Notes of: Aperitivo
Behind April’s Mood Board
Welcome to Notes Of! Each month I make a mood board and post it to Instagram as a little creative exercise in thematic thinking. Notes Of elaborates on each month’s theme and includes links to relevant articles, videos, products, and more.
I’m currently in New York and by the time this goes out, I’ll have hosted my first-ever Pasta Girlfriend event outside of LA! I’m always convinced when I do something like this that no one will show up, so it’s always a pleasant and reaffirming surprise when that just isn’t the case. If you came to Rubirosa on Monday or Big Night last night, thank you so much for being there!!!
I think the success of last night is further proof that we are all in a very sippy mood right now. Every patio in both LA and NYC are packed like sardines (and also, packed WITH sardines…the tinned fish movement is real) and I’ve enjoyed no less than 5 spritzy beverages so far this week. ‘Tis the season!!!!
To celebrate, this month’s mood board is APERITIVO themed! Aperitivo is what Italians call the pre-dinner drink, often enjoyed with snacks. Think Castelvatrano olives, potato chips, bread and cheese, nuts…basically, all my favorite things. So please, follow me to your table in the sunshine:
10 notes on aperitivo:
There’s nothing quite like midcentury alcohol advertising, and Campari was among the best of them. “Today as much as ever, brands want to be seen as creative and to be adored and celebrated by creative people. Campari is one of the few brands that has actually done that,” wrote Emily Gosling in her 2018 article for AIGA titled “Campari Built an Exemplary “Brand World” Long Before The Term Existed”. The article takes a look at Campari’s appreciation for and use of art throughout the 20th century — I recommend taking a peek!
As someone who prefers a snack plate over almost anything else I am veeeeery drawn to the Gilda craze of late. Imagine someone bringing a tray of these to a little backyard party!!! Instant mood lifter. (For my fellow vegetarians: swap anchovy for grilled zucchini.)
Los Angeles is experiencing a European bar renaissance between Barra Santos in Cypress Park, Capri Club in Eagle Rock, Nossa Caipirinha in Los Feliz, and several other sidewalk spots. My favorite part: they all open at 4 pm, just in time for aperitivo.
I asked former At The Table With guests and happy hour experts
and for their go-to aperitivo bev recs. Chloe’s answer: a gin cosmopolitan! A traditional vodka cosmo feels very “girls night out” (we can thank SATC for that association), but per Chloe’s suggestion, swapping out the vodka for gin is definitely the move for a late afternoon. Here’s how to make one:
Andrea says that the perfect aperitivo wine is “light and fresh, can be shared with friends, is versatile enough to pair with anything (or nothing at all!), and sips a lot quicker than you realize.” Her suggestions:
— Celine by Yves Duport: “A co-ferment of chardonnay + gamay + mondeuse. Is it a rose? is it a chilled red? Who knows! But it's zippy and fresh with lots of cherries, just like a summer afternoon.”
— Il Roccolo di Monicelli Bianco: “Garganega + Trebbiano. 1 month skin contact ~ orange wine! Reminds me of late spring: white tea, salty stone fruit, and honey blossoms. This is the kind of wine you can take out to the sidewalk and sip a couple of bottles while you wait an hour for your table to be ready.”
— Naked Red by Heinrich Wine: “Zweigelt. Serve chilled!! A super light and drinkable yet complex chilled red! Reminds me of peak season heirloom tomatoes, chili flakes and a little smoked salt.”
I made us a little aperitivo playlist! Throw it on while you’re mixing cocktails and pretend you’re sitting in the Call Me By Your Name garden (sans A*mie H*mmer).
I think we can all agree that the best image in this month’s mood board is in the third row, third column. If you aren’t following Gramparents on Instagram, I truly don’t know what you’re spending your time looking at over there.
Thanks to the March 2024 issue of World of Interiors I discovered ceramicist Frankie Aziz, the genius behind The Snacky Plate. Before you get too excited know that they are completely sold out, but follow Frank Ceramics on Instagram for the next drop.
A non-alc Campari replacement I love: Martini & Rossi’s Vibrante! I drink this at home because it gives the feeling of having a little treat as I’m cooking or winding down for the day but without the buzz. I like it with sparkling water and a splash of fresh orange juice.
Prada Spring Summer 1992 made its way into my consciousness a few weeks ago and I’ve gone back to look at its photos several times since. Is this not the ideal “wine in the afternoon” wardrobe?
And lastly, the images that didn’t make the mood board, including an incredible robot bar:
I’m off to gallivant around town. I hope there’s some sun where you are. Cheers!
x
Ali
Sources: Kronenhalle Bar in Zurich, designed by Robert Haussmann, 1965; Paris Review, Andy Warhol, 1967; Moschino autumn/winter 2014; Floor of Tapas Bar Manero in Alicante, Spain; L'apéritif, David Hockney, date unknown; martini image by Lucy-Ruth Hathaway, 2020; image for Vogue Living by Levon Baird, 2020; Jeux de cartes, Yukiko Noritake, 2023; Easter Sunday, Danielle McKinney, 2020; Cointreau ad, Jean Adrien Mercier, 1940; woman with a spritz in France by Elie Obeid, via Gramparents; vintage Murano glass photographed by Victoria Zschommler, 2020; Terrace in Montmartre, John Zabawa, 2022; vintage matchbook from Montrose Cheese & Wine, Houston, TX; barman sketch, Jean Cocteau, 1962; bar in Rome, Louise Fili, 2017
that lady with the drink! retirement goals 💋
cin cin!