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Why We’re Sipping On This Apartment Bartender’s Cocktails
If Elliott Clark were to describe his ideal woman in cocktail terms, he'd tell you he likes them classic with a twist. Maybe an old-fashioned with muddled sour cherries or honey syrup with a dash of grapefruit bitters. Something different and surprising even—but still solid at their core.
"They'd have those classic foundation values to them that I perceive would be really important for a sustainable relationship and building a life with somebody," he says. "You know, that love and respect and forgiveness and trust. But on top of that, they have that uniqueness to them. Whether they're outgoing or more extroverted, or a little more adventurous, like that thing you can't find anywhere else."
It's safe to say that the Apartment Bartender knows what he likes, and knows just the right combination of ingredients to give you what you want—ironic considering this self-made liquor connoisseur just started mixing drinks two years ago.
What began as a hobby has turned into a budding lifestyle brand that's landed him partnerships with Express and on Buzzfeed's radar as an "Instagram Account to Follow." But accolades aside, it's the obvious love of his craft (and okay maybe a little eye candy too) that has us sipping on whatever carefully crafted boozy blend this mixologist serves.
After attending a Cocktails 101 class with a friend, Clark began snapping photos of his creations and posting them on Instagram, not imagining that there was a community of booze enthusiasts looking for creative cocktails.
"Apartment Bartender happened by complete accident," he says. "At the time when I started it I was kind of lacking a creative outlet in my life. I never set out like I'm going to turn this into a blog or I'm going to turn this into a social media platform and gain "x" amount of followers and it's going to be a full-time job. I never even envisioned that was possible."
Working on Apartment Bartender opened up the door to other passions, including photography and entrepreneurship, and it's also allowed him to use his gift to give back to others. In his spare time Clark works with Kids in Focus—an organization that pairs children from underprivileged backgrounds with professional photographers to help teach them to see themselves and their world in a new way.
"I don't think the world needs another cocktail or drink blog. If that's all that I am, I would consider that to be superficial."
"At the core of me I really believe in serving others, and I really consider myself as a person that would want to put others first before myself and find ways to lift others up. I think ultimately [Apartment Bartender] leads to the opportunity to make an impact in people's lives, and I think that's really what I seek to do because to be honest, I don't think the world needs another cocktail or drink blog; if that's all that I am, I would consider that to be superficial. So even though Apartment Bartender is that, that's why I love to utilize my platform in captions and anything that I can do."
He also credits his own entrepreneurial journey to inspiring and creating opportunities for friends. "I perceive that to be really cool, to see some of my best friends and people closest to me be able to experience other aspects of themselves and pick up new skills that they didn't think they were capable of because of some of the opportunities that I've opened up with what I'm doing."
But the journey hasn't come without its share of sacrifices. First, there was the fear of taking a risk and quitting his job as a software salesperson making six figures, just a year after launching Apartment Bartender for a career where the income was uncertain.
"When I make certain decisions I'm kind of fast-forwarding down the road and thinking will I regret the decision not to pursue it? So in the case of Apartment Bartender, that's ultimately what led me to do it, but I think my biggest fear was I'm making the wrong decision or taking a wrong step because my job looked good on the surface."
Clark doesn't consider himself to be a visionary, but he does believe in following your gut, and trusting that it will lead you where you want to go.
"I'm glad I did because that happiness and contentment that I feel, I never thought I'd be doing this. This is such a unique job and unique career for me that I don't think there'd be anything else that I'd rather be doing. And that's really fulfilling to be young and where I'm at, and doing something that I can wake up every morning and be like I can't wait to get to the office, I can't wait to work, I can't wait to work with this brand or to travel or make this drink recipe, that's a pretty unique feeling and I'm super grateful for that. "
While he's been successful in his business, his love life has taken a turn. Devoting his time to work took away from time spent nurturing his relationship, and ultimately Clark chose to follow his heart and pursue his passion.
"For some people, if that's what they want and can see the person they're with as a partner that they want to build their life with, they can do both," says Clark. "For me personally, I have plans in 2018 that I felt that I needed to go an individual path. Singleness is where I need to be right now. My career and seeing what it becomes outside of Apartment Bartender, it's something where I feel pretty selfish in my life that those are things I want to pursue, and I don't feel I'm in the right space to take someone else into consideration and to have that joint partnership."
To be clear, it's not that he doesn't believe pursuing your dream and embracing love can't coexist. He's just keeping it real—he's an all or nothing kind of guy.
"I think a foundational element to a relationship is service. Not so much what I can get out of it, but how am I really adding love and value to the person I'm with. I think in any relationship that should be a first thought, and if it's not my first thought of taking someone's interest other than my own and being with them and that being a top priority, it's tough to really make that work when your heart isn't 100% there."
Don't worry, ladies. When the time is right, he knows how to wine and dine. "I consider myself from how I dress and how I carry myself to be more classic style. I'm like an old-fashioned guy. I open the door for people and say thank you, you know treat people well."
A date with the Apartment Bartender may include a surprise cocktail. He'll ask your spirit of choice, whether you want it refreshing or more liquor heavy, and tailor the drink to your taste. Or, if you want to keep it simple, his daiquiris aren't to be dismissed.
"If I was on a date, I think it's important to know the person and craft something that's unique to them or unique to the moment," he says.
In the meantime, you can find this classic man serving up free knowledge on Instagram or on the Apartment Bartender website.
"What I hope to try to do is educate people on what else is out there so that they can develop more of a pallet. It's not so much what you drink that defines you, it's what you're closed off to drinking. I don't think a lot of people take the time to really investigate more of what's out there, whether it be agave spirits or different spirits like Cachaça. There's so much around to drink that I guarantee that I can make you any spirit that you want and you'll like it."
On that note, bottoms up.
For more Elliot, follow him on Instagram.
Kiah McBride writes technical content by day and uses storytelling to pen real and raw personal development pieces on her blog Write On Kiah. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @writeonkiah.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
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Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
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When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
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