Cats Like Us Blog

Well now, we've just got this Tiki train started with My 2013 Tiki Road Trip Part I, so now it's time to grab myself a Mai Tai and dive once again into part two!   After our adventures at Caffeine Bistro & Wine Bar and their Kona Tiki Bar, we said good-bye to my parents and headed to Sarasota, FL. where we visited the only Trader Vic's Island Bar & Grill chain restaurant known in the US, which is not to be confused with Trader Vic's more upscale bars and lounges. Note: As I'm now researching the link for Trader...

Many areas across America are home to kitchy treasures leftover from the 50s and 60s. Old Man River is one such establishment and for over 30 years has been a summertime destination on the Niagara Street Waterfront. This iconic summertime destination has everything a quintessential hot dog stand should: burgers, sweet potato fries, ice cream and of course (arguably) the best hot dogs around – the Sahlens hot dog. But thats a whole other conversation...  They even serve up a Bunny Dog:  a marinated, grilled carrot, served on a hot dog roll! Literally down the road from Cats Like Us...

This year's Hukilau featured a cocktail contest in which mixologists were asked to use Deadhead Rum as the main ingredient in their cocktail entry. The Kulau Kapu cocktail was created by one of the contest's runner's up, Lucky the Painproof Man, which is featured on The Atomic Grog blog. Check it out! Ingredients: 1 oz. VSOP brandy (such as Paul Masson) 1 1/2 oz. Deadhead Rum 1 oz. Pineapple juice 1 oz. Orange juice 1 1/2 oz Coco Lopez (cream of coconut) Method: Shake all ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a Tiki mug filled with ice....or a...

Another Monster Matt installment from Ha-Ha! Horror (soon to be a book!) Munster, Go Tiki!   You can haunt MonsterMatt on the web: www.monstermatt.com Ha-Ha! Horror Shop Monster Matt's joke book Come on back to the Cats Like Us blog for the last Monday of every month for some more MonsterMatt madness!   -Andrew

The Harvey Wallbanger is a drink that is loved by our fearless leaders of Cats Like Us, Andrew and Julie Ann. The drink was reported to have been concocted in 1952 by mixologist Donato 'Duke' Antone, which the drink was rumored to have been named after a surfer who was a regular of Duke's 'Blackwater' Bar in Hollywood, California. Another theory on how the drink got it's name was from a guy named Harvey who was banging his head at a party in the 1960s cursing the drink that caused him his misery. Hehe! Either way, it's a great drink...

I always say, “Cats Like Us brings people together.” I've met the most fascinating people through the shop and it's no wonder---they are also interested in the same things we stand for: great fashion, rescuing animals, and music. When I first met Jason Van Cleve, he was a customer involved with the Queen City Roller Girls (our local derby league), then he invited me to a few gigs around town that his band Lower Town Trio was playing. In Buffalo, NY you have a handful of rockabilly bands that put their own take on the musical style. Lower Town Trio...

Today I am going to write about ZIPPERS! Yes those finicky things that keep you in your clothes, that are too often taken for granted, that are even taboo because no one ever seems to tell you how to use one, it's just assumed everyone knows. Well surprise! Zippers are not that easy and I have a few tips to help you make zipping and unzipping a snap... (but not real snaps because we are talking zippers. 'Cmon keep up with me here!)   In theory, if you can pull both sides of the zipper together when the garment is...

Pan Am Explorer Bag is available online at catslikeus.com, purchase right here. This week's Drink of the Week is inspired by Pan Am Airways and their marvelous First Class service. I can imagine the stewardesses shakin' up some classic cocktails for the passengers like an Old Fashioned during the airlines hayday in the glamourous jetsetting 1960s. Could you imagine nowadays being served gourmet meals served on china and sipping on cocktails in decorative glasses during mid flight!? It sounds oh-so wonderful! Ingredients: 2 Dashes aromatic bitters 1/2 tsp. sugar dissolved in with water and bitters 1 1/2 oz. Bourbon 1...

The name of the drink made me giggle, Procession of the Pink Elephants, I knew I had to give it a try!  The drink's name made me giggle,  as the thought of pink elephants making their appearance here and there in cartoons, like Looney Tunes, when someone is terribly intoxicated. The elephants are usually dancing as only delightful little pink elephants would do, but let's hope you don't get so sloshed on the Procession of the Pink Elephants that you start hallucinating. We encourage you to drink responsibly at Cats Like Us, so we'll finish that drink for you. *Hiccup*...

  One of the many great events that kicks off car show season in Buffalo, NY is the Buffalo Motorama. This was the first year we sponsored Motorama's Open Wheel Room and it was such a success we can't wait until next year!   While there we were lucky enough to meet a vendor that we think really fits the mission of Cats Like Us: One Tough Chick. When we saw her vendor's booth of shiny studded bags, you can bet I was excited-- after all, I'm easily distracted by shiny things! I spoke to the owner, Zofia, and was...