A Sip!

Rabbit Hole paid us a visit, and we mixed up one of our favorite cocktails for them: Tall as a Tree and Twice as Shady.

On this day in 1960:

“On election night in 1960, John F. Kennedy sipped daiquiris over dinner at his house in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, before watching the election returns and, 'while infused with the glow of a daiquiri,' learning he would be the next president.” 

— via Today

BOOze!

Photo by Anjali Pinto

If you've ever passed below the pile of skulls that, er, welcomes you to Three Dots and Dash, it may not surprise you that Halloween is one of our favorite howl-idays. We're celebrating for five spooky nights — from Sunday, October 27th, to Thursday, October 31st — and transforming into a creepy tropical haunt. We'll cast a spell on the bar with nightmarish green, red, and blue light, and serve a blood-chilling menu of ominously named classic Tiki cocktails: 

Blood of the Kapu Tiki 

1998, Bosco Hrnjak

Amber Rum, Lime, Grapefruit, Curaçao, Grenadine, Angostura Bitters, Absinthe

Sidewinder’s Fang 

1960s Lanai Restaurant, San Mateo, California

Demerara Rum, Jamaican Rum, Passionfruit, Curaçao, Lime

Headhunter 

1960s, Hawaii Kai Restaurant, New York City

Gold Puerto Rican Rum, Jamaican Overproof Rum, Demerara Rum, Honey, Lime, Peach, Papaya

Shrunken Skull

1950s, Unknown Origin

Demerara Rum, Gold Puerto Rican Rum, Grenadine, Lime

Pegleg Punch

2002, Beachbum Berry

Vodka, Aquavit, Orgeat, Grapefruit, Lemon

Polynesian Paralysis 

1960, H. Allen Smith

Bourbon, Orgeat, Curaçao, Lemon, Pineapple

Blackbeard’s Ghost 

1994, Beachbum Berry

Virgin Islands Rum, Demerara Rum, Apricot Brandy, Falernum, Lemon, Curaçao, Angostura Bitters

If the thought of going without your usual favorites is too frightening, don't worry! We'll still be serving our full cocktail and food menus. 

Planter's Punch!

The first known print reference to Planter's Punch is in the August 8, 1908 edition of the New York Times:

This recipe I give to thee,  

Dear brother in the heat. 

Take two of sour (lime let it be) 

To one and a half of sweet, 

Of Old Jamaica pour three strong, 

And add four parts of weak. 

Then mix and drink. 

I do no wrong —

I know whereof I speak.

At Three Dots and a Dash, Paul McGee riffs on Dick Moano's 1950 version of the punch: Puerto Rican Rum, Haitian Rum, Jamaican Rum, Lime, Grapefruit, Grenadine, Angostura Bitters. 

Pro-tips!

Photo by Paul Octavious!

One of our favorite surprises after opening was just how many people found our mugs and decor Instagram-worthy. But, we also noticed a problem: while the bar’s darkness lends itself to great ambience, it isn’t so great for mobile phone photography! Enter Anjali Pinto, our resident photographer. She says doesn’t always need the big, professional photo set-up — and insists that you don’t, either! We asked her for some pro-tips on taking great photos in the low light of Three Dots and a Dash:

Photographing in a dark bar is a challenge, especially if you’ve already guzzled down a Zombie Punch and you want to Instagram your next drink of choice. Here’s a few tips and tricks to live by the next time you want to make a stand-out memory from a blurry evening.  

LIGHT THE WAY.There are multiple sources of interesting light already available to you in Three Dots and a Dash. Notice those adorable sandscape candles in the center of your table or the track lighting on the main wood wall that illuminates from below?  Position your cocktail near one of these sources of available light to create a photo that matches the atmosphere. 

CONTROL EXPOSURE.Download an app that lets you choose an exposure point. Camera + and VSCOcam both allow you to separate focal and exposure points on your iPhone when taking a picture. With this detail, you can click on the darkest part of your image and the iPhone will compensate by brightening up the overall picture.  

PHONE A FRIEND.On-camera flash is less than ideal for making a beautiful picture. When your flash is directed from the same angle as your lens, objects in photos tend to look one-dimensional. But, an indirect source of light can make all the difference. Have a friend sit next to you and use the flashlight feature on their phone to light your picture.  If you want a dramatic back-lit photo of your skull glass, have a friend’s phone pumped up to full brightness and rest its illuminated screen on the back of the glass.  

Our First Mug Release Party!

Tiki bars of past had a great history of collectable, site-specific tiki mugs. (Check out our posts on Mr. Bali Hai and Tiki Bob!) Three Dots and a Dash will join in the tradition with the release of our first custom mug on Monday, September 2nd, at 5pm. Designed in conjunction with and produced by Tiki Farm, this ceramic sea urchin is the first vessel created just for Three Dots and a Dash, and is only available for sale at the bar ($20).

To celebrate, Paul McGee will also be working his first bartending shift at Three Dots and a Dash that evening.

Tiki Golf!

Full story here.