I was debating if I even should post this story or not. But then I remembered how Armando always encouraged me saying “you are German already, so be f**king honest, don’t care what they say” – he probably scolds me now for not properly writing that word… Thank you, Armando. Well, I remember when I moved to London and started for Leading Hotels back in 2002, new role, new life, new everything. And running a jv company of which a lot of colleagues were jealous and/ or weren’t convinced why this subsidiary exist was definitely not easy. I worked hard and harder, long and longer hours – to the extent that it became a competition who would close the office each night, Armando or I. Or Lydia Hammond ;-) Thank you, Armando. Back then I was a passionate BombaySapphire & Tonic drinker, however one evening I was so pissed of about a hotel in Paris that Armando struggled to calm me down – he even said he had never heard a German swear that much which would actually impress him and then asked me to follow him to his office. He sat me down on his chair and out of the blue a bottle appeared, he told me to shut up and drink while he was telling me that we can influence a lot but not everything. I eventually calmed down after a couple more glasses… My first Maker’s Mark experience. Thank you, Armando. And when I started my own business in 2009, G&T simply didn’t do the trick anymore – my new favorite drink ‘Maker’s, Tonic and lots of lime’ was born. Living in the US, so many people ask me why and how on earth I would drink Maker’s Mark and they all heard the name Armando Rodriguez being my answer. Last weekend, we ran the most complicated and most high maintenance event in years and nothing wanted to work. On the outside our clients didn’t realize anything but on the inside it was insane and I was close to losing it. Guess what, I asked a team member to run and buy me a bottle of Maker’s. I prepared it for my team, I toasted Armando and miraculously the edge was taken off and everything worked out perfectly. Thank you, Armando. Armando, I am beyond sad that I didn’t meet/ catch up with you the past two years. To say that I am so grateful that I have met you, doesn’t even describe how I feel. Thank you for everything, my friend – I will never forget you!