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"Blood & Sand" at 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar

St. Louis now has its own chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild. To celebrate, some of the city's best bartenders got behind the bar on November 9, 2009 at 33 Wine Shop. Photos by Stew Smith.

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Mixologist Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche, who presides over St. Louis' "Best Drink Menu," according to the '09 RFT Best Of St. Louis issue.

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TJ Vytlacil of Flamingo Bowl mixes drinks at 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar for the "Blood & Sand" cocktail event on Monday, November 9, 2009.

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"Bramble On," created by Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche.

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Mixologists Nate Selsor (left) of Monarch Restaurant & Wine Bar in Maplewood, and TJ Vytlacil of Flamingo Bowl downtown, concoct sample shots of the evening's signature cocktails.

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Moving so fast they blur, the hands of mixologist Jamie Kilgore of Terrene prepare a drink, while her husband, Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche, receives a compliment from a satisfied customer.

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Mixing up Orchard's Dance cocktails -- a creation by Matt Seiter, bar manager at the new (as yet unopened) Sanctuaria in the Grove (former Agave space) -- by the shaker-full.

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Ted Kilgore (left) of Taste by Niche and Lucas Ramsey (right) of Eclipse on Delmar, team up to create a new drink on the spot.

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Lucas Ramsey (left) and Jamie Kilgore (right) mix up signature creations.

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Who doesn't love a good cocktail? Mike Calvin and Maggie Neilo enjoy 33's "Blood & Sand" event, which brought together bartenders and "mixologists" from various spots throughout St. Louis.

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This is the creation of Matt Seiter, bar manager at the new (as yet unopened) Sanctuaria in the Grove, "the Orchard's Dance."

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The inconspicuous entrance of 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar on Park Avenue, near Lafayette Park on the near-South Side.

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You had better know the address because there is no sign.

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Pastis Plenty, a creation by Michele Bildner, bartender at Monarch Restaurant & Wine Bar in Maplewood.

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Lucas Ramsey of Eclipse, a newly opened restaurant in the Moonrise Hotel on Delmar.

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Kritin Artumn (right) enjoys an Orchard's Dance while Eben Shuntz (left) refreshes himself with a "Bramble On," created by Ted Kilgore of Taste by Niche.

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