This was a fun one. The crew over at Park & Rec put this one together. In a wild night of bar game debauchery, Park & Rec hosted a multitude of bars from around San Diego, each represented by a bartender/barback tag-team duo. While I was bartending for the event itself, there were sumo suits, blind cocktail making, and knowledge rounds going on all around the bar. This was a great event in the sense that it brought the bar community together for a night of friendly competition. The beauty in all of this was that the proceeds from this event went to help one of our own. A bartender and dear friend nearly lost her brother in a motorcycle accident not long before that day. Luckily, through a little aid and a lot of will power, her brother is expected to make a full recovery.

Never thought I’d make it behind the stick at one of my favorite bars in SD. Though technically I was just there to prance around in a dress and take orders, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. This event, brought to you by You&Yours Distillery hosted by El Dorado Cocktail Lounge, was a series of female bartenders showcasing their skill and highlighting Y&Y gin. Proceeds of this event went to the Keep A Breast Foundation and the fight against breast cancer. I managed to get my then coworker Shelby Atkinson a spot in the line-up provided I accompany her in a dress. Obviously, I happily obliged. The turnout was great and the cocktails she created where delicious as she is a friggin wiz when it comes to flavors and creating cocktails. As a fellow Texan and bartender, I consider Shelby a good friend and someone to keep an eye out for in the cocktail scene. Can’t wait to see what she does next.

Ahh Planned Parenthood, something we can all get behind *smirks*. This was a daytime event at local hotspot in Little Italy, El Camino. Rolled together with musical artists, DJs, photographers, fashion designers, kiddie pools full of condoms and bouncy balls, and even an eco-friendly dunk tank. This was a party to help out an organization that has helped so many. Two of San Diegos up and coming event creators -The Lady Killas and Bout It Co.- banded together to give back to the hundred year old organization. If this event tought us anything… Wrap it up, drink responsibly, and don’t forget to give back.

This event came about when I was talking to one of my regulars one day. We were having a conversation about the horrible immigration issue happening at the border at the time. We were going back and forth wondering if there was any way to help. I just so happens that she is an immigration lawyer for the Border Angles located here in San Diego. We brought it up to the Sycamore guys and of course, one thing led to another, and this event came to fruition. With the help of Angels Envy, Illegal Mezcal, Chicano Soul Food, the beautiful guest bartenders Jennie Nelson and Sean O’Connell, our amazing lawyer Kirsten Zittlau, and the fine people of Border Angels, we managed to raise an incredible amount to help the hundreds of immigrants coming to this country searching for nothing more than a better life.

This event was put together by my good friend and Angels Envy rep, Sean O’Connell. Though not a guest shift or anything of the bartending nature, I felt this was an important one to be a part of. It’s unfortunate to see what negative impact humans are leaving on the world around us. Dumping millions of pounds of trash into the ocean, the sea life has been dying due to pollution. I and a few volunteers spent the day picking up an absurd amount of trash at Tourmaline Beach. Though straws only account for a minute fraction of the trash floating in the ocean today, bringing awareness to the public is a solid start to cleaning up the mess we’ve made. A world of change starts with the smallest action.

This guest shift took place at none other than San Diego’s smallest bar. Total capacity, 12 people. This was the first time I had a sponsor personally help me out with an event. My amazing friend and rep, Brandon Curry, donated a couple bottles of El Silencio Mezcal to the cause. With those bottles, I made a few cocktails specifically for this event. I decided to donate all profits from this night to the Bring Change to Mind organization. A close friend of mine actually referred me to these guys. They had gone through a very dark time and was fortunate enough to have BC2M help them through it. Everyone goes through those low points in life. It’s inevitable. With any luck, there’s someone there to lend a helping hand. This was just me saying thank you for the help.

The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fundraiser was one that hit extremely close to home, given that it was, in fact, my home. I was born and raised just outside the city of Houston and with the unexpected tragedy that was Harvey, I and the rest of the Sycamore Den team jumped at the opportunity to help. The neighborhood I grew up in got hit pretty bad by the flood. My parents, relatives, neighbors, best friends growing up… basically all of the people who shaped the person I am today, had lost nearly everything overnight. With the amazing outcome of the community here in San Diego, we managed to raise clothes and money that went directly toward helping the city of Houston out of the water and back on its feet. Even now I get a bit emotional thinking of how such a catastrophe could lead to something as wonderful as people who have never met to help each other in their time of need. I’ll never be able to thank the people that contributed to this event enough.