Ever courting fresh alibis for day drinking on the weekend, I negotiated the rain on Saturday to check out the Ryan Roots Cocktale Club at the Ruby Room.

As promised, Mr. Roots was there mixing stiff ones behind the bar, grinning behind his great, waxed ringmaster ‘stache, and laughing with patrons while a John Waters film played from televisions overhead.

Charmer. Photo credit: May Star

“On a rainy day like this, the Cocktale Club gives people a reason to come out,” Ryan said.

He wore a homemade California license plate bracelet, a Bank of America credit card bling piece on his chest, a red leather cap, and gold, glittery nail polish.

“The paint is actually baked into my nails, so I can bartend for three weeks and not have it chip off,” Ryan said from behind a bar strewn with Vanity Fair, Luxe, and All American Style magazines.

Ryan Roots, American gentleman. Photo credit: May Star

Membership in the club comes with perks including a custom cocktail glass to keep on Ruby’s shelf, access to a discount menu, a punch card to earn free drinks, and a hug from Ryan himself, but you’ll first have to prove yourself in a test of drinking ability, pay $5, and tell the bar a cocktale.

“You can talk about a rooster, you can talk about your cock, or you can talk about a friend’s cock,” Ryan said cheerily, mixing me a Horse Feathers (rye whiskey, lemon, and bar ginger ale).

“I make a mean old fashioned and lemon drop,” he added. “Everything is a little muddled. It’s not the norm. I like to take my time.”

Check out the Ryan Roots Cocktale Club on weekend afternoons and see if you can spot Mr. Roots in the Wizard of Oz themed mural on the Ruby Room’s façade, but don’t forget the bring a cocktale for your barmates.