Absinthe Tasting at the Phillips Mansion or Chasing the Green Fairy in Pomona

The article title doesn’t have the same panache as a Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, but I tried.

I am always on the lookout for an interesting local adventure. Scanning my e-mails during a conference call, I came across the Historical Society of Pomona Valley’s e-mail: Absinthe Tasting at the historic Phillips Mansion. I could not pass this event. I was interested in tasting absinthe and I’ve wanted to see the inside of the Phillips Mansion. This was a pleasant twofer.

The wifey passed on this event, so I bought a single ticket to ensure I had a place at the table. Seating was limited and only the first responders could purchase tickets.

On a cold Spring Southern California Sunday afternoon, I headed east on the 210 towards Pomona.

I arrived early to take pictures of the exterior. The Phillips Mansion was built in 1875 in the Second Empire style for Louis Phillips, who by the 1890s had become the wealthiest man in Los Angeles County. The Historical Society had purchased the mansion in the 1960s before it was to be torn down and turned into a paint factory. If you ever visit the grounds, you’ll notice the mansion is located along an industrialized road in Pomona. It stands out. And, the Second Empire style, is what I associate with the classic haunted house.

The overcast grey sky added ambiance to the afternoon. I meandered around the grounds taking pictures and awaiting the designated time for the event to start. Right around 11am the Historical Society opened the doors and the crowd of 20 entered the mansion.

 

The event was held in the formal dining room to the left of the entrance. The room was setup with two tables: a long rectangular banquet table and a square “kids’” table. I took a space at the “kids” table and was soon joined by a husband and wife from Pomona and two female friends on their own Sunday adventure. All around good company.

The historian who presented the lecture and shared his absinthe alcohol and accoutrement collection was remarkable. I think most of my graduate classes would have progressed faster and made more interesting if alcohol was served. He lectured on the history of absinthe over the course of ten tastings, which ranged from a low cost Czech brand to his own brew.

I would do no justice reciting his lecture, particularly, after a couple tastings, but I wanted to mention some interesting facts I had typed into my phone during the lecture.

• Absinthe’s name is derived from one of the botanical used Artemsia absinthium (Grand wormwood).
• Chernobyl means wormwood in Ukranian.
• The chemical compound Thujone is blamed for the alleged hallucinogen properties of the drink.
• Vermouth also contains Thujone.
• The temperance movement and the Lanfray murder spurred the prohibition of absinthe and its eventual banning. The wine industry helped make this happen.
• Over the past 15 years countries have lifted the ban.
• US does not have a legal definition of absinthe, so beware on what you are drinking. It could be alcohol and green food coloring.

Overall, if you are not a fan of anise, fennel, or black licorice this will not be a drink for you. As a connoisseur of Scotty Dogs, black licorice pipes, and All Sorts, the drink is in my wheelhouse. In fact, I enjoy the absinthe soda pop from Galco’s.

After the lecture and tasting, the Historical Society of Pomona Valley brought in cake. How wonderful is that? Who doesn’t like cake? After the cake, the guests were allowed to tour the ground floor of the mansion.

If you are a fan of horror movies, add this onto your itinerary. Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural (1973) used the mansion exteriors and some interior shots. In addition, the Historical Society purchased the Currier House in 2004 and moved it from the City of Industry and sat it behind the mansion. The Currier House was used as a film location for Tobe Hooper’s The Mortuary (2005).

A fine and adventurous Sunday with a little learning thrown in. If interested, look at joining the Historical Society of Pomona Valley.