Fridays After 5 Featuring Fran Carillo

SDA’s member spotlight Fridays After 5 showcases the varied creative, fun, adventurous, or interesting achievements our members accomplish after business hours.

This week’s Fridays After 5 features Fran Carillo, SDA. Fran is from San Diego, California, and received her MBA from Pepperdine. She is an associate and business manager of M. W. Steele Group where she has managed the daily operations of the firm for over 14 years. 

Fran is as creative as she is business-minded. As co-chair of the SDA Marketing and Communications Committee, you’ll recognize Fran’s impact in the continuity of our brand graphics, the creation, and hosting of the very popular Quick In 30 sessions dedicated to graphic design and marketing. 

She is also a committed community volunteer.  Fran served as Treasurer on the statewide board of the California Alliance for Arts Education. She is a founding member of Women's March San Diego and is serving as CFO for San Diego and the statewide WM California Board. In Addition, she serves as the Voter Empowerment Chair on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters San Diego. 

Fran’s gift for combining skills and talents to produce results also extends to cocktails! Lucky for SDA members, Fran is poised to share that talent as our guest mixologist for  EDSymposium 2021’s closing event. Think of it as this year’s virtual visit to the bar after the awards program. A chance to Meet new SDA colleagues, celebrate our conference and raise a glass to everyone for all of their efforts and accomplishments.

The Meet, Mix + Mingle networking/cocktail party will take place on Saturday, June 12 beginning at 4:15 pm eastern time. The event benefits the SDA Past Presidents Council Foundation (PPC).  The PPC Foundation to support grants for members to attend EDSymposium and EDConnect.

Get in on the fun for a tax-deductible minimum donation of $20. 

During the event, Fran will demonstrate the making of our special SDA cocktail (or mocktail). Participants can Mix along (recipes and bar list sent ahead of time) or sip on a favorite beverage and Mingle.

You can expect to get some fun facts about cocktails, and of course, door prize drawings donated by our SDA National Past Presidents and others. The current list of door prizes include a one-week stay at Warm Rays Cottage, Amazon Echo, Amazon Fire Kindle, Thirty-One Step Up Tote-Dancing Dash, Fire TV Stick 4K, 2-$50 gift cards, Thirty-One Step Up Tote-Dancing Dash, a custom SDA cupcake kit, handmade shawl, a package of handmade cards, and a cocktail set! 

Unwind from EDS 21, and get your Mixology on with Fran at the Meet, Mix + Mingle networking/cocktail party on Saturday, June 12 beginning at 4:15 pm eastern time.

And now, back to Fran!

Tell me about your job and SDA experience.

Out of college I floated around a little and worked for a family member who was a jeweler and businessman. He taught me on actual ledgers how to do accounting for a small business. Flash forward 30 plus years and I’m basically the controller of a firm of 15. But throughout that time I also got my art history degree and worked with nonprofits advancing my creative side.  I met Stephanie a few years back and heard her talk about SDA National’s need for a social media footprint. I jumped at the opportunity to flex my marketing and design skills. And here I sit.

When did you realize you had a gift for mixology?

One of the balls I juggled was that after my day job, I would go do the bookkeeping for my family’s Asian Fusion restaurant that we owned and operated for 15 years.  It was a fine dining restaurant with a sushi bar and full-service bar overlooking moonlight beach in Encinitas, CA. After my bookkeeping duties, I had dinner and sat with the bartender.  I eventually took over the bar vendor relations and became adept at learning the drinks.  Often working with the vendors and brands they were highlighting with new recipes. 

Do you remember the first, cocktail you made? If so, what was it?

Cape cod. We were doing a wedding, and the bartender was slammed. Cape Cods were hot that night so besides doing the taps I took on the Cape Cods.

On the left a Cape Code and on the right a Gimlet

How did you get into mixology?

I like to drink and for my 39 birthday I did a 40x40 tour of 40 things I had to do before my 40 birthday like 40 art shows, 40 sunsets, etc… one of the fun ones that I completed quickly was 40 new drinks.  Sounds easy, but it did take time. Every time I went somewhere I had to find a new drink to try. A little after that I began playing around when I could in the family bar.

Were you ever a bartender? 

No, I leave that to the experts. I was bar-back plenty of times, but that is really just pouring beers and washing glasses.

Do you follow a cocktail book? What resource do you rely on for mixology?

We did have a great little book behind the bar that I wish I kept.  But there are also great apps to find mixes now.

Do you have a favorite vintage cocktail?

YES GIMLET. We used to call it the old lady drink, but I love it. Gin and lime juice. I think it’s from the 20s.

What are the minimum tools for mixing?

Muddler, juicer, and shaker.

Fran's go-to bar tools include a muddler (3rd from left) and a shaker

What effect has the pandemic had on cocktail culture? 

I’ve gotten lazy and go for the pre-made hard seltzers for quick pop-open. But you can’t beat the freshness of a cocktail.

Do you have a signature or favorite cocktail? 

Whatever is sitting in front of me.  At the restaurant, my staff made a drink for me named “Sissy Water”. It was a double in a pint glass: vodka, lime, with fresh cucumber. It looked like a glass of water. It was our way of avoiding my mother (a nondrinker) from tirelessly commenting on my drinking. She thought I was just drinking water. So it was code for our staff. They actually end up selling it often.

Do you theme your cocktails to match an event?

More seasonal. I like a refreshing cocktail during the summer or spring. But go for the hard whiskeys and bourbons in the winter and fall.

Have you ever designed a cocktail for a special event? 

Yes, we often did for special events and wedding parties, they were usually just variations of common cocktails with a twist.

What’s our favorite liquor? Vodka and Silver Tequila

Is there a liquor you don’t like? 

Cheap brands. I like a smooth drink.

Homemade syrups or store-bought? The funny thing is one of our former bartenders is a best friend. He makes sure I always have fresh simple syrup in my fridge.

What is your stance on glassware and garnish? Gotta have the right glassware and always garnish! Drinking, especially cocktails, is like eating to me.  You feast with your eyes first.

What’s your No. 1 tip for every home mixer? Fresh lime on hand always. A splash of soda water goes a long way in upping the game in drinks.

Is there an order of operation you recommend home mixers try first?

Start with simple mixes like a good vodka/gin and add a fruit spindrift to discover your taste.  Then start muddling… vodka/gin but muddle a cucumber or mint. Open an app for these two and play. Don’t go crazy if it takes more than 3 ingredients.

A favorite cocktail for the summer is a refreshing Bee's Knees

What is the spirit of the moment?

I’m digging the Bee’s Knees, it always crops up again when summer comes along.

What cocktail trend would you like to see disappear?

I was really glad to see RedBull and vodka fade. It was a huge seller with the young crowd but really was a disgusting drink.

To get you in the mood for a great night of meeting, mixing and mingling, enjoy this Spotify playlist curated by the SDA Marketing + Communications Committee.

Sign up for Fran's mixology demo here, and get hyped for the event with this playlist.