Lectures
I have several presentations available. Please contact me for scheduling and rates.
History of Cocktails
The History of Cocktails :
Lecture and Demonstration
Did you ever wonder how the "Old Fashioned" cocktail got that name?
The first reference to "the cocktail" was in the early 1800's. I'll tell you about what people drank before the invention of the cocktail, and how cocktails have evolved through the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
You'll hear about several unsung heroes of cocktail culture, including the man that first shipped ice to the Caribbean, the Bartender that invented flaming cocktails, the woman that invented the "cocktail party", the speakeasy owner that created the first "Tiki Bar", and the rock star that helped popularize the Tequila Sunrise.
I also include a short (magical) demonstration of creating a cocktail.
Beer Glorious Beer
The History of Beer and Newark Breweries:
Lecture with Optional Beer Tasting
Learn more about the history of beer, which extends back before the Babylonians in 4000 BC. We'll follow how beer came to America, and the important role it played in the development of the country. Special attention is given to the breweries of Newark NJ, once considered the brewing capital of the United States. I talk about the companies, breweries, and families that were responsible for the growth of this major Newark industry. Prohibition almost killed this industry - you'll learn about the survivors, and their fates as the industry went through consolidations in the 1950's and 60's. I wrap up by talking about the return of home brewing and craft brewing in NJ, as well as recent proposals to modernize NJ's liquor licensing laws.
A beer tasting can be included with the presentation if your organization/site is properly licensed and insured.
Victorian
Magic
Victorian Magic :
Lecture and Performance
An overview of the "Golden Age" of Magic, from Jean Robert-Houdin through George Melies. The connection between technology and magic is explored, and several classic magic effects are described and demonstrated.
Hear the story of Chung Ling Soo, fatally wounded on stage during his "bullet catch" act - and I will reveal his greatest secret!
Feedback:
"Thank you again for your excellent Victorian Magic program at our February meeting... Everyone present said it was one of the best programs we have had in a long time"
- Victorian Society of Northern NJ
"Many thanks for a great evening. Everyone loved it!
- Historical Association of Woodbridge Township
Victorian Spiritualism
The Rise and Fall of Spiritualism in the Victorian Era :
Lecture and Demonstration
Spiritualism is based on the belief that the spirits of the dead exist, and have the ability and willingness to communicate with the living. We review the rise of this movement, starting with the Fox Sisters in upstate New York, through the appearance of charlatans who discredited the movement. Harry Houdini and other magicians helped to expose false mediums, who were deceiving the public for profit.
I will demonstrate some of the magic techniques used by these frauds.
Patent Medicines
Patent Medicines - Curious Cures of the Victorian Era :
Lecture and Demonstration
Learn about the growth of the Patent Medicine industry in the Victorian era. In the last half of the 1800's, a wide variety of medical concoctions were marketed to the public. Some were ineffective, some were dangerous or addictive, and some have survived to the modern day. We'll hear about how and why the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) was created to rein in some of the excesses of the industry.
I use my magic performance skills to demonstrate some of the deceptions used by traveling medicine shows.
Mezcal & Oaxaca
Mezcal Production and the Culture of Oaxaca Mexico :
Lecture with optional Mezcal Tasting
Oaxaca is in central Mexico, and is the birthplace of Mezcal (a smoky liquor made from agave cactus). I'll explain the cactus harvest, fermentation and distillation process, illustrated with pictures from my trips to Oaxaca.
Mezcal tastings can be included if your organization and venue are properly licensed and insured.
This presentation also includes information on the indigenous native cultures, archaeology, architecture, and the traditions of Dia de Muertos (The Day of the Dead).
An excellent topic for a meeting around the time of Halloween/Day of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo, or Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15).
Victorian Mexico
Mexican Political History - Empires, Independence and Revolution
Lecture
When the Spanish arrived in the new world, they seized vast amounts of land, which they called the Empire of Mexico.
Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 and established a constitutional democracy.
But in the 1860's, France invaded Mexico and attempted to reestablish a monarchy led by Emperor Maximillian I. We'll talk about the cultural and political forces that led to this invasion, including interference by both Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Emperor Napoleon III. Benito Juarez lead the resistance by the Mexican Republican Army, winning the first key battle on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo). Juarez eventually overthrows and executes Maximilian, but that is not the end of French influence in Mexico.
This presentation includes both an overview of Mexican political history through the 19th century and a travelogue of photos documenting how the French intervention had an impact of France on Mexican culture, architecture and food.
This is an excellent topic for May, around Cinco de Mayo, or during Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15 - 10/15).
Feedback:
"That was a great program! Not just the history, but the underlying royal/political overtones and his great humor in the presentation.
This was an area of history that we knew so little about. Thank you again!"
- Victorian Society of Northern NJ
Coming Soon
Upcoming topics, currently in development:
- Murders at the Fair - Serial Killer H.H.Holmes
- The Molly Maguires and the first Great American Detective
- Famous Magicians of New Jersey
- Harry Houdini and Escapes as Entertainment