SARAH VONDERHAAR
After bartending for 8 years, Sarah Vonderhaar changed careers. As the senior art director at Motion. Vonderhaar is one of those people whose creativity seems like it’s at avalanche level most of the time. She also runs her own design firm, photographing food and drinks, photographing people, and marketing small companies. Her recent past also includes touring and releasing her album, Are You Listening Now, which includes the beautiful bonus single, “Pretty Damn Lucky,” which is how we feel, catching up with her.
PERSON: What are you reading?
The Content Trap, Bharat Anand.
What was the last song you listened to on purpose?
“Running up that Hill,” Kate Bush
Worst thing you can say to a bartender
“So what are you doing after this?”
What’s your guilty pleasure drink
Mezcal Last Word
People need to quit drinking . . .
Fireball.
I never want to make another . . .
Mojito. One person orders a mojito then another person from the same table comes up and wants a mojito—just order them together!
Unconventional bar tool you can’t live without
A ‘team builder’. If you’re in the thick of it during a crazy shift, you say “I want a team builder!” and all the bartenders do a shot together.
What matters?
Happiness. Doing something that makes you happy. Being creative is what got me into doing more mixology and creating different drinks from all these things. I would ask my GM “can I play?” and he’d be like keep it under fifty bucks.
Midnight in Manhattan
Cocktail: Midnight in Manhattan
Ingredients
2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
.5 oz Averna
2 dashes Walnut Bitters
Orange peel for garnish.
Method
Combine liquid ingredients in a pitcher. Stir until chilled.
Strain into chilled glass.
Garnish with an orange peel.
