With June being a significant month for the LGBTQ+ community around the world, hospitality group Common Abode is joining in on the celebrations with Love Out Loud, a party in honour of – and wrapping up – Pride Month at its hip-hop lounge, Candour.
An evening where everybody is welcome in this safe space for the community, bar managers across Common Abode’s three venues will come together for a guest shift to concoct a drink of their own, based on what Pride means to them. The special cocktails, each priced at $108, will form an exclusive menu for the night, alongside highballs of various house pours ($98) and Chandon Garden Spritz to debut at Candour.
Hjem: Tracy Villegas
Tracy Villegas from Common Abode’s Nordic eatery, Hjem, will make the first appearance from 8pm onwards, slinging the unmissable Out & Proud. A drink for everyone and anyone, the Out & Proud is a twist on the well-loved Margarita, made using tequila, fresh lime juice, and homemade soursop syrup, finished with Tajín on the rim and rainbow-coloured sour candy.
Club Rangoon: Hnin Pwint Aye
From 9pm, Hnin Pwint Aye – the bar manager of the group’s Burmese restaurant Club Rangoon – will be at Candour to mix up her special drink for the night. Another One Bites the Dust is inspired by Freddie Mercury’s own parties, where he takes it upon himself to make sure guests are well quenched. Channeling the same hospitality and playing on his signature champagne pours, Hnin uses pumpkin skin-infused gin, Cointreau, and ginger ale in her version of the bubbly — equal parts a tribute to an icon of queer history and to simply having a good time. Just having launched her new cocktail programme at Club Rangoon, guests can be assured of quality drinks and refined mixology with Hnin behind the bar.
Candour: Alex Pun
Last but not least, Candour’s Manager, Alex Pun, will be present throughout the night, bringing to the mix a drink of his own. The Nina Flowers is a riff on the classic Penicillin, a rye whiskey-based cocktail with a homemade strawberry and ginger syrup, rhubarb bitters, lemon, and saline solution. Named after drag queen Nina Flowers, this cocktail is fit for all queens with its myriad of flavours ranging from sweet to tart, to fruity with a slight kick of spice, making for delicious sips throughout.
Other specials
Those wanting to kick off the evening with a little bit of sparkling can enjoy Yarra Valley’s Chandon Garden Spritz by the glass or the bottle — a recently released concoction from Chandon combining its signature Brut sparkling wine with a secret orange bitters recipe for the ultimate spritz experience.
Want something to go with your drinks? Bar bites will be available on the nightk including the best-selling Piri-piri Wings ($88) – chicken wings served with homemade piri-piri sauce – as well as the Candour Hot Dog ($88), a pork wiener sausage served in a soft brioche bun with pickles, ketchup, and mustard.