Death and Company

www.deathandcompany.com/

Green tea infused scotch? Adventurous in their infusions and the execution of cocktails that use two or three spirits and another couple of modifiers. I enjoyed a Double Barrel Mint Julep that contained a 114 proof Bourbon by Old Grand-Dad, one reserve rum and another younger, tasty rum. It could be a great Georgian cocktail as they added Creme de Peche and rounded it out with Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters and Demerara syrup. Classic and extremely tasty. It will take some time to get your drink but gives you a chance to take in the dimly lit, woody lounge. A steady stream of  industry folk and regulars in a great area for unique restaurants and bars as Cienfuegos and PDT are very close.

Cienfuegos

www.cienfuegosny.com/

Want to go to Miami and sip the finest rums?! This place is very much so off the radar as its nestled on the second floor above the small take out bar on the main floor. What an explosion of colors and decor! A rum collection to drive even Castro loco! Service was great and the atmosphere really makes you feel you stepped into a water washed clam shell. The owners told us of another place a couple blocks up that is also theirs and won acclaim at the 2010 Tales of the Cocktail for “The Best Bar In The World.” We didn’t make it there but its going on the list for the next trip even if I forgot the name of it.

Please Don’t Tell

www.pdtnyc.com

Great concept. Go into a local hot dog shop and you wouldn’t even know it, but pick up a phone in a side booth, that will hopefully lead you into an Prohibition style speak easy. Problem here is that it fills up quickly and only stays open until Midnight. You must call for reservations starting at 3 PM and if you don’t have one, it will be very difficult to get in. We didn’t and they were slammed but upon a peak through the sliding door, there are stuffed animals on the walls and old fireplaces surrounded by old couches. They have strict rules here anyway; no loud conversations, no cell phones, and no camera flashes. Great concept, exclusive execution not for everyone.

Apotheke

www.apothekebar.com/

In the heart of china town along a ‘movie like’ street that bends at a 90 degree angle, Apotheke can and will be missed by many confused by its lack of advertising and Chinese restaurant neighbors sign above their door way. If you are a lucky creature of the night and happen upon this blasts from the past, consider yourself lucky. The lounge is even more cinematic. One magical chandeliers made out of old orbs shines dim light on retro, 40′s era furniture. An impressive 4 piece Jazz band were playing the sound track in the corner as we took in the bartender’s in their lab coats behind the bar. Even more beakers and apothecary glassware was spread in front of the bartenders as the prescribed concoctions based on what ailed you. Get here early as well but feel free to talk and inquire about the pink peppercorns (amongst the worldly spices) or the homemade absinthe. Look for Kyle to take care of you.

Pegu Club

peguclub.com

A New York staple that is also very secretive. A place that has set the standard for sometime and should night be missed. Gin is a major spirit that is alive and well thanks to this establishment.

McSorley’s Old Ale House

www.mcsorleysnewyork.com/

One of the oldest Ale houses, if not the oldest and longest standing on the Lower East Side. Two types of house made ales we tried, the light and dark. Both tasty and served in two 8 oz mugs. This place has been huge for politico’s and neighborhood boozers for years. A lot of historic pieces on the walls, behind the bar (stuffed Jackalope) and saw dust on the floor. Thanksgiving wishbones hang from a chandelier over the bar for those soldiers that placed them there before they were dispatched for the war and remain meaning they didn’t return. See Allen to treat you nicely.

Next time you get a chance to visit the center of the universe, step away from the Vegas lights of Times Square and venture into the world of modern speak easies. If your travels don’t have New York in the future, stop by Cru and get a taste of the big time. We are always creating and changing new drinks and putting modern twists on classic recipes.

–
Cheers.

James
Bar Manager
Cru Urban Lounge

This has been in the works for about two weeks since we’ve been back. It would have been sooner of course but I have been putting in a shift or two extra at the airport or at Cru to take my mind off of how much money was spent or the good times that we spent in New York. Here’s what and how it went down….

Chelsea, my girlfriend, and I flew out of Atlanta at 11 am on standby with my perks from delta, although we were supposed to leave at 7:40, but got caught up with a couple of bloody mary’s and some power coffee in the Crown Room,  thus arriving at the gate a little late. The next two flights to NYC were oversold and as it was her birthday, we needed to get moving. Hopped a flight to D.C. and made our way to the Big Apple. The cab ride from the airport to the Four Season was one of excitement and awe as we were seeing the skyline, crazy traffic and scenes from movies unfolding before us. We arrived in the hotel room to find sunflowers and a nice chocolate cake for the birthday girl as you will see in photo’s in my photo album at this link…..

http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r98/himes311/new%20yorrrrk%20new%20yorrrk/

Cake and the buzz of the city below our 28th floor lovely room had us wanting to get out and see it all for what it is worth. Got dressed up and headed to the bar of 4seasons where they served us complimentary seasoned olives and nuts to go with our cocktails. A Manhatten was in order for my lady that was simply divine and I enjoyed a Ginger Zing. Her Manhatten was mixed with Michter’s single barrel Rye, which is actually one of the oldest distilleries in the U.S. and now placed upon our top shelf here at Cru. My drink had a spark about it; a citrus vodka mixed with Canton Ginger Liquor. If you haven’t read or tasted this unique liquor that turns a simple concoction into a glossy, smooth creation, stop in and see me! The manager and waiter asked us what we planned on doing for the big night and I had to bite my tongue as not divulge any info.  I had a few tricks up my sleeve and it was starting to make chelsea anxious as to what we were getting into for her big night. We headed to a gin bar close to NYU, in soho, called Pegu. The place is based off the Pegu Gentlemens Club that once was the watering hole for british colonial officers in Burma during the 1800′s. http://www.peguclub.com/ I thought I made some serious drinks. they make classics and fuse different things like earl grey tea, which is what chelsea went with. Very, very, cool spot that isn’t too trendy but service was sadly lacking which the drinks made up for. It was only a short walk to our main event for dinner. Recently on Top Chef, the contestants had to make the last meals for the judges which got us talking, what would be your last meal? As we headed to Po, a Mario Batalli founded restaurant, Chelsea was about to enjoy her last meal, if she could stay awake for it…the place was packed and we still had a our reservation and jumped next door for a drink to wait it out.  www.corneliastreetcafe.com

I discovered a great beer out of long island called Blue Point and we talked with other people from California. Made it back to Po where it is setup like a tapas bar. A small bar in the front followed by long benches along the wall with small tables. After selecting a decent bottle of Italian red, I quickly dived in for the 6 course chef tasting, hey, we’re in New York and its Chelsea’s 23rd birthday. Why not? Started out with a apple, creamy blue cheese salad. Then two pasta dishes. First was a massive ravioli stuff with goat cheese? I’m a little hazy but it was delicious. Next was the gnocchi stuffed with a veal, pork and beef marinara, the last meal on earth selection. The main entre was grilled leg of guinea. Cooked really well but with too much salt in certain places. Last two courses we didn’t experience at Po. After the 4:30 am wake up, drinks at several different places and the comfort of pasta dinner, my sweet heart had a enough so we packed it in, I finished her wine and took off for the hotel. We rode up the elevator with chelsea’s head in my jacket and I basically carried her to the room as an older french couple glanced and started talking. As they left the elevator, out of nowhere, Chelsea starts speaking french of some sort. She doesn’t recall this but it was quite a comedic moment.

Next day was room service where we discoverred a pot of coffee was $18!!!! It was freakin good, but not THAT good! I had a run around central park while she was putting her self together. Came back and then headed for our walk to wherever the sidewalks took us, the park of course. Got a picture with a statue of liberty immitator. Saw the many many dogs that were out for one of the first days of spring, even if snow was still on the ground. They had a little ice skating show going on with the Plaza Hotel as a back drop. Quite the sight! Dropped in to FAO shwartz for some candy boost and headed to smith and wollensky’s side bar for a burger. It was a decent walk but with all the buildings and people around, it goes by quickly and reminds you why there aren’t too many overweight people in NYC. Burger was good,  but onion rings and fries were dissapointing. More walking and little shopping insued before going back to shower up and get ready for the Hall and Oates show. Yea, I’m not the biggest Hall and Oates fan, but it was her birthday and I grew up in the 80′s, so i do know all the songs. Concert was at the Fillmore next to union square. Dropped into the Underbar at the W and then another local spot called Pete’s tavern, one of the oldest serving establishments behind the Bridge Cafe, to take in some local scenes. I enjoyed another Blue Point brew and a nice frothy Guiness was shared between us. The show was really good and even though no tears were shed, Chelsea was ecstatic. Had a craving for sushi so we went on the walk in the dark night of the Zoo and found aja. http://www.ajaasiancuisine.com/aja/ It was a cool, hip lounge and we barely made it before they closed the kitchen. We did a sake tasting here which was good but its not really my cup of tea, or wine or beer. Good sushi and dumplings. Called it a night.

Monday was huge. A lifetime in a day. Walking through times square, getting a white and black cookie, snagging a couple of shirts and snapping some pictures. We didn’t see any filming or anyone famous that day or the whole trip, but I am not particularly out to do that anyway. Took a cab down to the financial district to a place called the bridge cafe for lunch.  www.bridgecafenyc.com we were thirsty and hungry and found this area really cool as it was right under the brooklyn bridge! We got the ball rolling with an irish coffee. split a bottle of nice cali zin, which was half priced as it was monday. oh, and the food was incredible here! finished everything on mine and boxed up what she couldn’t finish. Next was the walk of walks! I tell ya. I had a couple of places in mind of where to go but we would be going through china town and little italy. Little did we know…that we had to pay for bathrooms, china town is the size of china and we would stand out soo much. Little italy is concealed to one block now as china town swallows it up. Our consumption started to catch up and there was not a bathroom in sight. We dived into a mall that had different stories and no english speaking or signs of american life to be heard or scene. We stumbled acrossed a restaurant on the bottom floor so there should be bathrooms near, right? Found one for the ladies with a steward handing out toilet paper as you walked in. Chelsea skipped right on in and was handed t.p. underneath the door. I hung around like a wallflower and took in the sights and smells as these younger girls were assembling pork dumplings. Everyother lil chineese lady that went into the bathroom, the same one as chelsea, were dropping coins to the steward. I would have caused massive chaos if i went in to relieve myself so i looked a little more and found the mens room on the other side of the basement and dropped 30 cents. Weird. Relieved and ready for another country, we walked on. Found a cool lounge that had a great happy hour. Had a beer, walked on and found another local spot. Now finally out of the grip of the chinese hand, we talked english like we it was our first time ever at a place called lucky jacks and drank american pale ale. http://www.luckyjacksnyc.com/ it was nice to catch our breath, sit down and talk with some ‘locals’ who were from philly, chicago and boston but called this their local spot. Next spot was a lounge called stanton social that I heard had french onion soup dumplings. whoa! irish coffee, wine and beers had caused chelsea to comedown with some hiccups. Got myself a some tequila to sip on and a lemon with bitters to help her cope. She was good to go in no time, plus a glass of wine and the aforementioned dumplings. www.thestantonsocial.com   hip spot, a bit pretentious but good bites and comfortable loungy areas. on the road again, to a wine bar the had a live three piece jazz band. www.10degreesbar.com had half price bottles here. no bites. just convo, drinks and lookin forward to what was next…jackyl and hyde, the theatre/restaurant was definately a wanted to destination albiet a tourist trap. we didn’t make it there. instead opted for the bar at four seasons again. don’t remember signing for the check. left all of our belongings downstairs and were brought to our room at somepoint. the leftovers we took from bridge cafe didn’t make the trip as it was now about 12 hours later without fridgeration. i soaked in the bath that fills up in less than a minute and chelsea got a head start on sleep.

this is a story of our culinary/pub crawl through nyc as you can tell. the last day was more low key, if not for the start of the de-tox. a further walk through central park with a cream cheese bagel from a vender on the journey to find a new york pizzeria. Came acrossed Ray’s Original Pizza. Upon seeing the sign, we thought it was the one on food network or travel channel. Ordered the pizza and took in the place. I said to Chelsea, “I don’t think this is the same Ray’s from tv.” She only had a couple bites before agreeing with me. My stromboli was a greesy mess. Atleast we’re walking everywhere. Hit up the natural musuem of humanity and art. they had a butterfly exhibit but time was tight. not enough time for the butterflies i’m afraid. Collected our gear, paid the hotel bill, hit the airport without a problem and a nap later landed in atlanta. Where, being the worlds busiest airport, they didn’t have a gate for us. landed at 8:30 got home at 10pm…needing a vacation from our vacation.

Our birthday/big apple and culinary expedition flew by. We have thoughts of moving there one day perhaps but probably just continuing on with whatever we couldn’t do this time…which was alot of course. Enjoy the pictures and thanks for reading!

James Hammerl

Bar Manager

Cru Urban Lounge

These days the term “bottle service” typically conjures up the image people who paid a lot of money to sit around a bottle of vodka on faux leather lounge chairs and occasionally get their mixers refilled by an unknowing server. Yes, they get a piece of real estate in a packed night club, but are they really getting service? I think of bottle service a little differently, maybe bit more on the old school side. I think of a knowledgeable server displaying the label of the selected bottle, opening the bottle and then allowing you, the guest, to taste it…with no rush…a moment of concentrated bliss. The best part: your ears get treated to hearing the sound of the wine or liquor pouring into the glasses around the table for you and your friends.

It may be a bottle that is dear to your heart bases on where it from, who produces it or the year it was released. It may remind you of that time you went to Italy and saw the Tuscan sunset or when you went to California and stumbled across a small boutique winery. Or maybe it brought the feeling of warmth experienced after a shot of vodka in Sweden on a cold winter’s day.

Maybe this will be your first time experiencing bottle service. Our philosophy at CRU Urban Lounge is to make your bottle service experience something special. You can now enjoy this experience upstairs in our new Vintage Room Booth that comfortably sits eight to ten people. Check out our wine and bottle service list at cruurbanlounge.com, pick a bottle and have a read about it before coming in. This will pay off when you come in and enjoy your selection! I think you’ll make some new special memories while relaxing in the timeless cherry wood Vintage Room Booth.

Reserve the Vintage Room Booth for just $75. If you do bottle service with one of our premium wines or liquors,  the both rental will be reduced to $50. Stay as long as you want…okay, how about until 2:00 a.m. when we close up shop?

Cheers,

James Hammerl

Bar Manager

Cru Urban Lounge

These days most vodkas claim that they are superior to the competitor due to multiple distillations and filtrations that remove every trace of taste…so basically you are paying more to taste less.  And we all know that had a certain appeal back when we were kids new to consuming alcohol and had not yet acquired a liking to drinks containing it.  But we’re all grown up now and think a bit more about the taste of the spirit swishing around in our mouths.  And that’s where the vodka Karlsson’s Gold Vodka came to to mind.  My bar manager James Hammerl (he’s probably served you something tasty before) met Morgan Cedarblom, president of Private Brands, Inc. who markets Karlsson’s Gold Vodka in the U.S. a few weeks back at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport.  Morgan and James had a discussion on why multiple distallations, while purifying alcohol, can strip away it’s unique character.  I was intrigued as I had never really thought about this concept.  I sent Morgan an email and he met up with me for a tasting.  After talking to Morgan and tasting Karlsson’s Gold Vodka I learned that this is a vodka made with virgin potatoes (they haven’t developed an outer layer of skin yet) from Cape Bjäre in Sweden.  Karlsson’s Gold is distilled only one time which allows you taste the origins from which it comes…Sweden + virgin potatoes.  Morgan recommended I try the vodka chilled with a some ground black peppercorns.  It seemed a bit strange to sip vodka in such a simple manner but what I discovered was unforgettable: true terroir.  You can actually taste the virgin potatoes and the soil of Cape Bjäre. 

Come over to CRÜ and try a snifter of Karlsson’s Gold Vodka this weekend or at the Karlsson’s Gold Vodka Tasting taking place on 2/25/09.  Check out the CRÜ Calendar of events for details.  Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online in the CRÜ Store. 

Cheers and see you next time…Chetan

Cheers!