Destinations: Weekend of August 29 - Wit's End

Don Spiro and Diane Naegel keep the ball moving with their monthly Wit's End ode to the 1920s. Fresh off their success at the Speakeasy at the Museum of New York which garnered a New York Times review and 700 retro clad attendees, the dazzling duo of vintage nightlife encourage you dress to impress - Gatsby style - this Saturday down on the Bowery in New York City. Oh by the way, it is also Diane's birthday - so now you have no excuses not to attend.

Here is the Press Release from our pals at Wit's End:

Internationally acclaimed jazz banjoist and vocalist Cynthia Sayer and her ensemble perform sizzling vintage gems for your dancing pleasure at thei r Wit's End debut this August! Cynthia has 10+ years under her belt with Woody Allen's Jazz Band (wow!), and you can read more about her at http://www.cynthiasayer.com !

Neal Groothuis and Jeri Lynn Astra are BACK for a FREE beginner Balboa lesson at 8pm! We had such a great time with bal before that we're bringin' it back! Get a balboa refresher, or learn for the first time!

BOOK GIVEAWAY! We are proud to offer yet another giveaway this month! Kevin Fitzpatrick of the Dorothy Parker Society will be on hand to promote his new book, The Lost Algonquin Round Table ( http://www.donaldbooks.com ), and we'll be giving away TWO signed copies! Your admission gets your name in the drawing for these great prizes!

Resident artiste Lawrence Gullo will be on hand offering portraits to our guests for a modest fee. (And by modest we mean an absolute steal!) You can view some of his work over at http://tzarohell.livejournal.com/ !

Last but certainly not least for our extras this August, it's our hostess Diane's birthday weekend! Who knows what surprises await!

As always, we'll have a fabulous vintage cocktail menu and will be offering haute chocolates from our favorite chocolatier, Chocolats Meurens!

$10 door, 21+

Club Wit's End
@ The Antik
356 Bowery
New York, NY
7pm -11pm

In Memoriam: Elettaria

by Fredo

Elettaria, Aktar Nawab's eclectic one and half year old restaurant and cocktail destination is closing tonight due to lease issues. The restaurant, whose cocktail menu was designed by mixologists Lynette Mararro, Brian Miller. and Joe Swifka, featured many rum and tiki drinks such as the Navy Grog which used the original 1941 recipe. The place was one of a kind, especially on Tiki Mondays. We are very sad to see the Elettaria go.

According to a press release:

Today is the last day of service at Elettaria restaurant in Greenwich Village. Chef/co-owner Akhtar Nawab, co-owner Noel Cruz and their partners have made the difficult decision to close the restaurant due to issues with lease negotiations. A personal project for everyone involved, the team did their best every day to establish and maintain the high standards for which the restaurant is known. Akhtar is proud of his work at Elettaria and looks forward to applying the experience he gained there to his future projects.

(source: New York Magazine)

Go there tonight for a proper send off. I will miss my favorite cocktail from their house classics: The Black Pearl

"The Black Pearl like an old fashioned flying the jolly roger. dark and mysterious, old forester bourdon, cruzan black strap rum, demerara sugar, bitters."

Elettaria
3 West 8th St at MacDougal St
New York, NY 10011
ph 212.677.3833
fax 212.677.4733

Barfly's Beat: Woodson and Ford

by Fredo

Swing Tuesdays. Bleecker and Broadway. Woodson & Ford, a speakeasy under the Corner Cafe. Down the steps, metal door. What's the password? When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again - but you didn't hear it from me. Hot outside but through the door a blast of cold air. Doorman checks guest list, I'm not on it. But I'm dressed impeccably. They say I'm good so I'm in. The oak bar takes up the length of the room which is reminiscent of low lit cave. The requisite taxidermy and leather club chairs were text book, but the libations were top shelf.

The scene on that Tuesday: Lindy hoppers. Some dressed in period, but most in civvies. They got there early. They marked territory. They were all business, meaning jitterbugging from the minute they put their dancing shoes on until the music stopped. They provided quite a show and thankfully there was air conditioning.

The Loungers were there too. We were dressed to the nines and tipped well. It was like old times, I was the first one there (natch), seasoned barfly Grumpy Old Hepcat (not his real name) came in from Jersey and literally knocked folks over to get to the mahogany. He called it dancing. I called it thirst. Giancarlo Zanetti arrived sporting Moscot black frames and a velvet jacket - in the middle of the summer - only Zanetti!!! The Lady in Red was there swounging (dancing, lounging, and drinking as opposed to just dancing and water guzzling) as was Atalanta sipping Southsides. This could have been five years ago. The talk at the bar was that of the Sporting Life and the usual lounger banter. All that was missing was the Senator, Jee Jee, and Mr. Swank. However, unlike the old days, the drinks are better thanks to the crew behind the stick. Speaking of drinks, some of our favorites:

The Admiral Warrender (Blended scotch, QI smoked black tea, demerara, and orange bitters)(Note: This Highland concoction, which was developed by mixologist Lynette Marrero, by far was the Loungerati favorite)

Woodson & Ford (Applejack, Zacapa 23 Rum, Benedictie, Carpano Sweet vermouth, whiskey barrell bitters)

Woodrow Wilson (Rittenhouse Rye, Averna, champagne, demerara, & orange zest)

Clara Bow (Bourbon, lemon grenadine, mint, St. Germain)

Elk's Club Fizz(Rye, port, lemon, sugar, egg white)

They also have an excellent selection of "Wine, Ales, & Elixirs" which include wine by the glass or bottle(Brancott Pinot Grigio from New Zealand, Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba, Italy) and micro brews(Brooklyn Summer Ale, Magic hat No. 9, Blue Point Toasted Lager to name a few.) If you need to snack while imbibing, try their small plates menu that ranges from a $6 cheese selection to Wild Salmon Tartar, to Chorizo in Brandy & Red Wine.

Check out W&F on Tuesdays for the Swing/Jazz night or any other day of the week for their world class cocktails and cool vibe.

Woodson and Ford
643 Broadway (at Bleecker)
New York, NY 10012
917-319-0222