Kanon Organic Vodka: Diary

May 2, 2012
Getting Down with Downtown for Democracy and OHWOW Gallery
Audrey Gelman, Aaron Bonderoff
Last night we got a little political (we do vote for vodka, after all.) We hit the Top of the Standard to celebrate the release of Downtown for Democracy and OHWOW Gallery's book, "The Pocket Guide to Politics." This wasn't just any book release soiree--oh, no. It was something more along the lines of concert/voter registration/vodka-fueled dance party. Some of our favorite people came out to take in the amazing views, and the cocktails, clearly. FOK Terry Richardson was holding court with Cory Kennedy and Chrissie Miller, and we spied Theophilus London wandering about. Oh, and we bonded with our new BFF, Lena Dunham, the writer and producer AND lead actress in "Girls." Watch it. Now. Do it.

Then there was the music. Artist/DJ Nate Lowman kept the crowd dancing with a set of old school jams and Donald Cumming of the Virgins took to the piano to perform a few songs. Our favorite moment, though, was when Kilo Kish decided to forgo the stage and sing from the top of the bar--a place we know well. Check out the photos, cause any party where you can down Old Blue Eyes drinks and register to vote, is a win in our books.

Photos by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFAnyc.com
May 1, 2012
Ricky of Dee & Ricky Breaks It Down
Dee & Ricky
Last week we took Atlanta by storm. Not only did we throw a launch party for the ages--we also toasted Dee & Ricky's latest hat release. In case you're not aware, Dee & Ricky are the twin brother designing duo known for their sick Lego accessories. And they've designed for everyone from Marc Jacobs to G-Shock. AND they have an awesome blog on Hypebeast. Trust us, they're people you want to know about. Good thing we caught up with Ricky to talk vodka, gummy bears and Ugly Betty (yes, you read that right.) Check it out....

Kanon Vodka: Tell us about Le Alphabet Soup Hat.

Ricky Jackson: Just a hat that reminds you of alphabet soup lol.

KV: Why do you enjoy working with your brother?

RJ: Who says I do?? Ahaha nah it's fun because the ideas get intense.

KV: How did you get started making accessories?

RJ: Just fell into it and it all worked out $$$$.

KV: Which do you like better--styling or designing?

RJ: Don't discriminate.

KV: What songs are guaranteed to get you on a dance floor?

RJ: Anything old school Reggae.

KV: What would be in a Dee and Ricky cocktail?

RJ: Vodka and gummy bears.

KV: Who do you think is the coolest person who's worn a Dee and Ricky piece?

RJ: Ugly Betty.

KV: Who would you most like to see rocking Dee and Ricky?

RJ: Obama.

KV: Who are your Twitter must-follows?

RJ: NY1 News.

KV: Who do you think has the best personal style right now?

RJ: Thome Browne.

Image from Hypebeast.com
April 30, 2012
The Kanon Organic Vodka Manicure
The Kanon Organic Vodka Manicure
We're pretty into DIYs. We've done everything from make 'em yourself cocktails to silver-dipped candle holders made out of Kanon bottles. We like to get a little crafty. And after we hung out with the WAH Nails girls, inspiration struck-- we needed a Kanon-inspired manicure!

Alas, we may be good at a lot of things, but nail art is definitely not one of them, so we enlisted the help of Taryn Multack, nail art master and blogger behind Miss Ladyfinger. Check out her DIY below, featuring our signature blue stripe, and try it out yourself--we're hearing that matching your nails to your cocktail is the going to be the next big thing...

"For these ladyfingers, you'll need a dark pewter, a light blue, and Essie's Matte About You matte finisher if you want a matte finish (optional).

1. Start with a full nail in pewter

2. Paint a diagonal line of light blue going from the top right to the bottom left of your nail-- use a nail art brush if it's easier

3. For a matte effect, cover either the full nail or just the light blue line with Essie's Matte About You"
FÖK: Taryn Multack
Taryn Multack, otherwise known as Miss Ladyfinger, takes nail art to a whole new level with her easy, runway-inspired DIY manicures. Oh, and did we mention, she’s also taken some inspiration from our signature blue stripe?
April 27, 2012
FOK Talk: Jarno Kettunen Talks Art + Cocktails
Jarno Kettunen
We're really into making new friends. Especially creative ones. See: Jarno Kettunen. Jarno is an Atlanta-based artist who specializes in "action drawings." As in, he draws his awesome illustrations as he sees things happen around him. File this under things we wish we could do. Jarno's done work for everyone from Chanel to Levis... and now Kanon!

He made a sick table covering for our Atlanta Launch Dinner and guests still haven't stopped talking about it. Read on, and find out where Jarno gets his inspiration. And incidentally, he also makes mention of an Argentinian cocktail that we're definitely trying out this weekend...

Kanon Vodka: Can you tell us a little about the piece you've made for our Atlanta launch dinner?

Jarno Kettunen: It is a large 64" x 4" mixed media piece - it pictures my selection of the hottest spring 2012 fashion silhouettes with an edgy and organic but also glamorous feel. The silhouettes are tied together with Swedish symbolism and traditional elements including vodka which is the favorite drink of Sweden.

KV: Why do you think fashion + art go so well together?

JK: Artists have always been inspired by fashion and fashion designers by art. It is a continuous interaction, if not always a direct one. For me there is nothing more inspiring than to see the models with fresh new looks each season.

KV: Do you have a favorite medium?

JK: Currently I am using a lot of make-up in my work. I just love it. It is impossible to get the same effect by using traditional media. For this piece I am using make-up from Chanel.

KV: Where do you go in Atlanta to find inspiration?

JK: I do not really go out to search inspiration, but I do enjoy exploring the many local vintage stores and making all sorts of curious finds. I love to get inspired by old objects and the stories they tell.

KV: Do you have any Atlanta watering holes?

JK: Yes, there are a few nice ones. Conveniently there is a great cocktail bar practically downstairs from where I live.

KV: What would be in the Jarno Kettunen cocktail?

JK: My partner is from Argentina and the moment we met, I was introduced to Fernet Branca. The Argentinians drink it with Coke, but I like the Sputnik Cocktail. It is made of 1.5oz vodka, 0.5oz Fernet, a teaspoon of sugar, a splash of lemon and ice. A perfect appetizer!

KV: Can you tell us about your live action drawings?

JK: These are drawings that I make directly at the backstage of fashion shows or as a performance. I call them action drawings because they are very spontaneous, expressive and usually done in just a few minutes. They are like snapshots from sporadic moments, moods and atmosphere.

KV: What's up next for you?

JK: I am working on a portrait for an editorial. Also making a collection of drawings as a personal project inspired by vintage styles for men.

Photo by Ali Khoshravani
FÖK: Jarno Kettunen
Atlanta-based artist Jarno Kettunen is known for his amazing "action drawings." He's the illustration master who created the table covering at our Atlanta Launch Dinner, and he's also collaborated with some other cool companies, including Chanel and Levis. Need... more
April 26, 2012
Mattieologie Recaps Our Atlanta Launch Dinner
Mattie James
You've seen our awesome (and sustainable) decor, and you've heard about the cocktails at our Atlanta Launch Dinner. But now it's time to get another insider look at the dinner party to end all dinner parties. We sent one of Atlanta's top fashion bloggers, Mattie James of Mattieologie, to give us her take on the festivities. Check out her recap below...

My amazing friends at Kanon Vodka launched last night in Atlanta at the amazing Goat Farm. No, really. You heard me right. The Goat Farm was spectacular. The evening started off with drinks in the library area. So many awesome and familiar faces were present, as well as some new cool ones. As you can imagine, drinks were flowing and the mix of people was perfection. There were tons of laughs and food, and even more cocktails. Once we headed to dinner after mixing and mingling during cocktail hour, we were met with an absolutely stunning table setting. The details were immaculate (...they gave us a plant and monocle as a souvenir!) Haven’t been that excited about dinner in a while! Did I mention there was candy? Doesn’t take much to please me. Four courses later, I was easily convinced that ain’t no party like a Kanon party. It literally didn’t stop for 4 hours. I mean, what do you expect? When you put good liquor, good food and good people together, having a ball is inevitable!

Thanks Kanon friends! Looking forward to becoming an ATL FOK! Until next time."
April 26, 2012
A Sustainable Party The Kanon x ATL Way
We may be from Sweden, but we're pretty sure we can get down with the best of ATL. And we did just that, at our Atlanta Launch Dinner on Tuesday night.

At one of our famed cocktail-pairing dinners--a different cocktail for each course--we had Mixologist Eric Simpkins, of The Lawrence making sure that the Kanon cocktails were on point, and the phenomenal Chef Shane Devereux, also of The Lawrence, making sure that guests were fed a meal worthy of royalty (those are our roots, after all.) Any Kanon launch party isn't complete without some special details. And since we're not into doing things halfway, we made sure that the entire thing was sustainabletoo. Our menus were printed on wildflower seed paper that guests, including Marquis Phifer and Sham Shirley of Late Boots, could take home and plant for actual flowers. Very cool.

We enlisted our new friend, Atlanta-based artist Jarno Kettunen to make sure our table was covered in style. We're talking a huge sheet of paper with customized illustrations drawn on them. And, since we're all for spreading the love, at the end of the meal we had all of our guests tear off the parts of the illustrations that they liked best, to take home and frame. And lastly, if you know anything about our cocktails, you should know that we've never met an herb we didn't like. So we gifted each of our guests with a dill plant potted in a vintage bell jar. Obviously, we don't take sustainability lightly.

All in all, it was an awesome foray into the Atlanta scene. Click through to see ATL's finest enjoying their first tastes of a party the Kanon way...

Photos by Ali Khoshravani
April 25, 2012
The Fashionista Next Door Helps Welcome Kanon To ATL
Eboni Ife
When we decide to launch in a new city, we don't do it quietly. No, not at all. Our Atlanta Launch Dinner last night was one for the ages. We're talking an art piece by artist Jarno Kettunen as a tablecloth, a different Kanon cocktail with each course, and a ton of Atlanta's finest toasting to our arrival, including the ATL Twins...obviously. One of our guests was the fabulous Eboni of the blog The Fashionista Next Door... and we mean it, she's fa-bu-lous. Read below and check out her photos to get an insider look at the #KanonATLtakeover.

"Last night, the fabulous people at Kanon Vodka pulled out all the stops for a swanky soirée at The Goat Farm! There is truly no better place to host an event that brings Atlanta’s fashion, art, and foodie communities than The Goat House – it’s quirky, artsy, and eccentric with a bit of southern charm that you can only find in the south (ATL shawty!). They kicked the night off with the most amazing cocktails. I was quite smitten with a lavender-mint infused vodka cocktail that pretty much knocked my socks off! Then we moved into one of The Goat Farm’s studio spaces for dinner (catered by The Lawrence) and Kanon cocktail pairings. Once again…socks. off. LOL! My fave drink of the night was La Grande Jatte --a cardamom-infused Kanon Vodka with absinthe, herbs, strawberry, and sasion. Two words. #TOTESAMAZE. (I couldn’t help myself! LOL) Oh, and the tables were beautiful! I’m talking personalized name cards tucked into potted dill plants (which we took home, btw!), all laid out on a one-of-a-kind hand painted table cloth by local artist Jarno Kettunen (which we also ripped off the table and took home!).

Oh, and I’ve gotta give a shout out to the rest of my ATL blogger crew that was in the house!! Big hugs to Mattie, Jess, and Broderick! And many thanks to the Kanon team for having me! Hubs and I had soooo much fun…and Albie, I love you! xoxo…Eboni"
April 25, 2012
The Kanon Music Festival Pool Parties Relived
The only thing better than going to a really awesome party is reliving it on film. We recruited one of our favorite video-masters Rony, of Rony's Photobooth, to capture our music festival adventures. Seriously, has a pool party ever looked so good? Our friends are pretty gorgeous. Check it out + get in a summer frame of mind. (link to video)

Video by Rony's Photobooth
April 24, 2012
Our Music Festival Rundown
Charlie Smith
Now that our music festival-induced hangover has finally disappeared, we're ready to give you our take on the pool-sitting, cocktail-sipping, music-listening adventure that was our weekend in Indio. Basically, we gathered the coolest people in the desert for some sick pool parties and provided them with a steady flow of Kanon--because we all know, music festivals aren't really about the music, they're about the party. Check it out below... and yes, we did have girls in Kanon bikinis. #awesome

Photos by David X Prutting/BFAnyc.com
April 23, 2012
Stan D'arde Recaps Midweek Events at the Standard Downtown
Simon and Garfunkel--is that you?
Now that music festival goers have been split into two camps--weekend 1 and weekend 2--mid-week seems to be the perfect time for LA hotspots to throw a rager. Because why not? The Standard Downtown, with its gorgeous city views and rooftop pool took advantage of this nicely with live performances by Yacht, The Limousines, Poolside and more this Tuesday and Wednesday. With all the bright city skyscrapers surrounding us, we almost felt like we were back in Manhattan for the week. Almost. Check out what our favorite employee of The Standard, Mr. Stan D'arde himself had to say about the night's festivities, and check out the rest of the photos on our Facebook page HERE.