Posts Tagged ‘21 Club’

Dining and Dancing in Manhattan, Frank Sinatra Style

Ol’ Blue Eyes is making a comeback on Saturday, September 26, at the 21 Club. Following the trend of retro (and glamorous) dinner and dining set in motion by the re-opening of the Rainbow Room this year, the 21 Club is devoting an evening to the kind of soiree that made headlines both before and after Mad Men days. On Sinatra Night at the 21′ Club, crooner Nick Drakides pays tribute to a former 21 Club regular, Frank Sinatra, right in the Puncheon Room and Gallery where Frank used to dine. The menu will, of course, be Italian in theme, including the singer’s favorite Osso Buco, seafood pasta, and cannolis. Executive Chef Sylvain Delpique spins these with a New York twist and adds more recent favorites like octopus carpaccio and tuna tartare. Reservations are $165 per person for three courses, live music and dancing.  Call 212-582-7200 to book. 21 West 52nd Street.  http://www.21club.com/web/onyc/21_club.jsp

21 Club

And, if you haven’t been to the newly reopened Rainbow Room yet, check out the Brian Newman Orchestra and Ben Patterson trio, playing October 2 and October 9, for two more swanky evenings of dinner and dancing. Check the Rainbow Room calendar frequently for other big band and jazz evenings. 212- 632-5000. 30 Rockefeller Plaza. http://www.rainbowroom.com/dining-entertainment/dinner-and-dancing/?gclid=CjwKEAjwyemvBRDFpN3E5_bs9BQSJAA5n8L26EF1xAb8VGtrP_aTma7zue8M5P2G3kBKAvUATpYA_hoCKvXw_wcB

Rainbow Room

More “Mad Men” Bars to Keep You Warm and Cozy – Top Ten Plus Two

Manhattan never lacks for great bars, and our “Mad Men” friends would have felt perfectly comfortable entertaining in any of these in our Part II of classy drinking spots.

P.J. Clarke's

Image: The New York Times

P.J. Clarke’s: Nearly 130 years old, P.J. Clarke’s still appeals to the after-work drinking and dining set.  The neighborhoody bar serves up ice-cold beers, oysters on the half, and terrific burgers to a crowd of ad execs and locals.  It’s the perfect spot for mingling, meeting a blind date, or celebrating a copywriting success as Peggy did. 9015 Third Ave., 212-317-1616. www.pjclarkes.com

King Cole Bar

Image: Time Out Newyork

King Cole Bar: Once a bastion of cigar-smoking power brokers or account types like Ken Cosgrove and Pete Campbell, the newly reopened King Cole Bar in the elegant St. Regis Hotel is the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, known here as the Red Snapper. This classic bar also is known for its famous and recently refurbished mural, “Old King Cole” by Maxfield Parrish. St. Regis Hotel, 2 E. 55th St., 212-753-4500. www.kingcolebar.com

21 Club

21 Club: Infamous for its Prohibition-era speakeasy status, this restaurant has attracted every president since FDR (except George W. Bush) to dine or imbibe. Come for a martini just like James Bond in 007 or try a Southside, the rum and mint cocktail invented here. It’s quiet enough, too, that Ted and Peggy could have shared a drink at the 21 without having had to escape to an afternoon Roman Polanski movie.  21 W. 52nd St., 212-582-7200. www.21club.com.

Campbell Apartment

Image: Biting the Big Apple

Campbell Apartment: This luxurious lounge in Grand Central Terminal will bring you back to another era. The space, once used as an office for New York financier John Campbell, still exudes the same sleek, refinement with its low lighting, rich woodwork and beamed ceiling.  Take a seat on the balcony for extra privacy.  We’d recommend the Prohibition Punch for aptly named Pete Campbell.  15 Vanderbilt Ave., 212-953-0409. www.grandcentralterminal.com/store/2137026178

The Blue Bar

Image: Trip Advisor

The Blue Bar at the Algonquin: Once the hot spot for literary geniuses like Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, The Blue Bar is filled with Al Hirschfield’s artwork depicting a variety of Broadway shows. The cozy bar with its blue upholstery is known for the Algonquin Cocktail, a mix of whisky, dry vermouth, and pineapple juice.  It’s reputed that the literary ghosts of times past will even sit with you to provide inspiration and absorb the black-tie service. The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W. 44th St., 212-840-6800.  www.algonquinhotel.com/blue-bar

Sardi's

Image: NewYork.com

Sardi’s: Since 1921, this legendary restaurant with celebrity caricatures adorning its walls has served as the spot for before or after theater. It’s also a favorite rendezvous spot for Don Draper and his lady friends (pre-Megan, of course).  To behave like a true “mad man,” book a table on Thursdays and Fridays for jazz and cabaret and skip the cocktail: a bottle of Dom Perignon is more in keeping with the mood. 234 W. 44th St., 212-221-8440. www.sardis.com

Trouble's Trust

Image: NewYork.com

Trouble’s Trust at the New York Palace: New to the scene in 2013, the re-imagined and appropriately named bar in the former Villard Mansion is the modern version of the King Cole Bar. Perfectly hidden away under the lobby’s grand staircase, the bar entices with “vintage specialty” cocktails that Betty and Henry would have enjoyed on a trip into the city.  It’s easy to imagine Betty with her blonde updo and stylish attire poised on one of the bar’s sleek leather banquettes.  My guess is that she would have chosen The “Queen of Mean” cocktail if she could have fast-forwarded a few decades, a potent mix of whiskey and gin.  Henry, being the politician that he is, would have no doubt opted for a turn-of-the-century “Bronx Cocktail.” 455 Madison Ave., 212-888-7000. www.newyorkpalace.com/dining/trouble-s-trust

Where to Drink Like a “Mad Man”

Mad Men doesn’t resume for a few months, and I’m in total withdrawal.  I couldn’t tell you if it’s the smoke-filled offices of Sterling Cooper, the vintage ads and campaigns, the mischievous plots of Pete Campbell, or simply gorgeous Don Draper that I miss most, but I think I’ve finally found a cure. You, unfortunately, can’t actually join Don and Roger over oysters at The Oyster Bar or drinks at The Roosevelt Hotel, but you can find some cocktail fixes throughout Manhattan that will make you feel as if you are.

Temple Bar: The glamorous oak bar in NoHo is known for its extensive drink list peppered with all the classics. Imagine yourself sitting with Don among the beautiful velvet curtains sipping an Old Fashioned or with Peggy Olsen as she tries a Brandy Alexander for the first time. (322 Lafayette St, 212-925-4242, http://www.templebarnyc.com )

Monkey Bar:  Enter the landmark Hotel Elysée (once known as the “easy lay”) where guests like Joe DiMaggio and Marlon Brandon used to stay and step inside this great piano bar just off the lobby with its iconic monkey mural.  You can just picture Roger downing a Manhattan or two before heading for a room upstairs. (Hotel Elysée, 60 E 54th St, 212-753-1066, http://www.elyseehotel.com )

King Cole Bar: Once a bastion of cigar-smoking power brokers or wannabes like Ken Cosgrove, the King Cole Bar in the elegant St. Regis Hotel is the birthplace of the Bloody Mary (known here as the Red Snapper). This classic bar also is known for its famous mural, “Old King Cole” by Maxfield Parrish. (St. Regis Hotel, 2 E 55th St, 212-753-4500, http://www.kingcolebar.com)

21 Club: Famous for its prohibition-era speakeasy status, this restaurant has attracted every president since FDR (except George W. Bush) to dine or imbibe. Come for a martini just like James Bond in 007 or try New York Magazine’s recommendation, a Southside, the rum and mint cocktail invented here. (21 W 52nd St, 212-582-7200, http://www.21club.com)

Campbell Apartment: This luxurious lounge in Grand Central Terminal will surely bring you back to another era. The space, once used as an office for New York financier John Campbell, still exudes the same sleek, refinement with its low lighting, rich woodwork and beamed ceiling. We’d recommend the Prohibition Punch for aptly named Pete Campbell. (15 Vanderbilt Ave, 212-953-0409, http://www.hospitalityholdings.com )

Bemelmans Bar: Some things never go out of style. Tommy Rowles has been the bartender here for 51 years and has even poured bourbon on the rocks for President Truman. Live piano music, enchanting murals of animals by Ludwig Bemelmans of Eloise fame, plus formally dressed waiters make this an Upper East Side landmark. The perfectly chilled and poured martini comes in a shaker with enough liquor for a potent drink and a half, and the banquettes are perfect for cuddling. (The Carlyle Hotel, 35 E 76th St, 212-744-1600, http://www.thecarlyle.com/dine4.cfm )

The Blue Bar at the Algonquin: Once the hot spot for literary geniuses like Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, The Blue Bar is filled with Al Hirschfield’s artwork depicting a variety of Broadway shows. The cozy bar with its blue upholstery is known for its Algonquin Cocktail, a mix of whiskey, dry vermouth, and pineapple juice.  It’s reputed that the literary ghosts of times past will even sit with you to provide inspiration and absorb the black-tie service. (The Algonquin Hotel, 59 W 44th St, 212-840-6800, http://algonquinhotel.com/blue-bar )

Sardi’s: Since 1921, this legendary restaurant known for the celebrity caricatures adorning its walls has served as the spot to head to before or after theater. It’s also a favorite rendezvous spot for Don Draper and his lady friends like the sultry Mrs. Barrett.  To behave like a true “mad man,” book a table on Thursdays and Fridays for jazz and cabaret and skip the cocktail; a bottle of Dom Perignon is more in keeping with the mood. (234 W 44th St, 212-221-8440, http://www.sardis.com )

The Oak Bar at the Plaza:  Originally filling the entire Oak Room restaurant space in the Plaza Hotel, the Oak Bar was conceived as a men’s-only enclave when it opened in 1907.  Now restored to its original glory surrounded by impressive “frozen in time” murals, the bar serves up a Classic Sidecar to enjoy with a menu of bar items until the wee hours.  (Plaza Hotel, 10 Central Park South, 212-758-7777, http://www.oakroomny.com )

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