On July 3, a sea lion slipped quietly into the Sausalito waterfront. This wasn’t just any sea lion, it was the iconic Sausalito sea lion: a bronze statue that had been swept off of its perch by a storm in January 2023. And it was helped back to its pedestal by another unexpected and iconic friend: the Trident restaurant’s legendary Tequila Sunrise, invented there in the early 1970s by bartenders Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice.
In March 2023, the Sausalito Foundation , which is responsible for the upkeep of the statue, was about one-third of the way toward its goal of $35,000 for needed refurbishments. That’s when the Trident restaurant stepped in. “We raised $8,300 from July 2023 through January 2024, just on sales of the Tequila Sunrise,” says Trident manager Rick Enos.
“We originally pledged up to $15,000 to fund the reinstallation of the sea lion,” he adds. In the end, just over half of that original pledge was needed for the repair and return. The Trident then stepped in again, pledging to host a celebratory party for everyone involved as well.
“We were anxious to participate in the fundraising efforts mainly because the sea lion statue is clearly visible through our south-facing windows,” he says. “Additionally, we were introduced to two women on the board of the Sausalito Foundation, and we liked their grassroots approach.” The history of the Sausalito sea lion and its return was documented in an IJ story earlier this month .
It’s rare that a public works project comes in early and under budget, and at least some of that is due to the Trident and its Tequila Sunrise. “When it went off its perch about a year and a half ago, it needed a lot of love, work and funds,” says Rip Hunter, the incoming president of the Sausalito Foundation. “For the foundation, this is our third time being involved in the sea lion.
The first time was in 1966 when it was recast in bronze, and then in 2003 when it was washed off and then here again, in 2023. We helped raise the money and then helped shepherd the permitting process through the various agencies to get it fixed up and restored and then reinstalled on July 3.” Cocktails have been called conversational lubricants before.
It would now appear that cocktails, especially historic ones, like the Tequila Sunrise, can also act as actual lubricants on the wheels of progress. “Bob Freeman and I have always been very community involved in the many restaurant locations we have developed either together or separately (Trident, California Café, Victoria Station, Cantina),” Enos says. “So, it just felt like the right thing to do.
” “The Trident has been a fantastic sponsor,” Hunter says. “Rick and his team have been great supporters. They created the drink special with the Tequila Sunrise, which is their signature drink.
Three dollars from each one went toward the sea lion.” Hunter is also quick to point out it was really a community effort. “So many people contributed,” he says.
“The Sausalito Foundation Board worked incredibly hard and so did the city of Sausalito. The mayor, Melissa Blaustein, even swam around Angel Island to raise money. It was a great effort from many, many people.
Together we were able to get the sea lion back for generations to come.” Not ones to underestimate the value of a signature cocktail — in addition to the Trident, Freeman also owns the Buena Vista, famous for its Irish coffee — the Trident has since teamed up with the fledgling Sausalito Liquor Co ., owned by Sausalito’s Scott Jampol, to create a celebratory cocktail called the Unsinkable Sea Lion, featuring their Unsinkable bourbon.
If a storm can strike a sea lion statue twice, maybe iconic cocktail lightning can strike at the Trident twice, too. “We were hoping for more Tequila Sunrise buyers from the local community, but it was really the visitor market, particularly those who visit regularly/frequently who really embraced the idea,” Enos says. “We are the southernmost commercial building on the waterfront, and it is good for us to have a destination beyond our building for visitors and locals who like to walk around our quaint and beautiful city.
” Jeff Burkhart is the author of “Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Vol. I and II,” the host of the Barfly Podcast on iTunes (as seen in the NY Times) and an award-winning bartender at a local restaurant. Follow him at jeffburkhart.
net and contact him at [email protected] The Unsinkable Sea Lion Ingredients 3⁄4 ounces Sausalito Liquor Co. Unsinkable Bourbon 3⁄4 ounces Campari 3⁄4 ounces good-quality sweet vermouth (like Chinato, Carpano Antica or Lo-Fi) Splash of fresh-squeezed lemon juice Splash of club soda Luxardo maraschino cherry Dried blood orange wheel Directions Combine the first four ingredients in a shaker glass with ice.
Shake to combine. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with soda and stir.
Garnish with the cherry and orange wheel. Note: Either a riff on a Boulevardier (a bourbon Negroni) or a Paper Airplane, this long drink is as refreshing as it is simple..
