3 drink tips from Kelli Nikanowicz, a bar manger of Roost Modern Italian and its sister restaurant Leo's Bistro at the Dayton Art Institute:
1) Match the drink with the season. Summer time drinks are refreshing and often contain citrus. In the winter, go with drinks that are comforting. Use ingredients like cinnamon and nutmeg.
2) Served plenty of water. Nikanowicz points out that hydrated people drink more.
3) Use what is in season. Select fresh juices when possible, she recommends.
You may not float like a butterfly or sting like a bee, but you can drink like you do.
Kelli Nikanowicz, a bar manger for Roost Modern Italian and its sister restaurant Leo’s Bistro at the Dayton Art Insititute, has developed a tasty drink menu to coincide with the museum’s special exhibitions “Andy Warhol: Athletes.”
The four drink menu pays homage to tennis great Chris Evert, Columbus-born golfer Jack Nicklaus, skating icon Dorothy Hamill and Muhammad Ali, the famed boxer who coined the phrase “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
The drinks are described below.
Nikanowicz said the figures captured in Warhol’s collection revolutionized sports.
“They ended up being some of the biggest people in sports history,” Nikanowicz said of the four spotlight and six other legendary athletes included in Warhol’s silk-screen paintings collection from 1978.
Others in the collection commissioned by Richard Weisman include football’s O.J. Simpson, basketball’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, ice hockey’s Rod Gilbert, horse racing’s Willie Shoemaker, baseball’s Tom Seaver and soccer’s Pelé.
In conjunction with the exhibit, DAI’s Prime Time Party Rental Series will present a Studio 54 Disco Party 7 to 11 p.m. Friday. Advance tickets to the party are $40 for non-museum members and $35 for members.
Beck’s Sapphire, Budweiser Black Crown, Bud Light Platinum and Disco Fever — a special cocktail made of vodka, pomegranate liqueur, ginger, Cointreau and cranberry juice — will be featured at the party sponsored by Heidelberg Distributing Company.
Nikanowicz said her boozy, summery athlete-inspired cocktails will be sold at Leo’s until the exhibition closes Sept. 1. They range from $7.50 to $9.
“You are definitely going to get your money’s worth,” she said. “They are going to taste good and they are going to have a (good amount of) liquor in them.”
Here are the drinks with descriptions:
GRAND SLAM NO. 34 — tequila, agave nectar, fresh lime and grapefruit juice — $7.50.
Chris Evert reached 34 Grand Slam singles finals, more than any player in the history of professional tennis.
THE GREATEST — Makers Mark Kentucky Bourbon, honey, fresh lemon and orange juice — $9
Boxing great Muhammad Ali is from Louisville, Ky.
THE GOLDEN BEAR — vodka , mango puree and fresh lemon juice — $7.50
It is a traditional golfer lemonade with a twist in honor of Jack Nicklaus.
AMERICA'S SWEETHEART — vodka, Peach Schnapps, peach simple syrup and cranberry juice — $9
Dorothy Hamill was known as America’s sweetheart.
Details:
Leo Bistro
456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton
(937) 223-5277
Hours
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
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