For this Baltimore bar legend, a perfect playlist is one that keeps you moving.
Former Theology major, founder/head of a hospitality consulting firm, advocate for the industry, and winner of a Beverage Director of the Year by Esquire Magazine in 2019––Baltimore-based Chelsea Gregoire is a brilliant, shining star in an industry of luminous people.
And, also, … “a big fan of vinyl,” they say, warmly. “This past year has been a lot of listening and trying to relax, and recently, I inherited all of my parents’ old records, too. It included a first pressing of Janet Jackson’s Control. That’s been a new favorite.”
For the playlist they created for 6ourbon 7ime, their favorite track is Talking Heads, Burning Down the House.
“When I was making this playlist,” they continue, “the thing I had in mind was, at the end of the day, I like to relish in what I was able to accomplish. Maybe that was a lot; maybe it was not?
I like to just remind myself, ‘Hey, tomorrow is another day and now is the time to be present.’ I put on a little Talking Heads. We have a little Led Zeppelin in Good Times, Bad Times. Some Funkadelic and Lee Dorsey’s Go On Be Funky. This playlist is very vibey.”
Ever the advocate for others, when the pandemic hit, Gregoire began looking for a way to boost spirits from afar. Unable to be around their friends, fellow staff, and contacts in the industry, music actually provided a way to give a hug from a safe, at-home distance.
“I sent my staff a song for the day, each day,” they say. “It’s important to find the right music for the moment.”
Thus, we asked them …
“What song is perfect for keeping your spirits really high, while also being solo and safe?”
“The version by Tiffany?”
“Yes. If I’m dancing alone in a pandemic, I’m going to be literal about my song choice.”
“Uh … that’s I Think We’re Alone Now,” they responded, laughing.
Their cocktail is named The Springtime of My Life – “it’s a riff on a New York Sour, and I use Basil Hayden’s, a black tea concentration, lemon, honey, and red wine with freshly cracked black pepper,” they say. “I love this whiskey, because it’s a perfect mixing whiskey, but also speaks for itself. You get great dried fruits that go well in a Manhattan, but, kind of like this playlist, it can just be served up on its own.”
Now, it’s time for you readers to whip up a The Springtime of My Life, log into Spotify and put on a pair of socks. You’re going to want good sliding action across the floors as you dance to this playlist.
Title Photo and Cocktail Photo By Shandi Chester
