Best of Lounge 2011 - The Winners

Best Cocktail of 2011 - The classic Monkey Gland adapted by Julie Reiner

The Loungerati readers have voted via PollDaddy for the 2011 Best of Lounge Awards and the results are in:

Lounge Scene Awards

Best Burlesque Act or Performer: GRACE GOTHAM'S COUPE DE GRACE
Honorable Mention: The Minsky Sisters, Medianoche, Nasty Canasta, Angie Pontani

Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: THE SALON: CELEBRATING SINATRA at the Edison Ballroom
Honorable Mention: Club Wit's End - A Monthly Celebration of the Jazz Age,  Liberty Belle Fourth of July Spectacular at the Empire Hotel, Champagne Riot at Duane Park, The Lounge Series at the Edison Ballroom

Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: GEORGE GEE SWING ORCHESTRA
Honorable Mention: Gelber & Manning, Dandy Wellington & His Band, Brian Newman Jazz Trio, Two Man Gentlemen Band

Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar: BOLS BARREL AGED GENEVER

Honorable Mention: Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Toasted Bitters from Flying Fig Market, Dutch's Colonial Cocktail Bitters, Suze

Best Dressed Lounger: GIN MINSKY of the Minsky Sisters
Honorable Mention: Dandy Wellington of NY Dandy, Eff Blangairdo of Yehoodi.com, Michael Haar of Freemans Sporting Club, Nicole Desmond of the Rhum Rhum Room 

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Lounger Number One: DIANE NAEGEL of Club Wit's End
Honorable Mention: David Liston, Esq., Jim Ryan of Hendricks Gin, Maxwell Britten of Maison Premiere, Joe Desmond of the Rhum Rhum Room

Cocktail Bars and Lounges

Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: ASTOR ROOM (Queens)
Honorable mention:  Maison Premiere (Brooklyn), Silver Lining (New York), The Tippler (New York), Bathtub Gin (New York)

Best Veteran Cocktail Bar or Lounge: CLOVER CLUB (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Employees Only (New York), Death & Company (New York), Daddy-O (New York), Pegu Club (New York)

Best Barfood: WARD III  - PULLED DUCK SLIDERS
Honorable Mention: Mayahuel - Fish Tacos, Maison Premiere - Oyster Happy Hour, Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station - Oysters Rockefellar, The Commodore - The Fried Chicken

David A. Embury Award for Best Cocktail of 2011: THE MONKEY GLAND, Julie Reiner for Monkey Bar (New York)

Honorable Mention: The Tipperary by Sean Muldoon for the Dead Rabbit (New York), The El Presidente by Employees Only (New York), Bitter Mai Tai by Jeremy Oertel of Dram Bar (Brooklyn), Dark Horse by Leo Robitsheck of Eleven Madison Park (New York)

Editor and Staff Picks:
Best Seat in the House: BACK BOOTH AT MAISON PREMIERE (Brooklyn)
Honorable mention: Corner End seat at Rum House (New York), F14 at Clover Club (Brooklyn), The "Regular" at Employees Only (New York), Any bar seat at Dutch Kills (Queens) 

Best Cocktail for the Road: VIEUX CARRE WITH EL DORADO 12 YEAR AGED RUM by BRIAN SCHNEIDER of MONKEY BAR (New York)
Honorable Mention: Stinger with Cardinal Mendoza Brandy at the University Club (New York), The Barrymore with Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch, Ramazotti Amaro, and Yellow Chartreuse at Rum House (New York), The Old Hickory with equal parts Carpano Antica, Dolin Blanc with Peychauds and Orange bitters adapted by Maxwell Britten at Maison Premiere (Brooklyn)

Best Saloon: DADDY-O (New York)
Honorable Mention: Ward III (New York), Fort Defiance Cafe (Brooklyn), The Richardson (Brooklyn)

Best of the Internationals: THE SALON, BLYTHSWOOD SQUARE HOTEL (Glasgow)
Honorable Mention:  The Everleigh (Melbourne), Curio Parlor (Paris), Experimental Cocktail Club (London)

Best of the NY Hotel Bars: RUM HOUSE AT THE EDISON HOTEL

Honorable Mention: M Bar at the Mansfield Hotel, Bull & Bear at the Waldorf Astoria (New York), Lantern's Keep at the Algonquin, The Blue Bar at the Algonquin (natch)

Best Dive aka "The Gutter Award": MONTERO'S BAR & GRILL (Brooklyn)

Honorable Mention: Jimmy's Corner (New York), Rudy's Bar (New York), Palais Royale (Albany)

Don't Bruise the Ice Award for Best Ice Program: HUNDRED WEIGHT ICE  & COCKTAIL SERVICE (Queens)

Honorable Mention: Dutch Kills (Queens), Wafu (Portland), Weather Up Tribeca (New York), Angel's Share (New York)

On the hit list to visit in 2012: Loungerati 2.0 Launch, Tales of the Cocktail's 10th Anniversary, The Manhattan Cocktail Classic III, and so much more.

Please join us on December 8th for Repeal Day Holiday cocktails at the Rum House in New York. It is also Loungerati's fifth Anniversary. 

(photo of Monkey Gland cocktail by Jena Cumbo for SOMA Magazine)

Lounge Essentials: Holiday Gift Recommendations

Jim Meehan's PDT Cocktail Book

The Loungerati Staff and Contributors share some of their Lounge Essentials holiday wish list:

For The Home Bar

Eff: A pair of Waterford Crystal Lismore Tall Martini Glasses. This pair of elegant cocktail glasses will enhance even the most well stocked bar. Waterford's Lismore pattern celebrates its 50th year anniversary and Eff swears his drinks taste better in them. A perfect gift!($180)

Fredo: Something for mind and body. Books - The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy by Jim Meehan ($14.95) and Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons ($16) and Booze - Bols Barrel Aged Genever ($49.99) and Bitter Truth Apricot Brandy  ($30).

Grumpy Old Hepcat: We found this shapely pewter beverage opener in a Parisian bistro and just had to "borrow" it. Luckily, you can find a carbon copy on Amazon for $30 -  Nude Female Sculpture Pewter Beverage Beer Bottle Opener

Holiday Threads

Eff: Get ye to J. J. Hat Center on 5th Ave in NYC for a fedora called The Film by Borsalino which has a fuller crown and a 2 3/8" brim with a raw edge. It exudes classic Hollywood style with contemporary elegance. Might we suggest it in dark camel? ($350 and worth every penny!)

Fredo: Live out Tweed Run again with two tweed sportjacket options.  The Daltrey Donegal Sport Coat ($650) available at Epaulet New York features natural shoulder, elbow patches, and classic Anglo-American style. If the Daltrey is too steep, check out the black/cream herringbone tweed jacket from Ralph Lauren Rugby, three button, single vent, notched lapels, 100% wool, and fitted. ($398)

 

Viva La Musica

Eff: Old meets new with the Trends PA-10 for iPod Tube Headphone/Preamp.  A good old tube will warm up your MP3s for all your classic Holiday music.  ($279)

Loungerati Holiday Cocktails and 5th Anniversary - December 8th

December 8th, 2011
8pm -11pm

Loungerati teams up with Angel's Envy Bourbon and Rum House for a special Holiday Repeal Day Cocktail Party to celebrate five years of "Lounging, Life, and Libations."

There will be Angel's Envy drink specials, world class cocktails, and live jazz from the J. Walter Hawkes Trio.

Cocktail Party attire encouraged.

Please RSVP on Facebook.

Please mention "Loungerati" to the hostess to get in.


Rum House
228 West 47th
at the Edison Hotel
NYC, New York

(Artwork by Shag)

Best of Lounge 2011 - The Voting Begins

Welcome to the Best of Lounge 2011 Voting!

The Lounge series at Edison Ballroom

We have ten categories open to voters:

* Best New Bar/Lounge
* Best Veteran Bar/Lounge
* Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar
* Best Barfood
* Best Burlesque Act
* Best Dressed Lounger
* Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event
* Marcello Mastroianni Award: Lounger Number One
* Viva La Music Award: Best Jazz/Swing/Lounge Band
* David A. Embury Award: Best Cocktail of 2011

Additional categories will be voted by the Loungerati editors and contributors.
They include:

* Best Saloon
* Best Seat in the House
* Best Cocktail for the Road
* Best of the International Bars
* Best Hotel Bar
* Best Dive aka the Gutter Award
* Don't Bruise The Ice Award for Premier Ice Program

Lastly, we will be showcasing the Best Saloon winner in a special editor's note by Loungerati Director, Mark "The Senator" Vasto.

Cheers!

The Loungerati Staff