Lush Life – Details, episodes & analysis

Most people know that sake is made with rice, but did you know that rice might be grown in California? 

This is the 250th episode of Lush Life Podcast, every week I have been inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the guests who have been kind enough to join me and I am sure I will continue to be inspired by those who are yet to be on the program. 

Thank you everyone for your support, especially Evo Terra and his team, that’s my producer, and thank you for listening. 

Now, back to that 250th episode!

I was shocked, too. I had just assumed the rice was all grown in Japan. That’s just one of the many things that Ken LaGrande revealed about sake over cocktails at the Connaught. In fact, those aforementioned cocktails had all been made using SoGood Sake.

Why create a new sake and one whose pedigree is purely American?  

Joining me today to explain everything is Ken himself and, one of the other co-founders of SoGood Sake, Meryl Kennedy. 

Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more, just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual that's youtube.com/@lushlifemanual!

The cocktail of the week is the Sake Sunset:

INGREDIENTS 

• 40 ml SoGood Sake
• 20 ml Dark rum
• 60 ml Solo Coldbrew 
• 20 ml Miso Caramel (1:9 White Miso to Caramel)
• Garnish: Dark Chocolate

METHOD

• Add all the ingredients to a shaker and add ice
• Shake until well diluted and cold
• Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
• Garnish with Grated Dark Chocolate 

You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients.

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/sogood-sake-with-meryl-kennedy-and-ken-lagrande

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Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual.

Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more! 

Produced by Simpler Media

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Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest

New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

Yes, we are back with the 9th - how is it possible -  season of Lush Life!  Where best to begin? Venice, of course! 

How is it that there weren’t already Venice Cocktail Tours before now? Well, I don’t want to reveal the whole story in this intro, you can now enjoy two different cocktail tours in Venice!

Let’s just say that great minds were thinking how best to introduce you to not only the role that Venice played in bringing you some of the greatest drinks ever, but also to how amazing the cocktail scene is.

I happened to meet Monica Cesarato by chance during Venice Cocktail Week two years ago. Not only did Monica create the first cicchetti tours in Venice, but she is also the author of two books, food & travel blogger, podcaster, and producer. 

Our Co-Founder, Romena Brugnerotto, leads all different types of tours throughout the city, like art, culture, and cicchetti, as well as being a sommelier! Together, they had a brilliant idea to create cocktail tours, just as I was also thinking the same.  Our worlds collided, and the rest is history, but there is so much more to it than that!

The cocktail of the week is the Cinico:

INGREDIENTS 

• 30ml prosecco
• 30ml cinico (Italian cinnamon liqueur)
• 30ml soda water
• Garnish: lime, mint and a cinnamon stick

METHOD

• Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with ice
• Stir gently
• Garnish with lime, mint, and a cinnamon stick

You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, plus links to most of the ingredients.

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-take-venice-cocktail-tours

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Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to https://substack.com/@alushlifemanual.

Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more! 

Produced by Simpler Media

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram

Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest

New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

You asked for it, and you got it - all of you kind people who filled out my survey asked for more interviews with more legends. Our guest is the world's most-awarded bartender & bar owner. If Mr Lyan isn’t a legend, I don’t know who is.

If you call yourself a cocktail connoisseur, then you will have come upon the name Mr Lyan in your travels. Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan opened White Lyan in London in 2013. It was a moment that will go down in cocktail history as the first cocktail bar in the world to use no perishables, no fruit, and even no ice, an innovative approach to sustainability, with much lower waste and a use of pre-made cocktails and never before seen ingredients. 

This focus on a ground-breaking approach remains in the evolution of White Lyan, Super Lyan, Dandelyan, Cub, Lyaness, Silver Lyan, and Seed Library.

Ryan’s with me to discuss his new book, Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends, but we go into so much more - 

How his relationship to flavor evolved, how his studying Fine Arts at Central Saint Martins as well as Biology at Edinburgh University spurred him on to get behind the bar, and why the need to write a book at all.

You have no idea how excited I am to finally have Ryan on the show!

Before we begin, you can always watch this episode on Youtube, plus all the other Lush Life episodes as well as a whole lot more; just head to youtube.com/@lushlifemanual

The cocktail of the week is Ryan’s Barlay Champagne!

INGREDIENTS 

• 4 shots (100ml/4oz) water
• 6 shots (150ml/6oz) lemon barley water cordial
• 8 shots (200ml/8oz) fino sherry or dry vermouth
• 12 shots (300ml/12oz) London dry gin
• 10 dashes Tabasco
• Rosemary sprigs, to garnish

METHOD

• Add the water, cordial, sherry or vermouth, and gin to a jug, then add the Tabasco 
• Stir and then decant into a clean wine bottle and chill well
• To serve, add a shot and a half (40ml/1.5oz) of the chilled mixture to a flute, then top with bubbles. 
• Add a sprig  of rosemary and serve

The Magic is that “you can make lemon barley cordial at home (it's a very old-fashioned British cordial of pearl barley and lemon), but this recipe works great with any store-bought cordial that brings sweetness and acidity. Elderflower, blackcurrant, or even more regional ones such as redcurrant or gooseberry also work-although there's a richness to the barley addition that works wonderfully.  Tabasco adds a background heat, but try adding other accent spices such as gochujang or sriracha - just sieve it after mixing to remove any particulates, as they will interfere with the fizz. Plus, you just want a hint of fruity warmth. else you’ll throw the balance of the drink.”

You’ll find this recipe, more Champagne cocktail recipes, and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, where you’ll find some of the ingredients in our shop.

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/cocktails-at-home-with-ryan-chetiyawardana

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Become a supporter of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $5 - all you have to do is go to patreon.com/lushlife

Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers, and more covers for everything! And more! 

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When you walk into a bar and think this is fabulous. I assure you a whole lot of thought has gone into you having that good time before you’ve stepped through that threshold.

For our guest today, it’s been his life’s work to make sure everyone has a good time and his mission is making you leave feeling the same way you came in.

I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is, Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by everyone in this industry. 

Everytime I’m in Dishoom, I toast to Robbie Bargh, the Founder & Director of the Hospitality Concept Agency, Gorgeous Group. Many moons ago, when I met him for the first time, Robbie was in the throes of working on the launch of what is now one of the most recognized Indian restaurants in the UK. 

Robbie is one of those geniuses who knows inherently what makes a good time and how to distill that good time into whatever project he is working on - bar, restaurant and even an upcoming theatre project.

It was a delight to finally find out how it all began.

Before we begin, you can find links on how to donate to some of your favorite bars or have cocktails delivered right to your door during this rough time on the homepage of my website alushlifemanual.com. 

The Cocktail of the Week is the Gorgeous Negroni Sbagliato:

Ingredients:

• 25ml Campari
• 25ml Sweet Vermouth
• Sparkling Pink Champagne

Method:

Add the Campari and Sweet Vermouth to a wine glass. Add ice and gently top up with the Sparkling Pink Champagne. Stir it all together.

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You can find this recipe, more recipes, and all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll find links to all the  ingredients.

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-make-sure-everyone-has-a-good-time

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.

Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I got chatting to the guy sitting next to me at my Level 2 Wine and Spirit Education Trust class - the place you go when you want to learn about the ins and outs of distillation and the history of some of your favorite spirits. As you do, I sparked up a conversation with the Italian by asking him what he did and then he said I am a bartender at the Connaught Hotel and at that moment I knew we would be friends.

I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is, Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by everyone in this industry. 

Yes, that fateful day, about three years ago, I met Giorgio Bargiani, now Head of Mixology at one of the most famous bars in the world, the Connaught Bar in London. We have remained friends ever since and I have longed to have him on the show to learn a little more about my fellow student. Who I found out began his career by polishing plates!

Before we begin, you can find links on how to donate to some of your favorite bars during this rough time on the homepage of my website alushlifemanual.com. 

This week, Giorgio reveals:

• Why he was polishing plates
• How he found his first job in a hotel
• What it’s like working at one of the best bars in the world
• Where he likes to drink when he’s not at the Connaught

The Cocktail of the Week is Giorgio’s Flight of Negronis

Ingredients:

• 750 ml Sipsmith Gin
• 750 ml Martini Rubino
• 750 ml Martini Bitter
• 750 ml Still water

Method:

Mix all the four ingredients together and then split again in four different bottles. Leave 1 bottle untouched for a Classic Negroni.

Infuse one bottle with 1-2 whole peels of your favorite citrus fruit for at least a week then start tasting it daily until it’s perfect for you 

Infuse one bottle with 2 to 3g of your favourite dry spice for at least one hour and then start tasting it hourly until you love it. Giorgio likes Sichuan Pepper.

Infuse one bottle with 50g of your favourite fresh herbs for at least one day and then start tasting daily until you love that one too. Giorgio used Eucalyptus!

Store in the the fridge and when is very cold enjoy it as you wish, with or without ice.

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.

Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I met today’s guest under pretty cool circumstances. Picture the sit-down dinner of the UK finals for the Diageo World Class competition - one of the hardest cocktail making competitions in the country. There were eleven finalists and each table of ten was served by one of the competitors for the night. At my table was one of the senior bartenders of the American Bar of the Savoy Hotel - it’s tough to get better than that.

I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is, Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by everyone in this industry. 

Who knew that under that sharp white jacket and smooth persona, Martin Hudák of Maybe Sammy and Global Coffee Ambassador of Mr. Black, has a passion like no other - for coffee and coffee cocktails. He kept it under wraps until winning the World Coffee in Good Spirits Award in 2017. Since then, he’s gone on to move to Australia, open an award winning bar of his own and win the International Bartender of the Year.   

Through the miracles of modern science, I was finally able to interview him in Australia and discover what led him to go down under and how his coffee loving became spiritual.

On today’s program, you’ll discover:

• When he made his first Martini
• Who taught him how to put on a tie
• Where his favorite bars in the world are
• How to get his special blend of coffee

The Cocktail of the Week is the La Finca.

Ingredients:

• 30ml Mr Black Single Origin Colombia 
• 20ml Oloroso Sherry 
• 10ml Manuka Honey syrup (2:1)
• Dried or fresh fig 

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass. Stir. Strain into a rocks glass with one big ice cube. Garnish with the fig.

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You can find this recipe, more recipes and all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. 

Full Episode Details:  https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-spiritual ‎

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.

Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I don’t know who said you should never meet your idols, but they got it wrong this time. My guest today is drinks’ podcasting royalty, and from the first moment I contacted this king of the airwaves, he was raring to join the Lush Life family 

I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is, Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by everyone in this industry. 

As the Fates would have it, Mark Gillespie, the Host and Executive Producer of WhiskyCast, the podcast that wrote the book on how to do a successful drinks podcast, from interviews to news to tastings to events, lives only minutes away from my family’s home in Philadelphia. Those fickle gods kept us apart until last week when Lush Life went virtual.

Usually he is the one doing the interviewing, but today is one of the rare occasions when he was interviewed. 

So, pour yourself a dram, sit back, and enjoy hearing how and why Mark became the man behind WhiskyCast. 

Stick around to find out what we’re drinking!

Before you start, you can find links on how to donate to some of your favorite bars during this rough time on the homepage of my website alushlifemanual.com. 

The Cocktail of the Week is the Seven & Seven.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Seagram's 7 Crown Whiskey
• 6​ oz 7-Up soda
• Lemon wheel 

Method:

Add Seagram's 7 in a highball glass filled with ice. Top with 7-Up (or Lemonade). Stir and then garnish with the lemon wheel

You can find this recipe, more easy recipes and all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. 

Full Episode Details:  https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-tell-the-stories

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.

Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I always say how much I love the spirit world and now during this crisis they have come together to support each other in ways that would have seemed incomprehensible just a few months ago. From making hand sanitizer, to delivering cocktails at home, to supporting the medical workers worldwide, the hospitality industry has stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park.  Today we meet two who’ve hit a home run. Sorry for the baseball references, but it’s spring after all and I love baseball!

I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and welcome back to Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by everyone in this industry. 

You can find links on how to donate to some of your favorite bars during this rough time on the homepage of my website which is www.alushlifemanual.com.

I always pride myself on meeting my guests face-to-face but obviously while we are self-isolating that is impossible. Therefore I am using an online platform and reliant on wifi, so please, please bear with the slight hiccups you might encounter along the way.

Back to our guests today, Both Maxim Schulte, Head Bartender of the American Bar at The Savoy Hotel in London and Jo Last, Senior Bartender at The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, have had to leave their positions behind the bar to wait out the crisis like the rest of us.  

Instead of lounging around though, they immediately launched The Booze Brain, an online training platform for brands and industry leaders to continue to educate and keep in touch with each other through FB and Instagram Live.

They are already on their fourth week of Booze Brain, and as you’ll hear, everyone in the business jumped at the chance to share their knowledge and know-how with their peers and cocktail enthusiasts like me who can learn right alongside them. Even participate in their IG lives! 

Pour yourself a cocktail, pick up your phone, laptop or any screen and check out Booze Brain. Here are Maxim and Jo to tell us more.

The Cocktail of the Week is the Savoy Martini - in bulk!

Ingredients:

• 700 ml Bottle of Gin or Vodka
• 140 ml Still Water
• 110 ml Dry Vermouth

Method:

Take a 700ml bottle of gin or vodka that you desire and pour 250ml out of the bottle and store elsewhere or drink! Fill 140ml of still water and 110ml dry vermouth into the bottle. Now put the bottle in the freezer for a couple of hours. Pour the silky liquid straight into your glass. Finish the Martini with a lemon twist or olive, however you like it best.

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You can find this recipe, more Martini recipes and all the cocktails of the week at  ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. 

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-use-your-downtime

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here –

This is a biggie and I am not ashamed to scream out. It’s Lush Life’s 150th episode and if that weren’t exciting enough my guest is Elliot Ball of among many other bars he runs, the Cocktail Trading Co.! 

What does it take to do 150 eps?  The support of all of you who listen to the stories that inspire us to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry. The best producer in the business (I am biased!) Evo Terra of Simpler Media Productions and Podcast Pontifications and the participation of all my guests.

Why is it so special for me to have Elliot on this monumental occasion? Well if you close your eyes and click your heels three times, you’ll head straight back to my first episode many moons ago. 

I was pretty new at this and he was so game - it was Andy Mil, not only my first guest of all time but also Elliot’s partner at Cocktail Trading Co... From that moment, I felt a deep connection to them and their bar.

With their other partner Olly, their journey those almost 4 years since my first episode has been stratospheric. 

Now it’s time for Elliot to tell us his story of how he’s used his neuroscience background in the bar and catch up where Andy left off those 4 years ago because a lot has changed.

Make sure to listen all the way to the end for a special announcement.

Before that, you’ll discover:

• Why Elliot is so special to Lush Life
• How he met Andy & Olly
• How a neuroscience degree can help you become a better bartender
• The right way to send a CV to them
• Much, much more

 The Cocktail of the Week is the Mizuwari's Downfall.

Ingredients:

• 3 parts Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky
• 1 part Jalapeño & fennel syrup
• 4 parts Clarified pineapple-cilantro soda 

Method:

Mix, Chill, Carbonate, Pour over ice spear when ready.

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You can find this recipe, more whisky recipes and all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. 

Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2TTwLSx

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.

Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

The Bright Young Things were a group of rich, indulgent aristocrats who between the two wars entertained themselves by dressing up, posing and performing. 

All this gaiety was caught on camera by the incomparable and controversial Cecil Beaton. One thing is for sure, if they were alive now, all their fun would be had at Claridge’s with cocktails conceived by our guest today!

Denis Broci makes you feel like a Bright Young Thing when you step into Claridge’s Bar or The Fumoir Bar - two of the glamorous spots in the world.

Today we are celebrating the release of the cocktail book, Cecil Beaton: Mixing with the Bright Young Things, which Denis, as Manager of both bars at Claridge’s, curated with a list of sixty-four drinks from the 1920’s and 1930’s, the ‘Golden Age’ of cocktails.

But first I had to hear all about Denis and how he found himself at one of the most iconic hotels of all time.

In this episode, I discovered:

• What happened his first week of work that scared him to death
• What it was like working at Michelin Star restaurant
• How he came to curate the new book, Cecil Beaton: Mixing with the Bright Young Things
• His favorite bar in London and outside of London
• His Top Tips for the Home Bartender

Needless to say we began with a Bee’s Knees and ended with our cocktail of the week, the Fumoir Negroni!

This particular version is Claridge’s signature cocktail in the Fumoir Bar and was created to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Negroni cocktail in 2019. 

Ingredients:

• 25ml ( 5⁄6 oz) Hepple Gin 
• 25ml ( 5⁄6 oz) Campari 
• 18ml ( 3⁄5 oz) Martini Rosso 
• 7ml ( 1⁄5 oz) Punt e Mes Carpano 
• 3.5g ( 1⁄8 oz) Camomile 
• 3.5g ( 1⁄8 oz) Coffee beans 

Method:

Infuse the gin with camomile for thirty minutes, and the vermouths and bitter with the coffee separately for the same amount of time. Fine strain the infusions into a mixing glass and stir with ice, ensuring that the flavours are well balanced. Fine strain into an old fashioned glass with an ice block. Garnish with orange twist. 

You can find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at  ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. 

Full Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/how-to-be-a-bright-young-thing

Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!

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If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.

Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!

Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.

Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media...