We don't always honor and respect our senior citizens the way we should. They have led remarkable lives, dealt with unimaginable hardships like the Great Depression and World War II, and been the heads of large, thriving families. So I found it utterly enchanting that a young lady named Emberlin Leja went out of her way to celebrate the life and talent of her grandmother, Rose, a peppery woman of 97 whose bartending skills merited notice. She must have made some lovely martinis in her day!
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Per People, Rose really liked bartending and excelled at it. Her stint behind the bar began in the 1960s and continued for years. She was outgoing and fond of meeting the customers, too.
"I really loved them all. I helped a lot of them. They didn't have the money and I bought them the drink myself off the bar, and they knew it."
Rose also recalled, "I made up a lot of [drinks] and they went flying. I made fancy drinks, all kinds of whiskey — [especially] honey whiskey, which I love myself. Every drink you could think of, I probably made."
Rose's Granddaughter, Emberlin, Chose A Way To Recognize Her Bartending Prowess
She Heard About An Offbeat Contest And Wrote About Her Grandma
Emberlin was intrigued by a contest she heard about on social media several months ago. It was sponsored by Four Walls Irish American Whiskey, which was launched by the stars of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, and Rob McElhenney (along with Adim, co-founder McElhenney's "creator platform") asked the public to submit great stories having to do with bars.
Emberlin thought that Grandma Rose of Auburn, New York, would be ideal to write about. "I just happened to know somebody incredible who has so many amazing stories from their time in the bar. So it was like a natural progression to go and write about her and learn more of her background."
Emberlin's Essay About Her Grandmother Did Not Earn A Grand Prize
She Still Got A Great Tribute Anyway
Four Walls nevertheless went out of its way to honor Rose. They used throwback family snaps to craft a video about her. In addition, a t-shirt featuring a rose was created, "with the proceeds from the sales benefiting the non-profit Tales of the Cocktail Foundation," per the outlet.
Rose was bowled over. "I was shocked, I'm telling you. I think I'm still in shock."
The 'Always Sunny' Stars Were Awed By Rose Leja
They Loved Her Bartending Rules
The trio of actors said in a statement that they gravitated to Rose's three guidelines for successfully tending bar: "'take no bull, make everyone feel like they belong, and have a good time.'"
Their statement continued, "Four Walls is a tribute to the four walls of the bar and the role those bars play in shaping culture and community. And bartenders like Rose, who dedicate their lives to the craft, deserve recognition. We love the idea of using her story to support the next generation of bartenders."
Congratulations, Rose and Emberlin! You are both very special ladies!
