NYC Tastes

That's right from June 1st - 7th over 3,500 bars around the world will be celebrating this classic cocktail to raise funds for various charitable causes.  Of course NYC has quite a few venues on the list including Eataly, Eleven Madison Park, L'Artusi and the fabulous bitters den Amor y Amargo who will be donating to the Barmans Fund. They will be serving up their Negroni and donating to the Barmans Fund...what a perfect excuse to go out and enjoy a drink this week! Negroni Week Amor y Amargo 443 East 6th Street @ Avenue A NY, NY 10009

The next two days of Memorial Day weekend were completely boat themed.  The first was a stop at North Boat Lobster Company in Hell's Kitchen.  This place is basically just a version of the Frying Pan but with better food and drink prices and a boat that actually moves. I'm not saying the drinks were fantastic but they had a few additional beer options than just Bud Light and Corona plus a few decent bottles of wine perfect for sharing with a group. The menu is all about seafood with Lobster Rolls, Fish and Chips and some Cajun Spiced Peel and Eat Shrimp. The boat leaves dock at various points during the day for a 45 minute sail up the Hudson River.  The views were fantastic and not having to pay an extra ticket for the ride was a downright steal.  It got really crowded and a little bit like a Frat House at certain points but I would do it again for sure. On the opposite end of the spectrum from North River Lobster Co. is the Grand Banks,...

Taking a quick break from the Memorial Weekend recap for a New Brew Friday!  This time we're back at Other Half for their newest can release Hop Showers. This American IPA pours a hazy, murky orange with a nice frothy head.  The aroma is sweet citrus with orange, tangerine and honey while the flavor is more big, juicy citrus fruits and dank pine with a creamy, slightly chewy mouthfeel and a bitter hop finish.  It's yet another solid offering from Brooklyn based Other Half.  They also just debuted some new glassware yesterday that looks exactly like my Prairie glass above but with the Hop Showers logo on front.  Looks like I'll be swinging by the brewery again tonight- Cheers! Other Half Brewing 195 Centre Street Brooklyn, NY 11231

After our Brooklyn crawl we landed in the East Village hungry for some fresh seafood at one of our favorite places Upstate Oyster Bar.  As usual with such a popular and tiny space we had to wait about an hour for a table.  Luckily they take your name and send a text when it's ready so it's really just a little extra free time to walk around or grab a drink or two nearby.   The menu changes daily but I highly suggest starting out with a big round of fresh oysters and one of the specials of the day.  On my visit the Scallops with Mushroom Risotto were absolute perfection. Big and crispy outside with that hearty rich pasta...yum. Mr. T ordered his usual seafood go-to the Bouillabaisse chock full of fresh lobster, fish, shrimp and crab meat.  The meal at Upsate always ends with a free slice of lemon pound cake which is just delightful but I had bigger plans for my dessert :) We recently celebrated my friends birthday at nearby Spanish restaurant Huert...

Okay well it wasn't exactly an extravaganza but Mr. T and I had a great weekend just chilling with some friends and doing a little tour of some new spots and a couple old favorites. First up and brand new to both of us was Berg'n the Smorgasburg/Brooklyn Flea beer hall out in Crown Heights.  This sprawling space hosts four different Smorgasburg vendors including Mighty Quinns, Asiadog, Samesa and the famous Ramen Burger.  There were actually about six different styles of Ramen burger listed on the menu but we just stuck to the Original with beef, arugula, scallions and secret shoyu sauce. This burger certainly looked awesome...the ramen noodles held together surprisingly well and maintained intact even while devouring the juicy patty but I just couldn't get over the salty sauce.  I've honestly never loved homemade ramen, this was definitely much more Mr. T's thing than mine, but it was just serious MSG overload for me.  I am happy to say however that I was lite...

Our neighborhood is brimming with various kinds of happy hour every day, but the longest running happy hour (and most crowded) in the hood is at City Crab where everything on the bar menu is half off.  This includes wine, beer and specialty cocktails like the Maryland Martini made with two kinds of Coconut Rum and a small menu of appetizers. I highly suggest the Buffalo Shrimp served extra crisp with a buttery spicy sauce or the Lil' Lobster rolls served on mini potato buns. Don't expect rolls on the lobster level of Pearl or Mary's but they're a tasty, quick snack perfect for nibbling on with a delicious cocktail or two.   City Crab 235 Park Avenue South at 19th Street New York, NY 10003

Finally three full day off in a row!  Time for everyone to go to the Hampton's and leave the city free and clear for the rest of us to relax and hang out in the sun.  Of course there's nothing better than enjoying the rays with a big frothy cocktail in hand like this one from the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club. Its called the Mr. Shuffles Orange Buggy Whip- a delicious combination of Rum, Coconut Milk and Orange Juice perfect for setting the weekend mode to tropical.  Cheers! Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club 514 Union Street @Nevins Brooklyn, NY 11215