This has been a week of site announcements! We’ve added a contributing authors page to the Den for friends who would like to share their thoughts on cocktails, mixology, the DC restaurant/bar scene, cigars, etc.

I’d like to introduce everyone to our first contributing author Ashley Schmidt. Ashley, meet everyone. Everyone, meet Ashley.

Ashley is a bartender at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, DC and will be contributing articles on Scofflaws Den from time to time. She’ll be writing about her experiences behind a small intimate cocktail bar and a faster paced high-volume cocktail bar. She’s also free to share her thoughts on cocktails, spirits and mixology in general. Here is her bio:

Ashley is a craft cocktail bartender at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington DC. ?How did this all begin? ?She started as a shot girl on the weekends at Martini Bar in Florida and slowly worked herself up the ranks as customers took to her charm and charisma for life.?Her love for craft cocktails began in Washington DC at a small craft cocktail den on Mount Pleasant Street called Last Exit. ?It was here she learned the art of mixing cocktails and gained understanding of the meticulousness of each spirit’s essence. This neighborhood bar gave her the time to practice and create. ?Almost a year later she would approach Jack Rose Dining Saloon to begin a new chapter in her bartending:: mixing craft cocktails and?catering?to high volume patrons.

Her love for bartending?can be related to her love for the world of science. ?In her mind, creating cocktails is like understanding the art of science; it needs to be appreciated and understood done to the smallest nitty gritty details. ?Having an academic background, with a masters from Tulane in public health, she currently works another job in the pursuit of a global health career as well. ?Ashley has a love for helping people and making life more beautiful along the way. ?Bottoms up and cheers to discovering a whole new world.