Paris Nocera likes to be the life of the party, and he is at least five nights a week.
From behind the bar at The Shelter, 4155 E. Grant Rd., Nocera shakes and squeezes, greets and cajoles, offering each patron ambling in a personalized drink in the easy manner of an old friend. He catches up on the news, smoothes his chin-length locks and begins the alcohol alchemy.
In the glow of John F. Kennedy’s flashing plastic teeth and ’60s sci-fi videos, Nocera asks a new and undecided drinker what they typically order; do they like fruity, how sweet, can they take spice, and at the end, they will be holding just what they didn’t realize they wanted or needed, and they will almost definitely like it.
The 38-year-old Pittsburgh-area native has tended bar at The Shelter for 12 years, following stints at restaurants and bars from Anthony’s In The Catalinas to now-defunct Fourth Avenue bar Jaime’s.
For Nocera, bartending is a career. “I take bartending seriously, and I take pride in what I do,” he said, rattling off the reasons he loves his job. At the top: “People come to my work to have a good time, and I can use my imagination – the (cocktail) possibilities are limitless.”
At The Shelter, the scene is steady – the last bartender hired started five years ago. The clientele is diverse and the jukebox is almost as wide-ranging as the crowd. Plus, what’s cozier than a bomb shelter built out to be a bar?
On trends in mixology: “I like taking classics and turning them into cocktails accessible to a younger generation. There are so many flavored vodkas out there, so it’s easy to make something a little more exciting, with a little more flavor or fruitier. We infuse vodkas here – vanilla beans, habañero, garlic, chocolate.”
Favorite spirit: “Vodka for its versatility. There are so many great flavors these days, and it’s the most popular.”
After his shift: “My wife is also a bartender – at the Golden Nugget – so after a shift we’ll wind down together, have a drink or two and tell stories. I’m usually in bed by 4 or 4:30am and up around 9am with our five-month-old baby.”
Signature Drink: Satan’s Beard
1 part maraschino liqueur
1 part Grand Marnier
1 part sweet vermouth
3 parts bourbon
Orange peel
Splash of cherry juice
The Shelter is open 3pm to 2am every day. For more information, call 326-1345
