Notes from our bar ·
Five doors. A little Halloween magic.
A first glimpse of the cocktail surprises I’m creating for my family this Halloween.
Hello,
This Halloween, I’m building a little surprise for my family.
With the evening falling on a Saturday, I’ve been putting together a short cocktail menu in TwentyTwo-2. Along the way, I started playing with an idea: what if choosing a drink became part of the occasion?
Five doors. A cocktail waiting behind each one.
The artwork gives each door its own personality—a ghost, a potion bottle, a pumpkin, an orchard moon. Touch a door on the menu and the drink reveals itself. A little mystery before we even reach for a glass.
It’s still taking shape, and I wanted to share a glimpse while I’m making it.
For me, this is where the pleasure of hosting starts. Thinking about the people coming over, what they enjoy and what might surprise them. My family have different tastes, so choosing the drinks is as much about them as it is about Halloween.
The app gives me somewhere to bring those ideas together: the recipes, the ingredients I’ll need and the menu my family will browse. This time, I’m exploring how the artwork and the reveal can help set the mood too.
I want to enjoy their reactions—and have time to enjoy the evening myself.
You might be planning cocktails before a weekly card game, having friends over to watch a match, or simply making someone their favourite drink. I think there’s something lovely about giving those familiar occasions a little extra thought.
I’ll share more next week as the Halloween menu comes together, including what ends up behind the doors.
In the meantime, what would you put behind yours: an old favourite, or something nobody has tried before? Reply and tell me.
It’s all about the occasion.
Toby
Originally sent on 25 October 2026. Seasonal references and offers reflect that edition.