Destinations: The 6th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party at Governors Island - June 25th and 26th

Loungerati recommends the following lovely weekend event that is a must attend for any vintage aficionado worth their straw boater. Michael Arenella, one of the hardest working bandleaders I know (I actually know many!), hosts the 6th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on New York's Governors Island. The party goes on for two days so really there are excuses short of a weekend wash out. See you there swells!

THE 6TH BI-ANNUAL
JAZZ AGE LAWN PARTY
ON GOVERNORS ISLAND
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, June 25TH & 26TH
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Admission $7/advance (available here),$10/door (Children Under 12 Free)

Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra invites you to join us on this hidden gem just off the southeastern tip of Manhattan, nestled in the heart of majestic New York Harbor.

Under a shady grove of centuries-old trees, caressed by fresh sea air, a sprawling green surrounded by historic officers' quarters and 18th century naval ramparts becomes the setting for a true Gatsby affair. A recession-friendly $7 advance admission gives you access to one of the Summer's most magnificent celebrations.

Widely anticipated by flappers, sporting gents and tiny tots alike, this event has been featured and reviewed consistently by The New York Times, who selected the Jazz Age Lawn Party as one of the most memorable parties of 2009 and 2010.


A wide array of music, food & drink, and activities are open for all ages to enjoy:

*Featuring special guests Gelber & Manning!
*Beautiful, real-wood '50 x '50 dance floor set up right on the lawn!
*A delightful variety of refreshing cocktails will be served by St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur and beer provided by Brooklyn Brewery.
*Gourmet entrees, sandwiches, salads and more will be for sale. Vegetarian dishes, too!
*Soda, juice, water, and other beverages available.
*Tasty desserts, old-fashioned ice cream cones and ices!
*Picnicking welcomed! (just leave the hooch at home, it's prohibited by regulations except as sold by our approved vendor at event.)
*Performances by '20s tapping sensations The Minsky Sisters
*Authentic '78 records from the 1920s played on antique phonographs by Michael Cumella of WFMU's Antique Phonograph Music Program.
*Charleston lessons by dance legend Roddy Caravella
*Vintage portraits by Tsirkus Fotografika
*1920s Motorcar Exhibition - take a spin around the island in a genuine rumble-seat; hold on to your hat!
*Vintage clothing dealers and boutique milliners Ellen Christine Millinery, Fine and Dandy Shop, Noble Savage Vintage, Zelda Magazine, & More! - They will all be peddling wares, so be sure to tuck some cash in your garter.
*Live dance performances
*Bathing Beauties & Beaus Promenade
*Tug O' War
*Parade Of Hats
*Pie Recipe Contest
**If you'd like to sign up for the pie contest, you must pre-register by emailing Sarah Liston at govislandpie@gmail.com. Bakers can sign up until midnight Fri. June 24th.

AND EVEN MORE ATTRACTIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

Destinations: The Mermaid Parade 2011 - June 18th

Forever blowing bubbles at the Mermaid Parade

Celebrate summer a few days early! Get your fishtails out, your rubber crab claws, glittery pasties, and vintage cabanda wear, and celebrate Summer at the 28th Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade!

The Skinny from Coney Island USA

The Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, the sea, the salt air and the beginning of summer, as well as the history and mythology of Coney Island, Coney Island pride, and artistic self-expression. The Parade is characterized by participants dressed in hand-made costumes as Mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card or amusement ride, as well as antique cars, marching bands, drill teams, and the odd yacht pulled on flatbed. 

 

Each year, a different celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid rule over the proceedings, riding in the Parade and assisting in the opening of the Ocean for the summer swimming season by marching down the Beach from the Boardwalk, cutting through Ribbons representing the seasons, and tossing fruit into the Atlantic to appease the Sea Gods. In the past, David Byrne, Queen Latifah, Ron Kuby, Curtis Sliwa, Moby, David Johansen and Harvey Keitel have graced our shores, presiding over the assembled masses. This year's King Neptune, Brooklyn native Adam Richman from the Travel Channel's Man V. Food and Queen Mermaid, Cat Greenleaf from the New York Emmy Award winning television show, Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf!

The Parade is followed by the 9th Annual Mermaid Parade Ball at the New York Aquarium, a post-parade gathering where costumed parade participants can get together with each other and parade spectators to listen to live music, purchase raffle tickets, and watch burlesque and sideshow acts performed by some of New York City's hottest burlesque stars.

In addition to the parade festivities and Ball, we also suggest the following after party:

Yehoodi "Brooklyn Bombshell" Mermaid party at Flatbush Farms in Park Slope. 5pm. That's at 76 Saint Marks Ave at Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn.

 

(photo credit: Acid Cow)

Viva La Musica: Otto's Shrunken Head for Mr. Ho's Orchestrocita

It isn't everyday you can see a band devoted to the exotica lounge music of Esquivel, Martin Denny, and Les Baxter. Brian O'Neill (aka Mr. Ho) leads a vibraphone infused orchestra that keeps true to the original exotica style. The party is also a record release for  Third River Rangoon!
The event is at the legendary Otto's Shrunken Head tiki bar. That means potent tropical cocktails to take the edge off the pre-summer heatwave. Not convinced yet? Mr. Ho ups the ante with the wild sounds of Primativa in Hi-Fi's DJs Jack Fetterman and Gina of the Jungle!  So brush off the leopard print fez and head on over to Otto's.

The skinny from Mr. Ho:

Otto's is tiny; don't wait for the door to get your tickets for our Third River Rangoon CD release party featuring exotica DJs Gina of the Jungle and Jack Fetterman. Not sure what you are in for? Lucid Culture recently posted a great review about the new album: Third River Rangoon.

...Vibraphonist/bandleader Brian O'Neill AKA Mr. Ho's new album Third River Rangoon, by his shapeshifting ensemble Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica may have been inspired by that subgenre, but it?s considerably more magical. It leaves far more to the imagination, a lushly nocturnal collection whose most impressive feat of sorcery is getting a simple lineup of vibraphone, bass flute, bass and percussion to create the sweep of a hundred-piece orchestra...

-Lucid Culture

Doors open with DJ music at 830pm; live music starts at 9pm. Tickets: $15/adv, $20/door. CDs: Just $5 day of the show. LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF TICKETS - Otto's is quite small! (see below to buy tickets on this page). You must arrive by 9pm or your seat will not be guaranteed. 
RSVP on the Facebook event page

Buy Tickets ($15 via PayPal)

Buy tickets from this page.

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 W.14th Street
NYC

New York City Cocktail Week June 15th - 29th!

A sure sign that cocktails are on the ascent in the culinary landscape is when there is an entire week devoted to showcasing libations.  Spirits website Liquor.com has announced a partnership with some of New York City's premier cocktail bars and lounges in their first annual NYC Cocktail Week. For $20.11 the tippler receives two expertly crafted cocktails and an appetizer. Considering many of the establishments typically charge  $12-15 for a cocktail, this is a great deal and more importantly, a terrific introduction to the cocktail bars. We suggest you hit a few bars in the same neighborhood and make a bar crawl of it!

Oh, and this is for a good cause too!! This event also helps support two very worthy causes: City Harvest’s fight against hunger and The Museum of the American Cocktail’s efforts to preserve mixological history.

List of Participating Bars

• 1534
• Clover Club
• Daddy-O
• Death & Company
• Employees Only
• Fort Defiance
• La Biblioteca de Tequila
• Lani Kai
• Macao Trading Co.
• Pegu Club
• Pranna
• Red Rooster
• Respite
• The Rum House
• Rye
• Vandaag
• Ward III

Seriously, this is a top shelf selection of bars!! So get out there an have a deuce of drinks and an app for a good cause!

Dates: 6/15/11 to 6/29/11 – Guests must be 21 or older. – Limit one offer per customer per visit. – Offer subject to availability.

Salute!

Barfly's Beat: Esquire's Scotch Pronunciation Guide

That's Brook-LADDY to you

Loungerati does not need lessons in the pronunciation of Scotch whisky - we have a Scotsman on staff who ensures that education. Nevertheless, we would like to share  a list of prominent Single Malt Scotch whisky brands and their correct pronunciation which Esquire magazine was kind enough to publish. Slainté!

An Cnoc
AH-nock

Auchentoshan
AUK-en-TOSH-en

Bruichladdich
Brook-LADDY

Bunnahabhain
Boo-na-HAV-en*

The Balvenie
Bal-veny*

Bowmore
Bow-more*

Caol Ila
Coo-LEE-la

Cardhu
car-DEW

Dalwhinnie
dal-WHINNIE

Glenfarclas
glen-FARK-lass

Glenfiddich
glen-FIDD-ik

Glenlivet
glen-LIV-it

Glenkinchie
glen-KINCH-ee

Glenmorangie
glen-MORE-an-jee

Glenrothes
Glen-ROTH-is

Highland Park
hai-lund PARK

Jura
JOO-ra

Lagavulin
la-ga-VOOL-in

Laphroaig
la-FROYG

Macallan
muck-AL-un

Oban
OA-bun

Talisker
TAL-is-kur

Tomintoul
tom-in-TOWEL

(source: Esquire Magazine)

*Edited thanks to Mal Spence, head bartender of the Salon at the Blythswood Hotel Bar in Glasgow who provided the correct pronunciation. Esquire, have your fact checker call Mal in the future!

Tales of the Cocktail 2011: Spirited Award Nominees

 New Orleans - The Fifth Annual Spirited Awards™ nominees for 2011 have been announced. The winners will be crowned  at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award Ceremony and Dinner on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans. Tables can be purchased online at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com

We have added our Votes (*) and predictions (W - Winners). A wrap up of the awards after TOTC.

American Bartender of the Year

Eric Alperin, The Varnish

Kenta Goto, Pegu Club

Misty Kalkofen, Drink

Sam Ross, Milk & Honey

Joaquin Simo, Death & Co. * (W)

Best American Brand Ambassador

Colin Asare-Appiah, U'luvka Vodka

Jacques Bezuidenhout, Partida Tequila

Jamie Gordon, Absolut Vodka (W)

Jim Ryan, Hendrick's Gin*

Best American Cocktail Bar

Clover Club, Brooklyn

Drink, Boston

Employees Only, New York * (W)

The Varnish, Los Angeles

World’s Best Hotel Bar

Artesian at The Langham, London*

Clive's Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria Hotel, Victoria

Clyde Common at The Ace Hotel, Portland

The Savoy, London, England (W)

Best Cocktail Writing

Toby Cecchini, New York(W)

Camper English, San Francisco*

Darcy O'Neil, London, Ontario

Naren Young, New York

Best New Product

Bank's Five Island Rum

Cocchi Americano

Smith & Cross Rum* (W)

Tequila Calle 23

World’s Best Drinks Selection

Artesian at The Langham, London*

Cure, New Orleans

Eau de Vie, Sydney

Employees Only, New York(W)

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book

Fix the Pumps by Darcy O'Neill

Left Coast Libations by Ted Munat & Michael Lazar

Punch by David Wondrich

Speakeasy by Dushan Zaric and Jay Kosmas*(W)

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

Artesian at The Langham, London*

Eau de Vie, Sydney

Mayahuel, New York (W)

Sanctuaria, St. Louis

International Bartender of the Year

Erik Lorincz, American Bar at Savoy Hotel, London(W)

Dre Masso, Green & Red - London

Sam Ross, Milk & Honey*

Dushan Zaric, Employees Only

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar

1534, New York

Dram, New York

Eau de Vie, Sydney

PKNY (ex Painkiller), New York* (W)

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

69 Colebrooke Row, London(W)

Dry Martini, Barcelona

Employees Only, New York*

High Five, Tokyo

Best International Brand Ambassador

Ian Burrell

Claire Smith, Belvedere Vodka

Dan Warner, Beefeater Gin (W)

Angus Winchester, Tanqueray Gin*

Best Bar Mentor

Wayne Collins, London

Steve Olson, New York

Audrey Saunders, New York (W)

Dushan Zaric, New York*

New Categories added in 2011:

Best High Volume Cocktail Bar

Eastern Standard, Boston

Flatiron Lounge, New York*

Florida Room, Miami

Rickhouse, San Francisco (W)

Best Cocktail Writing - Non Book

BarlifeUK.com

Imbibe USA*

Liquor.com (W)

Tasting Panel Magazine

Best Restaurant Bar

The Drawing Room, Chicago(W)

Eleven Madison Park, New York*

Hawksmoor Seven Dials, London

Hix, London

(source: Tales of the Cocktail Newsletter)