The Holiday Spirits Bazaar is Coming to the Bowery Hotel!

Kick off the season of entertaining with some of the best spirits around at the 6th Annual Holiday Spirits Bazaar on Thursday, November 19 at the Bowery Hotel. Sip your way through an unlimited array of holiday cocktails and punches made by some of NYC’s best bartenders, each competing for the top title in a friendly Punch-Off. A judging panel will choose the Best Bowl, and the crowd will help pick a People’s Choice winner for additional bragging rights.

Hosted by The Dizzy Fizz, this year the event takes over Manhattan’s elegant Bowery Hotel ballroom — creating room for more merry-making than ever before.

General admission is from 7 to 10 p.m., and tickets are $65. Ticket-holders can enjoy unlimited libations as well as well as small bites from local purveyors, including pulled pork sliders and coleslaw from Mable’s Smokehouse. VIP hour is from 6 to 7 p.m., giving guests an extra hour of imbibing before the crowds arrive, plus access to an oyster bar featuring Bluepoint Oysters and Mable’s carved beef brisket. For tickets, please visit holidayspiritsbazaar.com.

New this year, the Holiday Spirits Bazaar will feature a mini pop-up cocktail book fair. The best spirits writers around will sign and sell copies of their newest releases, adding to the festive spirit of the event while continuing the theme of encouraging guests to entertain at home. Authors include: Heather Greene, Kara Newman, Clay Risen, Noah Rothbaum, and Robert Simonson.

A silent art auction will benefit Mana Fest, which provides public arts programming to underserved communities, and a portion of ticket proceeds benefits Children’s Aid Society, a non-profit supporting some of NYC’s neediest children. Guests are also encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots or non-perishable food items for Food Bank NYC. Atmospheric beats will be provided by DJ Tomas Delos Reyes to keep the party going all night long.

Exhibitors include: Bulleit Bourbon, Partida Tequila, Don Q Rum, Grand Marnier, Reyka Vodka, Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur, Four Roses Bourbon, Rum Diplomatico, Sheep Dip Blended Malt, G’Vine Gin, Drambuie Liqueur, Black Bottle Scotch, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky, Brugal Rum, Highland Park Single Malt, Montelobos Mezcal, Pig’s Nose Scotch Whisky, Half Moon Orchard Gin, Hudson Whiskey, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, The Feathery Blended Malt, Indigenous Vodka, Amaro Lucano, Edinburgh Gin, Bains Single Grain Whiskey, Brooklyn Gin, Wondermint Schnapps, Kringle Cream Liqueur, and more!

Don’t miss your chance to join one of New York’s most spirited celebrations!

“For New York’s cocktail elite and casual imbibers alike” —Societe Perrier

Must be 21-plus to attend. Please drink responsibly.

Dizzy Recap: Cocktails Are For Lovers

Photos by Clay Williams.

Proving that when it comes to Valentine’s Day, New Yorkers are ready to think outside the chocolate box, The Dizzy Fizz hosted Cocktails Are For Lovers on February 7, 2013, packing New York’s Astor Center with an enthusiastic crowd of imbibers. The event was held a week before Valentine’s Day to encourage guests to mix their own love potions in time for the holiday.

The elegant evening featured dozens of refreshing, fragrant cocktails, and some included aphrodisiac ingredients. Cocktails such as the Heart Breaker (Sandeman Reserve Port, grapefruit juice, homemade grenadine, rose water and aphrodisiac bitters) celebrated the enchanting effects of mankind’s oldest icebreaker.

Filipino gastropub Jeepney served small bites to pair with the cocktails, including “Sloppy Jose” pulled pork adobo sliders, chayote soup garnished with saffron cream, and savory spring rolls. Bacon bakery Baconery dished out indulgent bites of sinfully delicious confections. Throughout the night, DJ Tomas Moves maintained the event’s seductive vibe and burlesque performers Cheeky Lane and Callie Peck flitted through the crowd in barely-there costumes.

Sponsors included: Rhum Clement, Aperol, Ardbeg Whisky, Sandeman Porto, G’Vine Gin, June Liqueur, Excellia Tequila, Xante Pear Brandy Liqueur, Pallini Limoncello, OR-G Persimmon Liqueur, Voli Light Vodkas, John B. Stetson Bourbon, Killepitsch Liqueur and Pisa Italian Liqueur.

Click here for recipes from the event, and check out The Dizzy Fizz on Facebook for more photos!

Special thanks to: Jonathan Pogash and The Cocktail Guru Consulting, Damien Good, Adam Albert, Sharon Festinger and Urban Daddy.

File Under Hot Dates: Thursday’s Cocktails Are For Lovers!

Come one, come two, lovely cocktails are for you!

Single? Coupled? It’s complicated? Who cares! Everyone feels lovely with a romantic cocktail in hand. New Yorkers can celebrate the enchanting effects of the eternal icebreaker at Cocktails Are For Lovers, a red-hot walk-around-tasting party brought to you by yours truly from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at AstorCenter.

Sip endless love potions, aphrodesiac elixirs, dessert cocktails, effervescent punches, seductive slings and fragrant fizzes served by some of the hottest bartenders in NYC. Pair your tantalizing tipples with small bites by Filipino gastropub Jeepney including pulled pork adobo sliders. Bacon bakery Baconery will dish out savory sweets. Sexy beats by DJ Tomas Moves and burlesque performers will keep things interesting.

A limited number of general admission tickets are available for $45, while Urban Daddy Perks will provide a VIP experience.

Sponsors include: Rhum Clement, Ardbeg Whisky, Sandeman Porto, Pallini Limoncello, G’vine Gin, June Liqueur, Excellia Tequila, Aperol, OR-G Persimmon Liqueur, Voli Light Vodkas, Xante Brandy Pear Liqueur, John B. Stetson Bourbon, Killepitsch, Pisa Italian Liqueur and more!

Want a preview of what you’ll be tasting Thursday night?

Love Potion:

0.75 oz. June Vineflower Liqueur

Fill with Alfred Gratien Champagne

Cherry garnish

The Islay Affair by Jonathan Pogash, the Cocktail Guru:

1 1/2 oz. Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch Whisky

1 oz. blackberry puree

1/4 oz. simple syrup

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

Directions: Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.  Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: sage leaf

Visit cocktailsareforlovers.com for tickets and more information. Until then, lovelies!

Announcing: The 2011 Holiday Spirits Bazaar!

The Holiday Spirits Bazaar is back! Yes, Halloween just ended and Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, but you have a lot of holiday parties to plan, don’t you? Ring in the season of entertaining at the 2011 Holiday Spirits Bazaar, swinging into NYC on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 6:30 – 10 p.m. at Astor Center. Cocktails and punches from both vintage and modern traditions will be served in abundance by some of the best bartenders in the city at this spirited tasting hosted by NYC cocktail event producer The Dizzy Fizz.

Following the success of last year’s spectacular bash at The Green Building in Brooklyn, the Bazaar moves to Manhattan this year for festivities on an even bigger scale. Sip a seemingly endless array of libations perfect for your next holiday party, such as whiskey milk punch, mezcal hot chocolate, hot apple cider spiked with rye whiskey and an authentic vintage punch recipe from holidays of yore unearthed by cocktail historian David Wondrich. To stay refreshed, guests can snack on artisan bread by SCRATCHbread and grass-fed beef jerky by Slantshack as well as sip filtered water by MAVEA. Andaz Hotel’s DJ Kimiko will keep the party beats flowing all night long.

A limited number of discount tickets are now on sale  through Thrillist Rewards. For VIP entry at 6:30 p.m., which includes an hour of small bites by Emily Cavalier of the Midnight Brunch supper club, tickets are $55. For general entry at 7:30 p.m., tickets are $45. The first 200 ticket-buyers will receive a giftbag full of lushy goodies such as mini liquor bottles and bar tools. The first 30 ticket-buyers will receive a free copy of Jill DeGroff’s newest book, “Lush Life: Portraits from the Bar, Series 2.” A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Children’s Aid Society.

Sponsors include: Hudson Whiskey, Bulleit Bourbon, Cointreau, Beefeater 24, Plymouth Gin, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Chairman’s Reserve Rum, Russian Standard Vodka, Catdaddy Moonshine, Denizen Rum, Becherovka, Bluecoat Gin, Vieux Carré Absinthe, Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, XXX Shine Whiskey, Iceberg Vodka, Cockspur Rum, Redemption Rye, Redemption High Rye Bourbon, Scorpion Mezcal, Midnight Moon Apple Pie Moonshine and Innis & Gunn Cask-Aged Beer.

Take a sneak peek at the festive cocktails planned for the Holiday Spirits Bazaar here. This is an event not to be missed–not only will you get inspired to throw a bash of your own, you’ll taste delicious spirits that make great gifts and are the perfect remedy to holiday stress!

Must be 21-plus to attend. Please drink responsibly.

Image from the 2010 Holiday Spirits Bazaar by John Walder.

File Under: Hot Dates

Fourth of July gets gussied up with The Minsky sisters tap dancing at the Liberty Belle Spectacular.

• File under sipping & swinging: Just a few mere hours left to purchase advance tickets for the Liberty Belle Spectacular, a real treat of a Fourth of July showcase channeling the roaring ’20s–complete with a view of the fireworks. Hosted by Dances of Vice, The Champagne Riot, The Salon, and Wit’s End, the rooftop swing party will feature Brooklyn vaudeville duo Gelber & Manning and the Star Spangled Orchestra, rockabilly ballads, boogies and blues by SIT & Die Co, bugle boy extraordinaire Bob Leive, performances by tap sensations The Minsky Sisters, mesmerizing burlesque by Jezebel Express and Perle Noire with special guests The Rhinestone Follies, cocktails by mixologist Fredo Ceraso from Loungerati, and the dapper MC Dandy Wellington! Hurry, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 4, Empire Hotel Rooftop, 44 W. 63rd St.
• You have not one, but two upcoming opportunities to taste Maker’s 46, the first new product from Maker’s Mark in more than 50 years, for free: a tasting party from 8 to 10 p.m. Monday at Rye House featuring Maker’s 46 cocktails as well as food, and a more education-oriented session from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at Louis 649’s Tuesday Night Tastings. To make the 46, original Maker’s Mark ages for several more months in casks lined with seared French oak staves, giving the signature Kentucky bourbon a more prominent toasted spice profile. Rye House, 3 W. 17th St.; Louis 649, 649 E. 9th St.
• Also on Tuesday, Justin Noel and Martim Ake Smith-Mattsson bring a taste of Jamaica to the Bowery with a night of specially-priced Appleton Estate Rum cocktails from 7 to 10 p.m. Madame Geneva, 4 Bleecker St.
• Harlem’s 5 & Diamond is joining with Domaine Select Wine Estates to host a summer cocktail tasting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect farm-to-table nibbles from chef David Santos and Jonathan Pogash behind the stick. Five and Diamond, 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (Corner of 112th St. and 8th Ave.)

 

New Yorkers can taste Maker's 46, the first new spirit from Maker's Mark in 50 years, this Monday and Tuesday.

File Under: Sipping & Swinging

 

 

 

This recession is causing many of us to make touch choices, and unfortunately, that often means less money is patronizing the arts these days. One way to raise money for a good cause is to throw a damn good party–after all, who doesn’t want to take their mind off this economy? This Sunday night (May 24), if you have $30 to spare and you’re in the city for the holiday, you should make a hop, skip, and jump over to the Dreamland Gala fundraiser in Carroll Gardens. Starting at 9 p.m., Michael Arenella and his 12-piece Dreamland Orchestra will perform during this speakeasy-themed night of music, dancing, cocktails, and treats. Don your best Roaring Twenties getup, sip from an open bar with top mixologists courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin and D.O.C. wine shop, and nibble complimentary gourmet charcuterie from Stinky Brooklyn. Oh, and should you have the luxury of a few more dollars to spare, there will be a silent auction featuring delights such as vintage items, cigars, and custom hats. All of the money raised will go toward the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island June 6-7, which will feature daylong jazz performances for a mere $5 admission.

 

Dreamland Gala, 9 p.m. Sunday at The Green Building, 450 Union St., Brooklyn.

File Under: Sipping & Swinging

 

If you’re looking for an alternative to a sweaty, packed happy hour where you spend more time trying to get the bartender’s attention than actually enjoying your drink, mix up your routine with the Night Time jazz and cocktail event at The Night Hotel every Thursday from 6-9 p.m. through June 2. Crooner Marcus Goldhaber and the Jon Davis Trio, featuring: Jon Davis (piano), Pat O’Leary (bass), and Willard Dyson (drums) perform syncopated standards along the lines of Frank Sinatra that will transport you a world away from the bustle of the Theater District. I was there with a friend last week, and we both agreed that the hotel lounge’s black-and-white setting paired with the jazz would make for a great date. The cocktail menu is more of the sweet, clubby variety (Sparkling White Grape Cosmo, Chocolate Truffletini), but I had the Citrus-Berry Mojito (Barcardi Limon, fresh raspberries, mint) and was happily sipping away. The performance was stirring and nostalgic, and it was refreshing to see musicians so comfortable in their element.

 

Photo by Belkis Carrasco.

Hello World, and Happy Cocktail Day!

The bar at Macao Trading Co.

 

It’s World Cocktail Day! What better day to get this blog on NYC cocktails and culture up and running? Today is the 203rd Anniversary of the Great American Cocktail. On this day in 1806, the cocktail was defined in a Hudson, N.Y., newspaper as a “stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters it is vulgarly called a bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said also, to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because, a person having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow anything else.” Fuddle away!

 

Tonight I will be attending the World Cocktail Day Fundraiser at Pranna, and I’ll get you all of the dizzying post-event details. Nineteen of the top mixologists (in the country, let alone NYC) will be slinging all sorts of libations to help raise money for the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans. I’m expecting to see Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Gary Regan, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, Allen Katz, Charlotte Voisey, and Aisha Sharpe, among others (including my very own roommate, Gardner Dunn!) This event wraps up World Cocktail Week, although for many in the cocktail world, that doesn’t mean much–this is one of the busiest months as bars and brands get ready for a spirited summer.

 

This is just the beginning for The Dizzy Fizz (call it the beta stage, if you will). Be sure to check back often as I add more features, bells, and whistles. For now, click on my page listing the best NYC Cocktail Bars and let me know if there are any bars missing that you think deserve to be there. Although there are plenty of establishments in this city serving tantalizing drinks, I wanted to recommend those with serious cocktail programs. At the bottom of the page you’ll see my email address; feel free to say hello.