Interview: Ian Lendler
Today's victim of the SFist interview has only been in our fair city for a couple of weeks, but that doesn'r mean we're going to take it easy on him! His new book, Alcoholica Esoterica, is a easily-digestible and very, very funny history of booze and drinking, and it comes out tomorrow!
We here at SFist welcome Ian to San Francisco and eagerly anticipate the day he ventures out of his living room and into the rest of our fair city.
What initially attracted you to this subject matter? Sure, lots of folks like to drink, but how did that translate to your writing this book?
Well, I know this is the pat answer, but I seriously spent more time in college "researching" alcohol than I did in classes. I figured it was time to put to my knowledge to good use. I mean, it actually did strike me that when you first start hanging out in bars, there’s a whole world of knowledge that you start learning (Why’s there a 33 on a rolling rock bottle? Why’s there a bat on bacardi rum bottles? Why does Budweiser suck?). And every time I went into bookstores, the books on alcohol were always written by these really wanky wine people that bore no relation to the sort of people that make it fun to hang out in a bar.
What was your process in researching and writing this book? You allude to using friends to help you, then to double and triple checking your facts -- walk us through this.
Plagiarism. Forgery. Deceit.
As I said above, there’s a lot of oral history (wink wink nudge nudge) running around any bar. So I started with all the stuff I’d picked up and actually looked to see if it was true or not. Then I just started reading lots of history books. You know how they spend all of the 6th grade teaching you about the fertile crescent in Egpyt and you’re not sure why you should give a crap? Well, it was a lot more interesting to read about once I found out that civilization quite literally started there because that’s where grapes for wine and grain for beer grew the best. History’s much more intersting to read about when you realize that the 20th century was by far the most sober one in history. By a country mile.
When working on this book, did you fall in love with
any new drinks?
Sadly, the one I really, really, really wanted to try is no longer around-– Vin Mariani, from the late 1800’s. It was bordeaux wine with cocaine leaves soaked in it. It was so good the Pope gave the inventor a Vatican medal of honor and officially endorsed the drink in an ad. I’ll type that again because it’s so awesome: The Pope! Did an ad! For cocaine wine! Because he drank it so much!
Good times.
Fall out of love with any others?
There are no bad drinks, just bad drunks.
Do you really think TiVo is just a "fad"?
I don’t know, but if mine doesn’t stop taping friggin’ bass fishing shows, I’m gonna fad its ass out onto the street. [shouting across the room to tv] You hear me, TiVO?! Huh?! I’m not playing!!
What are you working on now?
Another children’s book. My first one just came out this month as well– An Undone Fairy Tale. And I know that’s a shameless plug, but it’s true. It was just weird timing. I wrote a children’s picture book and a non-fiction book on alcohol a year apart, and they both end up coming out in the same month.
Introduce yourself in one sentence:
I’ve got a good fastball, a decent change-up, and I can go the distance.
Occupation:
Writer
Home Town:
Wait, you mean like where I was born? That’s Ohio. But I went through puberty in Connecticut. And that’s the more important one I think. But then I spent over a decade in NY, So I’m all tough and bitter, see?
How much time have you spent in the Bay Area?
Well, I moved here a month ago, and I’ve visited twice. So let’s say 6 weeks.
Favorite website:
ESPN.com. What can I say? I’m a guy.
Favorite local business:
Bevmo is certainly making a pretty strong case right now.
What I'm currently reading:
Alcoholica Esoterica. Unknown writer. Came out of nowhere to thrill the crowds. A wild read! What a ride! Holy Crap! Everyone should read this thing! Now! Exclamation point!
Best deal in San Francisco:
Good Luck Dim sum in the Richmond here is simply ridiculous!
Favorite mode of transportation:
Brainwaves, man. Far-out! Groovy! Exclamation point!
Favorite local hangout:
My living room. It’s cheaper than anywhere else.
SF has the BEST:
Hills. Seriously, what’d you want me to say? Baseball team? Not gonna happen.
You've never lived in SF until:
I don’t know, I’ve never lived here till now. You tell me. Come on, folks, write in!
Favorite Bay Area politician of past or present:
Gotta take a pass on this one.
Now that Gavin Newsom is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Having just moved here, I don’t know him too well, but I hear good things. Hell, my wife and I are open to experimentation. You hear that, Gav?
You can tell someone is a local here IF:
They’re a little TOO spacey. As if they’ve done acid one too many times.
SF would be soooo much better if only:
Everyone wore a red hat. From outer space, you could see San Fran as this giant red undulating blob. I’m just saying…
Best Burrito:
I dunno. I live in the Richmond, which is a pretty burrito-free territory. But you wanna talk the best kung pao shrimp, then buddy, let’s talk.
Best Restaurant:
Burma Superstar
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF:
Am I supposed to say something besides the car chase in Bullitt?
Best thing to do in the city in the summer:
Wear a hat and a scarf. Woo-hoo! Sorry for the sarcasm, I’m just not used to these summers yet. I’ll come around eventually. I’ve got Bevmo to keep me warm.
Favorite author to come out of the Bay Area:
Anyone except Richard Brautigan. It’s a pet peeve. Don’t pay me any mind.
Place you always tell visitors to check out:
My living room. It’s cheaper. And I’m so lonely.
Favorite Bridge in the area:
As far as I can tell, one bridge is beautiful and leads towards Napa Valley. And the other one is fugly and leads to Oakland. You make the call.
You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
See a movie at the Castro Theater. Places like that just don’t exist anymore. Anywhere.
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist:
A roommate. And he wasn’t a psycho. It was really extraordinary.
I want all the SFists out there to know:
If you buy 3 copies or more of my book, my mother might stop asking me what I’m doing for a living.
Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview:
How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?