When Thad Vogler isn’t busy helming a restaurant empire or traveling the world in search of spirits worthy of his bar counters (only the best, natch), you’ll likely find him noshing, imbibing, partaking, and relishing in any of the following:

Day-off delight:

Swim in the bay at the Dolphin Club.

Staple drink + food pairing:

‘Ti Punch (agricole rum, lime, sugar), whole roasted fish, fritters—food you’d eat on a beach in the Carribbean.

Favorite cocktail ingredient:

Brandy

Favorite global destination:

Cuba

Go-to spot in the city for a culture fix:

Guest house at Green Gulch Farm

Favorite work of literature:

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Short list of artist on your iPod:

Roberta Flack, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytalls, Biz Markie, Celine Dion, Air Supply

Bartending high, bartending low:

High: Any night I’m making drinks with bartenders who also happen to be my good friends.

Low: Working in a blackout on New Year’s Eve, 1994.

Hidden gem of a watering hole:

The View Lounge at the Marriott