the perfect bunch of talented women to give thanks to. Next, I had to figure out where to take them. I love the bottom- less surf and turf at a Vegas buffet as much as the next guy, but that did not seem like the right joint for these ladies. After a quick spin on The Google, the choice became obvious: Sinatra at the Encore Hotel. With Sinatra on my mind, I started to wonder what it must have been like to go out on the town as Frank Sinatra. As Doug Wald likes to say, "I'd rather be looking at it, than looking for it," and Ol' Blue Eyes never had to look for any- thing. Period. The world was his oyster. When he went out, there were no lines at clubs and no waiting for a table; if he was in the mood for something off the menu, no chef would deny his request. by Eric "ET" Tecosky / photos by Mona Shield Payne Eric "ET" Tecosky, Brand Ambassador for Jack Daniel's, at Sinatra at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas.