HOLY WATER

Like most picture-book cocktail bars, Holy Water has a mysteriously hip door: a heavy-duty wrought iron, copper, and glass piece of art smothered by creeping foliage. Inside, the tiny Thomas Schoos and Michael Berman designed bar could be described as island-tribal with an old apothecary twist. Within a smattering of tony details—alabaster candle votives, chevron marble, reclaimed barn wood, lighting baskets—and Schoos’ free-form painting, there's always something new to discover.

Schoos and Berman designed the place with live plants to bring a verdant organic element and an expat “elsewhere” vibe. One night you are in Tulum, another Belize, then the Amalfi Coast, and on to Havana. One might call it... adventure cocktailing. The holistic spirits, vegan options, and ambiance are second to none.

“You definitely don’t feel like you are in L.A.,” said Cameron Dodge-White, Bar Director. “We play a lot of world music, too, from 70s Italian Disco to 80s French New Wave, 60s American Soul, and modern African artists.”

Dodge-White knows a thing or two about what makes a fanciful bar. He’s been in the industry for fifteen years, running some of the trendiest spots in town: The Lincoln, Little Dom's, The Nice Guy, and Atrium to name a few. He’s gained a reputation for making infamous go-to drinks. At Holy Water, that is The Glass Half Full, a riff on a White Negroni turned on its head. It begins with Harmony Gin by Holistic Spirits Co., then a non-alcoholic botanical blend from Optimist, and dashes of cocchi americano, vermouth, and elderflower. “We take fresh Valencia oranges and ruby grapefruit, slice them and layer them into a coffee pour-over apparatus,” said Dodge-White. “We use a culinary torch to caramelize some of the natural sugars and char up the rinds to express the oils. We then pour it through the fruit into the waiting chilled glass. It's not just cocktail theatre; it produces a drink that is surprising in its depth of flavor.”

While the beer list is small, it packs a well-curated punch. Dodge-White wanted an IPA that could make a broad swath of Pale Ale connoisseurs happy, so he went with San Francisco-based Fort Point’s Animal IPA, tropical but not too hoppy. The Mexican style lager, Bad Hombre, is a local favorite. The Urquell Pilsner is the Czech Pils. And, one of Dodge-White’s staples, Peroni. “I’ve never heard someone disappointed with this Italian beer, and it’s a great option for the beer part of your boilermaker.”

Dodge-White builds a drink list that has something for everyone. He also likes to surprise people with unique flavor combinations and tongue-tingling ingredients. Currently, the Fruit of Tulum is the “It” drink. Made with the choice of tequila or mezcal, it has organic kiwi and pink guava, aperol and a blistered Fresno Chili infused organic honey, with a creole spice mix on the rim.

On the complete other side of the spectrum is Everything but the Garden Sink, which is Dodge-White’s take on a garden martini. “We blend and clarify Campari tomatoes and use a certified organic pickle brine from a family farm in Texas,” he said. “We combine it with Holistic Spirits Origen Vodka, a dry gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, and a couple secret ingredients to form a vesper-style base for the tomato and pickle brine to stand on.”

The drink is presented with a pickled firecracker pepper and olive oil caviar, making it a multi-step experience that evolves as you incorporate each aspect.

But Holy Water is not just about craft cocktails and jet-setter ambience. In order to separate themselves from every other cocktail bar, Co-founder Jay Handal, the legendary restaurateur, discovered a legal loophole in the city ordinance that would allow Holy Water to be attached to The Woods, the cannabis lounge he co-founded with Woody Harrelson, Devon Wheeler, John McEnroe, Bill Maher, and Schoos. “In order to do that we have two parcel addresses on the property,” said Handal. “That allows us to hold an alcohol license and cannabis license, one in each of the addresses. Our landlord, Thomas Schoos, is also a partner in both of the locations, which gave us the opportunity to have a common bathroom hallway.”

Schoos added: “Our space is made of two distinct halves. There is our freestanding neighborhood bar on the west side and our dispensary on the east side. Each half appeals to somewhat different crowds looking for the same good time. In putting this under one roof, we wanted them to share each other’s experiences. We created porthole windows that act as a passageway between the two businesses. We came up with this barrier-breaking effect that was met through design.”

In addition, they installed bespoke cannabis lockers in the hallway. This allows consumers to purchase cannabis before 10PM, store their product in the lockers, and come in later than 10PM to get their product and go into the consumption area. To be sure, Holy Water was conceived to be an additional benefit for a well-rounded experience on a property that nobody could duplicate. “Having a small, intimate bar in the neighborhood gives us the opportunity to service those who don’t smoke cannabis but want to partake with their friends,” said Handal. “They can come in and have a drink, and then go sit in the lounge with their friends.”

In between the lounge and the bar is The Thomas Room. Soaring ceilings, a jungle of foliage, couches, a fireplace, candles, a massive painting of a rhinoceros and, yes, cocktail service—but no smoking. When you leave the room and head to the cannabis garden, replete with a koi pond, cabana treehouses, chattering macaws, and a Balinese giggle garden, you can’t bring your martini.

“Consumers love the idea of being able to smoke in the lounge, come back into the bar, have a cocktail, and go back into the lounge again,” said Handal. “It’s a very unique combination.”

And if you are lucky, and your timing is just right, like mine was, Woody Harrelson may just serve you a Peroni.