Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala 2013!

An Evening at the New York Public Library

Last Friday was a fantastic evening! With a group of friends from Stern and my brother, I attended the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala. It was INCREDIBLE! Below is a recollection of the evening, best told in photos!

The inside of the library was set up beautifully! I loved the gold origami birds that hung from the ceilings. 

The alcoholic ice creams were delicious! The "Pain Killer" was Absinthe based and BOY was it tasty!

The Godiva White Chocolate Hibiscus Martini was delicious! The picture is hard to read, but it contained Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Zacapa Rum 23, Coconut Milk and Hibiscus Tincture Spray. So so good! Will need to try to find the Hibiscus ingredient to recreate at home!

The photo above is of a vodka-based cocktail with Strawberry and Mint. It was one of my favorites but I forgot to snap a picture of the ingredients!

The drink above was made with Comb Vodka - super tasty! It is a vodka distilled from honey, as opposed to honey-flavored. 

This gin-based drink above looked much better than it tasted. The gin was a bit too Christmas-tree tasting for my palate and didn't blend well with the rest of the tropical ingredients.

I don't really remember what was in this drink but I'm going to guess it was gin. Like the last cocktail, it was ok but I didn't think the choice of spirit complemented the rest of the ingredients.

I loved the use of fun glasses and orchids in some of the cocktails - this was for a rum-based drink that was quite tasty!

Campari had an awesome station near the entrance of the event. Yum!

Last cocktail of the evening! I was pretty busy, right? This drink was Soju-based and has fresh Concord Grape Juice. It looked very pretty (see the HUGE ice cube?) but didn't taste that good. 

I highly recommend attending the Gala if you're in the NYC area next May! It is a not-to-be-missed event!

xoxo,

Liz

Fancy Margaritas with Flowers

Hecho en Dumbo

After exploring Wise Men, the Ladies Drinking League headed to Hecho en Dumbo (http://www.hechoendumbo.com/). The ladies were hungry and tapas WERE NOT going to cut it! While we nibbled on guacamole (a bit spicy), the ladies ordered some Margaritas. We missed Happy Hour (sad face), so I ordered the full priced Hibiscus Margarita. It wasn't as good as it was the first time (don't you hate when that happens?), but I managed to drink it! I highly recommend coming back between 5pm-7pm: such a better deal!

Until Next Time,

Liz

Three Wise Women at Wise Men

The First Meeting of the Ladies Drinking League!

Outside of Wise Men

Olivia, our fearless leader, selected Wise Men (http://www.wisemennyc.com/) as the first venue for our newly formed Ladies Drinking League. I snapped a photo of the venue's entrance because it really pops! I was walking up Bowery and had no idea where Wise Men was...that is until I saw the neon sign and lovely ladies on the wall. It definitely grabbed my attention. The styling inside is very sleek; a narrow space that certainly has a certain ambiance. As I waited for Olivia and Christine (the only "members" that could attend), I ordered a Caipirinha. It was ok at best. Typically the drink is shaken to properly mix the sugar, limes and cachaca. The bartender prepared the drink with a long spoon and it wasn't until I reached the end that I tasted all the sugary-goodness. 

My Drank

I was also hungry, so I ordered two tapas: the stuffed mushrooms (cremini mushrooms, sautéed onions, pecorino) and french fries (with horseradish crème). The tapas were ok, but nothing to write home about (but apparently enough to write on my blog). 

Overall, I don't think I'd come back here. I've had much better drinks and food at other places. 

Cheers!

Liz

Happily EVR After

Living it Up (with Liv)

Last night, I was able to encourage Liv to join me at EVR (http://evrnyc.com/) to celebrate our Brand Strategy success! It was an incredible experience to work on a school project for a company I know very well. I hope our recommendations will help EVR continue its growth! We started things off with our "go-to" EVR drink....

THE TOMATO BASIL MARTINI!!!!

I love love love that drink! After we had this, we were feeling adventurous. Typically, I avoid mint like the plague when I order cocktails. But, based on Carlos' recommendation (his lovely hand is featured above), I ordered the Vanilla Mint Julep. It contains Bourbon, Madagascar Vanilla, Cherry Heering, Mint and Lime. 

Vanilla Mint Julep

I love how the Julep is served! The metal "cup" and fresh sprig of mint really finish it off nicely. Even though the Derby was a couple of days ago, I felt like we were honoring it!

Definitely check out EVR!

xoxo,

Liz

Do you know Jacques?

The Drinks Are Downstairs!

My second trip to Jacques 1534 (http://www.jacques1534.com/) was fantastic. The drinks were on point. I love that this spot is cozy and takes reservations. This feature is not to be overlooked - if you're going to pay over $10 for a cocktail, sometimes you want to know you will have a seat! I love Cachaca, so I the Love Lost caught my eye. It features Cachaca, Rooibos Tea, lime juice, orgeat, honey syrup, cardamom and bitters. YUM!

Love Lost

I loved the presentation! The tiki glass was awesome. My grandmother always said that the glass changes how the drink tastes and I certainly agree! The orchid was a great detail too. 

Next, I continued with another Cachaca drink. Although it wasn't on the menu, the bartender was able to craft an excellent Caipirinha. The guy has skills.

Caipirinha

I would highly recommend this spot! Most of my reviews have been very positive, but I promise I give honest feedback! I haven't gone to any bad places recently - #winning. 

xoxo,

Liz

Margaritas with the Lux Ladies

Is That a Mango in your Marg?

 

 

Sometimes the best way to be productive is to take a break. At least, that is my personal philosophy. The past several weeks have been a tailspin with school assignments, projects, travel and my parents visiting. That being said, I love having a full-schedule, but sometimes a gal needs a break. A time to unwind. Initially, I thought of going home right after class and skipping out on what would be a fabulous evening with some Stern ladies. Katey, Catie, Connie and Sarah are truly wonderful and all members of the Luxury and Retail Club board at Stern. It was nice to unwind with such a great group!

Now, onto the review! I have to admit, this isn't my first time at Agave (http://agaveny.com/). This West Village Mexican gem is a favorite. The Happy Hour features $7 Margaritas (typically $10) with additional fresh fruit puree added for no up-charge (awesome!). I chose mango. I've gotten it before and it continues to deliver! Although the frozen margaritas are pre-made in a machine, they still taste fresh and not full of "mix" or "sugar" like others I have had. I highly recommend it. Also, there is a 2-hour bottomless brunch on the weekends. You can have as many of those Margaritas as you can handle (make sure to have a free afternoon!!).

Now...back to my Brand Strategy PowerPoint presentation!

xoxo,

Liz