Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy serves up laughs, cocktails and chills at Fairhaven cemetery in Santa Ana
'Over a century and a half since his death in 1849, no one remains as synonymous with mystery and macabre and literature as he — a true master of his words,' O'Sullivan intones. 'EAP, as he's known on the streets, is often attributed with being the first American author to make a living exclusively through writing. So much like writers today, he didn't make any money.'
Laughter, cocktails and a whole lot of Poe makes up 90 minutes of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. This unique theatrical reading of four of Poe's works pairs up literature with alcoholic beverages designed to match each story.
Launched in January 2023, the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is a national tour that first came to Orange County's Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana in February 2024. After making a one-day stop at the Huntington Beach Central Library in Huntington Beach on May 24 this year, the speakeasy returns to the cemetery June 5-7 with new stories and fresh cocktails for Chapter Two.
'As a lifelong Poe enthusiast, I've always wanted to create a unique experience that combines libations with literature. These are two of my favorite things. I've felt for a long time that there is a void for an event like this,' said Julia Tirinnanzi, creator of the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy. 'It just seemed like such a natural pairing. It's no secret that Poe loved literature and libations alike. This is why the event really comes to life — as you walk through his life and watch his work being performed, you also sip on his personal favorite drinks and classic beverages of the 1800s.'
Last year's Poe story lineup included 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' 'The Raven,' 'The Masque of the Red Death' and 'The Black Cat.' The accompanying cocktails included Pale Blue Eye (a twist on the Tom Collins) with citrus- and blueberry-infused vodka, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and soda water topped with blueberry, and Nevermore with fresh lime juice, peach and orange blossom-infused vodka, simple syrup and dehydrated lime. The Cocktail of Red Death was rosemary-infused watermelon juice, 100-proof vodka, citrus vodka and fresh lime juice. The Cat's Meow — a twist on Poe's favorite, brandy milk punch — included aged bourbon, apple brandy, vanilla milk, sweet cream and maple syrup.
'Each cocktail is served just before each monologue is performed,' Tirinnanzi said. 'As you are sipping on a classic 1800s-style cocktail, you instantly feel transported into the Victorian era. It's a huge part of the experience.'
This year's Poe stories are 'The Cask of Amontillado,' 'Annabel Lee,' 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' The cocktails for this year are still under wraps until the event opens.
Though this is now the speakeasy's second time at the Santa Ana cemetery, it usually takes place at theaters, museums and even estates that have a Victorian-era vibe.
'A few years back, I attended an event at Hollywood Forever, and the setting of a cemetery was surprisingly so peaceful at night,' Tirinnanzi said. 'Once we started looking for the perfect venue home for the show in OC, Fairhaven fit the bill and we knew it would be a great venue. It's beautiful and chilling at the same time, just like Poe's work.'
O'Sullivan said he joined the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy tour in 2024.
'This is the sequel to our first EAP Speakeasy that we brought to Fairhaven last year,' he said. 'It's a selection of four new stories from Poe that weren't in the first tour. So if you came last year, you are in for a different experience but with the same dark, mysterious tone and atmosphere that is a staple of Poe. There will be four new themed drinks, too.'
He said he will likely serve as narrator of the show again as well as perform 'The Fall of the House of Usher.'
'A lot of what [Poe] represents, or what the idea of him represents has influenced and continues to influence modern fashion, music, television and more,' O'Sullivan said. 'He's a whole vibe, as they say. Regarding only his work though, it covers so much. There are love stories, tales of those drunk with power and many spirals into madness. His writing explores dark thoughts that are fascinating to many people. There is definitely an angst to it too, which I think keeps Poe influencing younger generations.'
The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy is for guests 21 years and up. For more information, including tickets, visit edgarallanpoebar.com.
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Marguerite Jaureguy, 78, was Jean's girlfriend in the last years of his life and continues to come in once a week to do administrative and bookkeeping work. 'It's our second home,' said Hernandez. Customers have similar sentiments. For 25 years, Paul and Jan Collett, 81 and 77, have dined at Glendora Continental nearly every day. 'It has really good food,' said Jan. 'We've got several friends that we meet down there all the time, so it's just like home.' Kirk and Elloise Warner, 75 and 74, have been frequenting Glendora Continental since the 1990s. They have a tradition to stop by the bar for shots whenever UCLA wins a game. 'We're not Basque, but we're kind of related,' said Kirk. 'Both of our families raised sheep for years.' Multigenerational families have been among the most loyal customers. Stella Arambel's Basque parents were friends with Elisabeth and Jean, and Glendora Continental catered her family's birthdays, anniversaries and most recently, her daughter's bridal shower in June. 'It has this vintage charm … and the food is great and it's at an affordable price,' said Arambel, 56. 'It holds a special place in my heart and I'll be sad to see it go.' An influx of Basque immigrants arrived in California around the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, when sheepherding became a growing industry as demand for its meat and wool rose. Nancy Zubiri, author of the book 'A Travel Guide to Basque America,' has long studied local Basque history and changing demographics. In the late 1800s, Basques populated downtown L.A. before moving east to Chino, where there were ranches and dairy farms. 'There were Basque hotels, but they were actually boarding houses where the men would have a room and the owners would cook meals for them,' said Zubiri. 'They would all eat in the dining room together and that eventually developed into the Basque restaurant business.' However, Basque immigration to the U.S. slowed in the 1960s as France's and Spain's economies improved, Zubiri said. Eventually, the Basque community in Chino also changed. 'A lot of Basques used to live in Chino until the land got bought up and people started building — and then a lot of the dairy farms moved to Bakersfield,' said Bernadette. 'We don't see as many Basques anymore … they're just not around.' Even the culture in Bakersfield, 150 miles north in the southern Central Valley, is shifting as many locals there are also descendants of an aging immigrant generation and fewer folks are emigrating from the Basque Country. As for the dwindling number of Basque restaurants in Southern California, a lot of it has to do with a generational divide. 'Most of the restaurants were started by the immigrant generation and they were so willing to work hard and spend all day in the restaurant and give up their life to that,' said Zubiri. 'The younger generation are not as interested in it.' 'I think we all sort of knew it was a matter of time,' said Antoinette. 'My family doesn't live close by, and we never really imagined our kids would like to take it over.' Decisions about the restaurant's future are being made through its board, which includes Antoinette, Bernadette and Marguerite's children. Bernadette had originally wanted to keep the restaurant going, but has recently agreed with the board to put it on the market. 'I'm not getting any younger,' said Bernadette. 'I realized, 'You know what? Life is too short. I'm not going to continue to fight the fight.' ' As for the remaining Basque restaurants in Southern California, diners can still visit Centro Basco in Chino. Others are Basque adjacent: While Xuntos in Santa Monica primarily focuses on Northern Spanish tapas, some of its dishes are influenced by the Basque Country, and Taylor's Cafe in Chino offers Basque sausage on its Mexican and American breakfast menu. While Glendora Continental is drawing to an end, Jaureguy is reminded of Jean in his influence on his children. 'He used to say in Basque, 'Goatzen aitzina,' which means 'Let's move forward' — and now Bernie says the same thing,' said Jaureguy. 'She talks the same way as her dad.'
