The Manhattan Cocktail Classic 2010!

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Set to Shake Up

Gotham May 14-18, 2010

Wildly Popular Festival that Previewed in October Makes a Full-On Return This May:

Twice as Long, Triple the Content and Infinitely More Fun

NEW YORK, May 6, 2010—The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, New York City’s first-ever multi-day celebration of all things cocktail-related, Libation Diaries announces the details of its much anticipated inaugural festival, which will take place in New York City on May 14-18, 2010.

In addition to being twice as long as the Fall Preview and offering three times as many seminars by cocktail luminaries, the May festival will offer “crowd-sourced” off-site events that will unleash the infinite creativity of the cocktail community and sponsoring organizations. Tickets are on sale at www.manhattancocktailclassic.com. All seminar sessions and off-site events will be priced at $50 per ticket; tickets to the Gala will be $100.

“The dramatic success of the Fall Preview proved that New Yorkers have an unquenchable thirst for cocktail knowledge…and for cocktails,” said Lesley Townsend, Founder and Director, Manhattan Cocktail Classic. “Our May festival is the Big Kahuna. It’s bigger and brassier. It’s cleverer and quirkier. It will feature not only the world’s top-flight mixologists and spirits gurus, but a lot of spectacular up-and-coming talent as well. And the Gala? Oh, the Gala is just going to be insane…”

Educational Seminars at Astor

On-site seminars at Astor Center will continue to form the intellectual backbone of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. More than two-dozen seminars have been scheduled, including: “Cocktails for the Home Cocktail Party” with Sasha Petraske, “When It’s Cocktail Time in Cuba” with Phil Greene and Charlotte Voisey, “Drink Punch and Be Merry” with David Wondrich, “Bar Myth Busters” with Don Lee and Alex Day, “The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico” with Steve Olson and “Glasses & Tools: How Do You Choose the Right Glass for a Drink” with Dale DeGroff.

The Official Bar

As in the Fall Preview, the Official Bar at Astor Center will be the place to kick back and relax with a good cocktail (and perhaps a glass of water) in between all the other seminars and events. Guests will have the opportunity to sample cutting-edge concoctions from some of the world’s greatest bartenders, rub shoulders with all the phenomenal presenters and panelists contributing to this year’s festival, and catch up with friends and colleagues over some tasty libations.

Stories From Behind the Bar

Numerous watering holes of renown will participate in Stories from Behind the Bar, uncloaking the mystery behind their elusive owners and nocturnal bartenders (with fabulous drinks thrown in, of course). Confirmed establishments include PDT, Death & Co, Mayahuel, Clover Club, Flatiron Lounge, Pegu Club, Employees Only, Macao Trading Company, Louis 649, Raines Law Room, Brandy Library, Apothéke, Double Crown/Madam Geneva, Little Branch and Dutch Kills.

Off-Site Events

In a stroke of sheer genius (or perhaps total madness), the Manhattan Cocktail Classic is exploring the “Google approach to festival planning” – effectively allowing anyone or any company to conceive of and produce their own off-site event. This crowd-sourcing approach taps into the creativity of dozens of savvy marketing teams and forward-thinking entrepreneurs, thus expanding the horizons of the festival far beyond any singular creative vision. Of course, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic will still retain quality control by virtue of choosing what does and does not become part of the festival – but the possibilities are truly endless: cocktail-fueled sunset harbor cruises, cocktail pairing dinners at some of New York’s finest restaurants, exclusive tastings of exceptionally rare and hard-to-find spirits, ice-carving workshops, and more.

Friday Night Gala

One of the most memorable aspects of the Fall Preview was the Gala, a cocktail party for 1,000 thirsty cocktailians, held at the landmark New York Public Library. Kicking off the festival this year, the Gala will triple in size, taking over the entire library, with a cocktail party that will defy expectation, convention, and just about everything else. Tuxes and top hats will be de rigueur (along with feather boas, tap shoes, and 1800’s clown costumes). Anyone with a heart condition will be required to sign a waiver prior to entering the building. “If Terry Gilliam threw a cocktail party at the New York Public Library, I think it would look something like this,” said Townsend. “Minus the British accents,” she added.

About the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic is New York City’s first ever multi-day festival celebrating the history, contemporary culture, and artful craft of the cocktail. Part festival, part fête, part conference, part cocktail party, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic brings together the unparalleled talents and opportunities of the bars, bartenders, and restaurants of our great city for five days of activities, both educational and celebratory in nature, championing the common ideals of authenticity, equality, sustainability, service, and pleasure. (There will be some drinking involved, too.) For additional information, kindly visit www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.

News Bulletin: The Dizzy Fizz is at it again!

“From New York With Love” Fundraiser to Benefit Haiti and
New Orleans April 25
Proceeds to Support Rebuilding Efforts




NEW YORK, April 8, 2010—New York event planners
and culture bloggers The Dizzy Fizz and Nosalikes today announced a
partnership with Tales of the
Cocktail to host a benefit on April 25 in NYC’s Lower East Side for relief
efforts in Haiti and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans.

The
Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans, will be the featured cocktail,
along with Oloffson’s Punch, invented at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in
Port-au-Prince and made with the famous Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti.

The
suggested donation will be $5 per person during an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m.,
and $10 per person from 8 to 11 p.m. Drink specials will be in effect
throughout the night. All proceeds will be split between the SOS Children’s
Villages of Haiti and United Saints Recovery
Project of New Orleans.

NYC
DJs Kraff Swagger, Djette Luna Vega, and DJ Treats will spin music throughout
the night. The event is sponsored by Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Rhum Barbancourt, and
Herbsaint Original.

The
benefit will be held at The Delancey,
168 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002.

“Everyone’s
mind is still on Haiti, and yet there’s still so much more to do in New
Orleans,” said Nosa Garrick, who blogs as Nosalikes and organized a United
Saints volunteer project last year. “This benefit is a call to action to
continue sending aid to these two affected areas—every little bit helps.”
Sazerac
Company has direct ties to Haiti though Antoine Peychaud, who created the
bitters used in the New Orleans Official Cocktail, the Sazerac. In the early
1800’s, Peychaud and his family moved to New Orleans from current day Haiti,
then Saint Domingo.
Rhum Barbancourt is a Haitian rum producing company, which is widely regarded as being one of
the best rums produced in Latin America and the Caribbean.

About Tales of the
Cocktail:
Tales
of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine
and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together
the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists,
authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the
history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of
dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and
parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.

About The Dizzy Fizz:
The
Dizzy Fizz, founded by nightlife journalist Selena Ricks, is an NYC cocktail
culture blog covering everything from bar news to bartenders to drinking
trends. Started on World Cocktail Day, May 13, 2009, The Dizzy Fizz has been
featured in NYTimes.com, Gawker, Eater, Newsweek, and Time Out New York.

About Nosalikes:Created by Thomson-Reuters
designer and African culture journalist Nosa Garrick, Nosalikes is a
tastemaker’s blog covering fashion, culture, food, trends, and anything else
that inspires. Garrick is also founder of No One’s Done It Right, an NYC-based
event-planning organization that raises funds for international causes

Contemporary Cocktails Presents Cocktails for a Cause!

Contemporary Cocktails presents Cocktail for a Cause; supporting charities devoted to the global good (more details to come…). In April, in order to support the environment, CC has partnered with VeeV to lend a hand in helping achieve VeeV’s goal of planting 10,000 trees in April to help celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of Earth Day.

In order for everyone in the bartender community (or just those who like to make cocktails) to do their part, VeeV has agreed to plant five trees for every cocktail recipe submitted using VeeV and fresh, seasonal organic ingredients through Contemporary Cocktail’s facebook page.

WANT A TRIP TO TALES? The cocktails will be judged by fellow facebook users and the three top vote getters (on May 3^rd) will receive hotel and airfare to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

To plant some trees and submit your VeeV cocktails visit CC facebook page!

Out of commission..............

My apologies for the HUGE lack of blogging from the past 2 months. From massive deadlines, stacked up high paper work, and cleansing on a no alcohol detox, I was unable to get a blog posted!

I would like to say that I'll return to my duties with a slew of blogs within the next week.

Cheers,
Carmen

P.S. This will be a great night to write about...............

Photo credits: Lush Life Productions

LUPEC's Whisky and Women Celebration

BULLETIN: Please attend If possible and in the NYC area!

This second instillation of our fly-by-night bar features tippling and tweeting with the ladies of LUPEC, in celebration of International Women’s Day 2010. One part fundraiser ($5 of each ticket goes to a women’s charitable organization) and one part cocktail party (a tasting of boutique blender Compass Box’s whiskies and cocktails), this toast to women’s accomplishments and empowerment in New York and around the globe is also an opportunity to rub elbows with some of the fixtures of the NYC cocktail twitterati!

The cocktails will be shaken and slung by Lynette Marerro and friends, working as members of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC). Their mission?

* To create a secular "coven-like" atmosphere in which Classy Broads of today can invoke and honor the spirits of their Forebroads
* To continue the 150 year American tradition of dangerous women calling themselves Ladies and getting together in groups, clubs, and societies to work undercover while they chipped away at the patriarchy.
* To protect the collective Joie de Vivre of LUPEC members by assuring them at least one good party a month
* To encourage the accumulation and use of vintage serving and barware.
* And most importantly, to let LUPEC ladies use our skills to support women-based charitable organizations.

Compass Box Brand Ambassador and whisky guru Robin Robinson will be on hand leading tastings of their sophisticated, expressive blended whiskies, including Asyla, Hedonism, Oak Cross, Peat Monster, Spice Tree and their infused whisky, Orangerie.

This event is co-hosted with @sweetblogomine, the mastermind behind the the cocktail tweetups that have been gaining momentum for 18 months.

Your ticket entitles you to two of the drinks created for the event. Additional tickets will be available on site ($10 a cocktail) should you want to taste the whole list (and you probably will.) Snacks will be served.

Tickets MUST be purchased in advance and are available online:
http://www.astorcenternyc.com/class-winter-warmer-cocktail-tweetup.ac

International Women’s Day celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It has been observed since the early 1900's and today thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their incredible achievement. For more information on International Women’s Day 2010 including events taking place around the world, please visit http://www.internationalwomensday2010.com

Photo and event info credit: LUPEC NYC

The Breslin and the Summit Bar

Location #1: 133 Avenue C, The Summit Bar, NYC

Location #2: 16 west 29th street, The Breslin, NYC


Date: 1/12/10

After a long hard day of imbibing and learning at the Benedictine mixer and then attending the Macallan tasting, me and the cocktail posse walked around the corner to the Summit bar (top photo) for a few libations. I had the Estrella Damm Lager and the Black Bottle whisky to please my thirst. The Summit Bar is a beautiful addition to the East Village and offers a great atmosphere along with a dynamic cocktail menu. Between Louis 649 and The Summit, the E.V. is experiencing the return of the cocktail experience!

After we caught up with the rest of our friends, we made our way to the Breslin. I was very pleased when I walked inside this delightful bar and dining room. The atmosphere correlated with the antique oak designed bars, classic moldings, and tiled flooring.

What else is great about this place? The cask-conditioned ale's, the simple but delicious gin and tonic menu, and the super creative cocktail list designed by Aisha Sharpe from Contemporary Cocktails.

Aisha balanced out the spirits with house made syrups, fresh juices(made daily),bitters, and assorted liqueurs. I highly suggest that you make your way over to this beauteous Brittish bar and dining room.


Night Cap:

Needless to say that I was ready for some shut eye at this point. I went home happy with my little ole taste buds satisfied.

Slaandjivaa!


Photo Credits: The Summit Bar and The Breslin

Info about Aisha Sharpe and Contemporary Cocktails:

http://contemporarycocktailsinc.com/index.php?doc_id=32

Macallan's Cool Ice Ball

Location: Louis 649, 649 east 9th street, NYC

Date: 1/12/10

Event: Macallan Tasting

Me and my cocktail posse arrived to Louis and entered in a packed house! I know Louis is a great cocktail bar, but I've never seen it so full! They even had one of the owners maintaining the door and not letting people in, due to the full capacity. It was obvious that New Yorker's loves Macallan.

This Libation Girl knew her fair share of the brand and enjoyed the tastings from 12-18 years, but I was loving the copper ice ball maker! This maker creates ice balls for your whisky, which fits in most standard rock glasses. The spherical shape of the ice ball helps slows down the melting process, due to the body heat it receives from your hands.


There was only one thing that I was un-happy to learn about this clever copper creation. It won't be available for the public until a few years, but the people at the Japan Trend Shop has created a replica for $185 USD(see link below). I think this is well worth it for you master molecular mixologist.


Night Cap:

It was a great day/night. I met some new and exciting people. I had great libations, and experience a cool new device for the cocktail world.

Slaandjivaa!



Ice Ball Maker info:

http://www.japantrendshop.com/ice-ball-mold-for-perfect-ice-spheres-p-244.html

Photo Credits: Lush Life Productions

*minus the pix with the ice ball in the presenter hand*