Grand Life Hotels » Bars + Nightlife

Attaboy

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:11:29 +0000

The very small speakeasy with a frequently locked door is helmed by mixologists from Milk & Honey, which was originally housed in the same space. If at first you dont succeed with the difficult door, try try again. Once you make it inside, bartenders personalize drinks based on your personal taste (there is no written menu). All cocktails run $16, and there’s never a set closing time.

Heathers

Ted Gushue — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:31:18 +0000

As the nexus of New York nightlife moves increasingly to towering Meatpacking District hotels and revamped megaclubs (we’re looking at you, Marquee), it’s nice to know that something just as exciting might be happening at Heathers, a tiny bar behind two black doors on an empty strip of Avenue A. Heathers has been around since its namesake, Heather Millstone, opened the spot in 2005, but in the past few months, it’s graduated from a cult fave populated by regulars to perhaps the most fun low-key hotspot in the city. The beloved Alphabet City boite faced extinction early last year, when Millstone skipped town and left Heathers up for grabs. So, sensing a chance to bring some debauchery back to the East Village, enterprising nightlife vets Greg Brier, Mark Dizon, Mike Herman and Ray Lemoine swooped in to take over the place. And with little more than a few tweaks to the layout, Heathers has caught fire. They’ve added to the DJ lineup downtown kids like Starred singer — and Yves Saint Laurent muse – Liza Thorn on one night and Todd Smolar, formerly of The Beatrice Inn and Kenmare, on another.

ACME Downstairs

GrandLife Hotels — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:27:06 +0000

What was once an old rock n’ roll bar is now the elegant counterpart to hot dining spot, Acme. Brought to you by the owners of NYC mainstays Indochine and BondSt, the Acme pedigree was already set in stone upon the establishment’s re-opening in January 2012. It’s not hard to see why, either. The sleek bar is inviting for both guests of the restaurant, and for regular patrons looking to dance the night away. House cocktails like the ‘Foxy Brown’ – a mixture of tequila, brown sugar, ginger and lime – will ensure the party continues well into the wee hours. Resident DJs mix all your favourite nostalgic tracks, and leather booths and low lighting provide all you need for a great night out.

Buvette

Ted Gushue — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:58:11 +0000

‘Buvette’ roughly translates to ‘small bar’ in French, particularly one found in rural areas. Upon stepping inside this West Village hideaway you feel as though you have been transplanted to Aix-en-Provence. Exposed brick walls and wrought iron details set the scene for a charming space, perfect for an intimate gathering with friends, or a solo wine seated at the long marble bar with a favorite book. The extensive wine list brings the best France has to offer, accompanied by a whimsical guide to enjoying your drop. An expertly curated food menu is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but with a 2:00am license, Buvette is just the spot to while away a chilly evening with a delicious bottle of red.

All Good Things

Ted Gushue — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:59:32 +0000

Kyle Wittels and Camilla Wilson are all about good things, so much so in fact that they’ve been rounding up this city’s finest food vendors to offer the neighborhood a hub of tastiness.

The space boasts exclusively local food advocates – Blue Bottle Coffee, Orwashers Artisan Bakery, Polux Fleuriste, Cavaniola’s Gourmet Deli, Blue Marble Ice Cream, Dickson’s Farm Stand Meats and of course, the All Good Things market offering fresh seafood, fresh vegetables and a champagne and oyster bar – What else could you want for lunch?

Exchange Alley

Ted Gushue — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:50:24 +0000

The Scene: Exchange Alley hits the nail on the head by marrying a warm unpretentiousness with a feeling of storied permanence. The intimate space feels as if it’s been there all along, which years from now will truly be the case. It doesn’t hurt of course that we found the waitstaff to be attentive and helpful, but never overly so. Expect to find a healthy mix of regulars at this spot as it gains momentum in the neighborhood – we have a sneaking suspicion that as the temperature drops, people will flock to Exchange Alley’s open arms.

The Food: The menu turned out to be just as unpretentious as the clubhouse vibe – we wanted to try everything, and we nearly did: Fried Pickled Okra, Big Easy BBQ Shrimp, Greek fries with Crumbled Feta, Charred Kale, Red Snapper with amazing caramelized garlic with a perfectly cooked hanger steak. Oh, and don’t even get us started on the Duncan Hines-esque chocolate cake that rocked our world…

The Chef: Paul Gerard has been around the block, hanging his chef hat on many great kitchens including our own. A Brooklyn native who’s spent his fair share of time in New Orleans pulls no punches when incorporating cajun flare in his new New York home. We’re confident that Gerard’s got the chops to break the curse of the space, which has previously been home to three failed restaurants in as many years.

The Phoenix

Ted Gushue — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:40:39 +0000

In the ever changing (read: ever gentrifying) East Village, locals tend to cling on to that which is constant, and in the world of Gay bars – The Phoenix is constant. Serving up its signature rock-n-roll meets arcade meets pool hall vibe, The Phoenix has plenty more to offer than socializing with like minded individuals. The attitude is as welcoming as the lights are low, making this the perfect spot to put the city that never sleeps on pause while you kick back a few by the pool table.

Pulqueria

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:10:04 +0000

It’s time to break out those weathered maps of NYC you have stashed away from your first few months living here: your hunt for Pulqueria will test just how well you navigate the winding streets of Chinatown. The Tierney siblings’ latest Doyers Street venture does offer one convenient point of reference: it’s tucked away just two doors down from their famed cocktail chemistry lab, Apotheke.

A secret Aztec subterranean den that provides a double dose of atmosphere, both bar and restaurant, Pulqueria dishes out authentic Mexican cuisine with unique milky-white Pulque cocktails that pay homage to the restaurant’s Yucatan origins. (Pulque, for the uninitiated, is the indigenous cousin of tequila and mezcal: produced from fermented agave sap. An Aztec myth has it that pulque was discovered by the god Tlacuache, who so enjoyed it that he became unable to carve a straight river—and that’s why streams meander.) Descending the staircase into an abandoned Vietnamese eatery is a uniquely New York experience in cultural vertigo. To the left, a sprawling bar and cozy lounge tables are ideal for sipping agave and watermelon-infused traditional pulque over late-night live music, while to the right, a candlelit dining room featuring a woven canopy ceiling, copper-topped tables, and vibrant feathered light fixtures. From chef Nacxitl Gaxiola, the menu is comprised of genuine Mexican fare with entrée standouts including the fish tacos and chicken enchiladas verdes and the seasonal pumpkin seed and sundried tomato dip appetizer. With Mexican flare, inspired design flourishes, and fantastic service, Pulqueria will be on every New Yorker’s exotic getaway list for winter—only a hop, skip, and a cab away to Chinatown.

Upstairs at Cipriani Downtown

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:27:33 +0000

After inventing the Bellini, serving celebrities from Truman Capote to Jay-Z for more than 80 years, and building a multi-million dollar empire through their family-owned and operated restaurants and real estate in exotic places like Venice and Istanbul, Cipriani’s version of the New York attic party doesn’t come as much of a shocker. A GrandLife favorite, blissfully located just steps away from the Soho Grand Hotel, this private key club is often crammed to the gills with the crème de la crème of the international jetset—lending a flair to this lounge-like space atop the SoHo restaurant that is lofty in more ways than one. You’ll still find your $20 Bellinis as well as light nibbles like a tiny tomato salad or the frothy lemon meringue pie here. And stocked with seductive sofas, sexy pillows, an even sexier fireplace and some of the most sough-after socialites in the world, the only thing missing is a helipad. Bon vivants, this is your mothership.

Bemelmans Bar

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:39:04 +0000

Remember the beloved Madeline series of children’s books? Ludwig Bemelmans was their creator, as well as the whimsical murals at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel – even the illustrations on the table lamps. Look closely and you’ll see his pastel-colored animals celebrating Central Park. Listen closely and you’ll hear old show tunes from the live pianist and smooth pipes of Chris Gillespie. Prohibition-era cocktails like the Old Cuban or Whiskey Smash dazzle, a brief menu with snacks like mini burgers and a shrimp cocktail satiate, yet keep you feeling light on your toes. A bastion of New York high society and the tip-top of every seasoned Gothamist’s list, Bemelmens has been frequented by politicians, movie stars and moguls for five decades. Ludwig Bemelmans once joked he’d like his tombstone to read: “Tell Them It Was Wonderful.” Well, wonderful it was, and still is, at Bemelmans Bar.