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| Don Spiro Lounger Number One 2019 "Drinkify Me "Artwork by Dave Stolte |
Aaaannnnd another decade down! 2020 used to sound like a distant future with flying cars and trips to Mars but all of a sudden it's next year! So let's get ready for a new Roaring 20s' only without that pesky Prohibition thing or sadly flying cars. Loungerati's 2019 Best of Lounge Awards go to:
Lounge Scene Awards
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| Velvetina Taylor Photo Credit: Richard Velasco |
Best Burlesque Act or Performer*: Velvetina Taylor
Honorable Mention: Francine Dream (the 2018 winner), Sir Richard Castle's Wiggle Room, and the lovely Seedy Edie
* Editor's Note: We went out allot this year and saw many great performances. Velvetina Taylor was everywhere - from the Wiggle Room to private Art Deco apartment parties to The Salon events and everything in between! A super performer who has not even hit her peak yet. I am sure there is more to come from VT!
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| Dandy Dillinger holding court at the Shanty for Repeal Day! Photo credit: Scott Stanger |
Diane L. Naegel Award for Best Lounge or Vintage Event: Don Spiro & Dandy Dillinger's Repeal Day Triple Party at the Shanty, Red Room, & Barrow's Intense Ginger
Honorable Mention: Loungerati Beefsteak Dinner, Fancy Camp 2019, The Salon's New Year's Eve Eve
Viva La Musica Award for Best Jazz, Lounge, or Swing Band: Mike Davis & The New Wonders
Honorable Mention: Kate Curran & Rogues Gallery, Michael Arenella's Dreamland Orchestra
Most Sought After Ingredient or Bar Tool for the Home Bar: Tempus Fugit Creme de Banane
Honorable Mention: Bitter Truth Olive Bitters, De Soto Petit Cocktail Shaker
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| Kenny McCoy, Barman Extraordinaire & True Yorker in Esquire Magazine Photo Credit: Aaron Richter |
Honorable Mention: Toby "The Gent" Maloney, Ashton "Dandy Dillinger" Warren
Cocktail Bars and Lounges
Best New Cocktail Bar or Lounge: Osamil Upstairs (Midtown)
Honorable mention: Stayton Room (Midtown), Black Emperor (East Village), Bar Pisellino (West Village), Sugar Monk (Harlem)
Best New York Cocktail Bar or Lounge: Existing Conditions (Greenwich Village)
Honorable Mention: Long Island Bar (Cobble Hill), Dead Rabbit's Parlour Room (FiDi), Maison Premiere (Williamsburg)
Best Barfood: Sando at Katana Kitten (Midtown)
Honorable Mention: Deviled Eggs at Ward III (Tribeca), Steak Tartare at Employees Only (West Village), Oysters at Blue Ribbon Sullivan Street (SoHo), Miso Wings at Bar Goto (LES)
Best of the New York Hotel Bars: The Rum House at The Hotel Edison(Times Square)
Honorable Mention: The Sunken Lounge at the TWA Hotel (JFK Airport), Monkey Bar at Hotel Elysee (Midtown), Lost Hours at Hotel 3232 (Midtown)
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| Spumoni Cocktail with Espresso back at Bar Pisellino |
Best Cocktail of 2019: Spumoni (Neversink gin, Campari, Pink Peppercorn syrup, Fever Tree Indian Tonic water, fresh Ruby Red grapefruit, cracked pink peppercorns)at Bar Pisellino(West Village)
Honorable Mention: Yellow Bird (Plantation 3 Star Rum, Galliano L'Autentico, Cointreau, fresh lime, acid lime cordial, saline, lime twist) at Existing Conditions, The Runnable Stag (Dalmore 12-Year Scotch, Suze, Sales, Star Anise, Orange Bitters) at Sugar Monk
Editors and Staff Picks:
Best Seat in the House: Dug Out seat at Ward III (Tribeca)
Honorable mention: Any seat at The Grill, The "Regular" seat at Rum House, & F14 at Clover Club when in Brooklyn (natch!)
Best Cocktail for the Road: Ichi-mas Boilermaker (Sapporo lager & Toki Japanese Whiskey) at Katana Kitten (West Village)
Honorable Mention: Irish Coffee at Dead Rabbit (FiDi), Old Pal at Dante (Greenwich Village)
Best Saloon: Hudson Malone (Midtown East)
Honorable Mention: American Whiskey (Midtown), Ward III (Tribeca),The Gaf West (Hell's Kitchen)
Best NY Tiki Experience: Garret Richard's Exotica Night at Raines Law Room (Midtown)
Honorable Mention:Cellar 335 (Jersey City), Mother of Pearl (East Village), Polynesian (Midtown)
Best of the Internationals: Fifty Mils (Mexico D.F)
Honorable Mention:Cellar 335 (Jersey City), Mother of Pearl (East Village), Polynesian (Midtown)
Honorable Mention: American Bar at Savoy Hotel (London), Dirty Dick (Paris)
Best American Cocktail Bar (ex-NYC) Visited in 2019: Alibi (Salt Lake City)
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| ALIBI in SLC, bartender owned, Loungerati approved. |
Honorable Mention: Cafe La Trova (Miami), Better Days(Miami), The Man Behind the Curtain at Platform 18 (Phoenix), Raised by Wolves (San Diego)
Best Dive aka "The Gutter Award": Jimmy's Corner (Times Square)
Honorable Mention: Patriot Bar (Tribeca), Tracks in Penn Station - RIP (Midtown)
Honorable mention: Ashton "Dandy Dillinger" Warren, David "Grumpy Old Hepcat" Talaga
Last year we lamented the closing of many New York cocktail favorites, like the venerable Flatiron Lounge. This year we look forward to a new decade and what seems to be many eagerly awaited new bars on the horizon. These include two new Brooklyn additions - Bar Goto Niban (from the Bar Goto team) coming to Park Slope and St. John Frizzel's The Sunken Harbor at the newly renovated Gage & Tollner on Fulton Street in downtown Brooklyn. Tis' a new decade with new possibilities and adventures to come! The Loungerati look forward to more great times, the friendships to be made, and superb hospitality.
Til' the next Manhattans!
- The Loungerati
Last year we lamented the closing of many New York cocktail favorites, like the venerable Flatiron Lounge. This year we look forward to a new decade and what seems to be many eagerly awaited new bars on the horizon. These include two new Brooklyn additions - Bar Goto Niban (from the Bar Goto team) coming to Park Slope and St. John Frizzel's The Sunken Harbor at the newly renovated Gage & Tollner on Fulton Street in downtown Brooklyn. Tis' a new decade with new possibilities and adventures to come! The Loungerati look forward to more great times, the friendships to be made, and superb hospitality.
Til' the next Manhattans!
- The Loungerati
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| Beefsteak Dinner 2019 |
