Category Archives: Cocktails & Spirits

A Perfect Habitat For Social Creatures

Apr 19

Posted by

Clarkes 1940

PJ Clarke’s in the 40s. Same exact bar and crowd tonight

I have a reputation as someone who likes to drink. This is completely untrue. I don’t like to drink, I like to have drinks. There is a vast difference between the two. Drinking is the act of ingesting fluids, having drinks is an ocean of elements. It is a cultural, historical, epicurean and communal activity. The ritual is practiced in many different ways across the globe by the old and the young, the rich and the poor, fashionable and provincial. People have been doing it for thousands of years in big cities and little towns. For me the most important part is the vibe emanating from having drinks. When done right it is an extremely social activity, providing common ground, lowered inhibitions and a mutual appreciation for the present.  I am not a believer in televisions, darts, pool, or other distractions. I am there to interact. Interact with the bartender, the people near me, the people with me, the space around me, and of course, the libations offered.  From the fanciest hotel bar to the sleaziest dive, Cognac to PBR in a can, lovers and strangers, the possibilities are endless.

Posted in Cocktails & Spirits

Leave a comment

London’s Burning But The Steaks Are Just Seared

Aug 10

Posted by

MrPorter.com is a fantastic website featuring men’s uber-luxury items (for you ladies see Net-A-Porter.com). This is certainly not a discount site, the items are fabulous and full price. It also offers some wonderful articles on style, fashion, food and drink. The perspective is decidedly British and the writing is Monty Python meets James Bond. Follow the link for an entertaining little tidbit on beef philosophy and a tutorial on how to properly cook a steak. I use this method myself but use a cast iron skillet and finish the steak with black truffle butter.

After viewing the four slides on cooking a steak follow the link on the first page to the Hawksmoor site. The Hawksmoor is a high-end steakhouse in London. Check out the site and then immediately book first class reservations on BA and a suite at the Connaught, then click on the cow on the left side of the site for a nice tutorial on cuts of steak and proper preparation.

how to cook a steak | the knack | The Journal | MR PORTER.

Posted in Cocktails & Spirits, Fashion, Food & Dining

Leave a comment

Tags: ,

Old King Cole is a merry old soul because he lives in a great bar

Jul 22

Posted by

Lobby at the St. Regis restored to original

I recently had the great pleasure of staying at the St.Regis Hotel in New York.  What an experience! The Beaux Arts beauty of the hotel was only rivaled by the over-the-top service provided by the staff, particularly our Butler clad in Morning Dress. I felt like I was taken back in time to the aristocratic age of Carnegie, Vanderbilt and Rockefeller.

The St. Regis opened in 1904 and was the creation of Col. John Jacob Astor IV (who went down with the Titanic).  The Colonel’s vision was to create  “a hotel where gentlemen and their families could feel as comfortable as they would as guests in a private home.”

In 1906,  Astor commissioned the painter Maxfield Parrish to paint a mural for his Knickerbocker Hotel on 42nd street.  The Mural, entitled “Old King Cole,” was installed in the Knickerbocker, but the hotel closed shortly thereafter.  The Mural bounced around the city before being installed at the St. Regis in 1932.  In 1948, the King Cole Bar opened with the Mural as the centerpiece.  Under the watchful eye of Old King Cole, people like Salvatore Dali, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, John Lennon and, least notably me, enjoyed classic cocktails.

The King Cole Bar

Sitting at the beautiful wooden bar (always sit at the bar where you can’t see the sneaker wearing tourons), staring at the Mural, enjoying a drink is a wonderful experience.  The bartenders offer understated exceptional service and the drinks are expertly prepared. The people I meet there are always worldly, interesting and appreciative of the classic surroundings.  On this recent visit,  a financier from Singapore and an 80 year old Park Avenue attorney who was a regular, they were perfect characters for this setting.

The drinks are expensive, but to spend an hour in another age, appreciating the mural in the same way countless others have before me, is completely worth it.

Posted in Cocktails & Spirits, Great Places

Leave a comment

Tags: ,

The Negroni Cocktail -An Italian Classic

I chose the Negroni Cocktail for my first post because it embodies so many of the qualities I hope to write about. It contains very old and unique ingredients,  a very distinctive acquired taste,  a colorful history and  a great story.

Statues freeze time in the Piazza Navona


One chilly evening in Rome almost 4 years ago I was strolling through the Piazza Navona with my wife. Being in the Piazza at night always makes me feel like I have been taken back to ancient Rome. The way the  fountains and surrounding buildings are lit is somehow transformative, you can feel the history. So with that mindset I set out looking for a drink before dinner. On a narrow winding street we spotted a warm inviting place, dimly lit with an almost gold tone hue. Wanting to say something in Italian I confidently said “Negroni per favore”. The bartender delivered a tall glass filled with ice and a red liquid. The first sip was a huge surprise, the red color made me expect something sweet.  It was bitter, very bitter, but after the initial shock I was amazed at the depth of flavor and the texture. The first word that came to mind was “luxurious”.  This drink became one of my favorites and every time I taste that unique flavor I am back in Rome.

The main ingredients of the Negroni are Gin and Campari. Not favorites among casual drinkers. Campari was invented by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy around 1860. It reportedly contains 60+ ingredients including fruit peels, herbs, spices and barks infused with alcohol and water. What fun he must have had doing R&D  to come up with the final recipe!


Fast forward to Florence in  postwar Italy. There’s a dude named Count Pascal Olivier de Negroni. Well the Count liked to frequent the bars and certainly liked to drink. He spent some time in America as a cowboy/gambler and was no lightweight.  At the time the Americano was the popular cocktail in Italy containing Campari mixed with vermouth and soda.  Soda? The Count needed something stronger. Having spent time in England he had some experience with Gin so he replaced the soda with Gin. Well the Florentines went wild (relatively speaking) and started ordering the Americano the “Negroni “way. A classic was born.

Preparation:

  • 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth
  • 1 1/2 ounces Campari
  • 1 1/2 ounces gin
  • 2 or 3 ice cubes
  • Twist lemon peel

Put all ingredients except lemon peel in an Old-fashioned glass and stir. Garnish with peel.

Posted on | Image