Best of Lounge - 2015



Loungerati and artist Dave Stolte donated the fee for this illustration
in Sasha's memory to the YouCaring fundraising site for his family.  

The Loungerati have voted via Survey Monkey for the 2015 Best of Lounge Awards and the results are in:

Lounge Scene Awards 

Best Burlesque Act or Performer: CALAMITY CHANG

Honorable Mention: Flatiron Follies - Grace Gotham, Hazel Honeysuckle

 

Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: JAZZ AGE LAWN PARTY at Governor's Island

Honorable Mention: Playboy Swings Salon at the Players Club, Club Wit's End 7th Annual Black Cat Masquerade

 

Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: DANDY WELLINGTON AND HIS BAND

Honorable Mention: Queen Esther, Brian Newman Orchestra at the Rainbow Room

 

Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar: DEAD RABBIT DRINKS MANUAL

Honorable Mention: Beach Bum Berry's Skull bar spoon, New York Distilling Company's Ragtime Rye

 

Best Dressed Lounger: DANDY WELLINGTON (Song and Dance man)

Honorable Mention: Queen Esther (Belle of the Ball), Eff Blangiardo (Scion of Sprezzatura)

 

Cocktail Bars and Lounges

Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: SLOWLY SHIRLEY (New York)

Honorable mention:  Mother of Pearl (New York), Dante (New York)

Best New York Cocktail Bar or Lounge: THE DEAD RABBIT GROCERY & GROG(New York)

Honorable Mention: Long Island Bar (Brooklyn), Dutch Kills (Queens)

 

Best Barfood: OYSTER HAPPY HOUR at THE DEAD RABBIT GROCERY & GROG (New York)

Honorable Mention: The Cheeseburger at The Happiest Hour (New York), Carrot Tartar at the Elephant Bar in NoMad Hotel (New York)

Best of the NY Hotel Bars: THE RUM HOUSE at EDISON HOTEL (New York)

Honorable Mention: Elephant Bar at NoMad Hotel (New York), King Kole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel (New York)

 

David A. Embury Award for Best Cocktail of 2015: SHADDOCK and SMOKE (Ardbeg scotch, grapefruit liqueur, Amaretto, lemon juice, and seltzer) at the UP & UP(New York)

Honorable Mention: The Garibaldi at Dante (New York), Noche Buena at Leyenda (Brooklyn)

 

Editor and Staff Picks:

Best Seat in the House: Bar Seat at SLOWLY SHIRLEY (New York)

Honorable mention: The "Regular" at Employees Only(New York), Seat F12 (aka F14) at Clover Club (Brooklyn), Dugout seats at Dante (New York)

 

Best Cocktail for the Road: DIRTY BIRD (scotch, Amaro Montenegro, sweet vermouth, coffee bitters at GOODNIGHT SONNY (New York)

Honorable Mention: Sakura Martini at Bar Goto (New York), Brancolada at Donna Cocktail Bar (Brooklyn), Beer and shot at Holiday Cocktail Lounge (New York)

Best Saloon: BAR X (Salt Lake City)

Honorable Mention: Daddy-O (New York), American Whiskey (New York)

*NEW* Best American Tiki Experience: A tie: LOST LAKE (Chicago) and LATITUDE 29 (New Orleans)
Honorable Mention: Tiki Mondays with Miller (New York), Smuggler's Cove (San Francisco), Mother of Pearl (New York)

Best of the Internationals: ARTESIAN BAR at LANGHAM HOTEL (London)

Honorable Mention:  American Bar at the Savoy Hotel (London), White Lyan (London)

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

Honorable Mention: Patriot Saloon (New York), American Trash (New York)

Don't Bruise the Ice Award for Best Ice Program: BAR GOTO (New York)

 

Brian F. Paynter Award for Lounger Number One: SASHA PETRASKE (Cocktail Icon and Jazz lover)

Happy Repeal Day! Three Cheers for Utah!!

Salt Lake City's Oldest Bar opened Dec 5, 1933

On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution became the law of the land. This piece of legislation repealed the 18th Amendment's Prohibition of alcohol. The last state to ratify the amendment in the State conventions, thus passing the 3/4 majority required to amend the Constitution under Article 5, was Utah! So let's all toast Utah!

XXI Amendment 

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

On December 5, 2006, Loungerati was born on a cocktail napkin at a bar called Brooklyn Social in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and memorialized with the epic Lounge Doctrine delivered by The Senator at the Algonquin Hotel bar the following year. Loungerati continues to serve as an outlet to those who enjoy Lounge culture, the sporting life, exquisite cocktails, classic music, and a good time!

To toast this joyous occasion try out a modern take on the classic rye buck from one of Salt Lake City's top barman - Jacob Hall of Bar X, Utah's oldest post-prohibition bar!

 Mr. November
adapted by Jacob Hall for Bar X

1.5 oz rye whiskey (try High West Double Rye!)
.5 oz fresh ginger juice
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
.5 simple syrup
2 barspoons muddled cooked bell pepper
candied ginger
bell pepper slice

Tools: Mixing tins, jigger, rocks glass, Hawthorne strainer,

Method: Muddle the cooked bell pepper in a mixing tin,, add the rest of the ingredients and then ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with candied ginger and bell pepper slice.

Please raise a toast December 5th to celebrate your right to imbibe and Loungerati's 8th Birthday!

Best of Lounge 2013 - Winners

And the 2013 Brian Paynter Award for Lounger Number One goes to ....
J. WALTER HAWKES,  Jazz Giant, Trombone man, and Ukulele Aficionado

The Loungerati readers have voted via Survey Monkey for the 2013 Best of Lounge Awards and the results are in:

Lounge Scene Awards 

Best Burlesque Act or Performer: DRUNKEN DRAGON FESTIVAL at MACAO (Calamity Chang, Minx Arcana, Gal Friday, and Perle Noire) 
Honorable Mention: Gotham Burlesque at the Triad Theatre, Nuit Blanche: Dolls After Dark at Beaumarchais, Take Back the 80s Burlesque (Francine The Lucid Dream and Minnie the Moocha), Coney Island's Enchanted Tiki Room (Left Lucy & Co.)

Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: JAZZ AGE LAWN PARTY AT GOVERNOR'S ISLAND
Honorable Mention: Club Wit's End 5th Annual Black Cat Masquerade, Loungerati Staff Beefsteak Dinner, The Salon: New Year's Eve Eve Party at DL Lounge, Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala at NY Public Library

Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: TERRY WALDO, PIANO MAN
Honorable Mention: Michael Arenella & Dreamland orchestra, Dandy Wellington & His Band, JC Hopkins Biggish Band, Gelber & Manning

Most Sought After Ingredient for the Home Bar: DEAD RABBIT ORINOCO BITTERS by Dr. Adam Elmegirab

Honorable Mention: Leather Work Apron from Moore & Giles, Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters, Home Bar Basics (and not so basics) manual by Dave Stolte, Tuthiltown Distillery Barrel Aging Kit

Best Dressed Lounger: EFF BLANGIARDO of Loungerati
Honorable Mention: Robert Kennedy (Tie Man), Michael Haar (Barber Extraordinaire), Dandy Wellington (Song and Dance man), Grace Gotham (Scintillating Chanteuse)

Cocktail Bars and Lounges

Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: THE DEAD RABBIT GROCERY & GROG (New York)
Honorable mention:  Attaboy (New York), Golden Cadillac (New York), Sweet Leaf (Queens), Long Island Bar (Brooklyn)

Best New York Cocktail Bar or Lounge: CLOVER CLUB (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Employees Only (New York), Death & Company (New York), Dutch Kills (Queens)

Best Barfood: Oyster Happy Hour - MAISON PREMIERE (Brooklyn)
Honorable Mention: Charcuterie - Employees Only (New York),  Bill's Burger - Bill's Food & Drink (New York), Scotch Egg - Dead Rabbit (New York)

Best of the NY Hotel Bars: THE RUM HOUSE at EDISON HOTEL (New York)

Honorable Mention: Library Bar at NoMad Hotel (New York), Lantern's Keep at the Iroquois Hotel (New York), Bemelmans Bar at Carlyle Hotel (New York)

David A. Embury Award for Best Cocktail of 2013: THE MIDTOWN, Bryan Schneider for Quality Italian (New York)

Honorable Mention: Brancolada by Jeremy Ortel for Donna Cocktail Lounge (Brooklyn), Spanish Crown by Maxwell Britten for Maison Premiere (Brooklyn)

Editor and Staff Picks:
Best Seat in the House: Parlour Bar Seat at THE DEAD RABBIT (New York)
Honorable mention: Standing room at the bar - Prime Meats (Brooklyn), Seat F14 at Clover Club (Brooklyn), Corner bar seat at Attaboy (New York)

Best Cocktail for the Road: Toronto Cocktail from Jillian Vose of DEATH & COMPANY (New York)
Honorable Mention: Manhattan on Tap at Saxon & Parole (New York), Cynar Julep, Sable Kitchen & Bar (Chicago), Daiquiri shots at Berkshire Room (Chicago)

Best Saloon: BAR X (Salt Lake City)
Honorable Mention: Daddy-O(New York), Grace 365 (New York), Ward III (New York), Alewife (Queens)

Best of the Internationals: ARTESIAN BAR at LANGHAM HOTEL (London)
Honorable Mention:  American Bar at the Savoy Hotel (London), Kelvin Grove Cafe (Edinburgh),White Lyan (London), Night Jar (London)

Best Dive aka "The Gutter Award": TRACKS in Penn Station (New York)

Honorable Mention: Jimmy's Corner (New York), Montero Bar & Grill (Brooklyn), Arthur's Tavern (New York)

Don't Bruise the Ice Award for Best Ice Program: SAXON & PAROLE (New York)

Honorable Mention: Dutch Kills Bar (Queens), Booker & Dax (New York), Little Branch (New York), Violet Hour (Chicago)

Brian F. Paynter Award for Lounger Number One: J. WALTER HAWKES - Jazz Giant
Honorable Mention: Robert Kennedy (OcTIEBer), Patrick Soluri (The Salon), Fredo Ceraso (Loungerati)