Earlier this summer I elected to rediscover the considerable virtues of the gin and tonic as soothing, cooling libation, and once in a while while imbibing, Rex popped into my mind. I'd been fortunate to have been included on a Pamplona "pig walk," an excursion to a grill restaurant specializing in whole roast pig, led by and fully annotated by Rex. The pig walk included long layovers (both coming and going) in a bar called the Savoy, which serves the finest gin and tonic in memory.
The following article mentions Rex. It's a matter of significant pride to me that I have had the chance to meet most of the other persons spoken about therein, for which I thank Don and his pal Warren Parker.
Noel Chandler, The Champagne Count of Pamplona's San Fermín (Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel)
At a typical Chandler Champagne party, it common to see many of the following people: Noel Chandler’s long time companion, Nancy Fortier of Atlanta; Jim Hollander, a crack wire photographer based in Tel Aviv; Davey Crockett, a descendant of the famous American frontiersman, a veteran at San Fermín, and survivor of many encierros (bull runs); writer Jesse Graham, a relative of the great Gerald Brenan; the fine New York artist Warren Parker; and British bullfight guru Michael Wigram, all of whom would salute each other with a clink of Champagne flutes. The late Charles Patrick Scanlan, a long-time resident of Spain and one of the most knowledgeable aficionados would be in a corner working out the disposition of season bullfight tickets with Rex Howieson, the group’s semi-official social director.
For those about to enjoy the fiesta, I salute you. For the fallen ... you are remembered. Thanks for teaching me so much about the tradition.
At NAC: ON THE AVENUES: Red scarf, white shirt and San Miguel beer.
At Potable Curmudgeon: From 1998: "Being, Pretending and Other Assorted Daydreams of an Outsider."
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